<html><body>
Harry Triguboff has put one of his prized hotels on the market.
The Meriton Group has listed the Meriton Suites in North Ryde, with around $150 million being tipped for the building that is the largest hotel complex in the Macquarie Park area.
The 199 unit block sits near competitors Travelodge, Holiday Inn, the Mercure and the Courtyard by Marriott.
Triguboff told The Australian that he is not getting enough apartment sales - just five last week - while looking to finance the construction of more Meriton apartments.
"If I want to build many units... that is why I'm selling," he said.
"The market is going down.
"Prices have gone down about 10 percent from the peak."
<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/2018/1/18/MERITON.jpg" alt="">
Triguboff however said he expected the market to find a level, noting the number of buyers failing to settle their purchase and the number of dropout, where buyers ask for a contract but do not proceed, had eased.
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels agents Andrew Langsford and Craig Collins are marketing Meriton Suites North Ryde with expressions of interest set to close February 22.
It is believed Triguboff is considering listing another Meriton owned block, a 59 unit building in Rhodes.
The veteran property developer Harry Triguboff recently said many of his Chinese buyers "can't settle" on their off the plan apartment purchases.
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
"And everyone thought that the Australian buyer would come in when the prices started coming down – they haven't – I knew they wouldn't."
"It's not bad, it's very bad," developer Harry Triguboff said in response to government taxes and credit restrictions on foreign buyer's residential property acquisitions.
A sharp drop in foreign buyers was detailed in the latest ANZ/Property Council of Australia survey of more than 1700 property professionals from across the industry.
"When we start saying that stamp duty for foreign buyers should be 12 per cent instead of 4 per cent, that is called stupid," Triguboff told The Australian Financial Review.
Triguboff said foreign buyer demand started to soften more than a year ago, with prices now going "lower and lower".
"Many of the Chinese can't settle. So now we have to resell them – there is another problem."
</div>
 
 
 
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Harry Triguboff says he's not selling enough

<html><body>
Australian housing finance approvals beat expectations again in November, the number of approvals for owner occupiers up 2.1% vs expectations of a flat result. Approvals ex refi rose 2.4%mth to be up 9.2%yr.
The value of housing finance approvals to investors also posted a rise, up 1.5% but is down –8.3%yr.
The Nov detail showed continued strength in first home buyer loans (+4.5%mth, 36%yr) concentrated in NSW and Vic where state government stamp duty concessions are giving a big boost and activity is coming from a very low starting point.
Construction-related approvals were up 2%mth, 7.6%yr.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/1/18/FINANCE.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<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/2018/1/18/FINANCE.jpg" alt="">
By state, gains in NSW (+1.9%mth), Qld (+4.3%mth) and SA (+2.1%mth) offset falls in Vic (–0.3%mth) and WA (–2.7%mth). Annual growth remains strongest in Vic (+16.8%) and NSW (+10.9%) bearing in mind that this is owner occupier approvals only (ex refi) and that the slowdown in investor activity has had a more material impact in these two states, NSW in particular.
Overall, the total value of finance approvals ex owner occupier refi was up 2.1%mth, and 1.7%yr. That compares to turnover, down around 16%yr, auction clearance rates, down over 13ppts, and an abrupt slowdown in price growth, down from a double digit pace mid-year to a sub-5% annual pace currently.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/1/18/SEGMENT.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<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/2018/1/18/SEGMENT.jpg" alt="">
While the pull back in investor finance approvals is broadly consistent with macro-prudential tightening measures impacting this segment, the continued strength in owner-occupier activity has been surprising, particularly given material slowdown in wider housing market activity evident in other measures. Overall, the total value of loan approvals including investor loans and ex refi has firmed over the last year, up 1.7%yr.
The comparison with the previous macro-prudential tightening episode in 2015 is also intriguing. This resulted in a similar slowdown in wider market measures and a sizeable 10%+ decline in the total value of finance approvals.
The differences are puzzling but may be an indication that weaker foreign buyer demand – evident in the wider housing market performance but not captured by finance approvals – may have had a greater hand in the 2017 slowdown.
Matthew Hassan is senior economist with <a href="https://www.westpac.com.au/" target="_blank">Westpac</a>.
</body></html>

