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A coastal house at Blairgowrie has been listed for auction on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-blairgowrie-124356918" target="_blank">40 Koonya Avenue</a>, the property uses vertical timber boards with contrasting polished concrete render finish for the exteriors.
The interior features spacious high-ceilings rooms and quality inclusions with sliding doors and windows throughout the home.
The property features three zones, a master suite with huge walk-through robe and lavish ensuite.
There is also a kitchen featuring butler’s pantry, dining and lounge with stone benchtops and Delonghi kitchen appliances.
There is also a children/guest quarters with three bedrooms, bathroom, living area and laundry.
<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/2017/01/22/40%20Koonya%20Avenue-2.jpg" alt="">
Outside there is an alfresco deck with a fully tiled and heated pool/spa along with a garden.
The property is scheduled for auction on 29 January and is offered through Jellis Craig agents Hamish Opray and Hamish Opray.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Blairgowrie coastal house listed for auction

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Travancore is the most affordable apartment in Inner Melbourne based on sqm size, according to Secret Agent’s latest report.
Table 8 provides an update to our price per square metre index for apartments, accounting for internal habitable space and excluding any outdoor area.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/Table%208.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/06/Table%208.jpg" alt="">
The full methodology is outlined in Secret Agent’s Apartments Price Per Square Metre Report from June 2016.
Tables 9 and 10 on the following page highlight the most and least affordable areas for apartments based on their average price per square metre and average sale price.
For apartments, the discrepancies between average prices and average price per square metre seem less pronounced.
Travancore, Kensington and Flemington (all neighbouring suburbs in the inner West) appear on the most affordable apartment list for both measurements.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/Table%209.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/06/Table%209.jpg" alt="">
All suburbs on the list are either located in the inner West or inner North, and many of these offer good alternatives to the more prestigious suburbs located in those regions.
For example, Kensington vs North Melbourne, which in 2016 was on average $1,400/m2 cheaper; or Brunswick East compared to Fitzroy North, where the difference was about $1,600/m2.
Although the inner South is one of the smaller regions in our sample (in terms of number of suburbs), it dominates the list of least affordable suburbs, with Albert Park, Middle Park and Port Melbourne ranking high based on both average sale price and price per square metre.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/Table%2010.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/06/Table%2010.jpg" alt="">
Albert Park was the most expensive on both metrics, more than double the price of Travancore apartments both on average and per square metre.
East Melbourne is also expensive no matter how you look at it, setting buyers back $12,000/m2 on average.
Docklands, while seemingly expensive by average prices is in fact right in the middle when factoring in apartment size, costing on average $8,550/m2.
Property Observer found this three bedroom apartment currently on the market in Travancore at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-travancore-124602078" target="_blank">330/68 Mount Alexander Road</a> (pictured above). It last traded for $740,000 in 2010.
A two bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-travancore-124684486" target="_blank">346/38 Mount Alexander Road</a> is on the market for $395,000, having last sold for $402,500 in 2008 (below).
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/15/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-15%20at%208.47.47%20AM.png" alt="">
A two bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-travancore-124451922" target="_blank">18 Mt Alexander Road</a> is on the market with expectations around $429,000 (pictured below).
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/15/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-15%20at%208.51.09%20AM.png" alt="" width="601" height="374">
A two bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-vic-travancore-123667790" target="_blank">17/190 Mount Alexander Road</a>, Travancore (below) sold for $445,000, going back in price from its $460,000 sale in 2009.
<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/2017/02/15/17_190%20Mount%20Alexander%20Road.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px;">
Similarly a two bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-vic-travancore-119733747" target="_blank">2421/18 Mount Alexander Road</a> (below) was sold for $412,800, also going backwards from its last sale price of $522,500 in 2010.
<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/2017/02/15/2421_18%20Mount%20Alexander%20Road.jpg" alt="">
For more information from Secret Agent, <a href="https://secretagent.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Travancore most affordable Inner Melbourne apartment based on sqm size: Secret Agent

