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Stevens Buildings in Millers Point, the first residential apartment building to be constructed in New South Wales, has fetched $10.05 million in its auction through Property New South Wales.
The <a href="http://commercialpropertysearch.savills.com.au/160c629a-58c3-e711-80d1-005056816353/Sale/Millers-Point/73-Windmill-Street,-Millers-Point" target="_blank">Windmill Street building</a>, designed by architect Joseph Alexander Kethel, comprises 11 apartments with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Garrison Church and Observatory Hill.
There are nine one bedroom apartments and two two bedroom apartments, with open balconies to each level. The ground floor apartments have their own courtyards.
It was built in 1900 as a boarding house on the site of the former ‘Live and Let Live Hotel.'
<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/2017/11/28/Stevens2.jpg" alt="">
The property (above) was marketed by Savills agents Rob Lowe and David Hickey in conjunction with Sotheby's.
They had a $9 million to $9.5 million guide for its auction, with it sold in one line. 
An entire row of period terrace duplexes has also been sold off by Property NSW on behalf of Family and Community Services as part of the Millers Point sales programme to fund social housing.
The building, 74-80a High Street, comprises eight two-bedroom period terrace duplexes divided into two blocks each comprising four apartments on a 539 sqm island site. 
74-80a High Street (below) was expected to fetch about $8 million to $8.5 million, and sold at $9.8 million.
The block is one of a group of early twentieth century workmen’s apartments built by the Sydney Harbour Trust in the early 1900’s.
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There is scope to transform the apartments to their original condition, subject to Conservation Management Plan (CMP). 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

$10 million paid for Sydney's first apartment block at Millers Point

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The Fletchers Balwyn-headquartered real estate agency has been fined $880,000 for underquoting on 22 properties in 2015, the strongest penalty ever for the outlawed practice in Victoria.
Justice Bernard Murphy said the size of the punishment ought deter other agencies from similar behaviour, which he described as widespread.
The 22 offences took place after Bradley Brown, the agency's chief executive officer, sent an email in 2014 to group sales staff informing them that Consumer Affairs had written to Fletchers seeking documents. He advised them to stay on top of their quote range, that in a rising market there was danger in underquoting and that Fletchers faced risks of large fines and bad press.
Fletcher and Parker (Balwyn) Pty Ltd was fined $40,000 for each underquoted property by sales representatives in its Canterbury and Blackburn offices in 2015.
At the time of the contravening conduct the maximum penalty for each contravention was $1.1 million.
Its leading agent Tim Heavyside was "involved" in 15 of Fletchers’ 22 contraventions, the judgement noted.
The Fletcher agency began in the then newly developing suburb of North Balwyn in the late 1930s.
The $880,000 penalty was reportedly more than double the commission it made from the sales, costing around one third of the company’s recent annual profit.
The Federal Court's Justice Murphy highlighted one sale where the seller of a Balwyn North property asked her agent why her house was marketed between $1.1 million and $1.2 million when the agency estimated it would sell for between $1.5 million and $1.65 million.
She was told the quote was low because “it brings in a broader market range” and "people with a low budget will often come up, and it will also catch the people with bigger budgets as well”.
The agency had a cavalier attitude to its responsibilities, Justice Murphy said. The evidence included the quote of the week at one 2015 sales meeting as “market the f— out of it and then underquote the shit out of it – good vendor management."
A sales agent Michael Richardson went as far as to acknowledge that “if [Fletchers] tell a buyer what (the vendor) actually want it destroys the campaign”.
Cristina Fotia, part of the sales team at Fletchers, sent an email to Blackburn office staff which included statements that: “A wise man once taught me when I first started real estate… “Quote them low watch them go” and “Safe to say we are doing a good job at it!!”;
One of the properties Fletchers sold was a three-bedroom house in <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-vermont+south-120549605" target="_blank">Dorene Court, Vermont South</a> (below). It sold for $1.6 million in September 2015 after first hitting the market with an advertised guide of $900,000-plus.
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Another property in Monash Street, Box Hill South, sold for $1.731 million in May 2015 after being advertised for $1.1 million-plus (below). Fletchers advertised the property online on real.estate.com.au, in the Weekly Review magazine and in the Places magazine with a price quote of “$1.1 million plus”.
In the authority Fletchers based the estimated commission payable on the Box Hill South sale prices of $1.65 million and $1.75 million. Jacqui Versteegen, a member of the Fletchers sales team, sent an email to Fletchers’ sales and marketing group regarding the Monash Street Property and provided a price guide “POA (over $1.350M)”.
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Michael Richardson, an employed sales agent and auctioneer in the Fletchers’ sales team, advised the Monash Street vendor that senior staff from Fletchers’ Canterbury office believed potential buyers should be provided a price quote of “$1.25 million plus”.
Richardson said that buyers in Surrey Hills had been adding on $200,000-300,000 to an advertised sale price and that at a quoted price of $1.25 million plus Fletchers wanted buyers to think $1.45 million/$1.55 million. Mr Richardson said that was the best way to “get a record price”. He said that he wanted six bidders that were willing to bid strongly around that mark and the competition would push the price up.
Fletchers admitted misleading or deceptive conduct in relation to the sale of 22 properties in 2015, being properties situated at: 
(a)    6 Monash Street, Box Hill South;
(b)    2 Troy Court, Forest Hill;
(c)    8/842 Toorak Road, Hawthorn East;
(d)    9 Marina Street, Vermont; 
(e)    3 Gunyah Road, Blackburn North;
(f)    8 Polydor Place, Blackburn North; 
(g)    34 Moona Street, Burwood East; 
(h)    38 Bentley Street, Surrey Hills; 
(i)    9 Dorene Court, Vermont South; 
(j)    3/12 Arcadia Street, Box Hill South; 
(k)    4 Kitchener Street, Box Hill South; 
(l)    3/43 Glen Ebor Avenue, Blackburn; 
(m)    54 Linda Avenue, Box Hill North; 
(n)    46 Barter Crescent, Forest Hill; 
(o)    20 Gordon Crescent, Blackburn; 
(p)    307 Station Street, Box Hill South; 
(q)    2/15 Olympiad Crescent, Box Hill North; 
(r)    1/445 Mitcham Road, Mitcham; 
(s)    45 Tannock Street, Balwyn North; 
(t)    87 Stevenson Street, Kew; 
(u)    18 Lynden Street, Camberwell; and
(v)    3/12 Charlotte Street, Blackburn South. 
Victorian Consumer Affairs has agreed not to proceed in relation to Fletchers’ conduct in respect to the sale of three properties, situated at 33 Gray Street, Doncaster, 10/8 The Avenue, Windsor and 2 Bermuda Drive, Blackburn South.
The underquoting took place before new price guidance rules were introduced by the Victorian Government.
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“Market the f— out of it and then underquote the shit out of it – good vendor management”: Fletchers sales quote

