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Rushcutters Bay has witnessed the biggest unit price growth across Sydney, according to Domain Group data.
It suggests the suburb's median house price has increased 23.7%, with a median price of $804,000.
Some of the suburbs that saw the greatest declines in house prices saw some of the strongest price growth in units over the year. 
Units in Petersham recorded a 16.6% growth year-on-year, raising the median price to $780,000.
Domain Group data scientist Dr Nicola Powell said a price correction in some suburbs was part of the property cycle "and is not necessarily a bad thing”, she said.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/8/1/domain%20unit%20.jpg" alt="">
Source: Domain
A Rushcutters Bay one bedroom apartment was sold for $943,000 in March (pictured below).
Set within a 1920s security building, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-rushcutters+bay-127952298" target="_blank">14/46 Roslyn Gardens</a> comes with bedroom with built-in, updated seperate kitchen, generous living, and updated bathroom.
Other features include polished timber floors, high ceilings and common laundry.
It is close to cafes and eateries, and with easy access to the CBD and local transport. 
 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/8/1/rushcutters%20bay%202.jpg" alt="">
Another sale was a Bayswater Road one bedroom apartment which was sold off market at $1.15 million. 
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-rushcutters+bay-128454942" target="_blank">The 204/72-78 Bayswater Road</a> apartment features the double bedroom, open plan living and dining, integrated stainless steel gas kitchen and undercover parking.
Located in a landmark building completed in 2001, the apartment is 600 metres from Kings Cross station.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Rushcutters Bay records Sydney's strongest annual unit price growth: Domain

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GUEST OBSERVATION
If property prices are rising, it is commonly assumed we must be facing a shortage of supply relative to demand. So if we’re ever going to reduce housing affordability problems, we’re simply going to have to build our way out of it. After all, as anyone who’s sat in an introductory economics class would tell you, basic economics is sufficient to at least suggest that if prices are rising in the long term, then supply must be lagging behind demand.
It’s true the housing market is largely subject to the forces of supply and demand. The deficiency of this argument lies, not so much in any perceived cracks in the supply-demand framework taught in Economics 101, but in the fact that the appropriate “price” indicator is not property prices. It’s rent.
What’s the ‘price’ of housing?
The problem with relying on rising property prices as a “price” signal of a supply shortage is that the dwelling an owner-occupier buys is both a consumption and an investment good. It offers a place to live as well as an asset in which the owner invests a substantial part of their wealth. Hence, property prices are at best a murky indicator of the balance of supply and demand for housing as a home to live in and an asset to own.
It is well established in the housing economics literature that the “price” signal for the adequacy of supply relative to demand for housing services is rent. Rent reflects the cost of consuming housing or, to put it another way, the cost of living in a home. So if housing supply is lagging behind demand for housing as a place to live in, we should expect to see rents rise.
Are rents keeping pace with property prices?
Property prices have clearly surged over the long term in Australia, as the chart below shows.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229557/original/file-20180727-106496-o78kv5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
The Residential Property Price Index (RPPI), adjusted for inflation and averaged across all capital cities, climbed by nearly 30% from 2008-18. Property prices in Sydney and Melbourne, where the real RPPI surged by 54% and 43% respectively, largely drove this average increase.
But housing economics principles tell us this can only be attributed to a supply shortage if rents have also soared.
It turns out real rents have remained relatively flat in most capital cities over the last decade. The chart below shows the real weekly rent of three-bedroom houses across all capital cities over the past decade. The weighted average has shifted upwards by a mere 10%, from $389 to $429.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229537/original/file-20180727-106508-55w8qi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
For two-bedroom units, the average real weekly rent has also shifted slightly from $393 to $446. That’s a mild 13% increase over a decade.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229538/original/file-20180727-106499-19q6lgj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
The real rent increases have been relatively minor compared to the nearly 30% surge in real RPPI across all capital cities. There are again some differences between cities, but only Sydney had a noticeable increase in real rents. This still lagged behind the spike in real RPPI in the city.
Dealing with the crux of the affordability crisis
Overall, rent increases are clearly not keeping pace with soaring property prices in all major capital cities in Australia. So claims that a housing shortage is the principal cause of a lack of affordable housing are unfounded. Supply-side solutions, while important, will need to be targeted directly at low-income groups who find it difficult to compete in private rental markets to meet housing needs.
On the other hand, successive governments have offered preferential tax treatments of housing assets. These have encouraged a significant build-up of wealth in housing assets.
Some of these favourable tax advantages have undoubtedly been capitalised into rising property prices. That has made it harder and harder for renters to break into the home ownership market.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100383/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">These are structural problems embedded within our tax policy settings. Hence, their impacts on house prices will not magically disappear any time soon unless policymakers are willing to undertake meaningful tax reform that shifts the emphasis away from treating housing as a commodity back to affordable housing as a fundamental right of all Australians.
Rachel Ong, Professor of Economics, School of Economics and Finance, Curtin University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-rents-not-property-prices-are-best-to-assess-housing-supply-and-need-driven-demand-100383" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Why rents, not property prices, are best to assess housing supply and need-driven demand