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Robert Kiyosaki, investor and author of the international bestseller Rich Dad Poor Dad, is holding workshops on investing for Sydney attendees.
Kiyosaki has previously suggested investors to avoid the <a href="https://sydney.richdad-workshops.com/?vsid=a5708f10-a3e5-e611-93f9-a0369f1303c6" target="_blank">Australian property market</a> as it was a bubble that was about to burst.
This seminar series suggests strategies for investment in any economic scenario.
The author told Fairfax Media in 2014 that foreign investment in Australian real estate was spiking domestic prices and forcing local buyers to pay well above the true market price.
"Foreign investors are queuing up to buy anything they can get their hands on. This is causing average Australian punters to think they need to start buying now. It has created a bubble," Kiyosaki was quoted as saying.
"It's pretty bad when the Australian property market is making news all over the world." 
In fact, he advised Australians to invest in gold or oil, where prices were falling.
Starting his property investing with a tiny one bedroom/one bath condominium on the island of Maui in 1973 for $18,000, Kiyosaki claimed in 2011 that he owned more than 1,400 apartments.
He built a substantial part of his portfolio during the <a href="https://www.reimag.co.za/2015/10/18/apple-server-most-powerful-rack-optimized-server/" target="_blank">property downturn of 2007</a>. 
Kiyosaki says he does not invest in real estate "just to own real estate...The primary reason I invest in real estate is to leverage debt and minimize taxes".
His book Rich Dad, Poor Dad has sold more than 26 million copies worldwide.
Kiyoski’s Rich DadEducation runs workshops and mentoring in real estate and other financial instruments in the United States, Canada, the UK and many other countries including Australia.
A previous article in <a href="https://limitlessrealestate.com.au/investor-advice/3-wealth-tips-from-robert-kiyosaki/" target="_blank">Limitless Real Estate</a> featured three important tips Kiyosaki which, according to the author were dead on target for Australian property investors.
1. ADAPT TO CIRCUMSTANCES.
“If you are a true investor, it does not matter if the markets are going up or coming down. A true investor does well in any market conditions,” says Kiyosaki.
When it’s booming they may use their equity to invest in up and coming areas.
When it’s slow they may focus on cashflow positive properties to continue growing their wealth.
And when it’s dropping they grab the opportunity to snap up bargains.
2. UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.
“Understand the difference between an asset or a liability. An asset puts money in your pocket. A liability takes money out of it. Buy assets, not liabilities.”
One of his favourite quotes is “keeping up with the Joneses”.
It means spending money to appear wealthy even if you can’t afford it. 
“People think that working hard for money and then buying things that make them look rich will make them rich. In most cases it doesn’t. It only makes them more tired…And if you notice, the Joneses are exhausted.”
3. MOST PEOPLE HAVE NOT LEARNT HOW TO RECOGNISE OPPORTUNITIES OR HOW TO CREATE THEM.
“Most people never get wealthy simply because they are not trained financially to recognise opportunities in front of them. The rich have learned how to recognise opportunities as well as how to create them.”
Recognising that things change and being ahead of the curve is important, he says.
Kiyosaki says he has stuck to his formula for owning property, which uses a series of rolling-equity refinances and government tax incentives, plus debt rather than his “hard-earned” after-tax dollars for the purchase.
The formula is: 
<ol>
<li>Acquire undervalued property. </li>
<li>Improve the property. </li>
<li>Raise rents. </li>
<li>Increase NOI  (Net Operating Income). </li>
<li>Refinance—taking out cash, tax-free. </li>
<li>Reduce taxes using fundamental accounting principles, of amortization, appreciation, depreciation, and component depreciation.</li>
</ol>
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'Rich Dad' Robert Kiyosaki spreads property investment message in Australia

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The Gold Coast has a balanced unit market, according to HTW's latest report.
The property valuation firm says that Gold Coast has a steady rental vacancy trend with a soft demand for units.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%201.54.43%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%201.54.43%20pm.jpg" alt="">
There is an increasing trend in new units being constructed along with a steady volume of unit sales.
Gold Coast is at the peak of its unit market with new properties frequently being sold at prices that exceed their potential resale value.
A three bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-qld-paradise+point-124739258" target="_blank">4302/2 Sunset Avenue</a>, Paradise Point (above) is currently listed for $689,000.
Similarly a three bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-qld-merrimac-124462254" target="_blank">107/6 Bourton Road</a>, Merrimac (below) was recently sold for $275,000.
<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/2017/02/14/107_6%20Bourton%20Road.jpg" alt="">
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Gold Coast's demand for units is soft: HTW