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Westpac says uncertainty around the economic and fiscal outlook is ever present, but the downside risks have diminished somewhat relative to a year ago, with the world economy surprising to the upside.
The comments came ahead of the pending release by the Treasurer of the Federal Government's Mid-Year Economic &amp; Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) on Monday next week, December 18.
The 2017 half yearly budget update will likely see minimal changes to the economic and fiscal forecasts and projections, Westpac economist Andrew Hanlan suggests.
"That is a welcome change from the experience for much of the post GFC period, when Treasurers so often had to mark down the revenue outlook.
In the May 2017 Budget, the budget deficit was forecast to moderate from $29.4bn, 1.6% of GDP, in 2017/18 to be approaching balance in 2019/20 and then edge into surplus in 2020/21, a forecast $7.4bn, 0.4% of GDP. 
Economic growth in 2017/18, in nominal terms, is set to exceed the Budget forecast, at a likely 4.5% vs an expected 4.0%. The mix of activity differs, with consumer spending softer, offset by investment by businesses and government.
Commodity prices over past months proved to be more resilient than anticipated, boosting national income. More recently, commodity prices have moderated, suggesting that the MYEFO commodity price assumptions for the out years will be largely as in the Budget.
The MYEFO profile for nominal GDP growth for the three years from 2018/19 is expected to be: 3.75% (downgraded from 4.00%); 4.50% (unchanged); and 4.75% (unchanged). The downgrade to 2018/19 reflects the risk that real GDP growth is revised to 2.75% from 3.0%, incorporating a weaker starting position for the household sector. 
The revenue profile across the four years will be boosted by the stronger starting position for the economy, by an expected: $2.4bn, $1.4bn, $1.0bn and $1.1bn.
The expenditure profile is expected to be unchanged, with a modest $1bn undershoot on expenditures in 2017/18 to be offset by the cost of new policy measures.
On these figures, the cumulative deficit for the four years is $40bn, $6bn lower than at Budget time, with the profile of: -$27bn (a $2bn upgrade); -$20bn, -$1.5bn and +$8.5bn.
"The case could be made for modest personal income tax relief, potentially to be announced in the May 2018 Budget," Andrew Hanlan said.
"This could be along the lines of those announced in the May 2016 Budget, shifting the income tax thresholds, costing $4bn over four years.
"There is also the scope to amend the ten year company tax cut plan, which is already incorporated into the fiscal estimates."
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Westpac sees fewer downside risks and scope for tax cuts

