Lewis Land's latest apartment release within its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan is targeting one of the Gold Coast's fastest-growing buyer groups, with almost a third of apartments at Solis priced below $1 million.

The seven-storey building at Biggera Waters will comprise 91 apartments, including 24 one-bedroom residences starting from $778,000, a price point Lewis Land says is aimed squarely at first home buyers struggling to enter the Gold Coast market.

<img alt="Harbour Shires" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e7486e37-22f6-4c92-b212-9b0622070b8f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-08%20at%209.09.34%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=W8MJwJUCf6HkIyl_EVSksnd.QI6MZryY" />

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lewis-land-group">Lewis Land</a> Head of Development Michael Long said the developer deliberately allocated a significant proportion of the project to more affordable apartment types.

"First home buyers have been priced out of many parts of the Gold Coast, and we saw a clear opportunity to address this and play our part in a longer-term housing solution," Long said.

"That's why 24 of the 91 apartments being delivered at Solis have been designed and priced for the city's next generation of homeowners, quality one-bedroom apartments, half of which include an additional multipurpose room to maximise space and flexibility.

"This approach places 30 per cent of apartments in Solis under $1 million, and with close proximity to Harbour Town's future light rail extension connecting residents to the city's major employment and knowledge hubs, it's a win for buyers looking to secure their first property."

<img alt="Sores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="550526d3-73ba-4710-9739-c5f4294a30ef" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-08%20at%209.09.29%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cQQdXHt9wS0UXwZEm5Py5bH_3kAmzyhu" />

Designed by BDA Architecture, Solis will deliver a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with residences ranging up to 232 sqm. Apartments feature generous balconies and contemporary finishes, while residents will have access to Harbour Shores' lagoon pool, clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga studio and sauna.

The focus on first home buyers resonated with purchaser Holly Humphreys, who said she and her boyfriend spent more than a year searching for their first property before shifting their attention from houses to apartments.

"We fell in love with the first house we bid on and got our hopes up, but after repeated knockbacks we learned not to get too attached," Humphreys said.

"We offered at the high end of price guides, but sales kept going even higher. That's where we really struggled and we needed to re-evaluate our budget and our expectations. Standalone houses were off the table, and we pivoted to apartments and townhouses."

Humphreys said it was encouraging to see developers recognising the growing demand from first home buyers.

"There's a growing number of young buyers looking to enter the market earlier because they understand that getting in now can make a real difference as prices continue to rise," she said.

"It's fantastic to see a developer recognise this and then actively take measures to deliver an apartment with us in mind."

Solis is the first development planned within the second stage of the Harbour Shores masterplan, with early works expected to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Joel Robinson

Lewis Land targets first home buyers at latest Harbour Shores release, Solis

Luxury apartment developer Abadeen has recorded $19.25 million in apartment sales across two of its Lower North Shore developments in the lead-up to the end of the financial year, headlined by the sale of a $6.75 million penthouse at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/koyo-crows-nest-5-rodborough-avenue-crows-nest-nsw-2065">KOYO in Crows Nest.</a>

The transactions also included the sale of a newly completed three-bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/park-residences-cremorne-2-sutherland-street-cremorne-nsw-2090">Park Residences in Cremorne</a> for $6.35 million, with the residence selling shortly after the project's first public inspections following completion.

The sales come as completed, owner-occupier-focused apartments continue to attract strong demand across Sydney's Lower North Shore, particularly from buyers looking for certainty and immediate occupancy.

The penthouse at KOYO spans 491 sqm across a single level and was designed by architect Koichi Takada. The development is one of Abadeen's flagship boutique projects in Crows Nest.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108800 project_image_fid=370093]

Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said buyer activity lifted noticeably in the lead-up to the end of the financial year.

"We saw a clear increase in enquiry levels, inspection numbers and buyer engagement across our completed projects leading into the end of the financial year," Brown said.

"Buyers have become far more decisive over the past six months. The combination of improving confidence, limited supply and the ability to physically inspect completed residences is creating strong competition for premium apartments in the best locations."

Brown says the&nbsp;response to Park Residences following completion has been particularly strong.

"Buyers want certainty and are responding positively to the opportunity to walk through a finished product, inspect the quality firsthand and move in immediately," Brown suggested.

"Projects such as Park Residences and KOYO demonstrate that when the product is exceptional and the location is irreplaceable, buyers are prepared to act quickly."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=370116]

Abadeen CEO Joe Tack said quality continued to differentiate projects in the current market.

"Today's buyers are incredibly discerning," Tack said.

"They are seeking larger floorplans, premium finishes, walkability, lifestyle amenity and confidence in the developer delivering the project. Well-designed boutique developments continue to outperform because they offer something genuinely difficult to replace.

"The enquiry we are seeing across our completed and recently completed Lower North Shore portfolio is very encouraging, and we expect this momentum to continue into spring."

The sales follow increased enquiry across Abadeen's Lower North Shore portfolio which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/northcote-collective-naremburn-2-northcote-street-naremburn-nsw-2065">Northcote Collective in Naremburn</a> which also completed recently.

KOYO penthouse headlines Abadeen's $19.25 million EOFY sales flurry

The City of Sydney has approved plans for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/billbergia">Billbergia Group</a> and Metrics Credit Partners’ $3.5 billion Castlereagh Place project in the heart of the Sydney CBD

The towers will be among the tallest in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/sydney-nsw-2000">Sydney</a>'s CBD, with more floors than any other residential tower in the city.&nbsp;

The 6,000 sqm site was acquired by the joint venture partners in 2024. It is the largest amalgamated land parcel in the Sydney CBD and comprises eight individual sites fronting Castlereagh, Pitt and Liverpool Streets.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castlereagh-place-sydney-324-348-pitt-street-sydney-nsw-2000">Castlereagh Place</a> will transform an underutilised city block into a landmark mixed-use destination, anchored by two 82-storey towers comprising 607 luxury residences above an 8-level podium housing a 209-room luxury hotel. A 1,000 square metre civic park on ground level features a curated mix of food, beverage and retail.

The plans have been refined over the past year to rebalance the residential and hotel offering, and reconfigure the retail footprint to create a stronger, more dynamic dining experience.

A three-level flagship building on the prominent corner of Pitt and Liverpool Streets will be the gateway to the Castlereagh Place lifestyle precinct. Set to become a Sydney icon, the building is capable of housing multiple hospitality venues.

“Castlereagh Place is designed to be the City's next great urban oasis - an energetic mixed-use precinct that pulses with life, day and night,"&nbsp;said Joseph Kinsella, Group Director of Billbergia.

"It will bring the vibrancy of places like Barangaroo and Darling Quarter into a more accessible, central destination at the very heart of Sydney."

