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A palatial Mosman mansion listed with a guide of $23 million last year has been sold.
Michael Coombs of LJ Avnu had three offers of more than $20 million in its final days of listing.
It was the first big-ticket deal of 2020 when sold by dentist Daniel Adamo and his wife, former recruitment boss Katie.
TheY bought the property in 2008 for $7.55 million.
Architect Susan Rothwell design THE six-bedroom, six-bathroom residence with interiors by Leanne Smeallie and Siobhan Rothwell.
The estate comes with formal and informal living areas, a separate guest suite, internal lift, games room, tennis court, pool, gymnasium and basement garaging for six cars.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

2020's first $20 million plus home sale secured in Mosman

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Capital city auctions kicked off strongly over the weekend after the extended holiday season break.
Sydney's success rate sat at 80 percent, with Melbourne close behind on 75 percent.
Volumes were higher across all markets with the exception of Adelaide where the number of auctions held was lower, and Canberra where activity remained steady, CoreLogic said.
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Sydney was the busiest auction market with 428 auctions.
There were 401 Melbourne homes taken to auction.
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Kevin Brogan, at Core­Logic, is tipping continued price growth after clearance rates and home values picked towards the end of 2019.
The weekend results suggest that knocks to consumer confidence from bushfires and the coronavirus crisis are not impacting the residential auction market.
There were 205 Sydney results captured with 165 sold, according to CoreLogic.
There were 246 Melbourne results captured with 185 sold.
The highest confirmed residential sale in Sydney was <a href="https://www.belleproperty.com/listings/870238/5-trouve-street-lane-cove-nsw-2066/" target="_blank">5 Trouve Street, Lane Cove</a>, a four bedroom, two bathroom house which sold for $3,165,000 through Belle.
The 530 sqm building block cost $892,000 in 2008.
There was a $3.35 million pre-auction sale of <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/14-bennett-street-curl-curl-nsw-2096-for-sale-426365" target="_blank">14 Bennett Street, Curl Curl</a> through McGrath.
The five bedroom, three bathroom house, built in 2012, came with initial $2.9 million price guidance.
There were more expensive listings in Mosman and Northbridge that failed to find buyers.
Sydney auction numbers will increase again next weekend with over 500 homes set to go under the hammer.
Cooley Auctions auctioneer Damien Cooley told Domain the average number of Sydney auction registered bidders was six, well up on last year.
The highest known number of bidders was at Wentworthville, in Sydney’s west, where Ray White Parramatta agents and brothers Amit and Ritesh Nayak attracted 43 registered bidders to <a href="https://www.raywhite.com/nsw/wentworthville/2237830/" target="_blank">53 Dorothy Street</a>, a four bedroom home that sold for $1.460 million under the hammer. 
"The Sydney weekend auction hasn’t missed a beat roaring into 2020 with yet another boomtime auction clearance rate - taking off where it left off in 2019," Dr Andrew Wilson from My Housing Market.
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Capital city auction activity ramped up with 1,122 homes taken to auction over the week, with volumes almost doubling on last week’s 625 auctions.
The higher volumes over the week returned a national preliminary auction clearance rate just short of 70 percent.
"As the remaining results are collected the final clearance rate is expected to revise lower, however it’s likely to come in higher than last weeks’ final clearance rate of 61 percent," Brogan advised.
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"Comparing results to one year ago, when housing values were falling and auction markets were much weaker, both volumes and clearance rate are now higher," Brogan said. 
This time last year saw 928 capital city homes auctioned with just over half sold.
Domain advised there was a $1,150,000 Sydney median auction sale.
It was $800,000 in Canberra; $760,000 in Melbourne and $695,500 in Adelaide.
The highest advised residential sale in Melbourne was <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-port+melbourne-132716818" target="_blank">80 Ross Street, Port Melbourne</a>, a church ready for residential conversion on a 350 sqm holding which sold for $2,190,000 through Greg Hocking Holdsworth.
The price guidance had been $1.85 million to $1.95 million.
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Melbourne had the cheapest sale among the capitals with $310,000 paid for <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.stockdaleleggo.com.au/gladstonepark/property/12723821" target="_blank">4/58 Sharps Road, Tullamarine</a> through Stockdale &amp; Leggo.
It last sold at $262,500 in 2015.
The price guide had been $289,000 to $309,000.
Melbourne auction numbers will continue to rise with well over 600 homes set to be auctioned next weekend.
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There was a 77 success rate at auction in Canberra, the second highest preliminary clearance rate across all capital cities.
Only 36 percent of homes sold at auction in Brisbane.
Brisbane's sales included an original 1900s Queenslander at<a href="https://ecomms.raywhite.com/collect/click.aspx?u=jRYOrR8N39QzG/Nyy8oj1LIdvBfsGulFkc0J2xgzYhhd8FmmR3ZNqvDg0gLJOxm+tNaBRWZzhpZGy8lNntt9pCC6+hjffqg6KAPL7oC66cdHAQ17h5gjqzgCqxkzaD2H&amp;rh=ff0059b0fa66e4951abc1dfbee418c74bb6eec6a" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://raywhitewilston.com.au/properties/residential-for-sale/qld/windsor-4030/house/2236510" target="_blank">23 Sixth Avenue, Windsor</a> sold for $1.165 million through Ray White agent Alistair Macmillian. 
The vendor paid $1.02 million last May "and they did nothing to it."
Developers looked at the site but the buyers were a young couple.
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Sydney auctions kick off 2020 with 80 percent success rate

