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Despite Melbourne being the price growth setter of the nation over the past year some 5.4 percent of Melbourne resales over the September 2015 quarter were at a price lower than the previous purchase price, according to CoreLogic RP Data Pain and Gain report.
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This was down from 6.5 percent a year earlier and 5.6 percent at the end of the previous quarter. Murrindindi was the only council region to record no resales at a loss over the quarter while Knox (1.5 percent), Whitehorse (1.7 percent) and Yarra Ranges (1.9 percent) also had less than 2 percent of resales at a loss. The regions with the highest proportion of loss-making resales were Melbourne (24.8 percent), Mitchell (13.8 percent) and Stonnington (10.7 percent). 
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Quarterly loss making resales felt in Melbourne, Mitchell and Stonnington: CoreLogic RP Data Pain & Gain

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Over the course of 2016, APRA expects to release several policy consultation packages. These will, for the most part, primarily affect authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) and the superannuation industry.
The consultations will reflect both domestic policy initiatives - largely driven by the Government’s response to the Financial System Inquiry (FSI) – and, for ADIs, the implementation of internationally-agreed reforms. Insurers will chiefly be impacted by a limited number of cross-industry policy proposals, as well as a review of the role of actuaries.
APRA will also begin engagement with private health insurers during 2016 on the future direction of the prudential framework for their industry. Responsibility for prudential regulation of the private health insurance industry passed to APRA on 1 July 2015 and, consistent with APRA’s undertakings during the transition, no substantive changes will be made to the prudential framework for private health insurers prior to 1 July 2016.
In conducting policy consultations, APRA follows an open and transparent process where public and industry feedback is actively encouraged, and final policy positions are formed after giving due consideration to feedback received.
<h3>International developments</h3>
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (Basel Committee) – the global standard-setter for banking - is committed to finalise in 2016 its remaining post-global financial crisis (GFC) reforms. This includes new standardised approaches to credit risk and operational risk; reducing risk-weight variability when ADIs use internal models for capital adequacy purposes; new capital floors; and the leverage ratio. This follows from the recently-finalised review of capital requirements for trading book exposures.
APRA intends to take a measured approach towards implementing these changes, with suitable adjustments for the Australian context. Whilst these reforms have the potential to affect all ADIs, it is likely the impact will be more noticeable for the largest ADIs. However, given the international work is unlikely to conclude before end 2016, and with many implementation dates yet to be agreed, APRA’s domestic consultation is unlikely to begin before 2017, with local implementation of these reforms following over a number of years.
Derivative markets have also been an area of intense international reform in the post-GFC period. APRA has begun the implementation process in Australia with the recent release of a cross-industry consultation package on margining and risk mitigation standards for non-centrally cleared derivatives; a separate (but related) consultation on ADI capital requirements for counterparty credit risk will follow in the near future. These reforms generally only affect the larger APRA-regulated entities in each impacted industry.
<h3>Domestic developments</h3>
The final report of the FSI includes a number of recommendations that are directly relevant to APRA’s prudential framework. The Government’s response to the FSI, Improving Australia’s Financial System, endorsed APRA to implement a number of these recommendations. APRA’s plans in this regard are set out below.
FSI Recommendation 1: Capital Levels – the FSI highlighted that the stability of the banking sector is of paramount importance to Australia’s economic well-being. With that in mind, the FSI recommended that ADIs have capital ratios that are ‘unquestionably strong’. In settling a final prudential framework to deliver on this recommendation, APRA needs to have regard to the ongoing work of international standard-setters such as the Basel Committee, as well as give thought to how other measure of resilience (for example, with respect to liquidity and funding) can assist in achieving the FSI’s objective. With this in mind, APRA will shortly begin consultation on the implementation of the Net Stable Funding Ratio, which is designed to improve the stability of bank funding profiles.
FSI Recommendation 2: Narrow mortgage risk weight differences – in July 2015, APRA announced an interim measure to increase the average residential mortgage risk weights for ADIs using the Internal Ratings-based (IRB) approach to capital adequacy, from approximately 16 percent to at least 25 percent. This change takes effect from 1 July 2016. Whilst this step materially addresses the FSI recommendation in the short term, APRA will need to consider whether further changes are necessary after the Basel Committee’s broad review of the capital framework is complete later this year.
FSI Recommendation 3: Loss absorbing and recapitalisation capacity – consistent with the FSI’s recommendation of not moving ahead of international developments, this is an issue that APRA intends to address over the medium term. In the meantime, APRA is monitoring initiatives being taken by overseas regulators in this area, and has begun limited engagement with industry participants on this issue.
FSI Recommendation 4: Transparent reporting – larger ADIs have begun disclosing ‘internationally comparable’ capital ratios, informed by the methodology developed by APRA for its International capital comparison study (July 2015). Although not strictly aligned with the FSI’s recommendation for reporting capital ratios that are ‘transparent against the minimum Basel capital framework’, APRA’s study and the larger ADIs’ reporting have addressed this issue to a large degree. APRA will continue to monitor international comparisons during the course of the year, and then consider whether further work is needed on this recommendation.
FSI Recommendation 7: Leverage ratio – the Basel Committee is finalising its proposals for the introduction of a leverage ratio as part of its reforms to the Basel capital framework. Leverage ratio disclosure requirements for the largest ADIs have been implemented, but at this stage APRA is likely to follow the international timeframe for the introduction of a minimum leverage ratio requirement (currently scheduled for 2018).
Also of importance to ADIs are revisions to the prudential framework for securitisation. The consultation period on these proposals closed earlier this month, and APRA intends to finalise these revisions in 2016.
In the superannuation industry, APRA will participate where relevant in further Government policy consultation on post-retirement outcomes and governance of superannuation trustees (FSI Recommendations 11 and 13), and initiatives related to the objectives and efficiency of the superannuation system (FSI Recommendations 9 and 10). APRA is also be closely involved in the Government’s consultation on measures to improve the transparency of the superannuation industry, including reforms to the product dashboard requirements for MySuper products and choice investment options.
In general insurance and life insurance, APRA is progressing its review of the role of the Appointed Actuary, and anticipates commencing a public consultation in mid-2016. Across all industry sectors, APRA will continue to refine and clarify its governance requirements, particularly in relation to the important role played by Boards in APRA-regulated entities. APRA will also announce the next steps on our approach to the supervision of conglomerate groups in the near future.
More generally, APRA’s mandate is to balance the objectives of financial safety and efficiency, competition, contestability and competitive neutrality; and to promote financial stability. The FSI noted that regulators should, while remaining consistent with their mandate, increase their focus on competition in the financial system (Recommendation 30).
APRA will be looking to provide more information on how it balances financial safety with these other objectives, and more actively seek industry input on these issues so that policy choices are best able to balance these considerations without undermining prudential outcomes.
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Property 101: APRA's prudential policy outlook