Kinsella said the project will build on&nbsp;Sydney’s growing laneway culture with the City’s largest network of new activated lanes - an expanded, next-generation take on precincts like Angel Place, Palings Lane and Ash Street in Wynyard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134477 project_image_fid=374401]

Castlereagh Place has been designed by architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fjc-studio">fjcstudio</a> in collaboration with Trias Studio, Aileen Sage and Polly Harbison Design, joint winners of an international design competition in 2018.&nbsp;

Signature design elements from the original scheme remain unchanged, while the public domain has been significantly enhanced, delivering 60 per cent more open-to-sky space.

Pedestrian access will also be enhanced through new laneways linking Pitt, Liverpool and Castlereagh Streets, drawing people into a new civic park with outdoor seating, landscaping and integrated public art.

With activated laneways supported by strong hospitality offerings, Castlereagh Place is tipped to become a vibrant new dining destination in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

It marks the largest undertaking to date for the Billbergia and Metrics Credit Partners partnership. Together they are developing other underutilised Sydney sites into mixed-use precincts, including the $2.2 billion Concord Central and the $1.3 billion Chatswood Grand Residences.

Metrics Managing Partner and Group CEO Andrew Lockhart said Castlereagh Place is a landmark project that will redefine Sydney’s skyline.

"As the tallest residential high-rise development, the revitalised site will offer panoramic views across the CBD and surrounds. We are excited to partner with Billbergia to reinvigorate an underutilised site and create a sophisticated and contemporary mixed-use offering situated in the heart of Sydney.”

Total apartments within the towers have increased to 607 dwellings, with a focus on larger floorplans. Aligned to growing market demand, Castlereagh Place now comprises 299 three-plus-bedroom apartments, 198 two-bedroom units and 110 one-bedroom configurations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134477 project_image_fid=374402]

Resident amenities will include an exclusive residents club containing a gym, rooftop pool, dining rooms, co-working spaces, library, golf simulator, games room, cinema room, and access to an exclusive concierge service. There will be around 500 basement car spaces below the towers.

The development will also include a state-of-the-art wellness centre, set to feature a bathhouse with magnesium pools, hot/cold plunge pools and premium amenities.

&nbsp;

According to fjcstudio, the towers will feature distinctive yet elegant architectural design reflecting Sydney’s geometry and urban character, with a network of through-site links and intimate public spaces activating the streetscape.

"Castlereagh Place is a city-making project of significant scale and ambition," said Richard Francis-Jones, Design Director at fjcstudio.

"It will create a rich urban complex of public open spaces, landscaped gardens, and vibrant laneways. Defining these new public spaces and the important streetscape of Castlereagh Street is a sequence of fine-grained, diverse retail and hotel architecture designed in collaboration with Aileen Sage, Polly Harbison Design and Trias.

“Rising above the tree-lined, human-scale streetscape are two slender residential towers that will transform the city skyline and look towards the Harbour, Hyde Park, and the Royal Botanic Garden.”

Demolition and early construction works have commenced onsite at Castlereagh Place.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134477]

Billbergia, Metrics, approved for $3.5 billion Sydney skyscrapers

International developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/spg-land">SPG Land</a> is preparing to re-launch its long-awaited $1.5 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/paradiso-place-surfers-paradise-103-ferny-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Paradiso Place</a> development at Budds Beach, bringing a new price point to the Surfers Paradise apartment market.

The developer will release one-bedroom apartments from $825,000 and two-bedroom apartments from $1.24 million in the three-tower development.

According to Urbis, the starting price for the two-bedroom apartments is more than $400,000 below the weighted average sale price for comparable two-bedroom apartments in Surfers Paradise during 2025, which was pinned at $1.7 million.

&nbsp;

Urbis reported quarterly average sale prices for new two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments ranged from around $1.2 million to $1.7 million throughout 2025, peaking in the December quarter.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=185853]

Paradiso Place is now moving into its formal sales campaign, with a limited early-release opportunity available ahead of the public launch.

The development will comprise 845 apartments across three towers rising 40, 41 and 44 storeys from a 1.15-hectare site spanning an entire city block. The towers will sit above a new retail precinct.

"Paradiso Place represents a rare opportunity in today's market, offering premium apartments at a price point that is significantly more competitive than anything else currently available," SPG Land Sales Director Brad McMahon said.

"When you look at comparable new developments across Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and the Southern Beaches precinct, buyers are typically paying hundreds of thousands more for a similar product.

"The scale of this project and the developer-builder construction model allows us to unlock efficiencies that smaller developments simply cannot achieve. We are passing those benefits directly to buyers, while still delivering a five-star residential experience with an unmatched lifestyle."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=374280]

Each of the three towers designed by Rothelowman will have its own podium, connected by an elevated skybridge network to create a beachside village for residents. The resident amenity has been designed to rival a five-star hotel, with private dining rooms, resident lounges and entertainment spaces.

McMahon said the pricing strategy was a deliberate response to the current market.

"What Paradiso Place offers is a unique balance, genuine value within a premium market. Buyers are not compromising on quality, design or amenity, they are gaining access to it at a more competitive price point at a time when prices across the Gold Coast continue to reach new highs."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=362498]

Located around 100 metres from the beach and within walking distance of the Surfers Paradise North light rail station, Paradiso Place occupies one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held beachfront precincts.

Construction is continuing to progress, with eight of the project's 112 foundation piles now complete. Excavation has also commenced on the first diaphragm wall panel, with the first concrete poured on 15 June, marking a key milestone in the project's early works program.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=106566]

SPG Land launches $1.5 billion Paradiso Place at attractive price point

Luxury developer-builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lowe-living">Lowe Living</a> has achieved a new Victorian benchmark for an off-the-plan apartment, with the sale of two penthouses at its ultra-exclusive Maison Savoy development in Brighton.

The two penthouses achieved a combined sale rate of $49,926 per sqm. Both transactions eclipsed the previous identified Victorian off-the-plan price-per-square-metre benchmark, set by the 449 sqm apartment at Como Toorak, which sold at $46,659 per sqm.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140818 project_image_fid=366473]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/maison-savoy-brighton-150-esplanade-brighton-vic-3186">Maison Savoy</a>, Lowe Living's redevelopment of the former Brighton Savoy Hotel on absolute beachfront land at 150 The Esplanade, Brighton, has gained significant momentum since launching just eight weeks ago. Around 30 per cent of the project's 19 residences have already been secured, generating approximately $45 million in sales.

"Securing two of the three penthouse sales at this stage, within eight weeks of launching to market speaks to the confidence our clients place in Lowe Living," Lowe Living co-founder Emma Lowe said.