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Celebrity fitness trainer Michelle Bridges has sold her Potts Point apartment in a hush hush off market sale.
The luxury Macleay Street abode with city and harbour views sold late last year — but has yet to settle.
It is tipped to have fetched $6 million-plus, a huge windfall for Bridges, who held the property in her own name only.
Bridges has a Southern Highlands retreat overlooking the rolling hills at Kangaloon.
The Potts Point Pomeroy apartment was bought with then business manager and then-husband Bill Moore in 2013 just as the five-year Sydney property boom began, costing them $2.9 million.
Bridges and Moore snapped it up at below its 2010 sale price of $3.2 million, when it was sold by prominent Sydney interior designers Marco Meneguzzi and Michael Love.
The apartment was transferred into Bridges’ name in 2016 after her relationship with Moore ended.
Bridges spent $2.7 million in 2017 on a Southern Highlands weekender, Summerside, a 4.1ha estate featuring a five-bedroom homestead amid Michael Bligh gardens.
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Fitness trainer Michelle Bridges sells Pomeroy, Potts Point apartment

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An Elizabeth Vale, SA mortgagee home has been sold for $182,000, $7,000 less than what it last traded for.
The property last sold for $189,000 in 2014.
Ken Loft of Harcourts marketed the property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-sa-elizabeth+vale-132542198" target="_blank">19 Trembath Road</a>.
The three bedroom, two bathroom house located opposite the Lyell McEwin Hospital sold at auction.
Set on 759 sqm, the home was built in 1961.
The listing notes, "some renovations/repairs are required."
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The median price for a house in <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-sa-elizabeth+vale-132542198" target="_blank">Elizabeth Vale</a> is $273,500, according to CoreLogic data.
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Elizabeth Vale, SA mortgagee home sold for minor loss

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Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson today announced that recruitment is underway for an expert team to deliver on the NSW government’s building reform agenda.
Minister Anderson said the recruitment process within the Office of the NSW Building Commissioner will commence with the hiring of a new Transformation Management team.
With a workforce comprising of up to 15 operational staff, the Transformation Management team will be exclusively dedicated to the delivery of the Government’s six building reform pillars.
“Last year we recruited NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler to overhaul the building and construction industry. Now we’re at the stage we can build our capacity by hiring experienced professionals to support the Commissioners plan and deliver the reforms efficiently and effectively under his leadership,” Mr Anderson said.
In addition to the Transformation Management team, the Minister announced the phased delivery of up to 60 new roles responsible for the implementation and operation of the new auditing, registration and design lodgement functions.
Mr Anderson said, "we are also making progress on the risk ratings tool, which aggregates builder, designer, certifier and developer data to create a risk and compliance profile for each project." 
“Once the risky players are identified, we will ensure the right staff are in place to assist the Building Commissioner in exercising proposed powers to audit any development,” he concluded.
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NSW government now hiring for building reform agenda

