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With the first five months of 2014 almost complete, it is worth noting that a large number of auction records have been broken in the Melbourne.
<ul>
<li>Highest volume of auctions ever</li>
</ul>
Taking into account the expected auctions this week there have been around 16,236 auctions already held this year which is 30% more than the previous high in 2010.
<ul>
<li>Most 1,000 plus weeks ever</li>
</ul>
Once the planned auctions scheduled for this week are held, there will have been 10 weeks in the year when the volume has exceeded 1,000. This is more than three times the record of three weeks in 2010.
<ul>
<li>Most consecutive weeks over 1,000</li>
</ul>
Never before has Melbourne seen two or even three consecutive weeks with over 1,000 auctions before June.
<ul>
<li>Single week record for auctions prior to June</li>
</ul>
Melbourne has broken the 1,294 auction recorded three times this year including the peak of 1,530 in the week ending on 13 April.
<ul>
<li>Most homes sold by auction prior to June</li>
</ul>
Even if there are no homes sold at auction this week, the number sold by auction will have been reached a record high. The previous record of 9,758 from 2010 will probably be exceeded by around 1,000.
These records are impressive as they show a healthy market but they don’t mean that it has been just a sellers market. Around one third of homes offered at auction have been passed in as the vendors expectations have not been matched by the market on the day.
Photo courtesy of Beau Giles/Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
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Melbourne auction market setting records

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A preliminary auction clearance rate of 66.1% was recorded this week across capital cities compared to 66.6% last week and 67.1% this time last year.
<a href="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140525-Capital-city.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3266" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140525-Capital-city-580x425.jpg" alt="RP Data national auction comments - Capital city" width="580" height="425"></a>
Demand from buyers was clearly sufficient to ensure that the clearance rate was largely unaffected by the substantial 61% rise in homes on offer at auction compared to this time a year ago.
In the Sydney market demand strengthened with a preliminary clearance rate of 76.2% recorded compared to 69.9% last week. Buyers have welcomed the increased choice this week.
<a href="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140525-Sydney.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3267" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140525-Sydney-580x383.jpg" alt="RP Data national auction comments, Sydney" width="580" height="383"></a>
In Melbourne demand and supply continue to be well balanced with a preliminary clearance rate of 61.7% recorded compared to 68.8% last week.
<a href="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140525-Melbourne.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3268" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140525-Melbourne-580x376.jpg" alt="RP Data national auction comments, Melbourne" width="580" height="376"></a>
In Brisbane a preliminary clearance rate of 49.5% was recorded compared to 46.5% last week. Adelaide recorded a clearance rate of 67.2% compared to 63.8% last week. In Canberra a clearance rate of 50.9% was recorded and in Perth there was a clearance rate of 45.2%. In Tasmania there was two sales from four results.
<a href="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140525-Brisbane.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3269" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140525-Brisbane-580x380.jpg" alt="RP Data national auction comments, Brisbane" width="580" height="380"> </a>
<a href="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140525-Adelaide.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3270" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140525-Adelaide-580x382.jpg" alt="RP Data national auction comments, Adelaide" width="580" height="382"></a>
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Volumes rise and demand increases across capital cities: RP Data's national auction market wrap