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In making serviceability assessments of borrowers, most ADIs currently use a methodology in which they calculate the borrower’s Net Income Surplus (NIS).
Computing NIS is a multi-faceted calculation, with a number of different inputs, and for which the relative importance of each input is not always clear.
Assessing the relative prudence of NIS assessments across ADIs can therefore be problematic, as it can be difficult to determine the extent to which one conservative assumption outweighs another less- conservative assumption, and apparent minor differences in methodology can sometimes have a significant impact on the overall outcome.
To assess and compare lending standards across ADIs, one technique used by APRA has been a Hypothetical Borrower Exercise (HBE).
In early 2015, APRA asked a number of the larger ADIs to provide their serviceability assessments for four hypothetical mortgage borrowers — two owner-occupiers and two investors — using their policies in place as at 31 December 2014. This allowed APRA to compare the lending decisions of ADIs based on identical borrower characteristics. Importantly, it also allowed APRA to disassemble assessments into their component parts. In May 2015, APRA outlined some results and conclusions from the first HBE.<a href="https://www.apra.gov.au/Insight/Pages/insight-issue1-2016#mortgagefn1"> </a>
To test how lending policies had changed in response to APRA’s scrutiny, APRA ran a second HBE in late 2015, based on the policies ADIs had in place as at 30 September 2015. By asking the same population of ADIs to assess the same four hypothetical borrowers, not only could APRA compare across ADIs, it could also compare the same ADI at two different points in time.
The four charts below relate to the four calculation components for one of the hypothetical borrowers — in this case, a ‘typical’ investor. The blue bars show the results for December 2014, while the red dots show the September 2015 results for the same lender. Each chart is sorted with the most conservative lender for that particular component (as at September 2015) on the left, and the least conservative on the right.
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<h4>Chart A - Income recognised (less tax and haircuts)</h4>
Percentage of gross pre-tax income
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<div class="resize">Bars represent individual lender data </div>
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<h4>Chart B - Minimum living expense assumptions</h4>
Percentage of borrower pre-tax salary income 
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<h4>Chart C - New mortgage</h4>
Interest rate used in serviceability assessment
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<h4>Chart D - Existing mortgage</h4>
Interest rate used in serviceability assessment
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Bars represent individual lender data The current interest rate on the existing mortgage debt is 5.2%
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Chart A shows income recognised, as a percentage of gross pre-tax income.  While the assessment of PAYG salary income has usually remained the same between the two periods, a number of lenders have applied larger haircuts (i.e. discounts) to less stable sources of income such as overtime, bonuses, commissions, investment dividends and rental income.
Chart B shows minimum living expense assumptions as a percentage of pre-tax salary income.  Some lenders have made quite large changes to this component of their NIS assessment.  This impact has typically arisen from two main sources:
<ul>
<li>considering borrower-declared expenses where these are greater than calculated benchmarks; and/or</li>
<li>scaling living expense assumptions in line with income.</li>
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Chart C shows the interest rate used in the serviceability assessment for this new mortgage. Various lenders have increased that rate in response to APRA’s December 2014 letter, in which APRA stated that prudent serviceability policies should incorporate a ‘serviceability buffer of at least 2 percent above the loan product rate, with a minimum floor assessment rate of 7 percent.
Chart D shows the interest rate used in the serviceability assessment for an existing mortgage commitment. Here, the changes are even more dramatic than for Chart C, as at the time of the first HBE a number of ADIs were not using any serviceability buffer on existing debt.
These four components combine to calculate NIS. Whilst there was little overall change in NIS for the lenders that were already relatively conservative in December 2014, lenders that were the least conservative in December 2014 generally reported a significant drop in calculated NIS using their September 2015 policies. These changes had the effect of tightening the spread of calculated NIS from the most to the least conservative ADI. Overall, the maximum loan sizes reported by ADIs for the four hypothetical borrowers declined by, on average, around 12 per cent for investors and 6 per cent for owner-occupiers. (Note that this does not imply actual loan sizes are falling across the board; indeed the average size of loans continues to rise.)  
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
APRA’s HBEs have proven a simple but effective tool for examining the impact of changes to residential mortgage lending policies during 2015.  
Overall, debt serviceability assessments now appear to be both more prudent and more consistent across ADIs, relative to December 2014.  APRA will continue to engage ADIs on this issue in 2016 to assess whether the observed improvements in sound underwriting practices are maintained. APRA will also be examining the extent to which loans are able to be approved outside an ADI’s own (tightened) policy parameters.
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Property 101: APRA's loan serviceability methodologies 

