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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

Kew has long been regarded as one of Melbourne's premier residential suburbs. It's a location defined by its grand period homes, leafy streets and some of the city's most prestigious schools, yet it has often sat just outside the spotlight cast on neighbouring Hawthorn and Camberwell.

Increasingly, however, buyers are recognising that Kew offers much of what draws people to those suburbs, with a quieter residential setting, exceptional amenity and long-term owner-occupier appeal.

Within a few minutes' walk, residents can access Kew Junction, one of Melbourne's most established village centres. Cafés, bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets, boutique retailers and everyday services are all on the doorstep, with local favourites including Centonove, Adeney Milk Bar Cafe, and Frank &amp; Harri creating the type of walkable lifestyle that has become increasingly difficult to find in Melbourne's inner east. Beyond the immediate neighbourhood, Glenferrie Road's renowned shopping and dining precinct in Hawthorn and the retail, dining and entertainment offerings of Camberwell Junction are both just a short drive or tram ride away.

The suburb is equally well connected. Tram routes 48 and 109 provide direct access to the CBD, while High Street and Cotham Road connect residents to the wider inner east.&nbsp;Nearby access to the Eastern Freeway also places the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne Airport within easy reach, adding another layer of convenience for weekend travel.&nbsp;It's a rare combination of connectivity and tranquillity, where quiet residential streets sit just moments from some of Melbourne's most established shopping and lifestyle precincts.

For families, Kew remains one of Melbourne's most tightly held addresses. Carey Baptist Grammar School, Xavier College, Methodist Ladies' College, Trinity Grammar, Ruyton Girls' School and Genazzano FCJ College are all nearby, while the Yarra River parklands, walking trails and sporting clubs provide another layer of lifestyle appeal.

It's within this established pocket that developer Ricdanic is delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/wimba-ave-kew-9-11-wimba-avenue-kew-vic-3101">Wimba Ave</a>, a boutique collection of just 13 residences across two buildings named after its location on the tree-lined Wimba Avenue,&nbsp;within one of Kew's most prestigious pockets where homes have been known to sell up to and above $8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=354809]

The residences prioritise the space that buyers are increasingly searching for but struggling to find in established suburbs. Living areas extend beyond five metres in width, ceiling heights range from three to five metres, and apartments open onto private gardens averaging around 125 sqm. Selected residences also feature balconies of approximately 60 sqm, while premium inclusions include Miele appliances, double-glazed windows, EV readiness, fully electric systems and a 7.2 NatHERS energy rating.

Architect Chris Idle says opportunities to deliver homes of this scale within established suburbs have become increasingly uncommon.

"There are very few opportunities to do these kinds of developments in leafy, established suburbs," he says. "To get this level of amenity, natural light, and architectural freedom in such a setting is extremely rare."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=366267]

The architecture draws on Kew's established character through the use of handmade Krause bricks, while landscaping by John Patrick introduces 23 plant species, including nine native varieties, creating an environment which focuses just as much on nature as it does the building.

Construction on Wimba Ave is well underway by renowned high-end builder Sinjen, with completion expected in late 2027. Prices start from $2.22 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140755]

Joel Robinson

The enduring appeal of Kew's tree-lined streets and village lifestyle

"For me, it's the location." That was the first thing Chris pointed to when reflecting on why he and his wife Marita decided to purchase at Candela Ivanhoe, the under-construction new apartment development by Salter Brothers in the heart of the north-eastern M​elb​ourne​ suburb. ​

"We've lived here before… everything is here," Chris said.

"Our doctor is around the corner, there's dentists, pilates, everything we need, restaurants, fast food places, two train stations, Ivanhoe and Darebin, both in walking distance. You don't need anything else."

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X8K0Bozug7A?si=Puwc6vx_ZO0qQZF8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Just 10 kilometres from Melbo​urn​e's CBD, Ivanhoe combines direct city connectivity with the amenity of an established village community. Residents have access to highly regarded schools, expansive parklands, public transport, and a thriving retail and hospitality precinct centred around Upper Heidelberg Road, all within a neighbourhood that has retained its leafy character despite its proximity to the city.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/candela-ivanhoe-40-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe-vic-3079">Candela Ivanhoe</a> sits within the heart of this established landscape, positioned just moments from Ivanhoe Village and within walking distance of many of the suburb's most sought-after amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=364553]

From Candela, residents can access cafés, grocers, wine bars, restaurants and essential services on foot, while Ivanhoe Station and Darebin Station provide direct connectivity across Mel​bour​ne. The development is also surrounded by some of the suburb's best-known lifestyle destinations, including Pinkie, Laurent, Enni, Docasa and Woodfire Pizza e Cucina, alongside Ivanhoe Plaza, Woolworths, pharmacies and specialty retailers.

Green space is another defining feature of the suburb. Darebin Parklands, Ivanhoe Park, Nellie Ibbot Park and the Yarra River trail network provide extensive opportunities for recreation, while Ivanhoe Golf Course and Ivanhoe Tennis Club continue to underpin the area's long-established lifestyle appeal.