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GUEST OBSERVATION
A total of 6718 electric vehicles were sold in Australia in 2019. That’s <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/sharp-jump-in-electric-vehicle-sales-underscores-untapped-potential-20200202-p53wx3" target="_blank">three times</a> as many as in 2018, but it’s still small beer. More than <a href="/news">a million</a> fossil-fueled light vehicles (including SUVs and utes) were sold in the same period.
The sales figures were published in the wake of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51366123" target="_blank">announcement</a> that sales of petrol or diesel cars will be banned in the UK by 2035. The UK’s isn’t the only right-of-centre government to see the benefits of going electric — in 2016, New Zealand’s Conservative party introduced a wide-ranging program to encourage drivers to get off fossil fuels.
If Australia wants to head in the same direction, we can learn from what others have done.
Why should we go electric? And why don’t we?
The main argument for electric vehicles is often about cutting greenhouse gas emissions. But even leaving those aside, there are plenty of reasons to move away from oil as an energy source for transport, among them energy security, better health outcomes, and spending less money on petrol imports.
Australians have been slow to adopt electric cars, however. Our <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-electric-car-revolution-wont-happen-automatically-90442" target="_blank">previous research</a> indicates the top two reasons are the fear of not being able to find a fast recharger on long trips (“range anxiety”), and the higher purchase price of electric cars.
Obstacles are clearing
Range anxiety should be on the decline. Fast rechargers are <a href="https://myelectriccar.com.au/charge-stations-in-australia/" target="_blank">beginning to be installed</a> on major routes and higher capacity batteries are increasing vehicle range. In any case, the average distance travelled by Australians is just <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/9208.0" target="_blank">34.5km per day</a>.
Prices for electric vehicles are also on the way down. Bloomberg has <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-04-12/electric-vehicle-battery-shrinks-and-so-does-the-total-cost" target="_blank">predicted</a> that larger electric and fossil-fueled cars will cost about the same in Europe as soon as 2022.
Even when upfront costs for electric vehicles are higher, ongoing costs are generally much lower. An average Australian car travels 12,600 kilometres in a year, consuming <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/9208.0" target="_blank">1360.8 litres of fuel</a> at a cost of about A$2,000 (assuming fuel costs $1.50 per litre). For a typical electric car, the same amount of travel would cost $250 if recharging using off-peak electricity (assuming it costs 11 cents per kilowatt hour), or $567 if recharging with more expensive electricity (at 25 cents per kilowatt hour).
Lessons from New Zealand
In 2016, New Zealand’s Conservative transport minister Simon Bridges introduced a <a href="https://www.transport.govt.nz/multi-modal/climatechange/electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">suite of policies</a> to encourage electric, especially for passenger vehicles. Since then, electric vehicle sales have been doubling every 12 months.
In 2019, <a href="https://www.transport.govt.nz/mot-resources/vehicle-fleet-statistics/monthly-electric-and-hybrid-light-vehicle-registrations/" target="_blank">6545 light electric vehicles</a> were brought into New Zealand and registered for the first time. That’s not far off Australia’s tally, but in a population of 5 million compared to Australia’s 25 million.
So what did the Conservatives do to encourage motorists to go electric? They took advice from the experts and introduced a <a href="https://www.transport.govt.nz/multi-modal/climatechange/electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">multi-faceted group of measures</a>.
These included: exemption from the Road User Charge, worth about $600 per year; government procurement programs; installing a public recharging network; investment in a five-year promotional campaign including TV ads, online information and “ride and drive” events. They also established a leadership group across business and government and a funding scheme to encourage organisations to go electric.
In NZ they have just about thought of everything, even ensuring there is a facility to <a href="https://www.transport.govt.nz/multi-modal/climatechange/electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">recycle old batteries</a>.
But possibly the most important factor has been that the government has enabled imports of high-quality secondhand electric cars from Japan. In 2019 they accounted for more than half of electric vehicle sales (4155 used compared to 2390 new).
This measure enables motorists with lower budgets to buy electric vehicles. Our unpublished research shows electric vehicles have been especially popular with multicar families who use their EVs as much as possible as it’s so much cheaper than using petrol or diesel. When those happy customers tell their friends and family about how much better it is to drive electric, it’s an important feedback loop that helps people overcome their fear of change.
Maybe it’s time Australia took a “Leaf” out of the Kiwi book and got on board with some sensible policies and legislation to speed up the transition to electric cars.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131372/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gail-broadbent-421704" target="_blank">Gail Broadbent</a>, PhD candidate Faculty of Science UNSW, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/graciela-metternicht-159393" target="_blank">Graciela Metternicht</a>, Professor of Environmental Geography, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/electric-car-sales-tripled-last-year-heres-what-we-can-do-to-keep-them-growing-131372" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Electric car sales tripled last year. Here's what we can do to keep them growing

