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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

20 person COVID-19 cap on attending Spring Sydney home auctions 

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<p>Sylvia Myers, wife of high net wealth adviser Lawrence Myers, has bought at Cottage Point.</p>
<p>The five-bedroom weekender on deep water frontage sold for $4.25 million.</p>
<p>It comes with a private jetty.</p>
<p>It last sold at $1.35 million in 2002.</p>
<p>Domain reported it was sold by a<span>rtist </span><span>Tracy Greenstone.</span><span><br></span></p>
<p><span>It is one of 52 homes in the neighbourhood.</span></p>
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$4.25 million Cottage Point sale

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<p>The NSW Government has announced building industry reform, introducing protection for consumers during the building certification process.</p>
<p>Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said the <em>Building and Development Certifiers Act 2018</em>, effective on 1 July, will tighten the NSW Government’s regulation of building certifiers, restoring consumer confidence in the industry.</p>
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<p>“We have now strengthened the regulation of building certifiers, improving their accountability and independence and providing greater protections for consumers,” Mr Anderson said.<br><br>Certifiers will be required to attain a higher level of ongoing education in order to achieve registration, ensuring that only those with the requisite competence, skills and knowledge are authorised to carry out certification work.</p>
<p>The Act also outlines minimum limits for insurance that certifiers are required to hold.<br><br>“Many building owners might not have known that they have the right to choose a building certifier, so we’ve embedded this protection in building and certification contracts to make it crystal clear.”<br><br>Strengthened contract requirements for certification work will ensure that there is no conflict of interest between the certifier and the builder.<br><br>The Government has also moved to strengthen compliance and oversight of certifiers in four key areas. This includes:</p>
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<li>increased auditing;</li>
<li>increased penalties for corruption and negligence;</li>
<li>a certifier code of conduct with restrictions on a certifier’s ability to practice in the event of a breach in the previous 12 months; and</li>
<li>the provision of more information to homeowners, ensuring they have the transparency they need on a certifier’s compliance history.</li>
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<p>These reforms are accompanied by the Government’s historic building reform package, the <em>Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Act 2020</em> and <em>Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020</em>, which passed in early June.</p>
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NSW home building certification reform for greater consumer protection

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<p>The NSW Government has established an expert panel of building and construction specialists to help support the removal of unsafe cladding across the state.</p>
<p>Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, Kevin Anderson, said the Cladding Product Safety Panel has been tasked with assisting the NSW Building Commissioner, building owners, councils and other regulators by identifying, and where necessary testing, the safest ways to remove and replace high-risk cladding.</p>
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<p>“The Panel will provide expert advice on how to undertake rectification work where unsafe cladding has been identified,” Mr Anderson said.<br><br>“It will also, for the first time, provide consistent and clear advice on what products can safely be used when replacing combustible cladding.<br><br>“We know it can be confusing for owners and insurers who are sourcing products to replacing unsafe cladding. The panel will provide details of which products and installation systems can be used safely and comply with the Building Code of Australia, relevant Australian Standards and insurance requirements.”<br><br>The eight-member panel will be chaired by Professor Mark Hoffman, who led the investigation into building failures at Mascot and Opal towers. It consists of members with expertise in building and construction, product testing, building surveying, certification and fire safety engineering.<br><br>NSW Building Commissioner, David Chandler OAM, said the Panel will be available to advise councils and industry when they are scoping rectification work on the suitability of building products being proposed to replace unsafe cladding.<br><br>“The panel will help building owners and occupants to be more confident that remediation and certification work will be compliant and safe,” Mr Chandler said.<br><br>“We also need to ensure that work will be accepted by insurers without conditionality. The Panel will work closely with the insurance industry to make sure this occurs.</p>
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New government panel for cladding removal oversite for NSW apartments 