"They know we'll be with them through every stage of the journey, and that assurance is something we've worked hard to earn and never take for granted."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140818 project_image_fid=366474]

Lowe said Maison Savoy was conceived as a genuine alternative to a prestige Brighton home, combining house-scale proportions with the convenience, security and lock-up-and-leave appeal of apartment living.

Lowe Living co-founder Tim Lowe said the early sales success demonstrated the resilience of Melbourne's prestige market and highlighted the growing demand for house-sized apartments among ultra-high-net-worth buyers.

"The Melbourne market has definitely been tested in recent years, with interest rates and global economic factors all creating a period of uncertainty across the real estate sector. The sales success at Maison Savoy however demonstrates that confidence remains exceptionally strong at the top end of the market.

"The prestige market is being driven by long-term lifestyle decisions rather than short-term market sentiment, which continues to create a level of certainty that befits an absolute beachfront property in a blue-chip location like Brighton.

"Brighton's fundamentals remain among the strongest in Melbourne, with limited new supply, enduring demand from an overwhelmingly local owner-occupier market, and a rare combination of beachfront amenity and proximity to the CBD."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140818 project_image_fid=374378]

According to Cotality, Brighton remains one of Melbourne's most tightly held prestige suburbs, with an average ownership tenure of 15.3 years for houses and 12.3 years for units, while more than 73 per cent of homes are owner-occupied.

Tim Lowe said selling two of the project's three penthouses so early in the campaign was an uncommon result.

"This sales result is a reflection of quality and understanding the local market. It's incredibly rare to transact the penthouses so early in a sales campaign in any project so to have sold two of the three penthouses at Maison Savoy so soon after launch, all in-house without any external sales agency appointed, is reflective of our careful consideration of our buyers' needs and lifestyle.

"This is knowledge that is accumulated not just from data and demographic analysis, but via a deeply embedded understanding of how this type of buyer wants to live and feel in their home. We pride ourselves on getting to know our clients personally, and over the last 10 years we have been able to refine our product offering by talking one-on-one with our clients about their design and floorplan preferences.

"Being a fully integrated developer-builder with an in-house design and sales team allows us to lead every part of the process and ensure the highest quality of product and service at every touchpoint. It's a really important part of our DNA and the recent sales success at Maison Savoy indicates that our clients and purchasers are resonating with this point of difference.

"It reinforces that demand remains strong for thoughtfully designed residences that offer rarity, lifestyle and long-term value in tightly held locations, which ultimately validates Maison Savoy's positioning as creating a new benchmark for house-scale, wellness-led apartment living on Brighton's beachfront."

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140818 project_image_fid=366480]

The residences at Maison Savoy start from 295 sqm, with most enjoying uninterrupted views across Port Phillip Bay. The project sits moments from the Brighton Bathing Boxes, Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Middle Brighton Baths and Church Street's retail and dining precinct.

A key feature of the development is its private residents-only bathhouse, curated by the founder of Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse and modelled on traditional European bathing rituals and the award-winning Sorrento bathhouse.

The wellness offering includes a hydrotherapy pool, salt room, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool, foot activation zone and a Vichy rainfall bed, one of only a handful in Australia. Residents will also have access to a Technogym studio, lounge spaces and a dedicated concierge service offering everything from morning coffee delivery and restaurant bookings to dry cleaning and home coordination.

"Wellness-led design has become a defining factor for luxury buyers," Emma Lowe said.

"Purchasers increasingly value homes that enhance wellbeing through thoughtful design, private amenity, privacy and liveability."

The penthouse purchasers are now undertaking a bespoke customisation process curated personally by architect Pete Kennon and the Lowe Living team, one of the developer's signature service offerings.

Construction on the $160 million transformation of the former Brighton Savoy Hotel site commenced last month, with completion expected in early 2028. The project has secured funding from NAB alongside development partner Monark.

Just one penthouse remains available, along with a limited number of two and three-bedroom residences starting from $3.75 million.

Lowe Living currently has eight projects on the market across Melbourne and recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, having grown a $1 billion development pipeline alongside a $350 million construction pipeline.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140818]

Lowe Living set new Melbourne off the plan apartment record

Sydney’s property market is known for high prices, competitive bidding, and mounting pressure on first home buyers. But change is on the horizon.

From late 2025, eligible first home buyers in New South Wales will have access to a new federal government initiative aimed at addressing affordability: the Help to Buy Scheme.&nbsp;

<h2>What is the Help to Buy Scheme?</h2>

The program introduces a shared equity model intended to reduce the upfront cost of entering the property market, particularly in high-demand urban areas such as Sydney.

The scheme operates under a shared ownership structure in which the federal government takes an equity stake of up to 40 per cent for new homes, or 30 per cent for existing dwellings. This arrangement allows eligible buyers to significantly reduce their loan size and avoid the added cost of Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).

Under this model, purchasers can enter the property market with as little as a two per cent deposit, well below the traditional 10 to 20 per cent usually required. The government’s contribution is not a loan but a co-ownership stake in the property. As such, there is no interest or rent charged on its portion.

Because the government’s equity combined with the buyer’s deposit typically meets or exceeds the 20 per cent threshold, LMI does not apply. The remaining balance, generally between 60 and 70 per cent of the property’s value, is financed through a standard home loan with a participating lender.

The government's equity in the property remains in place until the buyer chooses to repay it voluntarily or until the property is sold. Buyers can buy back the government’s share over time, in increments of at least five per cent, depending on their financial situation.

There is no fixed repayment timeline, but the amount to be repaid will be based on the property's market value at the time of repayment, not the original purchase price.

<h2>How do you qualify for the&nbsp;Help to Buy Scheme?</h2>

To qualify for the Help to Buy Scheme, applicants must meet the following conditions:

<ul>
	<li>Be an Australian citizen at least 18 years of age.</li>
	<li>Be a first-home buyer who does not currently own property.</li>
	<li>Intend to live in the property as their primary residence.</li>
	<li>Earn less than $100,000 per year for individuals, or $160,000 for couples.</li>
	<li>Purchase a property within the regional price caps, currently $950,000 in Sydney, though this is expected to rise to approximately $1.3 million ahead of the program’s launch.</li>
</ul>

While the Help to Buy Scheme does not solve affordability challenges across the board, it does offer a more accessible pathway for a defined segment of the market, particularly younger buyers with moderate incomes who have been priced out of traditional lending routes.

The scheme is expected to commence in NSW in late 2025, as part of a national rollout.