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The private rental sector has expanded at <a href="/news">more than twice the rate</a> of the increase in Australian households in the last two decades. This <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14036096.2018.1467964" target="_blank">increasingly diverse form of tenure</a> now houses about <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4130.0%7E2017-18%7EMedia%20Release%7EMore%20households%20renting%20as%20home%20ownership%20falls%20(Media%20Release)%7E10" target="_blank">one in four of us</a>.
Australia’s <a href="/news">lightly regulated private rental sector</a> means the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1440783317707833?journalCode=josb" target="_blank">insecurity of tenants</a> is a key factor in why most Australians <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/story-streams/federal-budget-2017/2017-05-07/housing-affordability-australia-statistics-federal-budget-2017/8502106" target="_blank">aspire to own their home</a>. However, despite this insecurity, our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14036096.2018.1467964" target="_blank">research</a> suggests an increase in people choosing to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673037.2017.1301400" target="_blank">rent for a long time</a> – ten years or more – accounts for a small part of the growth in private renters.
Much of this growth is attributable to <a href="/news">middle- and high-income tenants</a>. Especially in Melbourne and Sydney, <a href="https://localgovernmentandhousingproject.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/iuhf-journal-summer2018_alan_morris.pdf" target="_blank">high housing prices</a> mean saving for a deposit takes much <a href="https://neo.ubs.com/shared/d1ZatPa3iM8ech/" target="_blank">longer than in the 1990s</a>. In the meantime these households are renting <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673037.2017.1301400" target="_blank">for a long time</a>.
‘Who stays put, loses’
In our survey of 600 private renters in different areas of Sydney and Melbourne, we asked: “Many people are renting privately for longer periods (10+ years). Do you think this is a positive trend?”
About a third responded in mainly positive terms. Their main reasons were:
1. renting is more affordable than ownin
2. there are fewer worries and liabilities
3. renting is more flexible than owning.
Some questioned the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14036096.2018.1467964" target="_blank">norm of home ownership in Australia</a>.
For a more in-depth understanding, we interviewed 60 long-term private renters in low, medium and high-rent areas in Melbourne and Sydney. Almost all who chose to rent mentioned flexibility as a key advantage.
“Choosers” highly valued the freedom to move or travel at will. Zygmunt Bauman’s concept of <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Liquid+Modernity-p-9780745624099" target="_blank">liquid modernity</a> highlights the increasing desire for transience. As he <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=zZwvv3tQ1UYC&amp;pg=PT95&amp;lpg=PT95&amp;dq=Transience+has+replaced+durability&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=VbuUO62ZhV&amp;sig=ACfU3U32LtxCmjxJfboinOrMwt706zkAVw&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjP4_qby7vnAhXwwzgGHYJXDagQ6AEwAHoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&amp;q=Transience%20has%20replaced%20durability&amp;f=false" target="_blank">explains</a>:
Transience has replaced durability at the top of the value table. What is valued today (by choice as much as by unchosen necessity) is the ability to be on the move, to travel light and at short notice. Power is measured by the speed with which responsibilities can be escaped. Who accelerates, wins; who stays put, loses.
Renters in their own words
Patricia*, who lives in a high-rent part of Melbourne, has always rented.
Well since I came to Australia in 1977, I rented. I didn’t want to buy. Got close [to buying] a couple of times, but changed my mind.
I just travel anywhere and everywhere. I thought […] if you’ve got a house you’re stuck there, and I thought, no. I work hard for my money, so that money that I work hard for is for me, not to have a [permanent] roof over my head. […] Renting has been good for me because I can still do what I want.