<html><body>
Melbourne auction volumes remain high as there are 1,137 auctions scheduled this week in Melbourne, compared to 823 at the same time last year. This will be the ninth week with more than 1,000 auctions in Melbourne.
The highest number of auctions this week is in <a href="/news">Glen Iris</a> with 24 followed by <a href="/news">Northcote</a> and <a href="/news">South Yarra</a>, both with 19.
The Melbourne auction market continues to record reasonable clearance rates in light of the very strong volumes.
Volumes in the auction market are consistent with those across the residential market which is seeing more new homes being listed and more sold. In Melbourne there are 31,604 homes listed for sale, 8.7% lower than a year ago. At the same time new listings have been consistently higher than a year ago, over the month ending 18 May there was 15.7% more new listings.
Key data
<ul>
<li>Clearance rate week ending 18 May: 68.5%</li>
<li>Melbourne auctions expected week ending 25 May: 1,137</li>
<li>Melbourne private sales time on market week ending 18 May: 40 days (houses)</li>
<li>Melbourne vendor discounting market week ending 18 May: -5.5% (houses)</li>
<li>Listings being prepared for market are 1.3% lower over the month ending 18 May (seasonally adjusted)</li>
</ul>
Source RP Data
The average number of days a house spends on the market has fallen to a new low according to the latest RP Data monthly update.
In March a house for sale by private sale in Melbourne spent 35 days on the market. As most auction selling campaigns are around 28 days, it is interesting to note that private sales are delivering, in broad terms, similarly quick sales.
This is also significant because the majority, around 69% in 2013, of Melbournians sell by private sale.
Comparing March this year with the past few years shows the change clearly, last year the time on market was 45 days, the year before that it was 57 days and in 2010, when the market last peaked, it was 38 days.
There is clearly a reflection between the strength of the market and the time it takes to sell a house.
Units are taking slightly longer; around 37 days – but this is not a significant difference and they show a similar trend over time.
On a suburban level the shortest time on market is generally found in the outer east of the city in <a href="/news">The Basin</a>, <a href="/news">Croydon South</a> and <a href="/news">Knoxfield</a>. Time on market data on a suburban level is calculated over a longer time period so fluctuates to a lessor degree but still clearly shows the areas where sales are more rapid.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3238" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Days-on-market-drops-vic-blog.jpg" alt="Days on market drops in Victoria -- RP Data" width="355" height="251">
Source: RP Data
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Days on market falls to new low: RP Data's Melbourne auction preview

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National auction market stable despite a strong rise in the number of properties taken to auction.
A preliminary auction clearance rate of 65.4% was recorded this week across capital cities compared to 65.0% last week and 67.3% this time last year.
The auction clearance rate has maintained a stable performance despite a 42% rise in the number of properties taken to auction this week and concerns the federal budget may have a negative impact on buyer demand.
<a href="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140518-Capital-city.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3246" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140518-Capital-city-580x429.jpg" alt="Capital City auction results: 19 May 2014" width="580" height="429"></a>
In the Sydney market a weaker preliminary clearance rate of 70.9% was recorded compared to 73.3% last week highlighting improving conditions for buyers.
<a href="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140518-Sydney.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3242" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140518-Sydney-580x382.jpg" alt="Sydney auction results: 19 May 2014" width="580" height="382"></a>
In Melbourne a preliminary clearance rate of 64.5% was recorded compared to 61.9% last week. Auction numbers rose steeply this week and it is significant that the clearance rate didn’t drop below the lows of the last fortnight.
<a href="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140518-Melbourne.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3243" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140518-Melbourne-580x377.jpg" alt="Melbourne auction results: 19 May 2014" width="580" height="377"></a>
In Brisbane a preliminary clearance rate of 49.5% was recorded compared to 46.7% last week. Adelaide recorded a clearance rate of 65.5% compared to 62.3% last week. In Canberra a clearance rate of 52.6% was recorded and in Perth there were eight auction sales from 17 results. In Tasmania there was two sales from five results.
<a href="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140518-Brisbane.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3245" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140518-Brisbane-580x377.jpg" alt="Brisbane auction results: 19 May 2014Brisbane" width="580" height="377"></a>
 
<a href="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140518-Adelaide.jpg" rel="wp-prettyPhoto[g3240]"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3247" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20140518-Adelaide-580x385.jpg" alt="Adelaide auction results: 19 May 2014" width="580" height="385"></a>
 
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Market stabilises despite rise in volume: RP Data's national auction market wrap

<html><body>
In recent times the market for houses in Melbourne has outperformed, in terms of value growth, the unit market.
In many respects this is due to increased supply and it also signifies a broader structural change in the market.
According to the latest <a href="https://www.rpdata.com/research/pace-of-capital-gains-cools-in-april" target="_blank" title="Read this month's RP Data-Rismark Home Value Indices results">RP Data Rismark Home Value Index April results</a>, the value of houses grew by 12.2% over the last year and by 5.4% over the first four months of this year. In comparison, the value of units has grown by 6.8% over the last year and by 0.9% this year.
A review of data over the medium term shows that houses have consistently outperformed units in terms of value growth over time.
In April the value of a unit was 70% that of a house. A year ago unit values were 74% that of houses and five years ago it was 75%. Interestingly when the index commenced in 1995 unit values were 88% of a house. Over that time unit sales as a proportion of all sales in Melbourne have risen from 28% to 34%.
Houses have recorded stronger levels of value growth than units and as a result are becoming comparatively more expensive than units.
The change in values and sales numbers is a reflection of a broad structural change in the Melbourne housing market. Over the past decade the number of medium and high density dwellings has grown as a consequence of planning policies, demand from buyers and affordability issues.
As Melbourne continues to grow and requires more dwellings, the most efficient way to supply these new dwellings is through higher density homes. 
The majority of dwelling approvals in Melbourne are now for units as opposed to detached houses and state governments’ over the last decade have made it clear that in order to cater to the city’s growing population there will be more higher density housing.
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The growing gap in the Melbourne market