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A four bedroom house in Queensland's Salisbury, a suburb of Brisbane, has been listed by mortgagees. 
It is listed as an August 4 auction through Jacob Cantlin at Elders Springwood.
It was built in the 1940s.
It last sold at $345,429 in 2011. 
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-salisbury-128758486" target="_blank">346 Henson Road, Salisbury</a> home has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and five spaces for parking. It features beautiful timber floors throughout, storage/rumpus space underneath the home, wide side access through to the backyard which includes a triple bay car-port, recently renovated main bathroom, and brand new stove/cook-top that is yet to have been used. The suburb's median house price sits on <a href="/news">$587,000</a> according to CoreLogic.
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Salisbury home listed by mortgagee

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The Carr architectural practice has welcomed the completion of the United Places Botanic Gardens Hotel.
Marketed as an "intimate, highly considered hotel experience" the hotel opened recently at 157-159 Domain Road, South Yarra.
Room rates start at $650 per night.
It is the project of hoteliers Darren Rubinstien and Richard Rogers. 
The evelopment was where the former post office and newsagent were located.
With only 12 suites, United Places is marketed as set to become Melbourne's most exclusive hotel.
"The hotel’s exuberance comes from the carefully calibrated floor plans, surface integrity and a superlative level of execution,” noted Stephen Todd, Design Editor, Australian Financial Review.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/7/25/CARR.jpg" alt="">
The property located at 159 Domain Road South Yarra last sold in October of 2010 for $3.175 million.
In 2014 it was reported VCAT had overturned the City Council refusal to grant a planning permit to 157-159 Domain Road.
It's 2012 initial planning application was made to the Melbourne City Council for a permit to demolish the existing building and construct a three-storey building accommodating a ground floor café/shop, first floor tavern and second floor restaurant.
A combined patron capacity of 650 was proposed.
The planning application also sought permission for the reduction of the Planning Scheme’s car parking requirement to zero and a waiver of the Planning Scheme’s loading and unloading requirement.
Its notice of the application saw 352 objections received, and plans substantially amended.
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Carr Architecture completes United Places Botanic Gardens Hotel