Under the new model, purchasers can enter the property market with as little as a two per cent deposit, well below the traditional 10 to 20 per cent usually required

Help to Buy Scheme: What first home buyers in NSW need to know

The First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) is a government initiative designed to help eligible first-time home buyers by offering financial assistance towards the purchase or construction of a new home.

While the FHOG is a nationwide program, it is administered separately by each state and territory, meaning the eligibility criteria, grant amounts, and property requirements can vary depending on your location. This means that the amount available and the conditions attached to the grant will differ, so it is important to check the specific guidelines for your state or territory.

It’s important to note that the FHOG is just one of several incentives available to first home buyers. In most states and territories, the grant is not linked to stamp duty exemptions or concessions, with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The FHOG is typically a one-off payment, reducing the overall cost of purchasing or building a new home before any stamp duty concessions are applied.

Below, we provide a breakdown of the First Home Owner Grants available across Australia, outlining the specific details for each state and territory.

<h2>New South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $600,000. For land purchases and owner-builders, the threshold extends to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Benefits: Provides full stamp duty exemption for homes valued up to $800,000, with concessions available for properties up to $1 million.

<h2>Victoria South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Provides a $10,000 grant for first-home buyers purchasing or building new homes valued up to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Benefits: Offers full stamp duty exemption for properties up to $600,000, with concessions available up to $750,000.

<h2>Queensland First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers $30,000 for contracts signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2025. The FHOG applies to new homes valued up to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Concessions: Provides additional concessions for properties valued up to $800,000.

<h2>Western Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

&nbsp;

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $750,000 in the southern regions and up to $1 million in the northern regions.

Stamp Duty Concessions: Available for homes valued up to $600,000 for transactions entered into on or after 9 May 2024.

<h2>Australian Capital Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Replaced by the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, offering full stamp duty concessions for eligible buyers.

<h2>South Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Provides up to $15,000 for new homes, including houses, apartments, and townhouses. As of 6 June 2024, there is no property value cap for eligibility.

Stamp Duty Relief: Available for new homes and vacant land purchases.

<h2>Tasmania First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes and off the plan purchases.

Stamp Duty Exemption: Between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026, first home buyers of established homes valued up to $750,000 receive a full exemption on property transfer duty.

<h2>Northern Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: The Northern Territory provides a $10,000 grant for new homes only. Additional government grants and concessions are available for first home buyers.

Stamp Duty Exemption: The only stamp duty exemption available to property buyers is the House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE).

Eligibility criteria and application processes differ across states. Prospective buyers should refer to their respective state revenue offices for full details on grant availability, conditions, and additional concessions.

Every First Home Owner Grant for new property by state

In the ever-evolving landscape of sustainable architecture and environmentally conscious design, systems and ratings in place can help determine the energy efficiency of residential buildings in Australia.

Australia has multiple building rating systems that evaluate energy efficiency and sustainability in existing and new building designs.

Some systems assess individual building components, while others provide an overall rating for the entire structure.

A rating system ensures that homes are comfortable and energy-efficient, whether you are buying, renovating, or building.

NatHERS (Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme) is a common way for new homes to meet energy efficiency requirements.

As new developments continue to shape the urban environment, understanding NatHERS ratings becomes essential for developers and homeowners. This article delves into the concept of NatHERS ratings, their significance, and how they contribute to creating energy-efficient homes.

<h2>What is NatHERS?</h2>

NatHERS is a national initiative implemented by the Australian government to promote energy efficiency in residential buildings. The scheme aims to provide a standardised method for assessing the thermal performance of homes, considering factors such as insulation, orientation, ventilation, and building materials.&nbsp;

NatHERS ratings are the most common way new homes meet the National Construction Code's (NCC's) minimum energy efficiency requirements.&nbsp;

NatHERS assessments provide thermal and whole-home ratings for new homes, townhouses, and apartments.

The rating helps evaluate the energy performance of buildings, guides homeowners and developers to make informed decisions about the energy efficiency of their properties, and encourages the construction of more sustainable, comfortable, and cost-effective homes.

<h2>How NatHERS Ratings Work</h2>

NatHERS ratings are determined through four accredited software tools (AccuRate, BERS Pro, FirstRate5, HERO) using a calculation engine CSIRO developed to predict building temperature based on various factors.

The tools can model complex effects of building mass, insulation, window size, and other elements.

The outcome is a star rating that reflects the building's overall thermal efficiency, indicating how well it can maintain a comfortable indoor temperature without excessive reliance on heating or cooling systems.

The star rating scale ranges from 0 to 10, with a 6-star rating being the minimum requirement for compliance with the National Construction Code (NCC).&nbsp;

Achieving a higher star rating demonstrates a commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability, as the building is better equipped to minimise its environmental impact and reduce long-term energy costs.

Anyone can use NatHERS tools, but accredited assessors can provide certified ratings and professional advice.

<h2>Benefits of Higher NatHERS Ratings</h2>

Energy Efficiency: Buildings with higher NatHERS ratings are more energy-efficient, requiring less heating and cooling energy. This reduces the structure's carbon footprint and lowers occupants' energy bills.

Cost Savings: Homes with higher NatHERS ratings are generally more energy-efficient, resulting in reduced energy consumption for heating and cooling. This translates to lower energy bills for homeowners, making sustainable living environmentally friendly and economically viable in the long run.

Environmental Impact: Lower energy consumption directly translates to a reduced environmental impact. Buildings with higher NatHERS ratings contribute to the overall goal of mitigating climate change by lowering greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating and cooling systems.

Improved Comfort: Buildings with high NatHERS ratings offer better thermal comfort to occupants. Proper insulation, well-designed ventilation, and optimal orientation maintain a consistent and comfortable indoor temperature, providing occupants with a more enjoyable and healthier space.

Market Value and Desirability: Higher NatHERS ratings can enhance the market value of a property. As energy efficiency becomes a more significant consideration for homebuyers, a well-rated building may attract a premium price and stand out in the real estate market.

Compliance with Building Codes: NatHERS ratings are a vital component of the National Construction Code (NCC), and compliance with these ratings is often a mandatory requirement for new developments. Local councils and planning authorities may set minimum energy efficiency standards that must be met to obtain development approval.

The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) is a crucial initiative shaping the future of energy-efficient, resilient, and cost-effective homes. With its recent upgrades, NatHERS has evolved into a world-leading tool for the building sector, supporting the global commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Staff Writer

What is a NatHERS rating in new off the plan apartment developments?

Mixed-use developments have gained significant popularity across Australia in recent years due to their unique blend of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.

Unlike traditional single-purpose developments, mixed-use projects offer a harmonious integration of various functions within a single locale.

Residential units seamlessly coexist with commercial establishments, retail outlets, dining venues, entertainment hubs, and recreational facilities, with the combination not only enhances convenience but also fosters a vibrant lifestyle and a sense of community.