Housing's puzzling strength: Matthew Hassan

<html><body><div class="excerpt">
Perth's iconic 1970s Iwan Iwanoff-designed home, the Madaschi Residence, has been sold for $1.3 million, just three weeks after it was listed.
It is one of five Iwanoffs in Dianella.
"Enjoy the life of a Mid-Century Modern Socialite to hold the best events in town, or simply luxuriate in your beautiful surrounds," was the marketing pitch.
<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/2018/1/18/iwanoff2.jpg" alt="">
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-dianella-126973730" target="_blank">Madaschi Residence</a> was designed by Iwanoff in 1968 and completed in 1970 for Gino and Lina Madaschi, a 50-something Italian couple who wanted to build their ‘forever’ house.
<div>The house bucked tradition being a large entertaining home with only two bedrooms.</div>
The house blended raw, rough elements from Iwanoff’s signature Brutalist style with a classic 60s Californian feel with open-plan indoor atrium garden, a sunken lounge and a strong connection with the outdoors.
<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/2018/1/18/iwanoff3.jpg" alt="">
The house at 53 Shannon Road was then owned by Gino and Lina’s grandson Anthony Torre.
It was last sold when bought by the real estate agent Donna Curnow and her renovator husband Paul Hampton for $765,000 in 2005. It was briefly listed two years ago with $1.5 million hopes.
It was sold through Mark and Debra Passmore at Passmore Real Estate.
 
</div></body></html>

Iwan Iwanoff home sells for $1.3 million

<html><body>
<div>
Chinese property investors are choosing Bangkok over Sydney and London, according to UBS.
Chinese buyers of property abroad tend to fade or pick up depending on key factors, UBS head of global real estate Kim Wright said.
“What we have found is that Chinese buying of property abroad tends to be very price and currency-aware,” Wright told The Australian.
“Their focus on specific markets will fade or pick up, depending on their view of currency. Over the last two years we have seen Asian buying of Australian property, specifically Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, that’s been very strong. It looks like that has started to fade over the past six months.
“I think it’s the combination of factors. Prices have been very strong in Australia so there is now a discussion that the cycle has started to peak and there’s the tax changes that have come through along with the tax controls.”
Wright suggested the decline in demand for property in Australia among Chinese buyers was similar to a loss of interest in London property in late 2015 when buyers felt the market had peaked, while tax changes and tighter capital controls further put them off.
Wright told the recent UBS Greater China conference in Shanghai that their research suggested tighter capital controls were just one factor.
Half those said the controls had encouraged them to bring forward purchases while the other half said it would slow their buying.
</div>
<div>The UBS research also found that two thirds of property purchases were cash settled.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Wright suggested that Chinese property investors were now looking to Bangkok, Thailand, as a new market.</div>
<div>
"I am not sure if that's a function of the One Belt One Road initiative and people are seeing the infrastructure spend and the co-operation, but also the price point is pretty attractive."
</div>
<div>
The Shanghai conference addressed efforts by Chinese authorities to reduce private sector debt levels and put the economy on a sounder footing without severely impacting growth, or triggering a financial crisis.
"A Minksy moment will not come in China. The debt problem is not going to result in a sudden collapse," said UBS head of Asian economic research Wang Tao.
Dr Wang said data that showed that China's foreign exchange reserves had actually increased was a "pleasant surprise" particularly in the context of fears last year that sustained outflows would deplete reserves and weigh on the currency
</div>
<div>
She is forecasting slower economic growth of 6.4 per cent in 2018 and 6.3 per cent in 2019 compared with the 6.8 per cent achieved in 2017.
</div>
 