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A Dural function centre has been sold through Cushman &amp; Wakefield.
<div class="prop-details-description__content">
<div class="text animate" data-bind="html: descriptionExpandableTextArea.displayText, css: { collapsed: !descriptionExpandableTextArea.isExpanded(), animate: descriptionExpandableTextArea.animate }, element: descriptionExpandableTextArea.textElement, attr: { style: descriptionExpandableTextArea.style }">The 632 Old Northern Road, Dural property (pictured above) was sold at auction for $5.5 million acting under the instructions of the agent of the mortgagee, Ian Purchas of SV partners.</div>
<div class="text animate" data-bind="html: descriptionExpandableTextArea.displayText, css: { collapsed: !descriptionExpandableTextArea.isExpanded(), animate: descriptionExpandableTextArea.animate }, element: descriptionExpandableTextArea.textElement, attr: { style: descriptionExpandableTextArea.style }"> </div>
<div class="text animate" data-bind="html: descriptionExpandableTextArea.displayText, css: { collapsed: !descriptionExpandableTextArea.isExpanded(), animate: descriptionExpandableTextArea.animate }, element: descriptionExpandableTextArea.textElement, attr: { style: descriptionExpandableTextArea.style }">It was last sold in 2016 for the same price of $5.5 million.</div>
<div class="text animate" data-bind="html: descriptionExpandableTextArea.displayText, css: { collapsed: !descriptionExpandableTextArea.isExpanded(), animate: descriptionExpandableTextArea.animate }, element: descriptionExpandableTextArea.textElement, attr: { style: descriptionExpandableTextArea.style }"> </div>
<div class="text animate" data-bind="html: descriptionExpandableTextArea.displayText, css: { collapsed: !descriptionExpandableTextArea.isExpanded(), animate: descriptionExpandableTextArea.animate }, element: descriptionExpandableTextArea.textElement, attr: { style: descriptionExpandableTextArea.style }">The holding currently contains a vacant 5 bedroom house at the rear of the 7551 sqm block. </div>
<div class="text animate" data-bind="html: descriptionExpandableTextArea.displayText, css: { collapsed: !descriptionExpandableTextArea.isExpanded(), animate: descriptionExpandableTextArea.animate }, element: descriptionExpandableTextArea.textElement, attr: { style: descriptionExpandableTextArea.style }"> </div>
<div class="text animate" data-bind="html: descriptionExpandableTextArea.displayText, css: { collapsed: !descriptionExpandableTextArea.isExpanded(), animate: descriptionExpandableTextArea.animate }, element: descriptionExpandableTextArea.textElement, attr: { style: descriptionExpandableTextArea.style }">The block hold two large function rooms and is zoned RU6 Transition.</div>
<div class="text animate" data-bind="html: descriptionExpandableTextArea.displayText, css: { collapsed: !descriptionExpandableTextArea.isExpanded(), animate: descriptionExpandableTextArea.animate }, element: descriptionExpandableTextArea.textElement, attr: { style: descriptionExpandableTextArea.style }"> </div>
<div class="text animate" data-bind="html: descriptionExpandableTextArea.displayText, css: { collapsed: !descriptionExpandableTextArea.isExpanded(), animate: descriptionExpandableTextArea.animate }, element: descriptionExpandableTextArea.textElement, attr: { style: descriptionExpandableTextArea.style }">The property has 47 metres of street frontage.</div>
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Dural function centre sold for $5.5 million

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The Alderley Coles has been listed listed through Colliers International.
James Wilson and Stewart Gilchrist of Colliers are selling the Alderley site with a freestanding market-style Coles supermarket and Liquorland.
Offers close August 29 for the 1.25ha site, which is seven kilometres from the CBD and just 100m from Alderley railway station.
It is fully leased to Coles on a new 15-year net lease, with four 10 year options.
The offering includes a separately titled adjoining 641 sqm parcel.
“With the market starved of blue-chip investment opportunities, Coles Alderley meets every stringent investment criteria,” said James Wilson at Colliers International.
“Coles Alderley offers an absolute premium covenant with strong trading figures, a 15-year net lease with Coles paying all outgoings, a new building with substantial depreciation allowances, and a prime protected inner-city location that features exceptionally high barriers of entry,” he added.
Coles Alderley is the only supermarket in the affluent primary sector, "with an income higher than the Brisbane metro average.”
The supermarket opened in February 2017 after its design by Power Architects.
The full-line Coles supermarket comprises a lettable area of 4,410 square metres including Liquorland and 247 parking spaces.
Freestanding supermarket investments have become one of the tightest and most competitive markets among private investors, both onshore and offshore, with secure income streams and limited management requirements being key attractions, said Stewart Gilchrist, National Director, Retail Investment Services at Colliers International.
“In 2018 there have been only four freestanding supermarket transactions announced along the Eastern Seaboard, including Coles Sippy Downs and Coles Earlwood, demonstrating the rarity of these offerings.
"Campaigns of this calibre typically generate more than 150 enquiries, further highlighting the pent-up demand for high quality metro product such as Coles Alderley.”
The supermarket giant secured the site in 2012 after developers Alderley Square Pty Ltd went into receivership.
It has been using a controversial new policy to discourage people leaving cars in their parking lot when they catch public transport to work by charging customers $77 dollars if they stay in the parking lot a minute more than two hours.
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Coles tenanted Alderley property offering 