<html><body>
There are 979 auctions scheduled this weekend in Melbourne compared to 738 for the same time last year.
Conditions in the Melbourne auction market continue to be relatively cool. The clearance rate has exceeded 70% only twice so far in 2014 and has been slowly drifting down since that time.
As conditions are shifting in favour of buyers at auction the significant lift in volumes this week will prove to be a challenge for the market.
Conditions in the private sale market remain tight with the latest time on market monthly data  showing a new low for houses. In March the days on market for houses dropped to 35, the lowest on record. Time on market for units reached 37 days highlighting softer conditions in the higher density market as this is higher than the record low of 32 days in May 2010.
Key data
<ul>
<li>Preliminary clearance rate week ending 11 May: 61.9%</li>
<li>Melbourne auctions expected week ending 18 May: 979</li>
<li>Melbourne private sales time on market week ending 11 May: 38 days (houses)</li>
<li>Melbourne vendor discounting market week ending 11 May: -5.5% (houses)</li>
<li>Listings being prepared for market are 2.5% higher in month ending 11 May (seasonally adjusted)</li>
</ul>
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Market continues to cool: RP Data's Melbourne auction preview

<html><body>
The preliminary auction clearance rate of 67.4% was recorded this week across capital cities compared to 62.3% last week and 65.6% this time last year.
<img src="/images/2014/05/12/larocca%20may%2012%20one.jpg" alt="">
Volumes have been lower this week as the market heads into a traditionally quieter time in winter.
The higher clearance rate is largely a factor of a stronger Sydney market where a preliminary clearance rate 76.1% was recorded compared to 71.4% last week.
<img src="/images/2014/05/12/larocca%20may%2012%20two.jpg" alt="">
The higher national clearance rate does not represent a significant shift in the market and is broadly in line with the trend this year, particularly with the results prior to Easter and Anzac Day.
In Melbourne a preliminary clearance rate of 63.4% was recorded compared to 61.9% last week. Last week’s Melbourne clearance rate was the lowest since late 2012 and is running counter to the established trend through the last year and also reflects moderating growth in property values.
<img src="/images/2014/05/12/larocca%20may%2012%20three.jpg" alt="">
In Brisbane a preliminary clearance rate of 54.8% was recorded compared to 42.4% last week. Adelaide recorded a clearance rate of 60.5% compared to 62.7% last week.
In Canberra a clearance rate of 58.8% was recorded and in Perth there was one auction sale from eight results. In Tasmania there was two sales from three results.
<img src="/images/2014/05/12/larocca%20may%2012%20four.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/05/12/larocca%20may%2012%20five.jpg" alt="">
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Auctions volumes trending lower: RP Data's national auction market wrap

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There are 643 auctions scheduled this week in Melbourne compared to 807 this weekend last year. This is a 20% reduction and reflects the record seven weekends with over 1,000 auctions already held.
Last weekends clearance rate was the lowest since late December in 2012.
The most popular areas for auctions this weekend are in the inner north where there are 10 in both Pascoe Vale and Preston.
Melbourne is currently returning a below average clearance rate when compared to the market nationally and that should translate into better conditions for buyers over the next few months. The lower clearance rate should also indicate to vendors with an auction in the next month the importance of taking current market conditions into account when setting a selling price.
Conditions eased slightly in the private sale market with time on market for houses stable at 33 days and vendor discounting still stable at -5.6%. The lowest vendor discount on a suburban basis is in Armadale for units at -2.6% followed by houses in Vermont at -2.7% and houses in Bayswater South at -3%.
Key data
<ul>
<li>Clearance rate week ending 4 May: 61.9% 
</li>
<li>Melbourne auctions expected week ending 11 May: 643 
</li>
<li>Melbourne private sales time on market week ending 4 May: 35 days (houses) 
</li>
<li>Melbourne vendor discounting market week ending 4 May: -5.6% (houses) 
</li>
<li>Listings being prepared for market are 7.5% higher in month ending 4 May (seasonally adjusted)</li>
</ul>
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Falling clearance rates translate to better buyer conditions: RP Data's Melbourne auction preview

