<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

Australia Post is one of the country’s most trusted institutions, powering one of the largest delivery networks in Australia. As online shopping continues to scale, Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online.

That scale of eCommerce activity has fundamentally changed expectations around how and when parcels arrive, and what happens when someone isn't home.

<h3>Problem solved with Parcel Lockers</h3>

The traditional alternatives to home delivery are far from ideal. Buildings can rely on reception teams to manage deliveries, which introduces ongoing staffing costs and liability concerns. Parcels can be left in common areas, which creates security and aesthetic issues. Or residents are redirected to nearby Post Offices for collection, which shifts the inconvenience rather than solving it.

<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/dVG5ChLHf7E?si=D9hQRGCBuzlSQBqK" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The data behind that frustration is significant. Nationally, around 9 per cent of deliveries are carded, meaning the recipient was not home and must collect the parcel from a Post Office. That figure reflects the national average reported between November 2025 and January 2026. In Melbourne, that figure rises to 20 per cent. In high-density living, it climbs again to 28 per cent. In other words, more than one in four deliveries in Melbourne apartment buildings results in a failed first attempt.

<h3>How Parcel Lockers work</h3>

The mechanics are simple. When a parcel arrives, the resident receives a notification either through the Australia Post app or via SMS. They scan a QR code, use their one-time PIN and the compartment opens. The parcel is secure, accessible and removed from the lobby floor.

Located in thoughtfully chosen, easily accessible areas, including external building interfaces, mixed-use precincts or shared communal zones, Parcel Lockers enhance convenience without requiring internal building access or additional operational oversight.

<h3>The scale of the network</h3>

This expansion represents Australia Post's largest investment in parcel infrastructure to date, building on momentum that began in 2011 when the first 24 Parcel Locker sites were introduced.

Today the Australia Post Parcel Locker network spans over 1,400 locations and more than 105,000 individual compartments, with major investment already underway to significantly expand the network further.

<h3>What it means for developers and building operators</h3>

A Parcel Locker bank is free to install and free for residents to use. That removes one of the primary barriers to adoption and shifts the conversation from cost to integration.

Australia Post's preference is to engage with developers during the design phase. That allows Parcel Lockers to be located in a considered, publicly accessible space that works for residents and the broader community. Retrofit is possible, and existing buildings can be assessed, but the strongest results occur when Parcel Lockers are treated as part of the core services plan rather than a bolt-on solution.

While the iconic Australia Post red is widely recognised, Parcel Lockers can also be delivered in more muted palettes such as beige or green to align with architectural intent.

For developers, they offer a tech-forward amenity that meets modern expectations, a reduction in courier congestion and building-management load supporting lower emissions and better ESG outcomes, and a meaningful marketability advantage in high-density, eCommerce-active areas, all at no cost for installation and maintenance, with Australia Post funding the program aside from power access.

<h3>Who's using them</h3>

Generational shopping behaviours show strong, sustained growth across all cohorts. Millennials (27–43) led online spend in 2024, contributing nearly $25 billion. Baby Boomers (60–78) increased their online spend by 17.6 per cent, becoming the fastest-growing adopters. Gen Z (13–26) and Gen X (44–59) continue to lean on delivery services as part of their everyday shopping habits.

Internationally, uptake is even more pronounced. Overseas markets are seeing rapid adoption by both developers and consumers, positioning Parcel Lockers as standard infrastructure in many new residential projects. For Melbourne's development community, this signals a shift in baseline expectations. Just as secure bike storage and dedicated parcel rooms have become more common, integrated Parcel Locker networks may soon be viewed as part of the essential service mix.

<h3>The bigger picture</h3>

Parcel Lockers aren't just a logistics fix. Developers invest heavily in lobby design, materials, lighting and landscaping to shape first impressions. Yet a stack of unattended parcels can undo that effort in an instant. Embedding parcel infrastructure early allows projects to respond to how people actually live today, supporting resident satisfaction, reducing operational strain and aligning with broader community and ESG outcomes.

As Belinda Quinn, Senior Transaction Manager – Retail &amp; Out of Home at Australia Post, puts it, residents increasingly expect delivery solutions that align with real life, are flexible, secure and available whenever they need them.