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Services firm Accenture has signed a ten year lease of two floors at the T&amp;G Building at 161 Collins Street, Melbourne.
The lease is for a combined floor space of nearly 8,000 square metres or 30 percent of available, leasable space.
<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/2017/02/14/162504%20M01_Collins%20entry.RGB.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px;">
Matthew Knight, head of Pembroke Real Estate in Australia, said the signing is further endorsement for this transformative project.
“Pembroke is working to bring the T&amp;G Building into the 21st century, by delivering world-class, flexible workspaces within a heritage building.
“Accenture is an international brand and already a significant tenant at a Pembroke property in Washington, D.C.  
"We are delighted to not just be welcoming them to the T&amp;G Building, but to be further building on this global relationship.”
<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/2017/02/14/m01_CollinsEntry_Pembroke%20161%20Collins%20Melb.jpg" alt="">
Refurbishment works at the T&amp;G Building began January 2017.
Contractor Built is renovating the Collins Street and Ramsden Place entrances.
Renovations also include an atrium, upgrades to the office floors and end-of-trip facilities.
The move to the T&amp;G Building’ rolls Accenture’s existing tenancies into one.
<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/2017/02/14/m02_Pembroke%20161%20Collins%20Melb%20090SidesExtended-Dusk.jpg" alt="">
Accenture will locate relocate 2017, with refurbishments due early 2018.
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Pembroke Real Estate secures Accenture for 8000sqm in Melbourne's T&G Building

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Actor Russell Crowe continues his property sell off as he quietly sells his East Sydney commercial building for around $17 million.
There were weekend whispers about the proposed sale of the Riley Street block, with a report the exchange took place yesterday.
It has the 98 Riley Street Gym and offices.
The warehouse space on 677 sqm cost Crowe $5.05 million in 2003 when he bought it from the late Ron Baddock and Richard Dabbs, who ran the premises as a printing business.
Designer Blainey North, who later redesigned the building, currently leases a part of the building for her interior design business.
The sale follows Crowe's Kingsford investment property that he sold for $3.2 million to PWC Australia partner Jason Habak and wife Linda.
It had previously been leased rent free to his former band mates before the sale.
The property sell off comes amid property settlement with his ex-wife Danielle Spencer.
In 2011 Crowe and Spencer spent $10 million on the Rose Bay trophy home, Te Puke after a four-year search, which remains in both of their names.
It has been Spencer's home since their separation.
Crowe retains his 320-hectare property in Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour.  
The sale might mean Crowe won't have sell his Finger Wharf apartment on Woolloomooloo Wharf. He has put the price up from $25 million to $30 million.
Luxury car importer Neville Crichton offered $25 million for the apartment.
It cost Crowe $14.35 million in 2003.
Image courtesy of Google Street View.
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Russell Crowe quietly sells East Sydney commercial block

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A Woolwich waterfront that sold for $6.68 million through private treaty after 129 days on market topped CoreLogic's highest sales across the country.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-hunters+hill-123703174" target="_blank">1920's Federation home</a> was remastered by architect X.PACE Architects and comprises four bedrooms and four bathrooms across its three levels.
A sun washed terrace that flows from the open plan living area opens to a sun washed terrace overlooking a heated pool.
<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/2017/08/Woolwich2.jpg" alt="" width="360" height="270"> 
There's a 450 bottle cellar and an executive study with custom joinery.
It last traded for $4,625,000 in 2010 before its recent sale through McGrath Hunters Hill agent Tracey Dixon and Lee Dowdall.
New South Wales also scored the second highest sale when a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-tamarama-124575990" target="_blank">contemporary beach house at Tamarama</a> sold for $4,775,000.
<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/2017/02/14/Tamarama1.jpg" alt="" width="338" height="254">
The four bedroom home offers views over Bondi form the whole-floor mater retreat.
All three levels open out to a series of private outdoor living area. There's a heated plunge pool on the ground floor.
Phillips Pantzer Donnelly agent Alexander Phillips and Gavin Lewis sold the home.
Elsewhere across the country, WA secured the third highest sale. A new <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-wa-cottesloe-118758115" target="_blank">three bedroom Cottesloe apartment</a> fetched $3.35 million.
 