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<p>The NSW Government is revamping how it regulates shared accommodation to improve the rights and responsibilities of occupants, Minister for Better Regulation, Kevin Anderson, announced today.</p>
<p>Mr Anderson said the new package of reforms will increase protections for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents and implement recommendations made in the Boarding Houses Act 2012 Statutory Review Report, including rewriting the Act to become the Shared Accommodation Act.</p>
<p>“The Boarding Houses Act was a landmark piece of legislation when introduced in 2012. Our reforms will build on it to ensure the protections introduced for boarding house are improved and expanded to apply to the wider range of people who now live in shared accommodation,” Mr Anderson said.</p>
<p>“Whether it’s a student or someone getting back on their feet, thousands of people stay and live in shared accommodation each week, and it’s time the legislation caught up to reflect the reality of 2020.</p>
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<p>“The changes will ensure stronger protections are in place for occupants in shared accommodation such as prescribing standard form agreements, minimum notice periods and requiring a property to be ‘fit for habitation’.”<br><br>The new legislation will cover all shared arrangements where someone rents a space as their principal place of residence and shares a kitchen, bathroom or bedroom with others. This is likely to include arrangements where people live in boarding houses as well as some co-living premises, student accommodation and private lodging arrangements.<br><br>Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said the review also provided an opportunity to better support people with disability living in boarding houses.<br><br>“Consultation with people with disability, providers and advocates highlighted the need to ensure supports delivered in assisted boarding houses are consistent with those offered under the National Disability Insurance Scheme,” Mr Ward said.<br><br>“We will continue to work closely with residents, proprietors and the sector to enable people to with disability to exercise choice and control over the supports they receive.”<br><br>Drafting of the new Act has commenced, with targeted sector consultation planned for the second half of 2020. The <a class="is-external" href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/tp/files/77910/Report%20on%20the%20Statutory%20Review%20of%20the%20Boarding%20Houses%20Act%202012.pdf" target="_blank">Boarding Houses Act 2012 Statutory Review Report</a> is available.</p>
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NSW boarding house shared accommodation occupant rights under review

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<p>Amendments to the Plumbers Licensing and Plumbing Standards Regulations 2000 are being drafted in Western Australia to include new plumbing standards for subdivision plumbing work in relation to survey strata schemes.</p>
<p>The changes are outlined in Industry Bulletin 125 – New requirements for plumbing services to survey strata lot developments.</p>
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<p>The new standards for plumbing services in relation to survey strata schemes commenced operation on 15 August 2020.</p>
<p><span>Plumbing services to individual survey strata lots consist of sanitary drainage service lines and connection points, and water supply service lines and connection points. </span></p>
<p><span>The requirements apply to survey strata developments consisting of two or more survey strata lots.</span></p>
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<p><span>Prior to 2015 the Water Corporation provided guidance and direction to land developers in the form of ‘Plumbers advice kits’ for the provision of sanitary drainage service lines and connection points and </span><span>to;</span><span>water supply services to individual survey strata lots.</span></p>
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<p><span>The developer would then engage an LPC to install the services where necessary as part of the process towards obtaining titles for the lots. This generally ensured that survey strata lots were provided with suitable plumbing services prior to the lots being sold and building commencing.</span></p>
<p><span>In 2015 the Water Corporation came to a decision that it was not in their remit to enforce requirements for plumbing services to individual survey strata lots beyond providing a connection point at the main lot boundary. Since then there have been consistent issues regarding the provision of plumbing services to individual survey strata lots including:</span></p>
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<p><span>• new strata lots not being provided with services at all;</span></p>
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<p>• services to lots being inappropriately located, e.g. installed diagonally across other lots where they are susceptible to damage during site-works;</p>
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<p><span>• lots that are not serviced being ‘built out’ when a house is built on another lot that is between them and the main sewer connection point; and</span></p>
<p><span>• difficulty locating connection points due to no drainage plumbing diagram being available.</span></p>
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<p><span>Where sanitary drainage services are required a developer must engage an LPC to install a suitable sanitary drainage service line(s) and connection point(s) to each lot. </span></p>
<p><span>Where water services are required the developer must enter into an agreement with a water services provider (in most instances the Water Corporation) to either install infrastructure, or provide direct services </span><span>or </span><span>multi-metering to each lot on the survey strata scheme, or alternatively engage an LPC to install water supply services to each lot on the scheme.</span></p>
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Plumbing standards regulations being drafted for strata subdivision plumbing work

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<p>Just as COVID-19 hit, inspectors from Consumer Affairs Victoria indicated will be checking more estate agent trust accounts, more often, for discrepancies.  </p>
<p>Victorian estate agents held 5,188 trust accounts worth $2.43 billion at the end of 2019. </p>
<p>Inspectors were conducting random desktop inspections of estate agents’ trust accounts, searching for inconsistencies that may point to misuse of trust money, in addition to their usual on-site inspections.  </p>
<p>These desktop checks will significantly increase the amount of trust account inspections undertaken each year.  </p>
<p>During 2018-19, Consumer Affairs Victoria conducted 425 trust account inspections for compliance with relevant laws and processed more than 4,300 trust account audits.  </p>
<p>Increasing the number of trust account inspections will allow Consumer Affairs Victoria to act faster to identify estate agents who have broken the law.  </p>
<p>Estate agents will be required to produce documents to prove trust money is being handled appropriately, with inspections conducted on top of the yearly trust account audits. </p>
<p>There are strict laws surrounding how estate agents should keep and file money they receive.  </p>
<p>Advance funds must be deposited into an estate agent’s trust account, and records must be kept showing details of each trust money transaction.  </p>
<p>Acting Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria Michelle Osborne said failing to handle trust account money appropriately may result in the delay or failure of property purchases, causing emotional and financial stress for those involved.  </p>
<p>“Consumer Affairs Victoria takes the misuse of trust account money seriously and has zero tolerance for estate agents who do so,” said Ms Osborne.  </p>
<p>“Good agents who have done nothing wrong have nothing to fear from the new approach.”  </p>
<p>Failing to appropriately manage trust money is a significant offence, with estate agents facing fines of up to $82,000, or 10 years’ imprisonment. </p>
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Consumer Affairs Victoria increasing the number of trust account inspections