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A unique and interesting feature of the current housing market in Victoria is not only a rise in investor activity, but the falling numbers of first home buyers.
It may be easy to draw the conclusion that investors have forced first home buyers out of the market, however, this is not supported by the data available from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, rather it indicates a rise in the overall share of all non first home buyers.
Analysis of data from the ABS shows that the market share of local investors has been cyclical over the past decade.
In the most recent twelve months investors represented 36.1% of the total value of loans in Victoria compared to 34% in the preceding twelve months. In the twelve months ending Feb 2011 – the last rising cycle – the proportion was 37%. A similar rise was also evident in 2007 suggesting that as the market strengthens so too does the level of investor activity rise.
Unlike investors, the numbers of first home buyers have shrunk to record lows.
<blockquote>
Unlike investors, the numbers of first home buyers have shrunk to record lows.
</blockquote>
In February there were 1,402 dwellings financed for first home buyers in Victoria, a mere 11.7% of the entire number financed. This was lower than in January when they represented 12.7% of the market. In raw terms, this is the lowest since July 1991 when the population of Victoria was also 31% lower than it is today. More first home buyers are staying in rented accommodation or with family.
During the last rising cycle, in 2010, there were a higher proportion of both first home buyers and investors. When home values last peaked, in October of 2010, the proportion of first home buyers was 18.2%. Over that year investors were 37% of the market in value terms.
If first home buyers were being forced out by investors you would expect there to be a lower proportion in 2010 and 2007, yet this was not the case. Other factors have also changed for first home buyers including the levels of financial assistance. The state government now provides up front financial assistance for new homes only unlike in 2007 and 2010 when it was also available for established homes.
And as prices are comparable in real terms with late 2010, there are clearly reasons other than investor activity for first home buyers now being such a small portion of the market.
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Investors up, first home buyers down in the Melbourne market

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There are 851 auctions scheduled this week in Melbourne compared to 822 this weekend last year.
It’s interesting to note that the suburbs which have had the highest volume of houses for sale as a proportion of the total number of homes over the past year, are found in the Mornington Peninsula.
<a href="/news">Mount Eliza</a> had 8.6% of its housing stock on the market followed by 7.9% in <a href="/news">Mount Martha</a> and in <a href="/news">Safety Beach</a>. At the other end of the spectrum is the highly sought after <a href="/news">Fitzroy North</a> where a mere 2.6% of houses were on the market. Given the high demand in Fitzroy North there is no doubt that if more homes were on the market they would find sellers.
Conditions remain tight in the private sale market with time on market for houses stable at 33 days and vendor discounting also stable at -5.6%.
Key data
Preliminary clearance rate week ending 20 April: 63%
<ul>
<li>Melbourne auctions expected week ending 4 May: 851 
</li>
<li>Melbourne private sales time on market week ending 27 April: 33 days (houses) 
</li>
<li>Melbourne vendor discounting market week ending 27 April: -5.6% (houses) 
</li>
<li>Listings being prepared for market are 13.5% higher in month ending 27 April (seasonally adjusted)</li>
</ul>
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Highest proportion of homes for sale this year in Mornington Peninsula: RP Data's Melbourne auction preview

Luxury apartment developer Abadeen has recorded $19.25 million in apartment sales across two of its Lower North Shore developments in the lead-up to the end of the financial year, headlined by the sale of a $6.75 million penthouse at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/koyo-crows-nest-5-rodborough-avenue-crows-nest-nsw-2065">KOYO in Crows Nest.</a>

The transactions also included the sale of a newly completed three-bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/park-residences-cremorne-2-sutherland-street-cremorne-nsw-2090">Park Residences in Cremorne</a> for $6.35 million, with the residence selling shortly after the project's first public inspections following completion.

The sales come as completed, owner-occupier-focused apartments continue to attract strong demand across Sydney's Lower North Shore, particularly from buyers looking for certainty and immediate occupancy.