How Australia Post is solving the parcel problem for apartment living

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Western Australia builder Gransden Constructions has won top gongs at the recent HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards, taking out both the Australian Home of the Year and Custom Built Home of the Year Awards.
The winning trophy home, located in the Perth Hills suburb of Bedfordale, is on 20 hectares and built around five areas known as pods, which make up a total of 1000 square metres. 
One of the pods features a 20m heated pool, complete with enough fibre-optic lighting to make the roof look like the Milky Way.
Builder George Allingham told WA Today the owners, retirees Retirees Tena and Terry Wheeler, wanted a house inspired by their combined love of Japanese architecture.
"It's a large house but it doesn't feel particularly large – it nestles into the block. The architect said it 'touches the earth lightly'," he said.
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<a href="https://hia.com.au/aha" target="_blank">HIA-CSR Australian Home of the Year</a> is the top accolade with other finalists:
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<li>Metricon HomesSouth Australia
</li>
<li>Planbuild Homes Queensland
</li>
<li>Stonehaven HomesVictoria
</li>
<li>Spacemaker Home Extensions Victoria
</li>
<li>BCG Constructions Pty LtdVictoria 
</li>
<li>Giorgi Exclusive Homes Western Australia
</li>
</ul>
The project also won the award for the Australian Custom Built Home of the Year, partnered by Stramit Building Products. 
The judges were impressed with the execution of the build and the material combination, and described this home as an exemplary masterpiece. 
<a href="https://www.gransden.com.au/-Company-" target="_blank">Gransden Construction</a> services the $1 million-plus market in new homes and the $850,000-plus market in home additions or renovations.
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Architect Suzanne Hunt says her favourite feature of the home was the tranquillity, light and connection to the landscape.
 
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The orientation of the house on the east-west long axis makes the most of natural weather conditions, including solar gain, natural light and the capturing of prevailing breezes.
 High-level remote-controlled windows, sliding glass doors, and louvred and sashless windows ensure cross-flow ventilation. 
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

WA builders Gransden Construction win HIA-CSR Australian Home of the Year

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A Malaysian billionaire royal, Sultan Ibrahim Ismail of Johor has spent $8.5 million on the former Dalkeith Sunset ­Hospial matron’s house, sparking speculation he plans a grand home overlooking the Swan River.

Heritage Minister Albert Jacob said the sale of the house, located on a 1,993sqm lot on Iris Avenue in Dalkeith was a major step forward in establishing the Sunset project and an important move for WA’s heritage.

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-dalkeith-118606595" target="_blank">The 16 Iris Avenue property</a> was marketed as a one-off opportunity to purchase a large residential block overlooking the Swan River with a 49 metre long riverfront reserve location.

Tenders closed in October 2014 after the Sunset Reserve Transformation Act 2014 was passed by State Parliament in April last year. It was listed through T.M. Residential agent Tonia McNeilly with transfer in March this year by the Ministry for Works.

The larger site was home to the former Claremont Old Men's Home built in 1906 for aged care and accommodation, at one stage housing as many as 750 men.

Its name was changed to the Sunset Hospital in 1943.

Sultan Ibrahim is married to Her Royal Highness Raja ­Zarith Sofiah and they have six children.
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The undeveloped ­riverfront 1993 square metre site was sold by the State Government who had previous plans to develop luxury apartments across the larger site.

The matron’s house — a 1950s brick home with no heritage listing — was referred to in Robert Drewe’s memoir, The Shark Net.

Sale funds will be directed towards urgent conservation works to the nearby Sunset heritage buildings.

<h2>WA homes now selling:</h2>

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=7836]

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7854]
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Billionaire Sultan spends $8.5 million on Swan River, Perth trophy home site

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SQM's top ten nationwide most discounted properties list this week included a South Australia property making its debut.
Set on 6,480sqm, it is a six bedroom, three bathroom, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.allhomes.com.au/ah/sa/sale-residential/27-stone-street-panorama-southern-adelaide/1316954932011" target="_blank">red double brick 1971 home</a>. Last sold in 1989, it was designed by Adelaide Architect Deane Treloar for the Coxon family.
SQM advised the bushland property has been on the market since late last year and has since then been reduced a total $415,000 from the $1.39 million initially sought by the vendor who dropped the price just below the million dollar mark earlier this year. 
"This property is no doubt a bargain and offers plenty of value to buyers interested in the area or searching for the perfect holiday home," SQM's Louis Christopher said. 
<img src="/images/2015/05/21/700_sqm.jpg" alt="">
 
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South Australia "holiday home bargain" on top 10 most discounted offerings across Australia