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Woolwich home tops last week's sales at $6.68 million: CoreLogic

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A Point Lookout home on North Stradbroke Island has been listed for $2.25 million.
The John Hockings designed home is perched <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-point+lookout-124716802" target="_blank">high above Home Beach</a> on an elevated 1,013 sqm parcel.
Comprising three bedrooms and three bathrooms, there are also large decks that come off all three levels. 
The home picked up three Master Builders awards in 2003, the QLD Individual Home of the Year $750,000 to $1 million, the QLD Outstanding Achievement in Stone Masonry and the Best Use of Timber.
Ray White North Stradbroke Island agent Chris Ransley has the listing.
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Award-winning home at Point Lookout listed

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Moderate growth in the US is expected to continue, but with some strengthening later in the year if, as expected, the new Administration delivers a fiscal stimulus, according to NAB’s latest update.
The President has indicated details of his tax plans will be released in 2-3 weeks.
However, the size of any stimulus is likely to be more limited than the President’s election policies would suggest due to the underlying weak budget outlook.
The US economy continues along the same moderate growth path it has experienced in its recovery from the Global Financial Crisis.
Growth slowed in the December 2016 quarter, following a particularly strong headline result in the September quarter.
The underlying details were reasonable: consumption growth was solid, residential investment resumed growing again and business investment showed some further improvement.
Temporary drags came from a fall in power consumption and the reversal of last quarter’s spike in food exports, although they were partly offset by faster inventory accumulation.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/10/NAB-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/02/10/NAB-1.jpg" alt="">
More positively, business sector readings for the US from the ISM have been trending up in recent months.
In January, the manufacturing ISM moved to its highest level since late 2014 and, while the non- manufacturing ISM declined slightly, it remained at a robust level.
Consumer sentiment has also received a post-election boost, and is back to pre-GFC levels.
The labour market is also in good shape, with strong growth in non-farm employment reported for January 2017.
Nevertheless, there has been a trend slowing in employment growth as the US moves closer to full employment, although it remains strong enough to pull down unemployment over time.
While the unemployment rate rose in January to 4.8%, reversing some recent gains, this was due to a rise in workforce participation.
Further evidence of the strength of the labour market comes from initial jobless claims which are at historically low levels.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/10/NAB-2.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/02/10/NAB-2.jpg" alt="">
The January employment report also showed a slowdown in wages growth; however, the data are volatile and the trend still appears to be upwards.
Improved consumer and business sentiment since the election, as well as the rise in the stock market, and on-going strength in the labour market are positive signs for the growth outlook.
Measures of future manufacturing capital expenditure intentions have also improved recently.
However one headwind is the appreciation of the US dollar since August which we think has a bit further to go notwithstanding some pull-back in recent weeks.
That said, the manufacturing sector, which is particularly trade exposed, appears to be largely unaffected so far if the ISM survey is anything to go by.
Along with a higher dollar, interest rates have increased which is likely to weigh on sectors such as consumer durables and housing.
Changes in credit conditions overall are threatening to turn into another headwind.
Lending standards for business loans tightened somewhat last year, although the most recent Fed Senior Loan Officer Survey suggests that this process has paused for commercial and industrial loans.
Moreover, credit conditions are starting to tighten for consumer loans.
Balancing this, however, credit spreads (relevant for corporates accessing non-bank finance) have eased.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/10/NAB-3.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/02/10/NAB-3.jpg" alt="">
Rising oil prices may also hold the economy in check as the US is a net importer of energy.
That said, while a clear negative for household consumption, some businesses will benefit from higher oil prices.
In particular the energy sector but also manufacturers and businesses that provide inputs to the sector.
“Reflecting these various factors, we expect further moderate growth rates in coming quarters before some strengthening later in the year, assuming the President delivers a fiscal stimulus to the economy.
For 2017 we are forecasting GDP growth of 2.1%, and 2.3% in 2018.
We have not made any allowance for the US imposing additional trade barriers or changes that will significantly reduce net immigration.
These represent downside risks to the outlook,” the update stated.
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Higher interest rates to impact housing in the United States: NAB