The penthouse at KOYO spans 491 sqm across a single level and was designed by architect Koichi Takada. The development is one of Abadeen's flagship boutique projects in Crows Nest.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108800 project_image_fid=370093]

Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said buyer activity lifted noticeably in the lead-up to the end of the financial year.

"We saw a clear increase in enquiry levels, inspection numbers and buyer engagement across our completed projects leading into the end of the financial year," Brown said.

"Buyers have become far more decisive over the past six months. The combination of improving confidence, limited supply and the ability to physically inspect completed residences is creating strong competition for premium apartments in the best locations."

Brown says the&nbsp;response to Park Residences following completion has been particularly strong.

"Buyers want certainty and are responding positively to the opportunity to walk through a finished product, inspect the quality firsthand and move in immediately," Brown suggested.

"Projects such as Park Residences and KOYO demonstrate that when the product is exceptional and the location is irreplaceable, buyers are prepared to act quickly."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=370116]

Abadeen CEO Joe Tack said quality continued to differentiate projects in the current market.

"Today's buyers are incredibly discerning," Tack said.

"They are seeking larger floorplans, premium finishes, walkability, lifestyle amenity and confidence in the developer delivering the project. Well-designed boutique developments continue to outperform because they offer something genuinely difficult to replace.

"The enquiry we are seeing across our completed and recently completed Lower North Shore portfolio is very encouraging, and we expect this momentum to continue into spring."

The sales follow increased enquiry across Abadeen's Lower North Shore portfolio which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/northcote-collective-naremburn-2-northcote-street-naremburn-nsw-2065">Northcote Collective in Naremburn</a> which also completed recently.

Joel Robinson

KOYO penthouse headlines Abadeen's $19.25 million EOFY sales flurry

The City of Sydney has approved plans for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/billbergia">Billbergia Group</a> and Metrics Credit Partners’ $3.5 billion Castlereagh Place project in the heart of the Sydney CBD

The towers will be among the tallest in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/sydney-nsw-2000">Sydney</a>'s CBD, with more floors than any other residential tower in the city.&nbsp;

The 6,000 sqm site was acquired by the joint venture partners in 2024. It is the largest amalgamated land parcel in the Sydney CBD and comprises eight individual sites fronting Castlereagh, Pitt and Liverpool Streets.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castlereagh-place-sydney-324-348-pitt-street-sydney-nsw-2000">Castlereagh Place</a> will transform an underutilised city block into a landmark mixed-use destination, anchored by two 82-storey towers comprising 607 luxury residences above an 8-level podium housing a 209-room luxury hotel. A 1,000 square metre civic park on ground level features a curated mix of food, beverage and retail.

The plans have been refined over the past year to rebalance the residential and hotel offering, and reconfigure the retail footprint to create a stronger, more dynamic dining experience.

A three-level flagship building on the prominent corner of Pitt and Liverpool Streets will be the gateway to the Castlereagh Place lifestyle precinct. Set to become a Sydney icon, the building is capable of housing multiple hospitality venues.

“Castlereagh Place is designed to be the City's next great urban oasis - an energetic mixed-use precinct that pulses with life, day and night,"&nbsp;said Joseph Kinsella, Group Director of Billbergia.

"It will bring the vibrancy of places like Barangaroo and Darling Quarter into a more accessible, central destination at the very heart of Sydney."

Kinsella said the project will build on&nbsp;Sydney’s growing laneway culture with the City’s largest network of new activated lanes - an expanded, next-generation take on precincts like Angel Place, Palings Lane and Ash Street in Wynyard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134477 project_image_fid=374401]

Castlereagh Place has been designed by architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fjc-studio">fjcstudio</a> in collaboration with Trias Studio, Aileen Sage and Polly Harbison Design, joint winners of an international design competition in 2018.&nbsp;

Signature design elements from the original scheme remain unchanged, while the public domain has been significantly enhanced, delivering 60 per cent more open-to-sky space.

Pedestrian access will also be enhanced through new laneways linking Pitt, Liverpool and Castlereagh Streets, drawing people into a new civic park with outdoor seating, landscaping and integrated public art.

With activated laneways supported by strong hospitality offerings, Castlereagh Place is tipped to become a vibrant new dining destination in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

It marks the largest undertaking to date for the Billbergia and Metrics Credit Partners partnership. Together they are developing other underutilised Sydney sites into mixed-use precincts, including the $2.2 billion Concord Central and the $1.3 billion Chatswood Grand Residences.