Myra lives in a studio apartment in a high-rent area in Sydney and has no desire to own a home. She is single, in her mid- to late 30s, and earns well. The possibility of being asked to vacate did not bother her.
Maybe I’ve been lucky, but every situation has always sorted itself out. You know a lot of people would have freaked out if they had to move out […] It didn’t concern me in the slightest, yeah. I mean not at all. There’s always somewhere to stay. So it suits my lifestyle. I wouldn’t want to buy [a property], even if I had the money.
Leanne inherited a third of a house. Rather than using the proceeds to buy a property, she decided to move to Melbourne’s inner city (a high-rent area) and continue renting.
So I thought rather than put money into a house […] I would invest it and I could travel and go to concerts and live the life I wanted to lead, so that’s basically what I did and I’m still renting.
Pam was renting in a low-rent area in outer Sydney. She felt her situation required the flexibility of renting:
The relationship was rocky and you can’t predict the future, but I knew it wasn’t going to end up in marriage and kids and all that kind of crap […] We were both working, both earning good money and we could have afforded to buy a house between us […] But for me it was like, no. I don’t know where this [her relationship] is going, so no way, I’m not going to put myself in that predicament [having a joint mortgage] and then have to go through court to go, “This is mine, this is yours”, all that crap. But so it was my choice to rent and to stick to it […] I’m not going to rely on anybody else for anything, no way.
Her renter status allowed Pam to make a rapid, clean break.
I just got up one day and walked cos I knew he was going to ask me to marry him the next day, so I said: “I’m just going to go to the shops to get a packet of cigarettes.” I left everything behind. I went for a walk, never went home.
For the families with children who choose to rent long-term, the key reason is it allows them to live in highly desirable areas where they cannot afford to buy. Gabrielle and her partner earn well and live in a high-rent area in Sydney:
Sure it [home ownership] provides you with security and you don’t have that stress of […] having to move. I get that, but at the same time, you know for us, for example, if we wanted to buy we’d be paying four times what we pay at the moment in a mortgage […] It doesn’t really make financial sense to go and do that […] You’d have to live somewhere. So I choose to live in a nice area where my children are [at school].
They also did not want the burden of a large mortgage:
[…] I have no desire to put myself in a position where I have a $2 million mortgage and have to work for the rest of my short life to pay for it […]
Although probably only a small proportion of people choose to rent long-term, this option may be gaining ground. Young, well-paid professionals in particular see the flexibility of private renting as attractive.
Location also seems to be a critical factor. Most of the choosers rented in desirable inner suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne, which would otherwise be inaccessible. An estimated <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673037.2014.925097" target="_blank">one-in-eight private renters</a> are “rentvestors” who rent where they want to live and buy elsewhere to get a foothold in the housing market.
*All names used are pseudonyms.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/130696/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-morris-13337" target="_blank">Alan Morris</a>, Research Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hal-pawson-147969">Hal Pawson</a>, Associate Director - City Futures - Urban Policy and Strategy, City Futures Research Centre, Housing Policy and Practice, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kath-hulse-228874" target="_blank">Kath Hulse</a>, Research Professor, Centre for Urban Transitions, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767" target="_blank">Swinburne University of Technology</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-wouldnt-want-to-buy-even-if-i-had-the-money-the-rise-of-renters-by-choice-130696" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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'I wouldn’t want to buy even if I had the money.' The rise of renters by choice