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The debate around the NSW government's recent decision to amend the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act to exempt large commercial property managers from holding real estate licences rages on, with the Shopping Centre Council of Australia preparing a list of FAQs around the issue.
The council cites a lot of Victorian data -- it claims the Victorian Valuer General has a lot more relevant data -- but the NSW figures would be roughly the same, it says.
The SCCA argues that the impact would be even less in NSW as the state government has set higher thresholds for exemptions.
For context, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal's 2015 Reforming Licensing in NSW report recommends that large commercial property managers who manage an estimated property value of at least $40 million, or a gross floor area of at least 20,000 square metres, or are managing properties for a related corporate entity should be exempt. 
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many commercial buildings will be affected?
A: Less than 1 percent.
In Victoria, according to the Victorian Valuer-General, only 510 commercial buildings (of a total of 72,857 commercial buildings) exceed 10,000 square metres. This means only 0.7% of commercial buildings would have been affected.
The NSW Valuer General has advised that he is unable to supply similar data for NSW. There is no reason to believe, however, the proportion in NSW would be substantially different to that in Victoria.
Q: How many commercial property sales will be affected?
A: Fewer than 4 percent.
According to RP Data, fewer than 4% of commercial property sales in NSW are for amounts greater than $10 million. Therefore, more than 96 percent of commercial sales will be unaffected. According to JLL's Australian Shopping Centre Investment Review and Outlook there were 41 sales of retail properties (including shopping centres) in NSW in 2014 which exceeded $10 million.
The buyers and sellers were, in all cases, either institutions or wealthy investors who understand property risks and do not need the protection of legislation.
(Many sales of commercial buildings worth more than $10 million already occur 'off market,and no real estate agent is involved. This change will therefore actually involve far fewer than the 4 percent of commercial sales referred to above.)
Q: How many real estate agents will be affected?
A: Around 2 percent.
In Victoria in 2014 SCCA members held 302 agent and agent representative licences. According to Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) there were a total of 23,279 such licensees in Victoria at June 30, 2014. Assuming all SCCA members had taken advantage of the regulation, only 1.3 percent of licensees would have been affected. If we assume the number of licensees managing commercial buildings is around 200 (an estimate we believe to be excessive), then only 2.2 percent of licensees would have been affected. We don't have figures for NSW but believe the proportion in NSW would be similar.
Q: How many real estate agencies will be affected?
A: Around 0.2 percent.
Sales of commercial properties in excess of $10 million are almost always handled by the large commercial real estate agencies (JLL, Savills, Colliers, CBRE, Knight Frank), not the smaller commercial agencies. These agencies are members of the SCCA and/or the PCA and support the SCCA and PCA policy to provide these exemptions.
In reality, the same agents who handle the sale of these properties will continue to do so because they are very experienced in such transactions and shopping centre owners are likely to continue to utilise the services of these specialists in the large agencies because of their expertise, not because they are licensed. The transaction threshold of $10 million will therefore have negligible effect on the commercial real estate agencies.
According to CAV, there were 3,599 real estate agencies in Victoria in 2014. Only six (i.e. 0.2 percent) would have been affected if the exemptions had been in place in Victoria in 2074 and had been applied to retail property sales over $15 million. This is also true of NSW.
Q: What is the current cost of this regulation to commercial property owners in NSW?
A: In excess of $4 million a year.
During deliberations on the National Occupational Licensing System, we provided details of the cost of only three aspects of regulation - licensing, professional development and trust account regulation - for commercial property owners around Australia. This amounted to more than $12 million a year. The cost in NSW could therefore reasonably be assessed as $3.84 million a year, This does not take into account a range of other costs such as management time involved in implementing and overseeing systems to ensure compliance with the legislation. (There is also a cost to the NSW Government in staff resources in Fair Trading currently occupied in licensing, compliance and enforcement).
Q: What impact will this have on tenants?
A: None.
Retail tenants have never been protected by the Property Stock and Business Agents Act. This Act regulates the relationship between property owners (the'consumer') and property managers ('estate agents'). Tenants remain fully protected by the Retail Leases Act, which regulates the relationship between the owner/manager and the retail tenant, and is unaffected.
The RLA, as well as regulating most aspects of the owner-tenant relationship, also provides dispute resolution provisions involving the Small Business Commissioner (mediation) and NCAT (arbitration).
Q: Is the exemption supported by retail tenants?
A: Yes.
The real estate license concentrates on residential property and real estate agency matters and teaches the licensee nothing about shopping centre management or leasing or the Retail Leases Act. This is why the exemptions are supported by both the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and National Retail Association (NRA).
Q: What impact will this have on trust accounting requirements?
A: None.
Property managers receive money on behalf of owners in three ways: Sale deposits (i.e. when a building is sold). There is currently no requirement in the Property Stock and Business Agents Act for such deposits to be paid into a trust account i.e, it is unregulated. Therefore nothing changes. It is a matter for the sale agreement as to where such moneys are deposited. As a matter of commercial practice, such deposits are usually held in trust accounts until the sale is finalised. This will not change.
Security deposits for leases (i.e. tenants are required to pay a security deposit equivalent to some months rent). This is regulated by the Retail Leases Act (s.24), not by the Property Stock and Business Agents Act, so nothing changes. In NSW, as a requirement of the Retail Leases Act, cash security deposits are required to be deposited with the Rental Bond Board so nothing changes. In practice, however, cash deposits have largely been replaced by bank guarantees so money is not involved.
Rent. This is currently required by the Property Stock and Business Agents Act to be paid into a trust account. Once the rent is paid by the tenant, however, this is the owner's money and it should be up to the owner to decide how it is banked. Large commercial owners move it immediately out of a trust account into an operating account in order to meet the operating expenses of the centre or building. This is 'double handling' and an unnecessary expense for owners. Large commercial property owners don't need Parliament to direct them how to bank their money.
Q: Is this the 'the thin end of the wedge' for deregulation of licensing?
A. No.
It is nonsense to suggest this will be the 'thin end of the wedge' and will lead to the complete removal of licensing. These exemptions do not apply to residential real estate or to rural property and no government is likely to ever deregulate in these areas. Nor is it likely there will be further exemptions for commercial property. The SCCA and PCA have no interest in pushing for further exemptions and are not arguing for wider exemptions. Once the exemption is granted the SCCA has no further interest in real estate licensing (as we have shown in Queensland).
Q: Will this mean the entry of 'cowboy operators' in the industry?
A: No.
Those who would benefit from the exemptions are/ in nearly all cases, publicly listed entities. They have an obligation to investors to manage their assets responsibly and only contract the services of reputable individuals and companies to manage and lease their assets or conduct sales transactions. It is insulting to the directors and senior management of these entities to suggest they would now contract 'fly-by-night' operators or that commercial property management will become the 'wild west'. The sums of money involved in exempt transactions means property owners will continue to do due diligence and only contract reputable companies to handle such transactions.
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Little impact from proposed commercial property management licencing exemption laws: Shopping Centre Council 