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The average price of a house in Brisbane can go as high as $515,000, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that the average price of a unit in Brisbane is $388,000.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%201.20.27%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/02/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-13%20at%201.20.27%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Sydney continues to be the most expensive locality to purchase a house with a median price of $786,844.
Similarly a unit in Sydney can cost up to $675,000.
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Average Brisbane home costs up to $515,000: CoreLogic

Apartment buyers in New South Wales are set to gain a decade of insurance-backed protection against major building defects, after the NSW Parliament passed the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.&nbsp;

The Bill establishes decennial defect insurance, known in the market as Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), as an alternative to the existing two-year strata building bond. It cleared the Legislative Council with amendments on Tuesday evening (August 4, 2026), with the Legislative Assembly agreeing to those amendments shortly after.

Under the reform, eligible developers can satisfy their statutory bond obligation by taking out an approved decennial-style policy that gives owners 10 years of cover for major structural defects from completion, claimable directly, without first having to pursue developers or builders through costly legal action.&nbsp;

The change forms the final tranche of amendments arising from the 2021 statutory review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and related legislation.

Resilience Insurance, which originated the cover in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022, welcomed the passage and credited the NSW Government for delivering it.

“This is protection apartment buyers have needed for a long time, and the credit for delivering it belongs to the NSW Government,”&nbsp;said Corey Nugent, CEO of Resilience Insurance.

“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into. Reform like this is what good, evidence-based regulation looks like.”

Resilience has delivered LDI in NSW since 2022, protecting thousands of apartments, giving the State, and now the country, real-world evidence of how decade-long, no-fault protection works in practice.

The reform also places NSW within a wider national shift.

NSW is the third jurisdiction to put decennial cover into law. The ACT legislated for it in 2024, with the scheme taking effect in late 2025, and Victoria passed its own framework on 17 June. Between them, the three cover the majority of Australia's apartment market.

The reform commences once the legislation is proclaimed, which is expected in the coming weeks. From that point, developers of Class 2 residential apartment buildings can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial policy in place of the bond.

Buyers who purchased into projects that took out the cover early are among the first in the country to take keys to apartments carrying decade-long structural protection.

“With the legislation passed, the focus now turns to making it work for buyers,”&nbsp;Nugent said.

“There are already thousands of apartments in NSW covered by this insurance, bought by developers who moved early. The question every buyer should be asking in a display suite is a simple one: does this building come with 10-year defect cover, and who stands behind it?&nbsp;

“We look forward to working with the Government and the Building Commission in coming weeks as the framework moves to implementation, and to sharing what we have learned over the past four years so the protection reaches owners as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

Other states are working through their own reform programs. Western Australia has indicated that decennial cover is within consideration a later stage of its reform sequence, and Queensland has been examining the settings as it looks at the development pipeline ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Resilience Insurance acknowledges the NSW Government’s continued focus on strengthening consumer protection while supporting housing delivery across the State.

Fast Facts: What the reform means

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Proven at scale:&nbsp;Decennial cover has operated in NSW since 2022, protecting thousand of apartments.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">10 years of cover:&nbsp;Protection for major structural defects runs for a decade from completion, claimable directly and with no legal action required.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">An alternative to the bond:&nbsp;Eligible developers can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial-style policy in place of the 2% strata building bond.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Part of a national shift:&nbsp;The ACT has had decennial provisions in force since 2025 and Victoria passed its framework in June. NSW now joins them.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">No-fault, first resort:&nbsp;Owners corporations claim directly from the insurer without first having to establish who is liable for the defect.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost-competitive:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the 2% bond while offering broader, longer protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market position:&nbsp;Resilience originated LDI in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022.</li>
</ul>

Fast Facts: What is Resilience LDI?