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The five-bedroom family home on the Round Drive, Avoca Beach has been sold for $1,650,000. 
The 1,244 sqm property was listed by George Brand Real Estate's Matthew Ellis. 
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-avoca+beach-132316950" target="_blank">231 The Round Drive, Avoca Beach</a>, the house has high ceilings and a level floor plan that is wheelchair accessible.
There is a master suite with a unobstructed view of the lake and is complete wot ensuite and walk-in robe.
The lakefront home has an open plan kitchen with stone surfaces, gas stovetop, bi-fold servers windows which transition to the BBQ area and an island bench for casual gatherings. 
The house is newly renovated and has a self-contained guest quarter, with its own bathroom, built-in wardrobe and large Velux windows. 
The home is of close proximity to the Avoca Beach, and has its own indoor pool for year-round enjoyment or swim school potential. 
There is also under house storage for bikes, surfboards, or kayaks, and a double garage parking offering internal access. 
It was built in 1970.
 
 
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Lakefront family home in Avoca Beach sold 

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A three bedroom house in Hunters Hill has sold at auction for $2,300,000. 
The 670 sqm block was listed by Bresic Whitney estate agents, Nicholas McEvoy and Nacelle Scott. 
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-hunters+hill-132766646" target="_blank">1 Manning Road</a>, he home features north facing open plan living areas, with a master ensuite with a built in robe, and three bathrooms.
<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/2020/2/2_DINING.jpg" alt="">
The double brick home with sandstone features is set in leafy greenery. 
The house has a modern marble kitchen with gas that is adjacent to the indoor dining area.
The lounging area has access to a paved patio, and covered outdoor entertaining space.
On the lower level, there is a garage, cellar and a workshop. 
The home is of walking distance to bus stops, schools, village shops, and the Tarban Creek Reserve.  
It last sold for $1.43 million in 2007. 
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Sandstone home in Hunters Hill sold under the hammer

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A designer dual level apartment on Rocky Point Road, Sans Souci has been sold for $795,000.
The apartment's prime location in the sought-after Jameson complex is of walking distance from local cafes, shops, sailing clubs, and Dolls Point Beach.
The two-bedroom apartment located at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-sans+souci-132777514" target="_blank">123/524-544 Rocky Point Road</a> has built-ins and access to a balcony. It also features two bathrooms, and an internal 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/2020/2/4_BEDROOM.jpg" alt="">
The fresh contemporary interiors has flowing living and dining space that transitions to the outdoors. 
The three balconies provide expansive views of the district and glimpses of the water. 
It was listed as a rental in 2017 and 2018 seeking $700/pw but has not been listed since. 
The 2015 bult abode has sleek tiled flooring, air-conditioning throughout and high ceilings. 
The apartment also has lift access to two secure car spaces which also has a handy lock-up storeroom. 
</body></html>

Sans Souci dual level apartment sold 

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

Joel Robinson

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Virgate Property Group is preparing to commence construction of Verdé, its new apartment development in Melbourne's Arts Precinct at Southbank, following a strong run of sales that has seen more than half of the project's 173 apartments secured.

Verdé has attracted a broad mix of first home buyers, owner-occupiers upgrading from nearby inner-city suburbs and investors, with younger owner-occupier couples aged between 28 and 45 accounting for the strongest enquiry. Many are already living in Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and the CBD.

"Verdé is located in one of the most desirable pockets of southern Melbourne," Blair Property Group Director Darren Blair, who is managing sales at Verdé, said.

"It's within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake, and Southbank's restaurants and retail. It's a great lifestyle location with strong amenity and liveability, which made it a very attractive choice for the project."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372549]

Virgate was already familiar with the precinct, having previously delivered the successful Domain House development in neighbouring South Melbourne. That experience gave the developer confidence to acquire the Coventry Street site and continue expanding its presence in Melbourne's inner south.

"We had been keeping an eye on the site and the broader precinct for a few months before deciding to move forward with the acquisition," Virgate said.

The project was ultimately secured in 2020 following feasibility studies, planning assessments and due diligence, with the brief centred on delivering "a high-quality, considered design that feels both refined and fit for purpose."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=314259]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, Verdé comprises 173 one, two and three-bedroom apartments priced from $599,000. The architecture is distinguished by a faceted glass façade that responds to both the site's outlook and Melbourne's changing light conditions.

According to Bruce Henderson Architects, the coloured glazing gives the building a distinctive identity while also providing privacy and solar shading, with residences oriented to capture views across the bay, city skyline and surrounding parklands.

Inside, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/designoffice">DesignOffice</a> has created interiors focused on natural light, efficient planning and enduring materials. Apartments feature engineered oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling glazing and SMEG appliances, while a restrained material palette aims to complement the expansive outlooks rather than compete with them.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372550]

Resident amenity has also been designed around everyday functionality rather than occasional use. Facilities include a concierge-serviced lobby, residents' lounge with fireplace, library and co-working space, gym, terrace garden with barbecue facilities, ground-floor café, and package delivery management.

The project's location continues to be one of its strongest drawcards. Positioned on Coventry Street, Verdé sits within walking distance of the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens and Albert Park Lake, while Southbank's dining precinct, Sturt Street trams and the new ANZAC Station are all nearby. The surrounding education catchment also includes Melbourne Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and several major university campuses.