<h3>Convenience and accessibility</h3>

Mixed-use developments are designed with convenience in mind. They often integrate residential units with commercial spaces, retail outlets, restaurants, and recreational facilities, creating a self-contained community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114215 project_image_fid=204874]

The proximity allows residents to enjoy the convenience of having essential amenities and services within walking distance. Whether it's grabbing a cup of coffee, going grocery shopping, or accessing healthcare services, everything is conveniently located, saving residents time and effort.

<h3>Vibrant lifestyle and community</h3>

One of the major advantages of mixed-use developments is the vibrant lifestyle they offer. With a diverse range of amenities and communal spaces, residents have ample opportunities to interact, socialise, and build a sense of community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=107714 project_image_fid=214122]

The presence of parks, community centres, and shared spaces fosters a lively atmosphere, encouraging residents to engage in various activities and events. The vibrant lifestyle within these developments creates a unique sense of belonging and camaraderie among the residents.

<h3>Potential for higher rental yields and property value appreciation</h3>

Mixed-use developments tend to attract a broad range of tenants and buyers due to their versatile nature. This high demand can result in higher rental yields for investors and potentially lead to property value appreciation over time.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139989 project_image_fid=212887]

The integration of commercial and retail spaces attracts businesses, which can provide a stable rental income stream. Additionally, the popularity of mixed-use developments often drives up property values, making them a potentially lucrative investment in the long term.

<h3>Enhanced security and maintenance</h3>

Mixed-use developments typically have comprehensive security measures in place. With controlled access points, CCTV surveillance, and professional security staff, residents can enjoy enhanced safety and peace of mind.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108019 project_image_fid=212658]

Additionally, these developments often have dedicated maintenance teams responsible for the upkeep of common areas, landscaping, and infrastructure. This ensures that the overall appearance and functionality of the development are well-maintained, creating a pleasant living environment for residents.

<h3>Live-work-play balance</h3>

One of the key attractions of mixed-use developments is the ability to achieve a desirable live-work-play balance. The integration of residential and commercial spaces allows residents to live closer to their workplaces, reducing commuting time and improving work-life balance.

The proximity to various amenities and recreational facilities encourages an active and healthy lifestyle. Residents can easily access fitness centres, parks, restaurants, and entertainment options, all within the same development, leading to a more fulfilling and convenient way of life.

alisonwarters@gmail.com

The top five reasons to buy in a mixed-use development

When buying a property, everyone needs to be aware of the additional costs that come as part of the buying process.

Often the largest outlay, after the deposit which goes to the bank, is stamp duty.

<h2 style="line-height: 1.38;">What is Stamp Duty?</h2>

Stamp duty is an extra tax to pay the government when you buy land, a property, and other certain assets.

It happens when the legal ownership is transferred. It can also be known as property transfer duty or transfer duty.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="415" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C32BWkB5--c" title="YouTube video player" width="660"></iframe>

<h2>Who pays Stamp Duty?</h2>

In some circumstances, you may get an exemption. For some states, you won’t have to pay for stamp duty if you are a first home buyer or a pensioner for houses under a particular price. There are also stamp duty concessions, where you may be entitled to a discount.

<h2>How much does Stamp Duty cost?</h2>

Each state has different rules which affect how much you need to pay. These rules can affect the rate you pay, and the timeframe you will need to pay in. Before you buy land or a property, make sure you check the up-to-date information for your state’s stamp duty.

You can use a free stamp duty calculator online to see approximately how much you’ll need to pay. Find out if you’re eligible for an exemption by enquiring on a project via Urban!

Overall, the stamp duty you need to pay will depend on:

<ul>
	<li aria-level="1">How much your land/property is worth</li>
	<li aria-level="1">Where your land/property is located</li>
	<li aria-level="1">What type of land/property it is</li>
</ul>

Want to find out more? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@UrbanAustralia?utm_source=YouTube&amp;utm_medium=Video&amp;utm_campaign=Subscribe&amp;utm_id=Subscribe">Subscribe to our YouTube channel</a> for more property videos.

Ellen Walker

Off-the-plan property explained: What is stamp duty?

<html><body>
Properties in the tightly held suburb of Ivanhoe, in Melbourne’s north east, have been trading hands more frequently of late, according to Jellis Craig’s Annual Property Review.
“While the market may have been more subdued at the end of 2011, median house prices in Banyule have generally defied the trend of a softening market.
“Suburbs such as Ivanhoe, which traditionally have a low turnover, where homes are often held by families for a generation, have enjoyed a 21% increase from December 2009 to December 2011 and more than doubled over the last five years,” says Jellis Craig Ivanhoe director Dave Oster.
“Last year we offered a superb family home in Ivanhoe East which exemplified all the fine features that are increasingly attracting buyers to the area at the higher end. This impressive home in Robinhood Road had a large block with a swimming pool and tennis court and was marketed over several months to achieve a $3.15 million result. The delighted buyer not only acquired a remarkable house but one in which they recognised the long term potential for capital growth.”
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/banyulecomment1.jpg"><img src="/images/stories/banyulecomment1thumb.jpg"></a>
Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jelliscraig.com.au/">Jellis Craig</a> Annual Property Review
He says sales have slowed in the first few months of 2012 in the area but expects volumes to rebound moving into the Easter period.
“Moving into 2012 we have seen the number of properties on offer slightly decline but increased numbers through the open for inspections have perceptibly increased in comparison to late last year,” says Oster.
“We have also received some solid pre-auction offers over the January/February period, which we anticipate will convert to improved clearance rate levels this side of Easter.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/banyulecomment2.jpg"><img src="/images/stories/banyulecomment2thumb.jpg"></a>
Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jelliscraig.com.au/">Jellis Craig</a> Annual Property Review
“The more active buyers are those in the market for properties either side of $1 million. Properties located close to train stations and schools are attracting very healthy numbers at viewings, while those with difficult floor plans or not within easy access to public transport are more challenging.
“We will start to see solid listings in the coming months with an even mix of top end properties in Ivanhoe and Eaglemont and more affordable family homes on large blocks in neighbouring Rosanna and MacLeod.”
 
 
</body></html>

cknowlton-QnEa6ntUYP

Sales in tightly held Melbourne suburb of Ivanhoe up 21% in past two years: Jellis Craig

<html><body>
Kate Aujard from Pulse Pharmacies has snapily sold her imposing Hawthorn residence.
With a tennis court in its 2,800-square-metre grounds, the five-bedroom, four-bathroom English-style house is set on Scotch Hill. It last traded at $9.1 million in 2007 when bought from head hunter David Dick and wife Sandra, so it represented a good test of Melbourne’s prestige market.
Tim Picken and Scott Patterson at Kay and Burton haven’t revealed the sale price, but Title Tattle reckons its likely to have sold at around the realistic quote price of $8 million in quick time – within two days of offers being due earlier this month.
 