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Resilience Latent Defects Insurance (LDI):&nbsp;Covers major structural defects for 10 years from completion.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Consumer-first:&nbsp;Direct claim access, no need for lengthy legal action.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost advantage:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the traditional 2% Strata Bond while offering broader protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market leader:&nbsp;&nbsp;Resilience Insurance originated LDI in Australia and is the national market leader.</li>
</ul>

Joel Robinson

NSW parliament passes 10-year defect insurance laws for new apartment buyers

Builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mcnab-developments">McNab</a> has wasted little time reshaping one of South Brisbane's most significant undeveloped apartment sites after acquiring the property earlier this year.&nbsp;

McNab has lodged plans to scrap an existing approval for two 30-storey towers and instead deliver a single 28-storey residential building, preserving part of the site for a future development opportunity.

The proposal, lodged over <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-peel-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">64 Peel Street and 9 Cordelia Street</a>, is for a residential-led mixed-use development comprising 124 apartments above a landscaped podium, alongside a boundary realignment that preserves part of the land for a future residential project.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="743bf564-3f8f-45fc-b8d3-bbf18f5b628f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20Peel%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=EhCxGrVn_VFH3qTbKnI4WppGwaMnOn0t" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a>, the development will deliver 119 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments across 23 residential levels. A five-level podium will accommodate 135 car spaces, while the ground floor will include a 66 sqm commercial tenancy, an activated residential lobby with work-from-home spaces, and a publicly accessible landscaped plaza linking Cordelia and Peel streets.&nbsp;

Communal amenities will span Level 6 and the rooftop, including indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, a swimming pool, barbecue facilities, kitchen and dining areas, lawn space, sauna, steam room and yoga facilities.

The application also proposes a boundary realignment to create a standalone 1,290 sqm development lot while retaining an adjacent parcel for future redevelopment, allowing the balance of the site to contribute additional housing over time.

Hayball said the architecture has been shaped by the site's elevated corner position at the intersection of Peel and Cordelia streets and Brisbane's subtropical climate.

The design incorporates generous landscaped setbacks, a masonry podium wrapped with planting, large north-facing balconies, and a slender tower profile intended to maximise natural light, cross ventilation and long-range views. The rooftop has been conceived as a wellness-focused retreat overlooking Brisbane, with amenities positioned to capture views towards Mount Coot-tha and the CBD.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f99e84-6ad8-4a87-82d1-869685b754d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20tower%20perspective.png?VersionId=Gw0IuJaSAlk.tvGBxInhZOcQAdIB..2b" />

The planning submission positions the proposal as a response to both changing market conditions and Brisbane's Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning reforms.

McNab acquired the site after the previous approval was granted, with the existing scheme no longer reflecting current residential market demands, economic conditions, construction challenges, construction efficiencies or the quality of development outcome now being pursued, the planning report noted.

McNab continues to expand its residential development pipeline across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The developer recently launched The Tannery in West End, securing more than 60 per cent of apartments before the project's public release. It is also delivering Elements Budds Beach in Surfers Paradise and Lucia Highgate Hill, an eight-apartment boutique development overlooking the Brisbane River.

McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower

A steeply sloping Bellevue Hill site is set to accommodate a new mid-rise apartment development, with plans lodged for 20 homes that respond to the site's dramatic topography.

The proposal for the consolidated land at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/138a-140-bellevue-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">138A-140 Bellevue Road</a> has been designed by Sydney architecture practice Common Office, which has used the site’s substantial fall to distribute the building’s scale and unlock 20 apartments without presenting the full height to the street.&nbsp;

“The unique design strategy leverages the site’s substantial topographical fall to facilitate increased density, presenting a seven-storey profile to Bellevue Road while rising to 10 storeys at the rear,” Common Office said in its architectural design report.

The apartment mix spans one, two, three- and four-bedroom residences. Four two-bedroom apartments are designated as affordable housing, while the plans also include two adaptable dwellings. The mix is majority three-beds, with the typical three-bed apartment offering around 144 sqm internally, with balconies of around 15 sqm.