The suburb's education offering further strengthens demand. Ivanhoe Grammar School, Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School, Mary Immaculate Primary School and Ivanhoe Primary School have helped establish the area as one of Melbou​​rne's most sought-after schooling precincts, attracting families and downsizers alike who want to remain connected to the area.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=357510]

While location was the priority for Marita and Chris, the project itself also needed to meet their expectations.

"Whilst location was paramount, I was also looking at design of the environment and Candela ticked every box," Marita said.

"We're just thrilled with our choice."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=336455]

Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/salter-brothers">Salter Brothers</a>, Candela Ivanhoe has been designed to complement its village setting, with an emphasis on generous floorplans, natural light and practical everyday living.

Residents will have access to a range of shared amenities, including a communal rooftop garden and dedicated residential lounge, complemented by a ground-floor café and lifestyle wellbeing centre, helping foster the sense of community already emerging among future owners.

That approach has resonated strongly with the market. More than 90 per cent of purchasers at Candela Ivanhoe are owner-occupiers, with buyers ranging from downsizers and second-home buyers to young families and first home buyers, creating a genuinely multi-generational community of grandparents, parents and children. It reflects a broader shift across Melbo​​urne's apartment market, where buyers are increasingly prioritising neighbourhood quality, lifestyle amenity and long-term liveability.

Currently under construction by Ironside, Candela Ivanhoe comprises 58 apartments. Candela Ivanhoe is scheduled for completion in the coming months, and residents can move in from September. One to four bedroom residences, prices from $649,000 and limited opportunities remaining.

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Location and lifestyle drive demand at Candela Ivanhoe

As apartment buyers increasingly look beyond the four walls of their residence, the quality and depth of shared amenity has become a defining factor in how developments are designed and experienced, particularly in the high-rise, new apartment development space.

In Southbank, where high-density living continues to evolve, developers are placing greater emphasis on creating environments that support wellbeing, connection, and convenience as part of everyday life.

That approach sits at the heart of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aura-at-melbourne-square-7-hoff-boulevard-southbank-vic-3006">AURA</a>, the latest residential tower in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/osk-property">OSK Property</a>’s $3.5 billion Melbourne Square precinct. Rising 67 storeys above Hoff Boulevard, the 673-apartment development has been conceived around what OSK describes as a “vertical wellness ecosystem”, a layered collection of amenities that extends throughout the building rather than being confined to a single podium level.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370263]

The amenity offering begins on the seventh level within the AURA Club, a dedicated resident hub focused on health, relaxation, and daily convenience. Here, residents will have access to an indoor swimming pool, cold plunge, spa, sauna, and steam room, alongside a fully equipped gym, reformer Pilates studio, and yoga room.

The wellness facilities are complemented by a range of spaces that acknowledge the changing ways people live and work. Work-from-home lounges and co-working areas sit alongside a library, music room, games room, cinema facilities, and open-air terrace spaces, providing residents with flexible environments that can adapt throughout the day.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367468]

Beyond the internal amenity, AURA introduces a series of Japanese-inspired gardens that form a quieter counterpoint to the tower’s social spaces.

Landscaped retreats feature curated outdoor dining, tranquil courtyard seating, fire pit, and a tea house pavilion. Rather than functioning as simple recreational areas, the gardens have been designed as places for reflection and informal gathering, drawing on principles of balance, nature, and calm that underpin the project's broader design philosophy.

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The social amenity continues to evolve as residents move higher through the building. Levels 49 and 50 house the Meridian Club, where a lounge bar, conservatory spaces, and private dining rooms take advantage of elevated city views. At the summit of the tower, the exclusive Cumulus Club spans Levels 66 and 67, offering additional lounges, private dining, and meditation and treatment rooms positioned above Melbourne’s skyline.

For OSK Property, the extensive amenity offering reflects a broader focus on wellbeing as a core component of apartment living rather than an added feature.

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after Southbank,” says OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367796]

AURA’s amenity strategy extends beyond the tower itself through its integration with the wider Melbourne Square precinct.

Residents will have direct access to Kennedy Park, Southbank’s 3,745 sqm landscaped public park, alongside a full-line Woolworths supermarket, childcare centre, hospitality venues, and approximately 1,600 sqm of additional retail planned within AURA’s lower levels. Together, these elements create a highly connected residential environment where daily needs, recreation, and wellness are woven into the fabric of the community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370253]

As Melbourne’s apartment market continues to mature, developments are increasingly judged by the lifestyle they provide beyond individual residences.

Through its combination of wellness facilities, landscaped retreats, social clubs, and precinct-wide amenity, AURA represents a shift toward a more comprehensive model of vertical living, one where shared spaces play as significant a role as the homes themselves.

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AURA elevates amenity living at Melbourne Square

Builder-developer Scion is the latest to target Sydney's booming Hills Showground Metro precinct, filing plans for more than 100 apartments within walking distance of the station.