</body></html>

Chinese cooling on Australia property sees cash heading to Thailand: UBS

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
The Australian listed fractional property investment company DomaCom has secured $1 million in funds which will assist in meeting working capital funds.
The funds have been secured through the issue of a convertible security to the Australian Special Opportunity Fund, LP, a New York-based institutional investor managed by The Lind Partners, LLC. It will also get options in the ASX-listed company currently trading at 14 cents, down 
Under the agreement with Lind, $1 million is immediately available to DomaCom.
It will be used to support the ongoing development of the DomaCom platform and meet working capital requirements.
The Lind Partners is a New York-based alternative asset management firm that manages a family of institutional investment funds focused on small- and mid-cap publicly traded companies with an emphasis on Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Since 2009, Lind has worked on over 75 direct investments with a total transaction value in excess of US$550 million.
It links  in Australia have been mostly with resources companies including Herencia Resources, Blackham Resources and Australian Pacific Coal.
Gina Rinehart's estranged son, John Hancock, was announced an Australian consultant at The Lind Partners in 2015.
 The Domacom agreement provides for DomaCom to request up to an additional $500,000 during the term of the security through the issue of a second convertible security subject to separate approval by Lind.
The agreement will be secured against 2 million DomaCom shares held as collateral. 
While shareholder approval is not required for the funding to proceed, the agreement contains provisions requiring approval of shareholders to refresh the placement capacity under Listing Rule 7.1. 
DomaCom is separately currently raising further capital through the issue of 3 year convertible note that will complete within 10 days after the issue of the Lind Convertible Security and will be subject to a separate announcement. 
DomaCom will issue Lind a $1,200,000 Convertible Security that will be repayable over 24 months with an initial repayment holiday of 120 days.
 DomaCom will make 20 monthly repayments of $63,000 in either shares or cash (at DomaCom’s option). 
The monthly repayment amount in shares will be determined using 90% of the average of 3 daily VWAPs as selected by Lind during the 20 business days preceding the monthly repayment. 
The 20th and final payment is scheduled to take place in December 2019. 
Lind has the right to have the security repaid early at any time during the term by converting the balance of the convertible security into DomaCom shares based on a price per share equal to 130% of the average of the 5 daily VWAP selected by Lind during the 20 trading days prior to the execution of the agreement. 
DomaCom has the right to prepay the remaining balance of the Convertible Security at any time at a price determined by Lind equal to either the 130% of the average of the 5 daily VWAP selected by Lind during the 20 trading days prior to the agreement being execute or 90% of the average of three daily VWAPs as selected by Lind during the 20 trading days prior to notice of repayment. 
DomaCom will pay Lind a commitment fee of $50,000 and will issue Lind 3.7 million options to purchase ordinary shares in DomaCom with an exercise price equal to the average daily VWAP during the 20 trading days prior to the execution of the agreement with an expiry date of 36 months after the date of issue.
Domacom has recently released a swath of announcements involving expansion plans to capture investors in the mainstream.  
They announced an agreement with Domain to integrate the full suite of Domain property listings into the DomaCom crowdfunding platform.
They are also poised to crowdfund mortgage backed loans.
DomaCom stock had an initial offer price on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in November 2016.
DomaCom raised $7.3 million, with about 500 new investors buying into the float, along with its 200 existing investors.
DomaCom hit the headlines with an ambitious bid to buy Australia's largest landholder S.Kidman and Co with a $410 million crowdfunding campaign, but failed to secure the momentum in the wake of hurdles imposed by the selling agents.
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Domacom secures $1 million funding boost from New York institutional investors