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<p>Australian home prices are being protected at present by income support measures and bank payment holidays, according to AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver.</p>
<p>But higher unemployment, a stop to immigration and rent holidays will push prices lower into next year.</p>
<p>"Home prices are expected to fall by around 10 percent to 15 percent from their April high," he advised this week.</p>
<p>"Melbourne is particularly at risk on this front as its Stage 4 lockdown pushes more businesses and households to the brink," he added.</p>
<p>Notwithstanding this Oliver expects the RBA to leave monetary policy on hold for the sixth month in a row.</p>
<p>"Having provided massive monetary stimulus back in March the RBA is still in “watch and wait” mode, and the policy focus remains largely on fiscal policy.</p>
<p>"Given the uncertainty around the pace of recovery and the risks flowing from Melbourne’s lockdown, the RBA is likely to reiterate its dovish forward guidance on rates and note that it stands ready to do more if needed."</p>
<p>Oliver thinks it will ease further sometime in the next six months as its own forecasts have the attainment of full employment and the sustainable achievement of the inflation target as being more than two years away.</p>
<p>"In terms what it might do if it eases further it has all but ruled out negative interest rates, foreign exchange intervention and the direct monetary financing of government spending, but sees still lower but positive interest rates and the purchase of more government bonds as possible options.</p>
<p>"A rate cut to 0.1% would hardly be worth the effort which leaves more bond buying and more cheap bank funding as the main tools for any further easing.</p>
<p>" The RBA should also move more explicitly to inflation average targeting like the Fed.</p>
<p>"This would mean tweaking its forward guidance to commit to not increasing the cash rate until full employment is reached (as opposed to when “progress is being made towards full employment”) and inflation is sustainably within the 2-3% target band (as opposed to when its “confident inflation will be sustainably” in the band)."</p>
<p>Rate hikes are three years away, he concluded.</p>
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Australian home prices to fall by up to 15 percent: Shane Oliver

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<p>Consumer Affairs Victoria has commenced criminal action against Thomas Aloysius, 47, of Hallam, for alleged breaches of the <em>Estate Agents Act 1980</em> (the Act) and its Regulations. </p>
<p>It is alleged that, while working as an estate agent’s representative between May and June 2017, Mr Aloysius: </p>
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<li>advised a vendor that he had received an offer of $600,000 to purchase the vendor’s property, when the offer made by the purchaser was $620,000, and</li>
<li>accepted a $20,000 partial deposit from the purchaser into his personal bank account, instead of the required trust account. </li>
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<p>Mr Aloysius faces six charges: </p>
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<li>Three relate to his alleged misuse of the $20,000, in breach of the Act. </li>
<li>Three relate to alleged breaches of the Estate Agents (Professional Conduct) Regulations 2008; these include that Mr Aloysius:
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<li>did not act in his principal’s best interests; and </li>
<li>engaged in conduct detrimental to the industry’s interests and reputation. </li>
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<p>The matter was brought to our attention through a consumer complaint. </p>
<p>Estate agents or agent’s representatives who misuse trust funds can face penalties including fines, or jail for more serious breaches under the Act. </p>
<p>The matter will be heard in the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court.</p>
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Consumer Affairs Victoria commences criminal action against Thomas Aloysius over alleged missing $20,000 partial deposit