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The recent announcement by the Minister for Planning to defer the introduction of the medium density (complying development) code in some councils is negatively impacting the wrong families or target market.
The government should not link community pushback and pressure  for high rise apartment growth - with the growing need for more modest medium density housing – especially terraces and dual occupancies.
There is justified concern across Sydney that local living conditions and growth/enhancements in social facilities have not improved at the same pace as recent growth and intensification of housing. This is not ‘nimbyism’. It is a response to the difficulties faced by governments to raise and spend sufficient infrastructure dollars in the right place at the right time – in the face of rapid growth. 
The Greater Sydney Commission is right to highlight those areas (eg Ryde and Canterbury-Bankstown) where the mismatch between recent growth and amenity is great. There are opportunities for State and Local Government to improve infrastructure investment and build capacity, divert growth - or just pause to catch up. But, the approaches taken must be evidence-based and strategic – and not be seen as a reaction to key electorates. 
The planning framework needs to offer a predictable basis for investment in the types of housing we need – in ways that reflect the communities’ values and needs for a place.
Sydney has sound regional plan and district plans that set out the challenge to accommodate another 740,000 dwellings by 2036. They cannot all be apartments  in inner city areas or homes on the edge of Sydney. Our population is getting older, more people are choosing to live in smaller housing, while many households are also looking for well-designed and more affordable accommodation closer to jobs and centres. 
Offering greater choice for medium density housing in Sydney’s ‘missing middle’ is vital for a fair and socially sustainable city.
A planning system that only offers a complying development pathway for single detached houses is not balanced. PIA has supported having the same incentive for a diversity of medium density housing types including terraces, dual occupancies and even ‘manor homes’ if well-designed and in the right setting.
Local Housing Strategies offer a way of checking that Council zoning approaches and contributions plans respond to the diverse housing needs and characteristics of the community – including amenity and infrastructure provision. These strategies could provide solid evidence for any deferral of major planning proposals at the ‘gateway’ stage. 
Local Housing Strategies can also help councils to get a handle on how a model code for medium density housing will take effect in their area. Depending on whether a council permits multi-unit or medium density development in low density residential zones is significant. If a council already has specific floor space ratios and setbacks then the outcomes of the code on housing supply would potentially be much lower.
PIA acknowledges that infrastructure delivery at a local scale has often not kept pace with apartment growth. A solution is to focus on funding infrastructure and strengthening amenity alongside acceptable rates and patterns of growth. 
Ad hoc deferral of new policy supporting medium density housing is not necessarily going to assist many communities across the state who wish to stay in their local suburb and age in place.
Jenny Rudolph is the PIA NSW President
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We still need well planned medium density housing: PIA

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Flinders chocolatiers Milton Laycock and Isilda Caldwell are selling their home and business premises in the Mornington Pensinsula town’s main street.
The <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/45-45b-cook-street-flinders-vic-3929-2014484660" target="_blank">45-45b Cook Street</a>, Flinders holding has a price guide of $3.15 million.
The property includes a commercial kitchen and twin showrooms in the business dwelling and a contemporary three-bedroom, two-bathroom residence at the rear of the block. 
The living spaces include a fireplace and a black and white island kitchen with Miele appliances, and there are decks front and back for outdoor entertaining.
 Domenic Zanellini of Nicholson Real Estate has the listing.
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Flinders chocolatiers list Main Street business premises