<html><body>
A Silicon Valley start-up that lets tenants bid against each other for rental properties - and which will likely launch in Australia this year - is seeking crowdfunding.
The apartment hunting app is currently seeking funding through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) to expand into the world of the blockchain.
The Rentberry platform is operating in over 5000 cities. So far they have processed more than 4000 applications.
Firms like Rentberry are aiming to modernize the traditional mechanism of the rental market by leveraging blockchain technology and its real time deal delivery.
It is suggested the blockchain-based transactions will bring down the cost and promote direct interaction between landlords and tenants.
Unlike many other startups jumping on the ICO bandwagon, the Dan Francisco-based Rentberry already has been fully operational since 2015, backed by a team consisting of some 23 full-time employees.
The Rentberry aim is to rethink the way rental process is organized.
But <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-VU2Z2W1dI" target="_blank">reviewer blogger Ian Balina</a> said it was a pass on him taking equity. Another, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzsoa_e4KGE" target="_blank">Tony Tian</a> has taken $20,000 stake.
The firm is raising funds from the market running from December 5 2017 to January 26, 2018. Alex Lubinsky, a former investment banking executive who founded and real estate owner  turned entrepreneur is the CEO.
With renting increasingly the new normal for many, many innovative fintech companies are come up with new wats.
An Australian product, called Trustbond and created by the startup Traity, lets tenants avoid paying a traditional bond and instead pay a premium, which is a proportion of the rent paid for the term of the lease.
The innovative fintech company has partnered with landlord insurance specialist Terri Scheer Insurance to launch Trustbond.
Trustbond provides security to landlord without freezing the savings of tenants in a rental bond using world-first technology that "will ensure trustworthy Australians save thousands of dollars."
A traditional bond is a large sum that is tied up for the duration of the lease while Trustbond will allows tenant to pay a relatively small fee upfront to cover the protection their landlord required.
The Trustbond system will also allow estate agents and landlords to determine a person’s suitability as a tenant while providing landlords with the same level of protection as a traditional cash bond.
Trustbond is being launched initially in South Australia and it is expected will roll out to other states in the coming months. In NSW around 80,000 residential rental bonds, totalling $1.31 billion are held by the NSW Rental Bond Board.
The new product is marketed as a five step process:
<ul>
<li>Go to <a href="https://www.trustbond.com" target="_blank">www.trustbond.com</a>
</li>
<li>Prove you are a trustworthy tenant by building your reputation profile</li>
<li>Replace the cash bond with a Trustbond</li>
<li>Share the Trustbond with your real estate agent or landlord for their agreement</li>
<li>Keep your cash in your pocket for when you need it most</li>
</ul>
Trustbond measures trustworthiness using online data including networks, ratings and reviews from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Airbnb, eBay and Uber to determine a tenant’s TrustScore.
Once eligibility has been established, the tenant pays an upfront fee that is a percentage of what a conventional rental bond would cost.
As a traditional cash bond might require a tenant to pay $2000, with Trustbond, the tenant might pay around $250 that still covers their landlord for the $2000, freeing up $1750 for the tenant.
The inspiration for Trustbond came from the Traity CEO, Juan Cartagena's own experience of renting property.
As a new resident of the United States with no local rental or employment history, landlords were requesting rental cash bonds of up to $14,000.
He was untrusted as a foreigner, and his landlords requested very expensive bonds as they did not have enough information to trust him.
“Trustbond recognises a person’s digital profile as an asset, putting money back in tenants’ pockets to spend on the things that matter to them,” Traity executive Will Soutar, said.
 
</body></html>

Rentberry seeks out the blockchain to unite tenants and landlords

<html><body>
<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">
Ron Bakir, the property development company owner Ron Bakir has secured the sale of his Gold Coast penthouse, selling the palatial Surfers Paradise apartment for a record $9.5 million.
</div>
The sale of the 39th-floor Chevron Renaissance apartment tops the city’s previous penthouse high of $9.2 million, set six years ago when Melbourne builder Peter Devitt bought in Main Beach’s Liberty Panorama tower.
It sold to an an undisclosed Gold Coast resident.
<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/2018/1/17/bakir2.jpg" alt="">
Bakir and wife Maja, who in September became parents, told The Gold Coast Bulletin they intend building a riverfront family home on the Isle of Capri.
The Skyline Central penthouse was initially for sale at $12.5 million in 2016, with the price later cut to $9.95 million.
The whole-floor apartment comes with four ensured bedrooms.
<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/2018/1/17/bakir3.jpg" alt="">
There is a 12-seat rooftop teppanyaki grill.
There are eight drop-down TV sets.
It comes with parking for 21 cars, and 650sq m of storage space.
The apartment was installed in the space after Bakir bought the ex-Raptis offices for $1.2 million in 2014.
Bakir, who at 17 was the founder of the Crazy Ron’s mobile-phone business in Queensland, has the HomeCorp property group which plans to build 600 homes in the Brisbane-Gold Coast corridor, Ipswich and Toowoomba during 2018.
</body></html>