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The Adelaide housing market saw home values remain virtually unchanged in 2015, with the CoreLogic index recording a 0.1 percent slip in home values over the 2015 calendar year. 
But the latest NAB housing insights report suggest very modest growth is likely for 2016
The relatively steady conditions across the South Australian capital have moderately outperformed the broad regional market across the state where values were down 0.4 percent over the year. 
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Longer term, however, the regional market (+2.1 percent) has outperformed the state’s capital (+1.9 percent) over the past five years.
The fairly flat housing market conditions across Adelaide reflect relatively soft economic conditions where uncertainty is heightened due to the planned closure of the automotive manufacturing sector in the north of the City. Soft conditions across the mining and resources sector as well as low rates of population growth are contributing to the flat housing market conditions in Adelaide and across the regional housing markets of the state. 
The Murray Lands, which is a very large, primarily agricultural region of eastern South Australia, has shown the largest increase in home values, with a 4.4 percent rise over the year.
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The underperformance of the Adelaide housing market has largely been a reflection of deteriorating economic conditions in South Australia. The local economy has been challenged by unfavourable demographic factors, weak commodity prices, as well as the long-term structural decline of its manufacturing base. It also lacks the industry mix and job opportunities to draw workers back to the state as the national economy rebalances towards non-mining activity, although the lower AUD is supporting tourism arrivals and expenditure. 
Lacklustre economic performance is expected to continue over 2016, which will severely limit employment and wages growth, with flow on effects for the local housing market. 
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According to the NAB Property Survey, sentiment towards residential property in SA/NT is especially weak (SA/NT and WA are the only states where sentiment is negative), and deteriorated even further in the fourth quarter.
Consequently, respondents are now expecting even larger declines in house prices than they reported in Q3 2015, although rental expectations posted a surprising improvement. Given NAB’s expectation for the local economy, population and household income growth to remain subdued, both house and unit prices are expected to remain relatively flat in 2016.
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Adelaide house, unit values to climb 0.2 percent: NAB

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Adelaide had around $270 million worth of industrial sales above of $1 million in the 12 months to December 2015, some 72 properties according to Savills.
Over the last 12 months, approximately 50 percent of the total value of industrial properties reported transacted in Adelaide were valued in the range $1 to $10 million. 
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Million-plus Adelaide industrial market reaps $270 million in 2015: Savills

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A tenanted three-level office tower in the heart of West Perth is for sale through Colliers International.
Interest in the Havelock Street property is anticipated to be strong.
The 1,131sq m property features a 1288sq m office building with secure parking for 27 cars and a strong net income of nearly $430,000 per annum.
The property is close to transport routes along Hay Street.
Colliers International Director Investment Services Nicholas Agapitos said 57 Havelock Street offered large 590sq m floor plates around a central service core, with banks of windows that ensured good natural light throughout the property.
While the building is in excellent condition, zoning also allows for the site to have other uses, including residential development.
“This property will appeal to a lot of owner-occupiers who will be able to take advantage of its position in West Perth,” Agapitos said.
“It is not often properties in this precinct come on to the market and we expect strong interest.”
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Plum West Perth property heads to market