The affordable housing component represents 15 per cent of the residential floor area and allows the project to access additional height and floor space under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions. The site also falls within the inner area of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy because it is within 400 metres walking distance of Double Bay Town Centre.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1230d0f-3bfa-4a11-abaf-0928c66ef345" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da.png?VersionId=dZeMK3P.OutGjN8ycjsxm8uNsj_QFWQv" />

Common Office has arranged the building around a masonry podium and a lighter upper volume, drawing on two recurring elements of Bellevue Hill’s established architecture: sandstone bases and the vertical proportions of local Inter-war Art Deco apartment buildings.

“The proposal is governed by a holistic design language that reconciles the solid horizontal masonry of the neighbourhood’s podiums with the elegant verticality of its Art Deco heritage,” the architect said.

“The building maintains a consistent rhythmic logic utilising deep recesses and a sophisticated material transition to break down the 10-storey scale into a series of articulated, human-scale volumes.”

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0147f503-1af1-4d51-97fb-c2f1cba63a9d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20bldg.png?VersionId=GoW7q3NlK67OpnePXhk7zvklrlKb72Qc" />

Large-format sandstone tiles will define the lower levels, establishing a robust base that negotiates the change in elevation from Bellevue Road. Above, red-tinted precast concrete frames, recessed balconies, anodised aluminium screens and expanded metal details will create a more vertically expressed façade. Integrated planter beds will introduce greenery across balcony edges and recessed sections of the building.

The elongated northern façade has been divided into three recessed vertical masses to reduce its perceived length. Triangular window elements and metal privacy screens reference the geometry of nearby Art Deco buildings while controlling overlooking toward surrounding homes. The southern elevation will incorporate further privacy screening, landscaped edges and deep balconies to maintain light and ventilation.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e8679cf1-18bc-4447-8a0f-0052b94ab83c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da%20rooftop.png?VersionId=5SQqQqRFf76rvE2p1TbxJSweMN70AIbc" />

Private and communal landscaping is distributed throughout the development. A landscaped garden apartment is positioned within the lower portion of the site, while a communal terrace on Level 5 will include a central timber deck, barbecue facilities, resident planting plots and areas for outdoor dining and informal gatherings.

Common Office described the terrace as an elevated sanctuary designed to capture district views and sunlight. Its planting strategy incorporates endemic species associated with the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, extending the landscape vertically through the building and providing habitat for local flora and fauna.

A second communal outdoor area is proposed at roof level, with built-in seating, paved gathering areas and perimeter planting.

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction. Positive Investment Enterprise is delivering the 16-apartment Kew Palm House on Birriga Road, while Chanine Developments is also under construction at Florian, a 36-apartment project on Banksia Road.

&nbsp;

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction.

First Look: Apartment development pitched for Bellevue Hill, Double Bay fringe

South Brisbane's apartment pipeline continues to build momentum, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a> lodging plans for a 161-apartment tower on Montague Road as developers accelerate investment across the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

The proposal for 176–186 Montague Road would replace an existing office building with a 20-storey residential tower designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, adding to a growing pipeline of high-density projects reshaping one of Brisbane's fastest-evolving inner-city precincts.

The project has been conceived as a "living building", featuring a flowing tower form, extensive vertical landscaping, and generous communal spaces that respond to the evolving Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

TRK Property Group Development Director Matt Kan said the project reflected the confidence developers have in South Brisbane's long-term future.

"South Brisbane is entering an incredibly exciting period, and we see Montague Road sitting right at the heart of that evolution," Kan said.

"With the former Visy site directly opposite us and significant investment planned throughout the broader Kurilpa precinct, there is a real sense of momentum around this part of the city and what it will become over the coming years.

"For TRK, this is an opportunity to be part of that next chapter and deliver a project that responds to where the precinct is heading, while contributing to the continued evolution of Brisbane's river edge."

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="590fe1ad-f892-4446-a679-80e33a16d029" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20tower%20facade.png?VersionId=uOJStrcKpyHFcPE1w6_9SMAFzVMCcZll" />

The scheme includes a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, incorporating multi-purpose rooms in selected residences to provide additional flexibility for home offices or expanded living areas. The proposed mix comprises 15 one-bedroom, 13 one-bedroom plus MPR, 73 two-bedroom, 26 two-bedroom plus MPR, 30 three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom apartments.