Ron Bakir's record $9.5 million Surfers Paradise penthouse sale

<html><body>
Veronica Macpherson, once the head of the collapsed Macro Realty Group, plans to publish a book which she has given a working title, "The Great Australian Ponzi". 
Her Pilbara property scheme fell over leaving thousands of investors owed millions in 2015. But bizarrely she suggests there could be a happy ending.
The local media says she will launch the book in April featuring "political backflips, errors, mismanagement of the Australian economies — suicides, nasty threats and wild accusations."
Ms Macpherson says it was a book "to get the truth known". 
Featuring the Pilbara Cities that were meant to be, she will be pedalling the line that "ASIC was their own worst enemy."
"One of my sayings is that ‘I am a big fan of the truth’ and unfortunately many people have been left wondering what the truth of the matter actually is with our Pilbara developments," she suggested.
"Please do pre-order a copy... it will help with the print costs and put you in a draw to receive an early addition, which you are welcome to sell to the media if you wish."
She said anyone signing up to the launch would receive an advance copy. There was also an online auction planned of the first release suggested on the <a href="https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=344455" target="_blank">trybooking website</a>.
In online material advertising the book, Ms Macpherson was using a picture of herself with Gina Rinehart, believed to have been taken at the CEO Magazine’s Australian Executive of the Year awards in late 2015.
That photograph posted alongside the book title was causing some consternation amongst Ms Hancock’s inner circle yesterday.
A spokeswoman for Mrs Rinehart confirmed to the Perthnow website that the event was the only time the two had ever met.
Mrs Rinehart had no business relationship with the would-be property developer and accused Ponzi queen.
Macpherson, in a five-page letter to “investors, affiliates and associates” sent out under a Macro Investments and Securities letterhead, also contemplated the establishment of a “Pilbara Cooperative” which she claims could provide hope to her many investors.
“The media has not bothered to showcase our past successes, but don’t worry there will be many more through this collaborative structure and great, like minded individuals,” the letter advises.
Macro Realty Developments’ former brand ambassador was former rugby champion, David Campese. 
 
 
 
</body></html>

Macro Group's Veronica Macpherson, Pilbara ponzi queen seeking funds to publish tell-all book

<html><body>
The Abbey of Roses, a sandstone convent built 127 years ago in Warwick, west of Brisbane has been listed for January 28 auction. 
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.rwsp.net/properties/residential-for-sale/qld/warwick-4370/house/1803298" target="_blank">19th century mansion</a> has been listed by Sonia Hunt who paid $1.525 million in 2010.
Hunt and Mark Cains have restored the 14-bedroom home, operating its as a bed and breakfast and function centre.
<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/2018/1/16/WARWICK1.jpg" alt="">
After the sale, they plan to move back to the Gold Coast.
Ray White agent Josh Thomas has the listing of the 1891 heritage-listed building on one hectare at 8 Locke Street.
<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/2018/1/16/WARWICK2.jpg" alt="">
The convent was sold by the Sisters of Mercy in 1992 for $375,000, four years after its closure.
Designed by the same architect as the Breakfast Creek Hotel, the property boasts stained glass from the same German company that made the glass windows of the Vatican and features a statue by the designer of the Statue of Liberty.
</body></html>

The Abbey of Roses Warwick for sale

<html><body>
Sydney investor Nathan Birch has blamed administration oversight for his recent mortgage default, not cashflow issues.
The Australian Financial Review reported earlier this month that Birch had been sued by his lender, Permanent Mortgages, after defaulting on a $535,000 mortgage for a Paradise Point, Gold Coast investment property.
Birch told News Ltd the AFR story was a "misrepresentation” of his situation, noting the property never got repossessed.
He told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/sunday-night/a/38540739/real-estate-whiz-kid-s-secret-to-property-success/" target="_blank">Channel 7's Sunday Night's </a>Denham Hitchcock all his 200 properties were positively geared.
News Ltd reported Birch saying that the default situation arose from an oversight.
"I had an overdue amount which equalled to one month’s interest which was paid immediately as soon as it came to my attention,” he said.
“Having 200-odd properties, the admin side of things can become a bit too much and not seeing the mail on time meant I had no idea of this.”
Birch had previously confirmed to the AFR he had "briefly" fallen behind on "one or two mortgages" citing increased lending restrictions arising from the much-heralded Australian Prudential Regulation Authority investor crackdown.
Last year Birch had revealed he was selling up some of his massive portfolio due to tightening finance conditions.
<div>
Birch told news.com.au mid-last year he was looking to offload up to 20 properties estimating he would reduce his debt to about $18 million.
</div>
<div>Birch blogged  at the time that he was adjusting his portfolio and riding the new APRA crackdown finance challenge "without breaking a sweat".</div>
He said that he had had to adapt his investment strategy.
"As a result of the tighter lending practices, I have simply sold some smaller properties and purchased larger ones to set myself up for a development phase in my portfolio," he advised.
Birch said he believed the best place to buy in2018 was the Gold Coast, where he holds 50 properties.
 “The market here I think is only just scratching the surface,” he told Sunday Night. 
“It’s like Australia’s Miami. Prices are still post-GFC prices, still very low.”
His most undervalued suburb is Coomera.
</body></html>

Nathan Birch blames the overdue mortgage on having to administer 200 properties

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."

&nbsp;

[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.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

[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

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News