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Industrial land sales have been off to a good start in 2016 with two recent multimillion dollar sales in Coopers Plains in south western Brisbane.
A 1,614 square metre site at 886 Beaudesert Road, Coopers Plains sold for $1.225 million, while the adjacent 888 Beaudesert Road, Coopers Plains (2,860 square metres) site went for $2.6 million.
Both deals were brokered by Nick Comino and Greg Tate of Raine &amp; Horne Commercial.
The purchaser, developer Synergy Property Partners, is combining the sites to house a Puma Fuels Service Station and a Gloria Jean’s café. Both have signed 15-year leases.
The properties were sold by two independent vendors, who agreed to join forces to market the sites as a packaged deal.
“By working in tandem, the vendors were able to attract huge enquiry numbers for their sites from developers in Brisbane and interstate,” said Nick.
 “The ability to buy the joint parcels in such a high visibility location such as Beaudesert Road was extremely appealing to developers and investors.”
As proof of the location, a recent count of passing traffic showed around 45,000 vehicles travel past the two sites daily. 
The site offers the opportunity for multi-tenant usage or for a single tenant to lease the site.
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Two industrial land parcels in Brisbane's Coopers Plains sell in multi-million dollar deals

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The top sale of the week was a five bedroom, four bathroom home in Rose Bay with harbour views which sold for $6.3 million, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
The home, <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/1-cecil-road-rose-bay-nsw-2029-9450545" target="_blank">1 Cecil Road, Rose Bay</a> was sold through Laing + Simmons Double Bay/Novak Properties.
 
Top ten sales
1 Cecil Road, Rose Bay, NSW 5 bed, 4 bath, 6 car house, $6,300,000 Laing + Simmons Double Bay/Novak Properties 
9 South Street, Strathfield, NSW 7 bed, 6 bath, 4 car house, $5,710,000 Devine Real Estate 
24 Eastbourne Avenue, Clovelly, NSW 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house, $5,100,000 Phillips Pantzer Donnelley Woollahra 
244 Oberon Street, Coogee, NSW 5 bed, 3 bath, 1 car house, $4,650,000 Phillips Pantzer Donnelley Woollahra 
14 Agnes Street, Strathfield, NSW 5 bed, 5 bath, 2 car house, $4,600,000 Devine Real Estate 
36 Chilton Parade, Warrawee, NSW 5 bed, 4 bath, 2 car house, $4,525,000 LJ Hooker Wahroonga 
38 Billyard Avenue, Wahroonga, NSW 5 bed, 3 bath, 3 car house, $4,400,000 LJ Hooker Wahroonga 
28 Lisbon Street, Glen Waverley, Vic 6 bed, 6 bath, 3 car house, $4,080,000 Harcourts Judd White 
49 Rosserdale Crescent, Mount Eliza, Vic  4 bed, 3 bath, 3 car house, $4,000,000 Aqua Real Estate Mount Eliza 
75 Argyle Road,  Kew, Vic  5 bed, 4 bath, 6 car house, $3,850,000 Kay &amp; Burton Hawthorn
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Rose Bay family home leads CoreLogic RP Data top ten sales

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The preliminary clearance rate for the Gold Coast stands at 29.4 percent from 66 total auctions for the week ending March 20, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
Victoria's Geelong came in at 68.8 percent and NSW's Wollongong at 5.3 percent.
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Gold Coast clearance rate stands at 29.4 percent: CoreLogic RP Data

Abadeen has released the whole-floor penthouse crowning its recently completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/park-residences-cremorne-2-sutherland-street-cremorne-nsw-2090">Park Residences</a> development in Cremorne, bringing the near-300 sqm residence to market for the first time.

Occupying the entire top floor of the boutique Lower North Shore development, the penthouse includes 221 sqm of internal living and a 74 sqm wraparound terrace, with a prized north-facing aspect taking in views across Middle Harbour.

The residence has been completed and fully furnished following a collaboration between Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown and internationally recognised interior designer Jack Freeman, Founder and Managing Director of FREEMAN &amp; CO.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and Freeman approached the penthouse as a finished home, sourcing furniture, artwork, lighting and objects from Australia and overseas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378718]

Pieces from Parisian design house Pierre Augustin Rose sit alongside contemporary artworks and bespoke lighting, with Freeman drawing on recent visits to PAD Paris and Salone del Mobile Milano for the final collection.

Brown said the aim was to create a penthouse that felt more like a large-scale private home than a traditional apartment.

"The experience begins the moment the lift doors open. You're welcomed into an elegant dining room before the home opens into an extraordinary living space framed by sun-drenched harbour views.

"Every time someone walks through the front door they pause. It's not just the view, it's the incredible sense of space, the warmth created by the northern sunlight that fills the interiors, and the way every room connects so effortlessly.

"It has all the proportions of a luxury home, while delivering the effortless lifestyle and personalised experience of living in a world-class six-star hotel, combined with the simplicity and convenience of apartment living."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378713]

A secure lift provides exclusive access to the penthouse level, opening to a dedicated arrival foyer and dining area before the residence expands into its main living and entertaining spaces.