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A four bedroom house in Rasmussen, a suburb in the City of Townsville in Queensland, has been sold for $210,000 by the mortgagee.
It was sold by Dayne Watson from First National Real Estate last month.
It was last sold in 2004, 14 years ago for $215,000.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-rasmussen-127538150" target="_blank">Situated at 36 Amber Avenue, Rasmussen</a> (pictured above), the house features four bedrooms, open plan kitchen/living/dining, indoor laundry and double carport.
Nestled on a 606 sqm land, it comes with undercover storage/workshop area, garden shed and in-ground pebblecrete pool. 
The suburb's median house price sits at<a href="/developments/rasmussen-qld-4815"> $308,500</a>, according to CoreLogic.
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Four bedroom house in Rasmussen sold by mortgagee for less 14 years later

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The forecast remained extremely positive for Geelong, the Victorian port city despite "incredible capital growth over the past five years.
The growth had put Geelong on the map, according to the latest analysis by RiskWise Property Research that found high population growth and a rise in infrastructure projects, leading to an improved economy and more jobs, have greatly increased the popularity of the area.
“Add to that it only takes an hour to drive to Melbourne and housing is significantly more affordable, it is ticking plenty of boxes for a lot of people with their eye on capital growth in the future,” RiskWise CEO Doron Peleg said.
One key piece of infrastructure will be delivered by the Federal Government thanks to a $50 million funding boost to help deliver the Geelong rail duplication between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds train stations.
Meanwhile, the Victorian State Government has also directed $50 million to investigate fast rail between Geelong and Melbourne, as part of the Melbourne Airport Link, to be delivered within 10 to 15 years.
It all adds up to an economic windfall for the region, with more employment attracting more residents to the area, Peleg suggests.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/7/30/Geelong%20-%20Median%20Price.jpg" alt="">
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“And this, in turn, has seen capital growth in the past five years explode with the forecast also looking good for future capital growth.”
He said compared to Melbourne, Geelong offered greater value for money and more affordability.
“Given its proximity to Melbourne, it is becoming very popular with those wanting a great lifestyle and better housing options with more value for money … and they are still within a comfortable distance from the CBD to commute to work,” he said.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/7/30/Geelong%20-%20Population%20Growth.jpg" alt="">
“Of course, it’s always important to remember that houses are a good investment while units carry a higher level of risk due to potential oversupply issues and that they do not appeal to families looking for three bedrooms and a yard, meaning demand is less.”
The median house price for Geelong is only $576,118 compared to $836,122 for Greater Melbourne. For units in Geelong its $403,408 compared to $552,941. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/7/30/Geelong%20Capital%20Growth%20-%20Houses.jpg" alt="">
“This means who can buy a house in Geelong for around the same price you could buy a unit in Greater Melbourne. It represents excellent value for money,” he said.
 “And we believe it will only get more popular in the next few years, thereby presenting projected solid capital growth.”
An recently sale was a Swanston Street two bedroom house which sold for $581, 000 (pictured below).
Located at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-geelong-128360630" target="_blank"> 151 Swanston Street</a>, the house comes with two spacious bedrooms, large family living area, updated kitchen and dining area.
Other features include high ceilings, plenty of natural flowing light and gas heating.
It is close to the cafe precincts, river, Kardinia Park and the CBD.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/8/1/geelong%201.jpg" alt="">
Another sale was a McKillop Street two bedroom house which was sold at $560,000 (pictured below).
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-geelong-127948670" target="_blank">The 17 McKillop Street house</a> features two good sized bedrooms, living room with fireplace, sleek kitchen, and low maintenance gardens. 
It is within close proximity to the CBD, waterfront and local hospitals. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/8/1/geelong%202.jpg" alt="">
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Continued capital growth forecast for Geelong

Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.

For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.

Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.

"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374893]

Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.