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The Sydney contestants in the latest House Rules live in the Mount Druitt district.
<a href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/steve-and-tiana/#page1">The father and daughter team Steve and Tiana Falzon</a> have their 1960s brick three-bedroom house up for transformation.
<img src="/images/2015/05/20/700_steve_tiana.jpg" alt="">
Steve Falzon bought the Shalvey house for $130,000 23 years ago. 
His wife Danielle died 19 years ago, leaving him, then 28, to raise Tiana and son Andrew.
Being a single dad, there was no extra money to do work on the house. He has a $250,000 mortgage that would be wiped if they win the Johanna Griggs' hosted series on Channel 7.
He lives in the house with his new partner, Deanne and their son, Rory, 6.
Steve, a metal fabricator, admits to feeling embarrassed by the state of his home.
"I would like to feel proud of this house again. It's been a long-time dream to have this house renovated. And to have my mortgage paid off would be mind-blowing."
Tiana, a childcare director, now lives 20 minutes away with new husband Dean.
Shalvey is located 48 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, <a href="/news">with a $362,500 median house price</a>, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
<a href="/news/nsw/the-10-sydney-suburbs-with-the-highest-yields-for-houses-are-within-five-kilometres-of-each-other">In 2012 Shalvey</a>, in Sydney's west, was named last year by RPData as possessing one the city's top 10 for rental yields.
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House Rules $250,000 Shalvey, Sydney contestant mortgage

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The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia has criticised the decision by the State Government to axe the First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) for established homes in this week's state budget, but welcomed the retention of the stamp duty exemption.  
REIWA president David Airey said being exempt from stamp duty for homes under $430,000 was a huge benefit to all first time buyers. 
However first time homebuyers wanting to buy an established property have lost the $3000 First Home Owners Grant.
It comes after the FHOG was reduced for established buyers from<a href="/news/changes-to-wa-fhogs-take-effect"> $7000 to $3000 in 2013</a>.
The FHOG remains unchanged at $10,000 for those wanting to build their first home.
And stamp duty concessions for first home buyers of both new and established homes remain unchanged in this year’s budget.
Treasure Mike Nahan said the change was in line with the State Government’s policy objective of focusing financial support on residential construction.
But cutting the grant for first time buyers purchasing established homes will be a saving of about $109 million for the State Government over four years.
Mr Airey said the government’s argument that the FHOG policy was geared towards providing more housing was flawed, because Perth was currently oversupplied with dwellings.
“Supply is not the issue in WA, affordability is the issue and making it harder for first home buyers attracted to existing stock makes no sense,” he said.
Western Australia’s 2015-16 budget showed a significant write down in expected revenues again, largely due to the greater than expected fall in iron ore and oil prices.
With the state’s spending outlook little changed from the December MYEFO, larger deficits are now expected in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 years.
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WA budget axes FHOG for established homes 

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Writer Craig McGregor and his family have decided to sell their five-acre farm at Tyagarah.
The Byron hinterland holding has an <a href="https://www.byronbayfn.com.au/2081939/" target="_blank">extended 100-year-old farmhouse </a>with five bedrooms, wide timber floors and verandahs.
The grounds have pool, stable, round yard, orchard, flower beds, treehouse, fish pool.
It is set 10 minutes from Byron Bay, Bangalow and Mullumbimby. 
After five years and two books, and another one on Bob Dylan on the way, the family have reluctantly decided times they are a'changing - as they move back to Byron Bay.
The original farmhouse was built in 1904 with views overlooking Koonyum Range, Night Cap Ranges, Mt Jerusalem through to Mt Warning and Mt Chincogan.
There are established fruit trees, lemon grass, veggie gardens, and a huge Moreton Bay Fig Tree 
The First National agents James Young and Tara Torkkola have $1.1 million plus hopes.
It was 2010 when the social commentator and his wife, Jane, sold their Wategos Beach property which had Ian McKay's first Byron Bay architectural commission. 
 