Floor-to-ceiling glazing runs across the northern side of the home, connecting the interiors with the terrace and Middle Harbour outlook.

The penthouse also features a fireplace and substantial chef's kitchen, while the wraparound terrace has been designed to accommodate both everyday outdoor living and larger-scale entertaining.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378720]

Freeman said the interiors had been deliberately kept restrained to complement the scale, natural light and outlook already established by the architecture.

"The penthouse is a serene study in quiet luxury," Freeman said.

"The interior pairs soft, sculptural forms with warm timber, pale stone and a restrained neutral palette. Curated artwork and metallic accents add depth, while abundant natural light creates a calm, effortlessly refined atmosphere. In my world, less is always more."

Freeman said the approach was centred around collecting individual pieces rather than simply decorating the apartment.

"Every material, every object and every piece of furniture has been curated with intention. I am a true believer in collecting versus decorating.

"The architecture already provided extraordinary natural light, remarkable volume and an uninterrupted connection to Middle Harbour. Our role was to complement those qualities with unique one-of-a-kind pieces of fine art and collectible design sourced from recent travels around the world."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378694]

Among the collection are solid bronze sculptures by Lorenzo Quinn, alongside a curated crystalware collection and pieces sourced from international design fairs.

Park Residences sits opposite Cammeray Golf Club, Cammeray Croquet Club and Grand Slam Tennis Cammeray, around 300 metres from Neutral Bay Village and its established collection of restaurants, cafés and retail.

Brown said the combination of a whole-floor floorplan, northern aspect and proximity to Neutral Bay was becoming increasingly difficult to find on the Lower North Shore.

"Completed whole-floor penthouses with a sun-drenched north-facing aspect and sweeping Middle Harbour views are exceptionally rare," Brown said.

"Add a quiet position opposite golf, croquet and tennis facilities, a level walk to Neutral Bay Village and only minutes to the CBD, and you have a lifestyle that's incredibly difficult to replicate.

"This is a home that offers the privacy and generosity of a luxury residence together with the convenience of one of Sydney's best-connected harbourside locations."

The penthouse will be exclusively marketed by SRM Residential.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=114246]

Joel Robinson

Abadeen unveils penthouse at Park Residences in Cremorne

New Brisbane developer Dalcott has unveiled Marrone, the first of three residential projects it is planning in and around Browning Street in South Brisbane.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marrone-south-brisbane-39-browning-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">Marrone</a> will comprise 97 predominantly two- and three-bedroom apartments, with larger residences aimed squarely at the owner-occupier market.

The project will sit in a quiet pocket of South Brisbane between South Bank and West End, close to the restaurants, cultural attractions and riverfront amenity that have driven the suburb's continued transformation.

Dalcott is targeting buyers looking for more space and amenity than has traditionally been offered in the inner-city apartment market, particularly downsizers and professionals wanting to remain close to the city.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149951 project_image_fid=377072]

Resident facilities will be concentrated around an extensive rooftop amenity offering, including a swimming pool, spa, infrared sauna, warm and cold magnesium plunge pools, private lounge, dining room and outdoor entertaining areas.

Dalcott Managing Director Lachlan Cottee said South Brisbane's combination of lifestyle, connectivity and established character had been central to the approach to Marrone.

“South Brisbane offers a combination of lifestyle, connectivity and character that’s difficult to replicate elsewhere in Brisbane,” Cottee said.

“Our focus has been on creating homes that feel connected to that environment while providing the level of design, functionality and quality that today's owner-occupiers expect.”

The residences will feature an expressive material palette. Italian Calacatta Viola marble, known for its deep burgundy veining, will be paired with aged brass tapware, Chestnut engineered timber flooring and Tuscan Oak joinery.

<img alt="Marrone" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b8d833da-3b30-496a-ae30-07bdff371b50" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%2010.52.35%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=P6DAgOfaQzIXljKKK5j3e5NhWtrHIu9G" />

Bathrooms will feature Nara Japanese ceramics and glass bricks, while clay, walnut and brass lighting will be used throughout the apartments.

Dalcott has appointed Realm Projects, led by Managing Director Shane Foley, to handle sales and marketing following previous sold-out collaborations between the groups.

Foley said the Brisbane apartment buyer had become increasingly focused on the quality of the home itself rather than simply securing an inner-city address.

“We expect to see strong demand from buyers who still want all the advantages of inner-city living but aren’t prepared to compromise on the quality of their home,” Foley said.

“Many will be downsizers looking to leave behind the maintenance of a traditional family home without giving up the space they enjoy, while others are likely to be professionals wanting a residence that reflects the way they live today.”

“Marrone responds directly to that demand, with generous floorplans, exceptional resident amenity and a location that places some of Brisbane’s best dining, entertainment and cultural attractions within walking distance.”

<img alt="Marrone" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="61f7b22f-899e-4c0f-940a-7d3ab1bfb93a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%2010.52.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=PvN1JYxBgUpyCB7efKo52WGdSDs9nmim" />

Marrone will be the first project delivered as part of Dalcott's broader investment in the precinct.

It will be followed by La Terra, a boutique project comprising penthouse-style, single-level apartments on a northeast corner site with extensive resident amenity and city views.

Cottee said Marrone represented the first stage of the group's longer-term plans for the area.