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Westpac will provide interest refunds to 13,000 owner-occupier borrowers who have interest-only home loans.
 The refunds amount to $11 million for 9,400 of those customers. The remediation follows an error in Westpac's systems which meant that these interest-only home loans were not automatically switched to principal and interest repayments at the end of the contracted interest-only period. To remediate the affected customers, Westpac will now:
<ul>
<li>Refund the additional interest paid from when the loan was contracted to convert to principal and interest repayments</li>
<li>Discount the interest rate for the remaining term of the loan.</li>
</ul>
This remediation has been designed so that customers pay no more interest over the life of the loan than they would have if the system error had not occurred. ASIC will monitor Westpac's remediation. ASIC and Westpac are yet to conclude an appropriate remediation program for investor customers with interest-only loans affected by the same system error. This has been a long-standing error between 1993 and August 2016.
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Westpac yet to deal with IO investor refunds after systems error

Financial stability, speculative mania and an eAUD? RBA's Philip Lowe

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A home that hit the headlines earlier this year when it sold under the hammer but actually didn't sell, has now sold four months on.
The hammer fell on a run down Redfern home when builders Sean Piper and Martin Allen outbid everyone to land the property for $1.36 million at its July auction.
After the price passed $1.35 million, Cooley Auctions auctioneer Jake Moore had indicated the reserve had been reached. It hadn't. He slammed the gavel down and shouted "sold" at $1.36 million.
But then the perplexed listing agent Cheryle Lanthois from Carrington Real Estate belatedly intervened. The house apparently had not been “sold” at all.
<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/2017/12/13/boronia2.jpg" alt="">
“I’m sorry, I’ve made a mistake. The written reserve was $1.4 million — I had it as $1.3 million. Come inside and we’ll negotiate with the vendor,” Moore told the top bidders.
“We’re not negotiating — that’s it,” Piper said, the Sunday Telegraph noted.
Mr Moore: “I sold it under the written reserve — it’s my fault. It’s not the owner’s fault, it’s not Cheryl’s fault, it’s my fault.”
Lanthois confirmed that the vendor wasn’t selling at $1.36 million, but holding out for $1.4 million.
Discussions went on after the Boronia Street auction, with the eventual line from Carrington Real Estate agent Cheryle Lanthois saying the property had passed in because the reserve hadn't been met.
Piper and Allen understandably weren't best pleased and didn't want to go as far as the $1.4 million reserve.
After all the toing and froing, the home went on to sell late last month through different against BresicWhitney for $1.34 million, marginally less that the price the hammer fell at.
The Boronia Street home was a run-down three-bedroom terrace with peeling paint, squeaky floorboards, mouldy walls and outdoor dunny. 
 
 
 
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Hammered as Redfern derelict terrace sells for less

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An as new home on the Mornington Peninsula has been listed for sale.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-blairgowrie-127044246" target="_blank">Blairgowrie home</a> has been listed by JWH Electrical owners and managers Jeremy and Brooke Hallett.
Architecturally designed with local rammed earth to draw on the natural environment, the home has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a media room.
<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/2017/12/13/Blair1.jpg" alt="">
The open plan kitchen and living space opens to decking.
A heated plunge pool sits around the side of the house at the Ridley Street address.
Liz Jensen of Kay &amp; Burton Portsea is asking for offers between $1.9 million to $2.09 million.
The 770 sqm parcel last traded vacant for $425,000 in 2015.
 