Metrics Managing Partner and Group CEO Andrew Lockhart said Castlereagh Place is a landmark project that will redefine Sydney’s skyline.

"As the tallest residential high-rise development, the revitalised site will offer panoramic views across the CBD and surrounds. We are excited to partner with Billbergia to reinvigorate an underutilised site and create a sophisticated and contemporary mixed-use offering situated in the heart of Sydney.”

Total apartments within the towers have increased to 607 dwellings, with a focus on larger floorplans. Aligned to growing market demand, Castlereagh Place now comprises 299 three-plus-bedroom apartments, 198 two-bedroom units and 110 one-bedroom configurations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134477 project_image_fid=374402]

Resident amenities will include an exclusive residents club containing a gym, rooftop pool, dining rooms, co-working spaces, library, golf simulator, games room, cinema room, and access to an exclusive concierge service. There will be around 500 basement car spaces below the towers.

The development will also include a state-of-the-art wellness centre, set to feature a bathhouse with magnesium pools, hot/cold plunge pools and premium amenities.

&nbsp;

According to fjcstudio, the towers will feature distinctive yet elegant architectural design reflecting Sydney’s geometry and urban character, with a network of through-site links and intimate public spaces activating the streetscape.

"Castlereagh Place is a city-making project of significant scale and ambition," said Richard Francis-Jones, Design Director at fjcstudio.

"It will create a rich urban complex of public open spaces, landscaped gardens, and vibrant laneways. Defining these new public spaces and the important streetscape of Castlereagh Street is a sequence of fine-grained, diverse retail and hotel architecture designed in collaboration with Aileen Sage, Polly Harbison Design and Trias.

“Rising above the tree-lined, human-scale streetscape are two slender residential towers that will transform the city skyline and look towards the Harbour, Hyde Park, and the Royal Botanic Garden.”

Demolition and early construction works have commenced onsite at Castlereagh Place.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134477]

Billbergia, Metrics, approved for $3.5 billion Sydney skyscrapers

International developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/spg-land">SPG Land</a> is preparing to re-launch its long-awaited $1.5 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/paradiso-place-surfers-paradise-103-ferny-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Paradiso Place</a> development at Budds Beach, bringing a new price point to the Surfers Paradise apartment market.

The developer will release one-bedroom apartments from $825,000 and two-bedroom apartments from $1.24 million in the three-tower development.

According to Urbis, the starting price for the two-bedroom apartments is more than $400,000 below the weighted average sale price for comparable two-bedroom apartments in Surfers Paradise during 2025, which was pinned at $1.7 million.

&nbsp;

Urbis reported quarterly average sale prices for new two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments ranged from around $1.2 million to $1.7 million throughout 2025, peaking in the December quarter.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=185853]

Paradiso Place is now moving into its formal sales campaign, with a limited early-release opportunity available ahead of the public launch.

The development will comprise 845 apartments across three towers rising 40, 41 and 44 storeys from a 1.15-hectare site spanning an entire city block. The towers will sit above a new retail precinct.

"Paradiso Place represents a rare opportunity in today's market, offering premium apartments at a price point that is significantly more competitive than anything else currently available," SPG Land Sales Director Brad McMahon said.

"When you look at comparable new developments across Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and the Southern Beaches precinct, buyers are typically paying hundreds of thousands more for a similar product.

"The scale of this project and the developer-builder construction model allows us to unlock efficiencies that smaller developments simply cannot achieve. We are passing those benefits directly to buyers, while still delivering a five-star residential experience with an unmatched lifestyle."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=374280]

Each of the three towers designed by Rothelowman will have its own podium, connected by an elevated skybridge network to create a beachside village for residents. The resident amenity has been designed to rival a five-star hotel, with private dining rooms, resident lounges and entertainment spaces.

McMahon said the pricing strategy was a deliberate response to the current market.

"What Paradiso Place offers is a unique balance, genuine value within a premium market. Buyers are not compromising on quality, design or amenity, they are gaining access to it at a more competitive price point at a time when prices across the Gold Coast continue to reach new highs."

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Located around 100 metres from the beach and within walking distance of the Surfers Paradise North light rail station, Paradiso Place occupies one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held beachfront precincts.

Construction is continuing to progress, with eight of the project's 112 foundation piles now complete. Excavation has also commenced on the first diaphragm wall panel, with the first concrete poured on 15 June, marking a key milestone in the project's early works program.