Dalcott was established in 2025 by Lachlan Cottee and Ben Dalgliesh, combining development and construction capability under an integrated model and focusing on architecturally considered residential projects.

Marrone will initially be offered through a pre-release registration campaign ahead of its broader public launch.

Dalcott targets owner-occupiers with South Brisbane debut Marrone

Parnell Developments is the latest to seek significant uplift through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority on a Strathfield site previously approved for a much smaller apartment development.

Parnell has sought approval for a 32-storey mixed use tower across&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-lyons-street-strathfield-nsw-2135">3-7 Lyons Street and 18 Parnell Street</a>, a&nbsp;1,857 sqm site around 400 metres from Strathfield Station. The building would yield 160 apartments, 15 per cent of which will be dedicated affordable as per the government mandate for buildings seeking additional uplift.

Approved previously was a nine-storey building back in 2022 with just over 30 apartments. That approval came prior to the project being&nbsp;progressively reconsidered as planning policy shifted toward greater density around transport hubs.

<img alt="Strathfield" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5af5281-a643-4eb2-b8c4-0081b59c04c7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%209.16.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=37bd3mI7rHNpThOV_75VO8xsGFwWOi1u" />

Turner has designed the latest building that would replace&nbsp;existing detached homes across the four lots.

The apartment mix comprises 22 one-bedroom apartments, 107 two-bedroom and two-bedroom-plus configurations, and 31 apartments with three or more bedrooms. The scheme also includes 203 car spaces across six basement levels and 58 bicycle spaces.

The proposal has been designed around a three-storey podium addressing Lyons Street, with the tower rising above and stepping toward its upper levels.

Turner said the podium was deliberately scaled to respond to the existing street, while the taller element has been designed as part of the emerging skyline anticipated around Strathfield Town Centre and the wider Homebush transport-oriented development precinct.

The Lyons Street frontage would have a more active, pedestrian-focused character, incorporating the commercial tenancy, landscaping and a brick-framed podium with an awning.

<img alt="Strathfield" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="14b20874-b8c3-4ac7-bc03-92be9a69fb78" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%209.17.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=av.9TxtqIRTC6v3PkSuu1rL9rreWoe2h" />

Parnell Street, which faces the railway corridor, has been given a different architectural treatment, with double-height breeze blocks, landscaping and communal areas used to soften the interface with the rail infrastructure.

The tower itself uses curved and recessed facade elements, with wave-like indentations across the northern elevation breaking the building into three vertical forms.

A palette of grey concrete, brick and breeze blocks is complemented by clay and terracotta accents, while the upper tower adopts a lighter expression through articulated slab edges, vertical fins and recessed glazing.

Residents would have access to 467 sqm of communal open space spread across three levels. The ground floor would accommodate the more active resident areas, including barbecue and group gathering spaces and an internal communal room capable of being used for working from home.

A more passive viewing deck is proposed at level three, overlooking the ground-level landscaping and neighbouring tennis courts, while a rooftop "sunset deck" at level 30 would provide another social and relaxation space.

<img alt="Parnell" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c3dce401-a80f-4682-8471-4caa01180880" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%209.17.34%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Xyo8JVqbOhSJXNy6Ih.1cHL.O6i0bGR." />

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Strathfield has been earmarked for substantial change through the Strathfield Town Centre planning work and the nearby Homebush TOD precinct.

Turner's report says the project has been designed to act as a transition between the existing low and mid-rise development surrounding the site and the taller built form expected to emerge across the town centre.

The proposal is being assessed as State Significant Development under the HDA pathway, alongside the concurrent request to amend the Burwood Local Environmental Plan.

First look: New apartment tower pitched for Strathfield Town Centre precinct

An $18 million penthouse has hit the market in Main Beach as construction tops out on La Mer, the $155 million apartment development rising just metres from the beach.

Spanning around 600 sqm across the top two levels of the 29-storey tower on Main Beach Parade, the four-bedroom penthouse is one of the latest eight-figure residences to test the upper end of the Gold Coast apartment market.

Its launch comes amid continued activity at the very top of the market, following the $30 million off-the-plan sale of a Burleigh Heads penthouse earlier this year, which surpassed the Gold Coast's previous $24 million apartment record set in 2023.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-mer-main-beach-3580-main-beach-parade-main-beach-qld-4217">La Mer penthouse</a> has been designed as a private residence in the sky, with 360-degree views spanning the ocean, Broadwater, hinterland and Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=95606 project_image_fid=378731]

All four bedrooms have ensuites, while the ocean-facing master retreat occupies around half of the upper level and includes its own lounge, private balcony, two walk-in wardrobes and an oversized ensuite with a freestanding stone bath positioned to take in the views.

The residence also features a kitchen designed to accommodate a private chef, a 3.6-metre island bench, expansive butler's pantry, wine cellar and integrated bar.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=95606 project_image_fid=378732]

A rooftop pool and substantial outdoor entertaining area with its own kitchen sit above the residence, while a grand staircase connects the two internal levels. The penthouse also has its own express lift.

OTP Group Director James Elliott, who is marketing La Mer, said the penthouse was expected to appeal to high-net-worth buyers seeking either a permanent Main Beach residence or Gold Coast holiday home.

“The La Mer penthouse represents exceptional value, considering its quality design, size, privacy and location, not to mention the 360-degree views capturing the beach and Gold Coast Broadwater,” Elliott said.