Rather than adopting a conventional rectilinear tower, COX Architecture has developed a sculpted form inspired by the movement of the Brisbane River.

"The proposal has been designed by COX Architecture as a 'living building' that responds to the site's riverine setting, floodplain history and evolving urban context within the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct," the planning report states.

"The architectural form draws from the fluid nature of the Brisbane River, with a curved and undulating tower form that creates a varied architectural edge and avoids a conventional rectilinear tower expression."

The podium has also been designed as an architectural feature rather than a conventional parking structure, with cascading planting, screening and natural-toned materials softening its appearance. Resident parking is elevated above ground level to address the site's flood constraints, while habitable apartments sit above flood planning levels. Upper-level communal facilities are designed to accommodate shelter-in-place arrangements during major flood events.

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="01fa15d0-90df-46c7-9555-7941fc45373c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20podium.png?VersionId=mHyua.w1pHGBt9qEdWzrlsv.leztUCwO" />

Communal amenity is a major focus of the proposal. Around 1,815 sqm of shared resident space is proposed across the ground floor, level 19 and the rooftop, including co-working areas, indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, wellness facilities, dining and gathering areas, lawn spaces, a rooftop pool and spa, and extensive landscaping. At street level, a landscaped forecourt and approximately 345 sqm of publicly accessible open space along Montague Road are intended to improve the pedestrian experience while activating the building's frontage.

The development will provide 163 car spaces, including 152 resident bays and 11 visitor spaces, together with 144 bicycle spaces incorporating resident storage, visitor parking, bicycle maintenance facilities and e-mobility charging infrastructure.

The site sits within one of Brisbane's fastest-changing inner-city precincts, less than two kilometres from the CBD and within easy reach of South Bank, West End, the Queensland Cultural Centre and extensive public transport connections. The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning framework is encouraging higher-density residential development to help meet Brisbane's housing supply targets while supporting walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods.

TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans

Article summary

<ul data-end="785" data-start="311">
	<li data-end="459" data-section-id="5hbcyr" data-start="311">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at Skye Kangaroo Point, headlined by a two-storey sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm.</li>
	<li data-end="561" data-section-id="1p7lq8n" data-start="460">Early buyer interest suggests the residences could set a new Queensland apartment price record.</li>
	<li data-end="667" data-section-id="1y70z0l" data-start="562">The collection includes four move-in ready penthouses and the highly customised Skye One residence.</li>
	<li data-end="785" data-section-id="yvm0y1" data-start="668">The release caps one of Bri​sbane's most ambitious luxury apartment developments overlooking the Brisbane River.</li>
</ul>

<hr data-end="790" data-start="787" />
Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye by Pikos</a> development in Kangaroo Point, with early buyer interest indicating the flagship residences could eclipse every apartment sale previously recorded in Queensland.

The collection crowns the luxury riverfront development with five residences, including four completed penthouses and Skye One, a two-level sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm that will be tailored to its eventual owner.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]

Wanting to offer a fully customisable home, Pikos is offering Skye One as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to work alongside the developer's design team to customise the home's layout, finishes and internal spaces.

The residence will feature a 247 sqm private rooftop terrace with its own swimming pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor kitchen and multiple entertaining areas overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD skyline.

The remaining four penthouses have been completed and are ready for immediate occupation, each offering four bedrooms, expansive open-plan living areas, soaring ceilings and private lift access.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]

One of the defining features throughout the project is its use of Roman Classic Travertine, with more than 20,000 sqm of the natural stone imported from Italy after being personally selected by Pikos Group Founder and Executive Director Pedro Pikos, interior designer Julie Williamson and third-generation stone specialist Mario Caucci.

Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.

"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.

"Our ambition is to create places that become more valuable with time, enrich the lives of generations, and stand as timeless landmarks long after we've stepped away."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]

Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.

"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.

"We looked to the movement of the Brisbane River, the texture of the cliff face and the warmth of the surrounding landscape to create interiors that feel understated, enduring and unmistakably Brisbane."

Positioned above the Kangaroo Point cliffs, Skye places residents within walking distance of Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and James Street while offering uninterrupted river and city views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]

Staff reporter

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