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Writer Craig McGregor lists Byron hinterland farmhouse

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House Rules contestants, Ryan and Marlee's mortgage is $229,000 - paying off what the Adelaide couple dub the ugliest house in South Australia.
Ryan Rebbeck purchased <a href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/houses/ryan-and-marlee/#page1" target="_blank">the house</a> four years ago alone, and works two jobs, garbage collector and paver.
 Marlee Murphy, who works as a travel agent, entered the duo on the show now in its third series.
They have big shoes to fill as the first House Rules winners South Australian team Carly and Leighton took out the top prize of the high rating renovation show, with their $450,000 mortgage wiped clean.
Michelle and Steve from New South Wales were announced runners up in that series. They had wanted their $629,000 mortgage – the biggest mortgage on the show - wiped, but they don’t walk away empty handed with their newly renovated home to be potentially worth $180,000 to $225,000 more.
A $500,000 purchase in Melbourne's Reservoir was behind the 2015 House Rules series contestant couple, Bronik and Corrine's property <a href="/news/bronik-and-corrines-448-000-house-rules-mortgage-1st-generation-home-owners">in Melbourne's northern suburbs.</a> Bronik and Corrine have<a href="/news/bronik-and-corrines-448-000-house-rules-mortgage-1st-generation-home-owners"> a $448,000</a> mortgage which would be wiped if the couple win the 2015 Johanna Grigg's hosted renovation competition.
<img src="/images/2015/05/08/700_adelaide.jpg" alt="" width="570" height="346">
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Ryan and Marlee's $229,000 House Rules Adelaide mortgage

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GUEST OBSERVATION
There has been quite a deal of commentary on the prices achieved for these properties and it’s important to understand why.
Those who know the South Yarra property market know that you cannot buy a 180sqm four level townhouse with double garage and cellar for $8,000/sqm. If you have one, then call us now as we have buyers!
We knew very early on these apartments were unique to South Yarra. There is nothing else on the market currently that compares. To buy under $11,000/sqm (apartment 2), under $12,000 (apartment 3) and under $13,000/sqm (apartment 4 and 1) you are buying very well in this prestigious suburb. This does not not even include the square meterage for the double gargae, cellars and storage!!
Jacobs Buyer Advocates are on record publishing a guide four weeks before the auction that the prices would be between $2m and $2.5m with strong competition, so we were not surprised, and neither were our buyers.
Experienced bidders at The Block auctions know that the bidding is fast. It is not like most Melbourne auctions being held every weekend where you can hear the birds chirping because everyone is ‘waiting for someone else to bid first’.
There are always hopefuls in the crowd wanting a bargain or to promote their company who never bid (year after year) or bid $1,000, not to slow the auction down but to get their faces on television.
The auctioneer for Josh and Charlotte, David Wood of Hocking Stuart is an experienced selling agent and auctioneer who is right when he said “ the properties were sandwiched in style between an apartment and a house, and that was a rarity for the suburb that boosted their appeal.
“The Block apartments brought something really special to the marketplace that the South Yarra market hasn’t seen for some time,” he said.
He went on to say, “I think they are a true representation of their worth in the marketplace today.”
The so-called ‘surprised buyers’ that were squeezed out of the market on the night would not have had this opinion had they read our free comprehensive report. We had enquiries at the lower levels however knew from our comparative sales data this would not mean they would be successful on auction night.
A buyer advocate is there to represent their buyers’ best interest. When you know the market facts and can confidently give this knowledge to your buyers they are being represented with integrity and authenticity.
Owner-occupiers are always going to be more emotionally invested when buying a property as opposed to investors who are largely focused on potential for capital growth, possible depreciation and rental return. The return for owner-occupiers who are going to live there for 10 or 20 years is not measured in these terms.
In deciding the value of any property, you first have to look at what the value of the land and the improved value of the property is. In this case, the property was initially purchased for $5.7m. Add stamp duties and legal costs and you’re already at approximately $6m.
Even with a conservative estimate of $300,000 of renovation costs per apartment, plus the $100,000+ of furniture and fittings and that adds another $1.6m to a total of $7.6m. Add a builder’s margin of 10% for holding costs, council, architect and engineering fees, and you’re now at over $8m for the 4 apartments which already values them at over $2m each before a profit is made.
The reserves added up to the cost of buying the property plus stamp duties and the owner (in this case Watercress Productions) decided that any profits, including renovation costs made thereafter would be given to the contestants for their effort.
The reserves are relevant only in context of the contestants’ profit. The market (usually two competing buyers) always determines the value of any property. There’s no such thing as above market prices, it just means that the market has moved on or values that specific property highly.
Nicole Jacobs is director of <a href="https://www.jacobsba.com.au/" target="_blank">Jacobs Buyer Advocates</a> and a judge on The Block: Triple Threat.
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The Block apartments were right on target for South Yarra prices: Nicole Jacobs