 
 
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Fading price pulse in Hawthorn prestige market as Kate Aujard sells at a loss: Title Tattle

<html><body>
The historic gothic 1914 Mount Martha mansion Glynt Manor, briefly known as Demetri’s Castle, has been sold to the prominent Zampelis restaurateur family.
But the Zampelis family, who’ve operated more than 70 hospitality venues in Victoria since the late 1980s, including Cafe Greco, The Long Room, Lotus, Silk Road and Waterfront at Crown, have decided to lease out the property.
The Zampelis family snapped up the property for $3,399,000 – <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/demetri-s-castle-sells-for-%24900000-loss-not-including-televised-labour-of-love/2011111352335">which represented a $900,000 loss</a> in three years by the Commonwealth Bank in a mortgagee sale.
It had been initially listed by the vendors, hair and make-up artists Demetri and Lila Sideropoulos, at $6.5 million in 2010.
The nine-bedroom, eight-bathroom mansion was bought by the Greek couple in 2008 for $4.3 million from Michael Puttock and Diana Carr.
They then thoroughly renovated it into a family home and bed-and-breakfast on the SBS documentary Demetri’s Castle, a name that’s been abandoned by the new owners.
It sits on about 8,000 square metres, with views of Port Phillip Bay and the Melbourne lights in the distance. It was designed by Harold Desbrowe Annear as a single-storey farmhouse for the Henty family, descendants of Victoria's first European settlers.
It bears a similarity to another of his designs, Delgany at Portsea. Its later owners included the Buxton family from 1917 to 1983 when the then 31-hectare property featured sweeping lawns, orchards and farmlands that ran right to the edge of the bay.
In 1969 the family subdivided the property but retained the manor and two hectares of beautiful English- and French-inspired gardens.
In 1983 the property was sold to new owners, who restored the grand old manor and ran it as a tourism resort, naming it "Glynt By The Sea". It was again run as a bed-and-breakfast from the mid-1990s by the adventure travel pioneer Bill King.
Mark Callan and William Gilchrist bought the property in 1997 and commissioned Yarraville architect Hugh Basset to undertake some interior redesigns while the home's former gardener, Bob Barker, who started work at Glynt in the late 1920s, returned to restore the gardens.
The duo sold the property in 2000 for $2.35 million.
Last year the Sideropouloses indicated they were selling so they could pursue opportunities overseas, saying they didn't get attached to things. Geoff Smith from LJ Hooker Frankston sold last November, some four weeks after its scheduled October auction, and now has it up for rent.
ASIC documents indicate Smith was taking instructions from administrators of the holding company Mt Martha Landmark Pty Ltd.
The Zampelis Group owns seven restaurants/bars/cafes in the Melbourne area serving over 15,000 customers a week. Earlier this month The Age reported that Crown Casino faces a multimillion-dollar damages payout after Victoria's appeals tribunal found it breached a verbal agreement with Nick Zampelis to renew leases for his former riverside eateries.
The decision by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard Zampelis claimed former Crown owner Lloyd Williams and his two sons, Nick and John, told him the lease for the two venues,  Cafe Greco and Waterfront, would be extended by at least five years.
Despite denials by Lloyd Williams, his sons and Crown management, VCAT senior member Alan Vassie decided a ''collateral contract'' did exist and ordered for damages to be determined by an independent assessor. A Crown spokesman Gary O'Neill told Fairfax Media it would appeal the decision.
 
 
 
 
 
</body></html>

Zampelis family regain a crown with purchase of Mt Martha castle Glynt Manor

<html><body>
Period flats and houses close to Melbourne “villages” such as Elwood, Kensington, South Yarra, Prahran and Richmond Hill offer great investment potential, according to Greville Pabst, chief executive of property valuation and advisory firm WBP Property Group.
Speaking at the WBP Melbourne Property Outlook breakfast, Pabst said Melbourne had been built on villages and that being able to walk to the village to get a coffee was very important when looking at a potential property investment.
He says that “1960s and 1970s flats in low density are going to perform well. The high rises will struggle to perform”.
“In suburbs like Elwood, Prahran and South Yarra we are starting to get some really good results such as a two-bedroom 1960s flat in South Yarra that sold at auction recently with two strong bidders for $713,000.”
Pabst says he is also seeing competition for good-quality one-bedroom flats in East Hawthorn and South Yarra with prices approaching $500,000.
WBP is forecasting growth of between 2% and 6% for established houses and units within 10 kilometres of the Melbourne CBD in 2012.
However, the outlook for modern units in places like Docklands is poor, with WBP forecasting no price growth in 2012 and a potential drop of 5%.
“Investments must have high land value and an element of scarcity. Owning one apartment out of 200 in Docklands has no scarcity value,” Pabst says.
“You also have to think about the underlying land value,” he adds.
WBP Housing performance predictions for 2012
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1" style="width: 470px;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="262">
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="148">
Lower Limit
</td>
<td valign="top" width="205">
Upper Limit
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="262">
Modern units / apartments (legitimate resales)
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="148">
-5%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="205">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="262">
Established units/apartments 
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="148">
+2%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="205">
+6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="262">
Prestige market ($3.5m +)
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="148">
-5%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="205">
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="262">
Prestige market ($2m - $3.5m)
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="148">
-4%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="205">
+2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="262">
Established houses: 10km of CBD (under $2m)
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="148">
+2%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="205">
+6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="262">
Established houses : 11 – 20km of CBD (under $2m)
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="148">
0%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="205">
5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="262">
Holiday / leisure market 
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="148">
-10%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="205">
-5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="262">
Mortgage-belt (under $500k)
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="148">
-2%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="205">
3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="262">
Development sites 
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="148">
-5%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="205">
0%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
Pabst provided examples of actual sales to show the merits of investing in period properties within villages instead of cookie-cutter units in suburbs with less history.
WBP advised on the sale of a 1960s two-bedroom flat in this block (below) on Tennyson Street in Elwood.
The flat <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-elwood-107372208">sold for $632,000 in May 2011</a>, having previously sold for $475,000 in 2008, equating to annual growth of nearly 10%.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/pabst1.jpg">
The flat is close to the St Kilda Botanical Gardens among a “leafy streetscape” and is within walking distance of the St Kilda shopping strip that begins at the intersection of Barclay and Acland streets.
Pabst contrasted this with a flat on NewQuay Promenade in Docklands, which sold for $540,000 in 2010 having  been purchased for $495,000 in 2005 – annual growth of just 2%.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/pabst2.jpg">
“You’re better off putting your money in the bank,” he says.
Furthermore, Pabst says the higher corporate ownership costs on this particurlar unit made it unviable as an investment
In October 2009, WBP advised on the sale of this three-bedroom Edwardian two-storey home. It sold for $780,000 having previously sold for $270,000 in 1998, representing annual growth of 10.12%
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/pabst3.jpg">
Pabst contrasted this with the 2012 sale of this three-bedroom house in Derrimut (pictured below), for which WBP acted as vendor’s advocate. The property was bought for $330,000 in 2004 and sold for $335,000, representing annual growth of 0.2% over eight years.
“She (the vendor) could have bought a flat in South Yarra that would be triple that value now,” says Pabst.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/pabst4.jpg">
WBP also advised on the sale of a top-floor one-bedroom flat in this low-rise complex in Rowena Parade in Richmond Hill, which looks out of the MCG.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/pabst5.jpg">
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-richmond-107555255" target="_blank">unit sold for $468,500 last year</a>, having previously sold for just $79,500 in 1998, equating to annual growth of nearly 15%.
In contrast, a Docklands apartment in this complex (below) on Bourke Street sold for $422,000 in 2010, having previously sold for $410,000 in 2007. This equates to annual price growth of 0.25%.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/pabst6.jpg">
Pabst says investors need to burrow down not just into the suburb but into street level and even go as far as considering one side of the street versus the other.
“In Richmond, we don’t like to go south of Swan Street because of freeway noise or too far north of Bridge Road because the streets are narrow and as you get closer to Victoria Street you compete with restaurants for parking,” he says.
 