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SPG Land launches $1.5 billion Paradiso Place at attractive price point

Luxury developer-builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lowe-living">Lowe Living</a> has achieved a new Victorian benchmark for an off-the-plan apartment, with the sale of two penthouses at its ultra-exclusive Maison Savoy development in Brighton.

The two penthouses achieved a combined sale rate of $49,926 per sqm. Both transactions eclipsed the previous identified Victorian off-the-plan price-per-square-metre benchmark, set by the 449 sqm apartment at Como Toorak, which sold at $46,659 per sqm.

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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/maison-savoy-brighton-150-esplanade-brighton-vic-3186">Maison Savoy</a>, Lowe Living's redevelopment of the former Brighton Savoy Hotel on absolute beachfront land at 150 The Esplanade, Brighton, has gained significant momentum since launching just eight weeks ago. Around 30 per cent of the project's 19 residences have already been secured, generating approximately $45 million in sales.

"Securing two of the three penthouse sales at this stage, within eight weeks of launching to market speaks to the confidence our clients place in Lowe Living," Lowe Living co-founder Emma Lowe said.

"They know we'll be with them through every stage of the journey, and that assurance is something we've worked hard to earn and never take for granted."

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Lowe said Maison Savoy was conceived as a genuine alternative to a prestige Brighton home, combining house-scale proportions with the convenience, security and lock-up-and-leave appeal of apartment living.

Lowe Living co-founder Tim Lowe said the early sales success demonstrated the resilience of Melbourne's prestige market and highlighted the growing demand for house-sized apartments among ultra-high-net-worth buyers.

"The Melbourne market has definitely been tested in recent years, with interest rates and global economic factors all creating a period of uncertainty across the real estate sector. The sales success at Maison Savoy however demonstrates that confidence remains exceptionally strong at the top end of the market.

"The prestige market is being driven by long-term lifestyle decisions rather than short-term market sentiment, which continues to create a level of certainty that befits an absolute beachfront property in a blue-chip location like Brighton.

"Brighton's fundamentals remain among the strongest in Melbourne, with limited new supply, enduring demand from an overwhelmingly local owner-occupier market, and a rare combination of beachfront amenity and proximity to the CBD."

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According to Cotality, Brighton remains one of Melbourne's most tightly held prestige suburbs, with an average ownership tenure of 15.3 years for houses and 12.3 years for units, while more than 73 per cent of homes are owner-occupied.

Tim Lowe said selling two of the project's three penthouses so early in the campaign was an uncommon result.

"This sales result is a reflection of quality and understanding the local market. It's incredibly rare to transact the penthouses so early in a sales campaign in any project so to have sold two of the three penthouses at Maison Savoy so soon after launch, all in-house without any external sales agency appointed, is reflective of our careful consideration of our buyers' needs and lifestyle.

"This is knowledge that is accumulated not just from data and demographic analysis, but via a deeply embedded understanding of how this type of buyer wants to live and feel in their home. We pride ourselves on getting to know our clients personally, and over the last 10 years we have been able to refine our product offering by talking one-on-one with our clients about their design and floorplan preferences.

"Being a fully integrated developer-builder with an in-house design and sales team allows us to lead every part of the process and ensure the highest quality of product and service at every touchpoint. It's a really important part of our DNA and the recent sales success at Maison Savoy indicates that our clients and purchasers are resonating with this point of difference.

"It reinforces that demand remains strong for thoughtfully designed residences that offer rarity, lifestyle and long-term value in tightly held locations, which ultimately validates Maison Savoy's positioning as creating a new benchmark for house-scale, wellness-led apartment living on Brighton's beachfront."

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The residences at Maison Savoy start from 295 sqm, with most enjoying uninterrupted views across Port Phillip Bay. The project sits moments from the Brighton Bathing Boxes, Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Middle Brighton Baths and Church Street's retail and dining precinct.

A key feature of the development is its private residents-only bathhouse, curated by the founder of Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse and modelled on traditional European bathing rituals and the award-winning Sorrento bathhouse.

The wellness offering includes a hydrotherapy pool, salt room, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool, foot activation zone and a Vichy rainfall bed, one of only a handful in Australia. Residents will also have access to a Technogym studio, lounge spaces and a dedicated concierge service offering everything from morning coffee delivery and restaurant bookings to dry cleaning and home coordination.