The sales team says buyers have responded particularly well to the combination of location, design quality and long-term liveability.

"They're responding really positively to the quality of the design, premium resident amenities and the uninterrupted views. Many also appreciate the location and how connected it is to everything they need."

The ability to secure stamp duty savings before completion has also been a key factor for purchasers, alongside the opportunity to personalise finishes ahead of settlement.

With construction set to commence soon and more than half the apartments already sold, Verdé enters its next phase as one of the Arts Precinct's more established apartment developments, offering remaining buyers an opportunity to secure a residence before construction advances further. Expected completion is scheduled for late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=4661]

Virgate's Verdé Southbank moves toward construction as sales fly past halfway stage

Downsizer-focused apartment development Kooyongkoot in Hawthorn has been recognised at the 2026 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards, taking home Gold and Silver awards in two categories.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a>, currently being delivered by developer PQD and designed by Cera Stribley, received Gold in the Interior Design – Proposed category and Silver in the Architecture – Proposed category.

The dual recognition reflects the design approach behind the boutique development on prestigious Kooyongkoot Road, where the focus has been on creating homes for downsizers seeking the space, quality and functionality of a detached house within a low-rise apartment building.

Rather than maximising apartment numbers, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pqd">PQD</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a> limited the development to just 18 residences, allowing for larger floorplans, greater privacy, generous landscaping and expansive communal spaces.&nbsp;The majority of the apartments also benefit from corner aspects, allowing for dual sources of natural light.

Now around 70 per cent complete and on track for completion in November 2026, Kooyongkoot will comprise a mix of garden residences, ter​race apartments, sub-penthouses, and is crowned by two half-floor penthouses with direct lift access and private rooftop terraces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355297]

The Silver Award for Architecture recognised the way the building responds to its prominent corner position at the ent​rance to Hawthorn's Scotch Hill precinct, one of Melbourne's most established residential neighbourhoods.

Rather than competing with the grand homes that line Kooyongkoot Road, the architectural approach focused on restraint and longevity, using curved brickwork, generous landscaping and carefully considered proportions to integrate with the existing streetscape.

"The form feels fluid and timeless, as though shaped by the landscape itself – architecture that belongs, rather than competes," said Chris Stribley, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Cera Stribley.

The judging submission also highlighted practical innovations throughout the building, including lift cores servicing only nine homes each, a central landscaped lightcourt designed to bring daylight and ventilation into the building, and fully enclosed private storage rooms with lighting, power and shelving to better accommodate residents transitioning from larger family homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355293]

The Gold Award for Interior Design recognised the project's focus on long-term liveability rather than display-home aesthetics.

According to the awards submission, the interiors were designed from the inside out, prioritising how homes would function over decades of daily use through generous proportions, practical storage, durable natural materials and flexible layouts.

The specification includes natural stone throughout, upgraded acoustic glazing, V-ZUG appliances and fully enclosed storage rooms, alongside an amenity offering focused on wellness, entertainment and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Residents will have access to a gym and yoga studio, a wellness centre featuring traditional and infrared saunas, a cold therapy shower and treatment room, as well as a residents' lounge and golf simulator/cinema room for entertainment.&nbsp;Kooyongkoot has also considered the everyday convenience of its residents by offering a private carwash and pet wash facilities on site as well as dedicated parcel lockers and oversized fully enclosed storage rooms.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355303]

The project's attention to detail has already resonated with buyers. Earlier this year, Kooyongkoot recorded one of Boroondara's highest apartment sales when an $8 million penthouse was purchased by a Melbourne CEO downsizing from a nearby family home.

"Every detail feels deliberate, from the overall design down to the smallest touches," the purchaser said.

"The level of quality and refinement is exceptional, but what really sold it was how liveable it felt... It felt like a place where everything had been considered, not just a luxury building."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355304]

Sustainability also formed a key part of both award submissions. Kooyongkoot is targeting a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating across all residences, supported by passive design principles, high-performance glazing, EV charging infrastructure, water reuse systems and a wellness model focused on lower-energy dry facilities rather than pools and large wet areas.