 
</body></html>

lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Hotspots: Villages like Elwood and Richmond better for investors than Docklands: WBP

<html><body>
All 10 of the properties on SQM Research's most discounted properties in Victoria list are in Melbourne suburbs, with no regional Victoria representation.
This is in sharp contrast to the list of the most discounted properties in New South Wales, which features four Central Coast properties and two properties in the Blue Mountains.
The property taking out the eighth spot on the Victorian list is in the new outer-Melbourne suburb of Caroline Springs, where the post office opened just seven years ago. 
"Victoria has been experiencing some extremes in the property market in comparison to other states, with Melbourne's stock on market figures considerably high (currently sitting at 45,423 as of February 2012 – up 19.8% year-on-year) as well as elevated residential vacancy rates (currently sitting at 12,719 vacancies and a vacancy rate of 3.5% as of January 2012)," SQM director Louis Christopher says. 
"These high figures for Melbourne have been previously attributed by SQM Research to the substantial amount of residential property development occurring in the capital city, as well as an overall increase in stock levels nationally over the course of the past year."
1
<a href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/homediscounts/redir.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.realestate.com.au%2Fcgi-bin%2Frsearch%3Fa%3Do%26id%3D7287832" target="_blank">1365 Ballan Road, Wyndham Vale, VIC, 3024</a>
On the market since: May 22, 2010
Initial asking price: $2.4 million
Current asking price: $1.8 million
Reduction: 25%
Days on market: 609
 
 
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"></h2>
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">2</h2>
<a href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/homediscounts/redir.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.domain.com.au%2FPublic%2FPropertyDetails.aspx%3Fadid%3D2009275350" target="_blank">1/67 Ballarat Road, Footscray, VIC, 3011</a>
On the market since: October 9, 2011
Initial asking price: $329,000
Current asking price: $250,000
Reduction: 24%
Days on market: 140
 
3
<a target="_blank" href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/homediscounts/redir.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.domain.com.au%2FPublic%2FPropertyDetails.aspx%3Fadid%3D2009308240">4/69 Denbigh Road, Armadale, VIC, 3143</a> (pictured)
On the market since: October 23, 2011
Initial asking price: $1,175,000
Current asking price: $900,000
Reduction: 23%
Days on market: 105
 
 
4
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"></h2>
<a target="_blank" href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/homediscounts/redir.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.realestate.com.au%2Fcgi-bin%2Frsearch%3Fa%3Do%26id%3D107616668">13 Summit Avenue, Oak Park, VIC, 3046</a> 
On the market since: August 20, 2011
Initial asking price: $670,000
Current asking price: $510,000
Reduction: 24%
Days on market: 189
 
 
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">5</h2>
<a href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/homediscounts/redir.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.domain.com.au%2FPublic%2FPropertyDetails.aspx%3Fadid%3D2009281706" target="_blank">24a Jackson Avenue, Mont Albert North, VIC, 3129</a>
On the market since: October  9, 2011
Initial asking price: $1,56 million
Current asking price: $1.2 million
Reduction: 23%
Days on market: 140
 
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">6</h2>
<a href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/homediscounts/redir.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.domain.com.au%2FPublic%2FPropertyDetails.aspx%3Fadid%3D2009119742" target="_blank">20/234 Warrigal Road, Camberwell, VIC, 3124</a>
On the market since: July 24, 2011
Initial asking price: $180,000
Current asking price: $140,000
Reduction: 22%
Days on market: 182
 
7
<a href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/homediscounts/redir.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.realestate.com.au%2Fcgi-bin%2Frsearch%3Fa%3Do%26id%3D109125461" target="_blank">2/17 Hamilton Road, Bayswater North, VIC, 3153</a>
On the market since: December 31, 2011
Initial asking price: $359,000
Current asking price: $280,000
Reduction: 22%
Days on market: 56
 
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">8</h2>
<a href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/homediscounts/redir.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.domain.com.au%2FPublic%2FPropertyDetails.aspx%3Fadid%3D2009288821" target="_blank">3 Calthorpe Green, Caroline Springs, VIC, 3023</a>
On the market since: October 16, 2011
Initial asking price: $560,000
Current asking price: $440,000
Reduction: 21%
Days on market: 112
 
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"></h2>
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"></h2>
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">9</h2>
<a target="_blank" href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/homediscounts/redir.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.realestate.com.au%2Fcgi-bin%2Frsearch%3Fa%3Do%26id%3D107401737">12 Hotham Street, Cranbourne, VIC, 3977</a>
On the market since: May 14, 2011
Initial asking price: $329,000
Current asking price: $260,000
Reduction: 21%
Days on market: 252
 
 
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">10</h2>
<a target="_blank" href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/homediscounts/redir.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.realestate.com.au%2Fcgi-bin%2Frsearch%3Fa%3Do%26id%3D107415823">89b Bluff Road, Black Rock, VIC, 3193</a>
On the market since: May 21, 2011
Initial asking price: $1.2 million
Current asking price: $950,000
Reduction: 21%
Days on market: 280
 