“We’re anticipating interest from high-net-worth individuals and couples seeking a residence or holiday home in the sought-after village enclave of Main Beach, taking advantage of the unprecedented growth underway in the area and neighbouring The Spit.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=95606 project_image_fid=378736]

La Mer is being developed by developer-builder ODUS and Nazero, in partnership with funder Metrics Credit Partners.

ODUS Director Byron Sakha said topping out the tower had provided the opportunity to release the project's most significant residence.

“We’ve worked with internationally-recognised studio Sici Design on the penthouse interiors, with a focus on ensuring it isn’t luxury for luxury’s sake. Every element has been thoughtfully designed to enhance quality of life for those who call it home,” Sakha said.

“The views are the hero of virtually every space, but we’ve given equal attention to the fittings and finishes, so every detail exudes elegance and refinement.”

Sici Design Founder and Director Maria Papadopoulos said the extensive views became an integral part of the interior design rather than simply something the residence was designed around.

“The views weren't something we designed around, they became part of the design itself, with the true luxury of La Mer in its feeling of peace, calm and wellbeing,” Papadopoulos said.

“Luxury isn't defined by how something looks, but how it makes you feel, and we believe a luxurious home should be beautiful to live in, not stressful to maintain.”

The interiors combine Austral Dream Dolomite natural stone and travertine with timber flooring and a restrained coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=95606 project_image_fid=378734]

Designed by Plus Studio, La Mer is one of the more boutique additions to the rapidly changing Main Beach apartment market.

The tower comprises just 24 full-floor, three-bedroom plus multipurpose room apartments below the two-level penthouse, giving the project a considerably lower density than many of the larger towers being developed across the Gold Coast.

Residents will have access to a pool and spa, gym, sauna, barbecue facilities, private sun lounges, yoga lawn and outdoor beach shower.

The penthouse has been released as part of the final collection of residences at La Mer, with remaining apartments priced from $4.3 million.

Construction is expected to complete later this year, with a fully furnished display apartment now open on level four.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=95606]

ODUS releases $18 million penthouse crowning La Mer Main Beach

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/far-east-consortium">Far East Consortium</a> is preparing to commence construction on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/640-bourke-street-melbourne-640-bourke-street-melbourne-vic-3000">640 Bourke Street</a> this October, marking the next milestone for the Melbourne CBD development and its higher-end Eliza Collection.

Spanning levels 44 to 68 of the 68-storey <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>-designed tower, the Eliza Collection has been conceived as a lower-density offering within the broader development, with only five apartments on each floor, dedicated lift access and a collection of resident spaces reserved exclusively for Eliza Collection residents.

The Eliza Collection forms part of Far East Consortium's broader move toward larger-format residences at 640 Bourke Street, where the number of apartments was reduced from earlier plans as apartment sizes increased.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365685]

"What it's meant for 640 Bourke is we've actually reduced the number of apartments. We've increased the overall size of the apartments. We don't have any studios in here, and what that does for a project is it elevates it," Far East Consortium Director of Sales and Marketing Lauren Sheldon said.

Rothelowman Associate Jun Chang said the design process provided an opportunity to create more generous floorplans.

"We were given the opportunity to be more generous. The apartments became bigger and squarer than any other apartments which had been designed in the CBD before that."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=368869]

That thinking carries through to the Eliza Collection, where the residences have been designed around the space and functionality associated with a larger home, but positioned high above the centre of Melbourne.

Kitchens are equipped with Gaggenau appliances, a butler's pantry, temperature-controlled wine cabinet and sculptural pendant lighting, while engineered timber flooring, stone and porcelain finishes and custom cabinetry feature throughout the broader interiors.

Privacy and security are another point of distinction. Eliza Collection residents have dedicated lift access, while 640 Bourke Street will provide concierge services and secure resident parking. Short-stay accommodation, including Airbnb, will not be permitted within the development.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365689]

Eliza Collection residents will also have exclusive access to selected amenity spaces across levels one and three of the restored Eliza Tinsley building. These include the Salon with grand piano, an art therapy room, private dining rooms and treatment rooms.

They sit within more than 3,000 sqm of amenity planned across 640 Bourke Street, alongside facilities including a pool, gym, whisky lounge and further social and wellness spaces.

The Eliza Tinsley building itself is central to the wider project's identity. Rather than treating the existing Eliza Tinsley façade as a separate element, Rothelowman used it as a starting point for the architecture of the new tower, with the historic building to accommodate the project's gallery and lobby.

"It's a significant asset and wants to be celebrated and experienced by all residents every single time they go in and out of the building," Rothelowman Principal Stuart Marsland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=368872]

The tower will rise behind the retained heritage building at 640 Bourke Street, placing residents within walking distance of Southern Cross Station, Flagstaff Gardens, Queen Victoria Market and the Docklands waterfront.

With construction scheduled to begin in October, Far East Consortium has established an onsite display gallery at 640 Bourke Street, including fully built apartments that allow the project's layouts, materials and finishes to be inspected at full scale.

A fully built Eliza Collection apartment is also available to view at the display suite by appointment ahead of the planned October construction commencement.

Eligible purchasers who buy before construction commences can secure the full available off-the-plan stamp duty savings, subject to eligibility and applicable conditions.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=509]

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