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<div>Consumer Affairs Victoria has launched a disciplinary inquiry at VCAT into estate agent Tsun Ngai Lee.</div>
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<div>Mr Lee, 60, of Caroline Springs, trades under the business name Ably Realtor Worldwide Agency.  </div>
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<div>CAV allege that Mr Lee breached his duties under Victoria’s estate agent laws by:  </div>
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<li>not complying with an existing condition on his estate agent’s licence </li>
<li>not always acting fairly and honestly in his work as an estate agent, and </li>
<li>engaging in conduct detrimental to the estate agent industry’s reputation or interests. </li>
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<div>It is also alleged that Mr Lee:  </div>
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<li>did not meet his trust account audit obligations for the 2018-19 financial year, and  </li>
<li>is not a fit and proper person to hold an estate agent’s licence.  </li>
</ul>
<div>The action against Mr Lee follows an investigation as part of our estate agent compliance monitoring program.<br> </div>
<div>VCAT will hear the matter at a date to be set.  </div>
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<div>CAV have previously taken action against Mr Lee in 2019.</div>
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<p>The estate agent trading as Ably Realtor Worldwide Agency was reprimanded, and had a condition placed on his licence, after breaching his duties under the <em>Estate Agents Act 1980</em> and its regulations. </p>
<p>Tsun Ngai Lee, then 59, of Caroline Springs, agreed that, among other things, he did not: </p>
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<li>record required information in:
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<li>a register of trust cheques</li>
<li>a trust account cash receipts journal; and </li>
<li>trust ledger accounts </li>
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</li>
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<ul>
<li>have his trust accounts audited within the required timeframe </li>
<li>keep money in the trust account until it was paid to the person entitled to it </li>
<li>at all times act fairly and honestly in his capacity as an estate agent.</li>
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<p>Mr Lee also agreed that he had engaged in conduct detrimental to the estate agent industry.</p>
<p>Our staff identified the breaches during inspections at Ably Realtor Worldwide Agency. </p>
<p>The matter was heard at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.  </p>
<p>The tribunal ordered that a condition be placed on Mr Lee’s licence prohibiting him from handling trust monies or operating an estate agency trust account until he: </p>
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<li>completes two Real Estate Institute of Victoria training courses, and </li>
<li>arranges for a qualified professional to develop a compliance program, to ensure he understands and complies with his legal obligations.</li>
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Consumer Affairs Victoria launch disciplinary inquiry into estate agent Tsun Ngai Lee

<p>National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.</p>

<p>Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]</p>

<p>The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.</p>

<p>Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.</p>

<p>"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.</p>

<p>"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.</p>

<p>"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]</p>

<p>Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.</p>

<p>The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]</p>

<p>Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.</p>

<p>Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]</p>

<p>Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.</p>

<p>Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.</p>

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Joel Robinson

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

<p>The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.</p>

<p>It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 52-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.</p>

<p>Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.</p>

<p>While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]</p>

<p>Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 52-storey tower, which has just shy of 250 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.</p>

<p>The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.</p>

<p>"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.</p>

<p>"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.</p>

<p>"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]</p>

<p>One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.</p>

<p>"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.</p>

<p>While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.</p>

<p>"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.</p>

<p>"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]</p>

<p>There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.</p>

<p>As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.</p>

<p>"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.</p>

<p>A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.</p>

<p>The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]</p>


A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

<p>A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.</p>

<p>It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.</p>

<p>Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.</p>

<p>The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]</p>

<p>"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.</p>

<p>"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.</p>

<p>"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]</p>

<p>The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.</p>

<p>Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]</p>

<p>The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.</p>

<p>The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]</p>

<p>Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.</p>

<p>Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]</p>

<p>While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.</p>

<p>It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.</p>

<p>Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]</p>

<p>That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.</p>

<p>Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]</p>


Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

<p>As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.</p>

<p>At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]</p>

<p>The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.</p>

<p>Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.</p>

<p>In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]</p>

<p>The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.</p>

<p>Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.</p>

<p>This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]</p>

<p>What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.</p>

<p>The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.</p>

<p>Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]</p>


Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

<p>Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.</p>

<p>At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.</p>

<p>Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FH_1EzB-1vs?si=XScVlP1ERsTDJoME" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.</p>

<p>Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.</p>

<p>“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.</p>

<p>He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]</p>

<p>After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.</p>

<p>"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."</p>

<p>Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.</p>

<p>"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]</p>

<p>Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.</p>

<p>"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."</p>

<p>For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsioMLcnjas?si=zq-ys3JuWpfa5hFv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.</p>

<p>"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."</p>

<p>As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.</p>

<p>"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.</p>

<p>"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]</p>

<p>Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.</p>

<p>"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."</p>

<p>That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.</p>

<p>"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]</p>

<p>Aimee says one moment stood out.</p>

<p>"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."</p>

<p>The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.</p>

<p>Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]</p>

<p>ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]</p>

<p>For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.</p>

<p>"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."</p>

<p>For Aimee, the change is measured in time.</p>

<p>“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]</p>

<p>Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.</p>

<p>ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]</p>


Staff reporter

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