Located within walking distance of Scotch College, Methodist Ladies' College, Koo​yong Lawn Tennis Club, Aubur​n Village and Camberwell Junction, Kooyongkoot continues to target owner-occupiers looking to remain in Melbourne's inner east without compromising on space or quality. A limited selection of two, three and four-bedroom residences remains available, with prices starting from $1.9 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102717]

Kooyongkoot wins Gold and Silver at Better Future Melbourne Design Awards

New apartment supply has become increasingly constrained across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a> in recent years, with fewer projects progressing through to completion as development conditions have become more challenging.

It makes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/novm">NOVM</a>'s 2021-completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> one of the most recently completed residential towers on the Parramatta River, and among the newest apartment developments in Sydney's second CBD.

With the project largely completed before the sharp escalation in construction costs and inflation following the pandemic, The Lennox is now offering pricing that would be difficult to replicate in a comparable new development in Parramatta today, or across much of Western Sydney.

The majority of the 413 apartments at The Lennox sold before and shortly after completion. A limited release of the remaining apartments has recently been brought to market by capital partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a>, with entry-level pricing from $700,000 and two-bedroom apartments available from under $1 million.

Rising above the Parramatta River at 12 Phillip Street, The Lennox comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, appealing to first home buyers, young professionals, families, downsizers and interstate investors seeking a completed apartment in one of Australia's fastest-growing economic centres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=372394]

Rather than positioning Parramatta as an alternative to Sydney's CBD, Equitifund believes the city has reached a point where it stands on its own merits.

"Parramatta is no longer simply an alternative to Sydney CBD, it's becoming a destination in its own right," Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said.

"The Lennox captures that evolution with a level of quality and amenity that's difficult to match at its price point."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=953]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, the tower responds directly to its riverfront setting through expansive glazing and open-plan layouts that maximise views across the Parramatta River and city skyline. Interiors feature engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and floor-to-ceiling glazing, while generous balconies extend the living spaces outdoors.

Marchese Partners says the project was conceived to balance high-quality apartment living with practical, long-term functionality, pairing larger, efficient floorplans with amenities more commonly associated with five-star hotels.

That emphasis continues through the resident facilities, which include a 20-metre rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped gym and wellness spaces, full-time concierge, a residents' lounge, function room, private lifts, secure basement parking and rooftop communal areas overlooking the Parramatta River. Ground-floor boardwalk retail and dining further activate the riverfront and integrate the building into the surrounding public realm.

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Australian housing and finance group Equitifund has secured the remaining apartments, believing there are few completed apartment opportunities in Parramatta that offer the same combination of location, amenity and pricing.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett says buyers are increasingly recognising that premium apartment living no longer needs to come with Sydney CBD pricing.

"The Lennox is where aspirational living becomes attainable," Hamblett said.

"Wake to river and mountain views, step into Sydney's Second CBD, and arrive home to resort-calibre amenities, all without the harbour price tag."

Hamblett says owner-occupiers are also attracted by the convenience of having Westfield Parramatta, Church Street's dining precinct, Parramatta Park, Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney University and major transport connections all within walking distance.

"At The Lennox, lifestyle is not an afterthought, it is the foundation."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=5374]

The Lennox places residents within walking distance of Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta, Church Street Eat Street, Parramatta Station, the ferry wharf, Light Rail, the future Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Park and CommBank Stadium, reinforcing Parramatta's position as one of Australia's most connected metropolitan centres outside Sydney's CBD.

Equitifund says buyers visiting the display suite consistently comment on the quality of the finishes, generous floorplans, river and skyline views, and the walkability of the location. The project has attracted a broad mix of local professionals, upsizers, downsizers, buyers relocating from Sydney's inner suburbs and interstate investors seeking long-term growth opportunities.

That demand aligns with Parramatta's continued evolution as an economic powerhouse. Equitifund Research and Market Insights specialist John Bekiaris says sustained population growth, infrastructure investment and expanding employment opportunities continue to support long-term housing demand across the city.

"Parramatta has evolved from a satellite city into one of Australia's most important economic centres. Population growth, infrastructure investment and employment are all supporting sustained long-term housing demand."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5743]

The apartment price gap drawing Sydney buyers west

A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.

The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.

The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.

The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.

Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.

"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.

"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."

<img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" />

Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.

Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.

Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.

"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.

"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."

Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.

Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.

Staff reporter

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