 
 
 
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Luxury Blairgowrie, Mornington Peninsula home for sale

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The Mordialloc boatyard owned by Jack Pompei has sold for $2.85 million, set to be transformed into a residential and commercial development.
The Herald Sun said a local developer secured it through Teska Carson.
The land has been owned by the Pompei family for 80 years.
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The 937 sqm site over looking Mordialloc Creek has a 57m frontage to Main St and includes an 850 sqm, old brick warehouse — the home of Pompei’s Marine since the 1940s.
The late Jack Pompei was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 1987 for his work in marine search and rescue on Port Phillip Bay, where he was estimated to have rescued more than 600 people.
The nearby bridge over Mordialloc Creek was renamed Pompei Bridge in 2009.
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Local developer buys Mordialloc Pompei boatyard for $2.85 million

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Average home prices across all eight capitals fell 0.2 per cent in the September quarter, the first decline since the March quarter of 2016, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Residential Property Price Index.
Sydney apartments, townhouses and semi-detached homes fell 1.4 per cent in the quarter, the ABS figures showed.
House prices also turned negative with values falling 1.3 per cent.
Average capital city prices were up 8.3 per cent on the same period a year earlier.
Hobart posted the strongest annual gains being up 13.8 per cent, while prices in Melbourne were up by 13.2 per cent and Sydney had a 9.4 per cent gain.
House prices in Melbourne rose 1.6 per cent in the September quarter.
Perth (-0.9 per cent) and Darwin (-2.5 per cent) continued their decline.
Hobart's dwelling values jumped 3.4 per cent in quarter, greater than in any other city.
Apartment values fell in Melbourne (-0.4 per cent), Perth (-1.3 per cent), Darwin (-2.8 per cent) and Canberra (-1.1 per cent) in the September quarter.
 
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Property prices fall in September quarter: ABS

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The Pittwater trophy home Ventnor, one of the oldest buildings on the northern beaches, has been listed for sale.
Dating back 155 years on one of the peninsula’s biggest blocks, the 1860's residence in Elvina Bay was built around the American Civil War.
It was first owned by William Oliver, who was granted 12 hectares of land in 1842. He cleared the area for an orchard.
The home features a cast-iron combustion stove, sandstone verandas and Victorian-era fireplaces.
Realestate.com.au found historic reports that said Oliver cut oak timber, favoured as fuel for bakers’ ovens, and created orchards in the area.
Oliver and his wife Mary held the land until 1882 and were buried in the cemetery behind the church they helped build in Church Point.
Their son Frederick, who died in 1867 after falling off his horse, is buried further inland from the Elvina Bay house and his sandstone gravesite is still in place, beside a popular walking track.
<div class="wp-caption"><img class="size-full wp-image-256461" src="https://www.realestate.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/01160016/capi_2644fecf6b62f5b19891153c3d4deff0_3b72eb639c88fd759cb76247122bd1c4.jpeg" alt="A shot of Ventnor from the water. Elvina Bay. NSW" style="font-size: 12.16px;" data-capiid="3b72eb639c88fd759cb76247122bd1c4"></div>
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Set on a 3165 sqm waterfront parcel, the home is in Elvina Bay, a small inlet only accessible by boat. The home comes with a private jetty and boatshed and sits in grassed gardens framed by established trees. Complete with brick chimneys, deep verandahs and corrugated iron roof, the single-level home has three bedrooms. The home was identified as being culturally significant by a local heritage study in the 1980s. Its heritage status has since been removed.
The home is on 3163 sqm of waterfront land with a private jetty, boatshed and wide Pittwater views in two directions.
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<img class="size-full wp-image-256459" src="https://www.realestate.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/01160010/capi_2644fecf6b62f5b19891153c3d4deff0_17140e82eb996b84f7a2dfcc3fd73e6f.jpeg" alt="Ventnor 39 Sturdee Lane, Elvina Bay. NSW real esta" style="font-size: 12.16px;" data-capiid="17140e82eb996b84f7a2dfcc3fd73e6f">  
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The single-storey home with corrugated iron roof was identified as of cultural significance by a local heritage study in the 1980s but its heritage status has been lifted.
Ken Jacobs, of Christie’s International, said while there were many period details intact in the house, the property had also been remodelled and extended over the years.
P.M.C Hill and Christie's International are marketing the home with $3.5 million hopes.
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Ventnor, one of Pittwater's oldest homes for sale

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.

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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.

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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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