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Even Hockingstuart Albert Park's David Wood, who auctioned Josh and Charlotte's apartment at The Block Triple Threat finale, was surprised by the results.
"In reality, I think the results were beyond everyone's expectations," Wood told Property Observer. Although he had good reason to believe the sales would go well, based on his winning experience auctioning Steve and Chantelle's Block Fans v Faves apartment in Albert Park, the <a href="/expert-insights/investing/deanne-and-darrens-935-000-block-2015-triple-threat-auction-result-redemption">results last week</a> were particularly spectacular. Josh and Charlotte's townhouse at 1/27 Darling Street in South Yarra sold for $810,000 over reserve at $2.2 million, clearly exceeding the $636,000 winnings amassed by Steve and Chantelle when their apartment sold for $2.47 million.
At the Fans v Faves auction, many speculated that Steve and Chantelle's final place in the auction order played an important role in the result, with demand increasing as supply dwindled.
At the Triple Threat auction, Wood's clients Josh and Charlotte again went last, and had the second highest result (after Deanne and Darren).
"We were the last cab off the rank, so the big thing for us at the end was how many buyers we were able to hold on to, and how many were we going to lose?" said Wood.
He said the buyers could be put in two categories - those who only wanted one apartment, and those who were open minded, so long as they were able to secure one of the four Block properties on offer.
The Block auctions themselves are an unusual experience, says Wood.
"It doesn't follow a regular pattern, in that we know that a lot of people are keen to get the ball rolling and get it started.
"We don't have that situation where we ask for a bid, nothing happens, and then we have to resort to a vendor bid."
One of those who got the ball rolling at the Triple Threat auctions was buyer's agent and Block judge Nicole Jacobs, who placed strong opening bids at each auction. Jacobs "had her finger on the pulse as to where the buyer interest was in the room," said Woods.
"If you know that, it's a good strategy."
The buyer interest this time round seemed to be much stronger than at The Block Glasshouse, where some couples took home as little as $10,000. Wood wasn't involved in the The Block Glasshouse, and said the disappointing results in the Prahran auctions may have partially been due to the agents.
"I do think the agents left a few things to chance," said Wood.
"I don't think they were close enough to their buyers. For a start, they didn't have the number of buyers in the room that there was this year.
"But you can't say it was a different market - the market was very strong. It's a matter of the agent really drilling down and getting the buyer front and centre in the room, on the day."
The opportunity to get the buyers in the room is something Wood would welcome at future Block auctions, saying he'd love to be involved again.
"It's a very serious program, and we take real estate very seriously," said Wood.
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Auctioneer David Wood on why The Block Triple Threat went so well, and why the Glasshouse didn't

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Channel 7's renovation reality TV show House Rules begins its latest season tonight.
House Rules and Better Homes and Gardens host Johanna Griggs doesn't just look at good renovations for the screen – she also runs a construction company with her husband, builder Todd Huggins. Griggs tells Property Observer about her top tips for DIY renovators:
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<li>
Ask yourself: How do you want your home to feel? Some people can get distracted by paint swatches, measurements and floor plans. But Griggs says it's important to understand what you want from your renovation before making any major decisions. "A lot of people can look at plans and not have an idea of how it's going to look", said Griggs. Although it may seem obvious, renovators should understand how they want to live in their home. "The first the we ask people is: How do they want their home to feel? "How are they going to use their home?" This includes considering how the house will work when it's full of people, if you intend to entertain. Griggs noted her own teenage boys, and the importance of designing a home where each family member has enough space and privacy. 
</li>
<li>
Think about how your home interacts with outside spaces Don't just get carried away with matching interiors – think about your entire property. "I find that one of the most important things when you design a home," said Griggs. "What do you want to see when you look out the windows, and what do you not want to see?" She encourages renovators and home builders to consider how their home will interact with its site and surrounding environment. 
</li>
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Make a mood board "Most people have a thousands of photos of their kids on their phones," said Griggs. "I have lighting channels and toilet roll holder photos." To help clarify your ideas, Griggs recommends making a moodboard or creating another system to lay out your ideas visually. "I think it's really important that if you love something, you take a photo of it," she said. Cutting out images from magazines and laying them out in front of yourself can help you decide what you like and don't like, says Griggs. For those who prefer the digital route, there are plenty of sites like Instagram or Pinterest where you can collect ideas. The process of mood boarding is particularly useful for those who aren't used to making decisions about interior details, Griggs said.</li>
</ol>
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