Scion has lodged a concurrent rezoning and State Significant Development Application for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/27-33-middleton-avenue-castle-hill-nsw-2154">27–33 Middleton Avenue</a>, where it plans to replace four existing homes with an 11 and 14-storey mixed-use development comprising 109 apartments, six affordable housing dwellings, and a ground-floor café.

Designed by BHK Architects, the proposal includes three levels of basement parking with 174 spaces, more than 1,200 sqm of communal open space, and extensive landscaping across the 3,791 sqm site.

The development has been designed as two buildings connected by a recessed wintergarden spine, with the 14-storey building positioned to the south and the 11-storey building to the north.

<img alt="Scion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="64dc359d-736b-43b8-87a8-70a8285cab47" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-25%20at%208.47.01%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=PXh.m8id_aevBPHEckPf88wQ2RQThPos" />

The apartment mix has been weighted towards owner-occupiers, with 13 one-bedroom apartments, 55 two-bedroom residences, 31 three-bedroom apartments, six three-bedroom lofts, and four four-bedroom homes. Six apartments will be dedicated as affordable housing in line with the NSW Housing SEPP.

According to the Architectural Design Report by BKH, the proposal seeks to create "a place-responsive architecture" inspired by the natural landscape surrounding Cattai Creek, while strengthening the public domain through landscaping, active frontages and a neighbourhood café.

Atlas Urban, in its Urban Design Report, says the proposal takes a different approach to increasing density around Hills Showground Station by favouring a more slender, vertically articulated built form over a conventional mid-rise outcome. The report argues this allows for greater deep soil planting, improved solar access and a better public domain outcome, while still delivering additional housing close to rapid public transport.

The site sits around 500 metres from Hills Showground Metro Station, within a precinct earmarked for significant residential intensification following the opening of the Sydney Metro Northwest line. Planning documents accompanying the application note that Greater Sydney's population has grown by more than one million people since planning for the precinct first began, reinforcing the need to accelerate housing delivery around existing transport infrastructure.

Scion is expanding its development pipeline which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/chatham-west-ryde-2-6-chatham-road-west-ryde-nsw-2114">Chatham in West Ryde</a>, 62 apartments which are approaching completion. They also have a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/96-anzac-avenue-west-ryde-nsw-2114">145 apartments on Anzac Avenue</a>, also in West Ryde.

First look: Scion plots Castle Hill apartment development near Hills Showground Metro Station

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>&nbsp;has unveiled its scaled-back plans for a pair of towers rising up to 49 storeys directly opposite Bella Vista Metro Station.

The builder-developer will deliver 674 apartments and a new mixed-use hub at the gateway to the station precinct.

The State Significant Development Application has been lodged under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway for the 6,979 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/9-11-mawson-avenue-bella-vista-nsw-2153">9-11 Mawson Avenue</a>, with the apartments sitting above a mixed-use podium. Initial plans were for closer to 900 apartments across two 40-storey towers.

Located around 30 metres from the Bella Vista Metro Station entrance, the development is intended to act as a catalyst for the long-planned Bella Vista Station Precinct, transforming a vacant site into a transit-oriented residential and commercial destination.

Planning documents describe the project as delivering "a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21c08216-589e-490d-ad08-2d88b6fa62d9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20podium.png?VersionId=3TnwjjQCNwTsmyQRaWnFrLTSAF0CJeka" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/turner-studio">Turner</a>, with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, the project comprises 674 apartments, including 102 affordable housing dwellings representing 15 per cent of the residential floor space. The housing mix spans studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside a collection of townhouse-style residences integrated into the podium levels. The development also includes specialist disability accommodation and an elevated provision of adaptable and liveable housing.

The mixed-use podium has been designed to create an active urban centre around the Metro station, incorporating a 1,423 sqm supermarket, a 3,029 sqm gym, specialty retail spaces, a 100-place childcare centre and a publicly accessible "city room" community space. A secondary laneway, active frontages and landscaped public areas are intended to improve pedestrian connectivity through the site and strengthen links between the station precinct and surrounding neighbourhood.

In the project's design report, Turner said the proposal responds to Bella Vista's emerging role as a higher-density centre within Sydney's north-west growth corridor.

"The project transforms a strategically located site into a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting," the report states.

"Active frontages, a publicly accessible city room, a secondary laneway and a mix of uses including a local supermarket, child care centre and gym create a more complete and socially useful urban environment for residents, workers and the wider community."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0fde6220-82de-4f6a-9b63-d0fd8157acc9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20da.png?VersionId=7hEmuSutH8plTd_RqqdmPu055F6qe554" />

Urban Property Group has been one of the busiest developers across Greater Sydney this year.

The developer is progressing around 1,000 apartments across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-urban-property-group-plans-next-major-wollongong-tower">two projects in Wollongong</a>, with several thousand more homes in the pipeline across Newcastle, Castle Hill, Little Bay and Penrith.

Staff reporter

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