The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;

Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.

Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=269527]

Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.

"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."

The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.

"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374892]

Located just 300 metres from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/gordon-nsw-2072">Gordon</a> Village and Gordon railway station, Lume offers convenient access to Sydney's CBD while placing residents close to some of the North Shore's leading schools, including Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College and Knox Grammar. Lane Cove National Park, Gordon Golf Club and a range of cafés and restaurants further reinforce the family-focused lifestyle on offer, with the BMW iX3 50 complementing everything from local trips around Gordon to weekend drives and city commutes.

Construction is underway with completion expected in mid-2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7354]

Joel Robinson

Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

Two apartments have sold for more than $10 million at EADE Byron Bay, setting some of the highest apartment prices ever achieved in the coastal town and underlining the growing appetite for luxury beachfront apartments in Australia's most popular coastal locations.

The $210 million project by Vitale Property Group has now secured more than $70 million in sales, led by residences that changed hands for $12.75 million and $11.75 million.

The record-breaking transactions reinforce the shift occurring in Byron Bay's premium property market, where affluent downsizers and lifestyle buyers are increasingly opting for high-end apartments over large beachfront homes.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/eade-byron-bay-29-shirley-street-byron-bay-nsw-2481">EADE Byron Bay</a> occupies a rare 6,000 sqm absolute beachfront site on the corner of Shirley and Milton Streets overlooking Main Beach and The Wreck surf break, just 350 metres from Byron Bay's town centre.

The 25-residence development is the first beachfront apartment project approved in Byron Bay in more than a decade and is currently under construction, with completion expected in May 2027.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359521]

The project has attracted a mix of local Byron Shire residents downsizing from larger homes, alongside interstate buyers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane seeking a permanent coastal lifestyle without compromising on space.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/alexander-co">Alexander &amp; Co</a>, EADE comprises&nbsp;10 garden apartments ranging from 284 sqm to 622 sqm, nine with private pools, five full-floor apartments and 10 rooftop residences with private plunge pools, expansive outdoor entertaining areas and uninterrupted ocean views.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359527]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.

"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.

"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.

"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.

"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359523]

The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.

Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.

EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.

WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.

"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.

"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."

Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145590]

Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<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/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

The apartment feature many buyers don't think about, until their first missed delivery

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hg-developments">HG Developments</a> is doubling down on Maud Street in Newstead, filing plans for a new apartment tower just a few doors down from its under-construction Aire Newstead development.

Recently submitted to Brisbane City Council, the proposal is for an 18-storey building designed by bureau^proberts, which has drawn heavily on Brisbane's subtropical design principles while referencing the suburb's industrial heritage.

A total of 64 apartments are planned for the amalgamated 1,518 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-21-maud-street-newstead-qld-4006">17–21 Maud Street</a>, a short walk from the Brisbane River and Newstead Riverwalk.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a400c7fd-bd15-48f8-a63b-10ede92efe00" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20bldg.png?VersionId=.0vPmjpbC7CNP7kqGWa6L7rGIwsNExaw" />

"The building is defined by a series of vaulted motifs that reinterpret the arches, colonnades and layered facades evident throughout Newstead's historic built fabric," the Urban Design Report states.

"Combined with recessed glazing and generous balconies, these elements create a layered building envelope that provides shade, weather protection and opportunities for natural ventilation whilst establishing a distinctive architectural identity."

The proposal comprises 64 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 18 residential levels, positioning it alongside a growing number of taller residential projects transforming Newstead's northern precinct. The tower incorporates extensive subtropical landscaping, with cascading planter boxes, deep planting at street level and a landscaped rooftop recreation area.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d8140f4-8b98-45cd-b1b8-1efe8c8e266b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=VAZtbCoD44YCJ57N99fQCAKeSJx7ldZs" />

Bureau Proberts has prioritised passive environmental design throughout the project, with generous balconies, recessed glazing and operable façades helping reduce solar heat gain while maximising natural ventilation. River views become available from the upper levels, while the building has been orientated to capture prevailing breezes from both the Brisbane River and the west.