"Wellness-led design has become a defining factor for luxury buyers," Emma Lowe said.

"Purchasers increasingly value homes that enhance wellbeing through thoughtful design, private amenity, privacy and liveability."

The penthouse purchasers are now undertaking a bespoke customisation process curated personally by architect Pete Kennon and the Lowe Living team, one of the developer's signature service offerings.

Construction on the $160 million transformation of the former Brighton Savoy Hotel site commenced last month, with completion expected in early 2028. The project has secured funding from NAB alongside development partner Monark.

Just one penthouse remains available, along with a limited number of two and three-bedroom residences starting from $3.75 million.

Lowe Living currently has eight projects on the market across Melbourne and recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, having grown a $1 billion development pipeline alongside a $350 million construction pipeline.

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Lowe Living set new Melbourne off the plan apartment record

For more than three decades, Hyecorp has been delivering residential projects across Sydney's Lower North Shore, building a portfolio centred on design-led apartment living in some of the city's most established neighbourhoods.

Hyecorp recently launched the latest in its long line of apartment developments, Celine, a 29-storey tower on Archer Street in Chatswood. Like the majority of the developer's projects, Celine caters to a broad buyer demographic, offering a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, all designed with owner-occupiers in mind.

Functionality and flexibility are often buzzwords in the new apartment market, but they sit at the core of Hyecorp's design philosophy.

Hyecorp Joint Managing Director Stephen Abolakian says the developer understands it isn't designing apartments for today's needs alone, but for how buyers will live several years into the future.

"When we launch our projects we need to be aware that these developments aren't finished for several years," Abolakian says.

"That home office in the here and now might be a nursery by the time the project completes for a prospective buyer, so we need to think about how the apartment spaces function for future uses so there's longevity in the ownership."

Celine's architects, Fuse, followed the same philosophy, saying the design extends well beyond aesthetics.

"Celine focuses on timeless architectural form and functionality, with a strong emphasis on light, proportion and materiality. The design responds to the urban context of Chatswood while delivering calm, highly liveable interiors that feel both contemporary and enduring. The floorplans have been carefully resolved to maximise usability and outperform typical market offerings in terms of efficiency and liveability."

Most apartments incorporate multipurpose rooms designed for flexibility. Each includes an integrated desk and a standard Murphy pull-down single bed, allowing the space to transition from a home office or study to guest accommodation as needs change. The layouts have also been designed to maximise natural light, storage and overall functionality.

One and two-bedroom apartments feature Miele appliances, while three and four-bedroom residences are appointed with integrated Gaggenau appliances and Taj Mahal stone benchtops.

Buyers who purchase early in the construction process can also take advantage of Hyecorp's "Live Your Way" interior design service, allowing them to personalise finishes and tailor elements of their home to suit their own lifestyle. It's a feature designed to appeal to owner-occupiers who want their apartment to feel uniquely theirs from the day they move in.

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While flexible floorplans have become a hallmark of Hyecorp's apartment design, the developer has also continued to place significant emphasis on resident amenity.

As buyers increasingly expect more from apartment living, shared spaces have evolved beyond a gym and barbecue area. They are now an extension of the home, providing spaces to relax, exercise, entertain and connect with neighbours.

At Celine, the resident amenity has been designed with a focus on wellness, centred on the level six podium. An infinity-edge swimming pool, spa, sauna and fully equipped gym are complemented by barbecue facilities and a residents' lounge, creating a range of spaces for relaxation, recreation and social connection above the streets of Chatswood.

Practical conveniences have also been integrated throughout the building, including EV charging provisions, smart parcel lockers, bicycle storage, a pet wash station and dedicated car wash bays, reflecting the project's focus on making everyday living as seamless as possible.

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"Celine has been designed to deliver a refined residential experience that reflects the evolution of Chatswood into a premium urban centre,"&nbsp;Abolakian says.

"With over 30 years of experience delivering projects across Sydney's Lower North Shore, Hyecorp brings a deep understanding of what local buyers value. Every detail has been considered to balance luxury, functionality and long-term liveability. This is not just about apartments, but about creating a lasting residential address for discerning buyers."

Hyecorp, vertically-integrated builder-developer, is anticipating construction commencement later this year.

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Robert Larocca

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