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"></h2>
 
<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"></h2>
SQM Research also offers a list of the <a target="_blank" title="SQM Research" href="https://www.sqmresearch.com.au/top100bargains.php">Top 100 Biggest Bargains in Australia</a> for sale.
</body></html>

Most discounted properties in Victoria all in Melbourne: SQM

<html><body>
Friesia, an 1888-built Italian Renaissance-designed Hawthorn house and one of Melbourne’s most captivating residences, has been sold.
The single-storey mansion was designed for the German consul William Brahe by architect John August Bernard Koch, who later designed Labassa in North Caulfield.
It’s been bought by Caulfield North couple Valeri and Irma Danilova. He hails originally from Makhachkala in the Russian Federation and resided in Sydney’s North Bondi in the early 1990s. He heads Australia's Quality Sheepskin Pty Ltd, whose core business is to supply raw sheep and lamb skins to tanners and dressers worldwide from its processing plant at Leongatha North in Gippsland.
The Hawthorn house was last traded in 1970 for $49,000 totally derelict – with no electricity, no hot water, no internal toilet, and the sky could be seen through most rooms.
It was listed by Kay &amp; Burton agent Scott Patterson, who <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/hawthorn-house-built-for-19th-century-german-consul-on-the-market/2011101051871" target="_blank">on its listing last November</a> hoped to secure $6.5 million plus.
No sale price has yet been revealed for the property, which was inspired by the works of Filippo Brunelleschi, father of Italian Renaissance architecture in Florence.
From its Corinthian-arcaded entrance, Friesia exhibits the grandeur, glory and grace of Melbourne's magnificent boom period during the 1880s.
It’s been sold by Warwick Forge and his wife, Sue, who have been running the biennial Australian Landscape Conference for 10 years in a bid to bring together creative landscape designers from overseas and Australia.
It is set in the small Isabella Grove enclave near a bend of the Yarra, and a pocket of German high culture was formerly centred on Friesia.
The flow of German immigrants began within 10 years of Melbourne being established in 1835, with vignerons laying the foundations of the Victorian wine industry in the Lilydale and Geelong districts during the 1840s, and many were attracted by gold discoveries in the 1850s.
 
</body></html>

Hawthorn home Friesia, built for German consul, sells

<html><body>
Jellis Craig presents the change in house and unit prices in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Clifton Hill during 2011.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/cliftonhillmap.jpg" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/cliftonhillmapthumb.jpg"></a>
Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jelliscraig.com.au/">Jellis Craig</a> Annual Property Review
Numbers in brackets indicate a decrease
</body></html>

po-LsXgBTHBmX

Annual median dwelling price changes in Clifton Hill in 2011: Jellis Craig

<html><body>
Collingwood’s 2011 Best and Fairest winner, Scott Pendlebury, still hasn’t sold his Newport cottage through Barry Plant Yarraville agent Niels Geraerts. And he’s committed to a $1.3 million Albert Park cottage, which was snapped up post-auction last spring.
His two-bedroom Douglas Parade property – just a stroll to Williamstown’s cafes – <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/magpie-scott-pendlebury-on-the-move-but-not-to-greater-western-sydney-title-tattle/2011110452216">went to late November auction</a> with $780,000 to $840,000 expectations.
Pendlebury bought it for $567,000 in early 2008.
His latest price guide is between $780,000 and $820,000. The house is being advertised with a sale by set date marketing campaign – with a March 29 desired sale date.
<img src="/images/stories/pendlesnew.jpg">
His Albert Park purchase (pictured above) had previously sold at $1.28 million in 2010. The Albert Park cottage came with the former local dairy outbuilding that had been converted to self-contained office.
 
 
</body></html>

Magpie Scott Pendlebury still hasn't sold Newport cottage: Title Tattle

<html><body>
Upgraders will be busy in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Clifton Hill, according to Jellis Craig’s Annual Property Review.
“In 2012 the spotlight will again be on homes in the $900,000 to $1.3 million range as young families look to scale up from smaller single-fronted terraces. We are already seeing increasing numbers of these families at our viewings,” says Craig Shearn, director of Jellis Craig Clifton Hill, in the report.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/cliftonhillcomment1.jpg" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/cliftonhillcomment1thumb.jpg"></a>
Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jelliscraig.com.au/">Jellis Craig</a> Annual Property Review
“Buyers now feel 2012 is the time to move, as should the market move again, the gap between what they own and what they want will only get wider.”
<a href="/images/stories/cliftonhillcomment2.jpg" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/cliftonhillcomment2thumb.jpg"></a>
Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jelliscraig.com.au/">Jellis Craig</a> Annual Property Review
He says that in addition to upgraders, investors are also likely to be more active in the Clifton Hill area in the near future.
“We expect a marginal growth in the inner city in early 2012, with the possibility of an increased growth rate later in the year and into 2013. We also expect to see more investors returning to the market as rental returns in the inner city continue to strengthen.”
 
 
</body></html>

Upgraders on the move in Clifton Hill in 2012: Jellis Craig

<html><body>
News that the Baillieu government is planning to encourage the building of high-rise towers in regional centres of Victoria has sparked concern from mayor of Ballarat as well as the state opposition.
Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy has revealed plans for future high-rise towers and residential hubs, including a proposal for a Docklands-like development in Geelong.
The state government’s planning department has already drawn up proposed maps of where high-density developments could be allowed, with the regional centres of Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong earmarked for development.
Guy told the Herald Sun on Saturday such urban development would turn the CBDs of Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo into “terrific residential hubs where there are more restaurants, where there is more activity and less necessity to drive to work”.
However, the idea of Manhattan-style living in regional Victoria has not been welcomed by Ballarat mayor Mark Harris, who says such plans would not receive any enthusiasm from the Ballarat City Council.
Harris says he has spoken to Guy, who has assured him that Ballarat City Council would have control over its own destiny.
“The minister phoned me on Saturday to reassure that this zoning concept won’t be mandatory for Ballarat or Bendigo,” Harris told The Ballarat Courier.
“While there may be elements of it that we may choose to look at more closely, there is no enthusiasm in this council to look at that sort of zoning as appropriate for Ballarat at all.”
The proposal has also been slammed by opposition spokesman for planning and sustainable growth Brian Tee, who says the Ballarat community should be “very afraid of what is at stake”.
Guy has previously said he would like to increase the size of the Melbourne CBD by five times its current size.
 
 
</body></html>

Latest Victoria Property News

Lowe Living set new Melbourne off the plan apartment record

Editor's Picks

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Latest Victoria Property News

Lowe Living set new Melbourne off the plan apartment record

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News