The architects say landscape is intended to be integral to the building rather than an applied element.

"Vertical greenery, cascading planter boxes and elevated gardens are woven throughout the architecture, softening the built form and strengthening the connection between residents and the subtropical environment."

"Through the integration of landscape, high-quality materials and passive design principles, the development delivers a refined residential address that celebrates Newstead's heritage character while contributing positively to Brisbane's evolving subtropical identity."

Newstead has remained one of Brisbane's most active apartment markets in recent years, with a number of developers continuing to back the inner-city suburb.

HG Developments is currently delivering the 40-apartment Aire Newstead at 25 Maud Street. Fortis recently launched the 65-apartment <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> on Kyabra Street, while builder-developer BPG and Don O'Rorke's Consolidated Properties are both expected to launch their respective Newstead projects before the end of the year.

HG Developments doubles down in Newstead with second Maud Street apartment development

Walk past a new apartment development promoting its sustainability credentials and it's easy to picture rooftop gardens, mature trees, landscaped courtyards and residents surrounded by nature.

But in many cases, that's not actually what those sustainability ratings guarantee.

Australia's leading environmental rating tools have played a significant role in improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Yet despite their focus on reducing emissions, many don't require developers to include trees, biodiversity or meaningful green space.

In other words, a building can achieve one of the country's highest sustainability ratings while containing little more than concrete, glass and hard landscaping.

That disconnect has led to the emergence of a new movement across Australia's property industry: nature-based cities.

The concept goes beyond designing buildings that consume less energy. Instead, it encourages developers to treat nature as essential infrastructure, integrating biodiversity, tree canopy, living landscapes and green spaces into projects from the earliest stages of planning.

Research has consistently linked access to nature with better physical and mental health, cooler neighbourhoods, improved biodiversity, stronger climate resilience and more connected communities. As Australia's cities continue to become denser, advocates say those outcomes should be considered just as important as energy efficiency.

Nature Based Cities (NBC) was established in 2022 to help accelerate that shift.

Founded by Hamton Executive Chairman Paul Hameister OAM, the not-for-profit was created after research highlighted a significant gap in Australia's sustainability framework. While existing environmental rating tools rewarded energy performance and emissions reductions, they placed little emphasis on the inclusion of living landscapes.

"We've always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren't there," Hameister says.

"In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that's concrete and glass with not a blade of grass.

"The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn't been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities."

Since its launch, NBC has developed independent design guidelines and accreditation frameworks that encourage developers to prioritise ecology, biodiversity, tree canopy, walkability and living landscapes alongside traditional sustainability measures. The organisation first focused on medium and high-density residential developments before recently expanding into precinct-scale communities and masterplanned neighbourhoods.

Jan Talacko, founder of sustainability consultancy Ark Resources and a member of the Nature Based Cities Advisory Council, says the initiative addresses an area that has largely been overlooked by the property industry.

"Throughout my 25 years of working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the property sector, I've always favoured a pragmatic approach to sustainable design which encourages initiatives that not only meet environmental expectations but also improve amenity," Talacko says.

"Whilst we are making steady progress in relation to energy and carbon emissions from buildings, there has been much less emphasis on encouraging biodiversity and tackling the urban heat island effect.

"The Nature Based Cities initiative responds to a gap in the suite of tools currently used by the property development sector, which don't provide sufficient incentive, or recognition, for the integration of landscaping and greenery."

For apartment buyers, the shift is also changing the questions worth asking.

Rather than assuming a sustainable building will naturally include abundant green space, buyers are increasingly being encouraged to look beyond environmental ratings and ask what nature is actually being delivered. How much tree canopy will the development create? Has biodiversity been considered? Are landscaped spaces designed for people as well as appearance?

As Australia's cities continue to grow upwards and outwards, the next generation of sustainability may not simply be measured by lower emissions, but by how successfully developments bring nature back into everyday urban life.

Staff reporter

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