<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/smith-by-valli-collingwood-224-228-smith-street-collingwood-vic-3066">Smith Collingwood</a> is a new boutique apartment development bringing a refined, design-led approach to one of Melbourne’s most established inner-city neighbourhoods.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pandolfini-architects">Pandolfini Architects</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/lisa-buxton-interiors">Lisa Buxton</a>, Smith by Valli sits on iconic Smith Street and comprises just 22 residences tailored toward owner-occupiers seeking a more considered style of apartment living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140747 project_image_fid=367540]

The design of Smith focuses on a north-facing orientation across all residences, a relatively uncommon feature in dense inner-Melbourne settings. Each apartment has been planned to maximise natural light and outlook, alongside a material palette defined by warm tones, custom joinery, and a full suite of Gaggenau appliances.

The development comprises a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, with pricing currently ranging from just under $1 million to around $4.85 million for the premium penthouse-level residences, reflecting growing demand for luxury owner-occupier product in Melbourne’s inner urban market.

Residents will also have access to a private rooftop garden designed as an elevated retreat above the city, &nbsp;featuring curated landscaping, veggie boxes, intimate seating areas and spaces for relaxed gatherings. Sustainability has also been integrated into the project through a 7-star energy rating and two secure bicycle facilities for every residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140747 project_image_fid=367529]

Smith by Valli sits in the heart of one of Melbourne’s most established retail and hospitality strips, within walking distance of venues such as Falco Bakery, Carnation Canteen and Alimentari, alongside parks and everyday services. With a Walk Score of 99, the location reinforces the project’s positioning toward buyers prioritising walkability and access over car dependency.

With only a limited number of residences, Smith reflects growing demand for smaller, highly curated apartment developments that prioritise design quality, liveability, and connection to neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140747]

Joel Robinson

Smith by Valli delivers design-led apartments to Melbourne’s inner north

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developers/far-east-consortium">Far East Consortium</a>’s 640 Bourke Street stands as a testament to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">Melbourne</a>’s ability to bridge its storied past with a bold vision for the future.&nbsp;

Rising above the heritage-listed Eliza Tinsley building, the development reflects a broader shift toward adaptive reuse in the city, where historical assets are retained and reinterpreted as part of new residential development.

Designed by <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/640-bourke-street-melbourne-640-bourke-street-melbourne-vic-3000">640 Bourke Street</a> incorporates the Eliza Tinsley building as its foundation, housing a grand gallery and lobby space that serve as both a functional and symbolic centrepiece. The heritage façade informs the tower’s design, creating a connection between Melbourne’s past and its contemporary skyline.

"It's a significant asset and wants to be celebrated and experienced by all residents every single time they go in and out of the building," Rothelowman Principal Stuart Marsland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365684]

Above this historic base, the 68-storey tower will deliver just over 600 residences, a notable reduction from earlier schemes, reflecting a deliberate move toward larger-format apartments and a stronger owner-occupier focus.

Unlike traditional CBD developments that prioritised investor stock, 640 Bourke Street has been repositioned to respond to changing buyer expectations.

"The discussion was all around making 640 Bourke Street the best residence to live in, to be much more focused on the people in the building rather than people looking at the building," Marsland explained.&nbsp;

This shift is evident in the development’s interiors, which emphasise practical luxury with spacious layouts, high ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows framing sweeping views of Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay.&nbsp;

“What it's meant for 640 Bourke is we've actually reduced the number of apartments. We've increased the overall size of the apartments. We don't have any studios in here, and what that does for a project is it elevates it," Lauren Sheldon, Far East Consortium’s Director of Sales and Marketing, said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365687]

Rothelowman Associate Jun Chang added, "We were given the opportunity to be more generous. The apartments became bigger and squarer than any other apartments which had been designed in the CBD before that."&nbsp;

Amenities spanning more than 3,000 sqm across multiple levels further reinforce this focus on resident experience. These include a pool, gym, co-working areas, and a range of hospitality-inspired spaces such as a whisky lounge, library, and private dining rooms, many drawing reference from traditional bathhouses and Melbourne’s laneway culture.

"We wanted to make both the pool and the gym area to be absolutely destinational, and when you traverse across to these spaces, there is a gentle familiarity to the beautiful notions of the hammams and the Roman baths, a gentle nod to history," Chang noted.

At street level, the project contributes to the ongoing transformation of the western CBD, with upgrades to Langs Lane and the introduction of retail, hospitality, and gallery spaces designed to activate the precinct and strengthen its connection to the surrounding city fabric.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365689]

The location places residents within walking distance of Southern Cross Station, Flagstaff Gardens, Queen Victoria Market, and the Docklands waterfront, positioning the development within a rapidly evolving inner-city neighbourhood.

"We believe it's the best site left in the city of Melbourne," Craig Williams, Executive Director at Far East Consortium, said.&nbsp;

640 Bourke Street is Far East Consortium’s 14th building in Melbourne’s western CBD.

"A very elegant designed building. It's going to be a Melbourne statement for many, many years to come."

One-bedroom apartments are priced from around $640,000, with 640 Bourke Street targeting completion in 2029.

Renders shown are Artist's Impressions correct as of May 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=509]

Heritage-led design anchors Far East Consortium’s 640 Bourke St, Melbourne

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD Group</a> has set a new residential price record in Queensland with the $30 million sale of the penthouse at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/one-burleigh-88-the-esplanade-burleigh-heads-qld-4220">ONE Burleigh</a> development in Burleigh Heads.

The sale equates to around $37,500 per sqm.

The two-level, 800 sqm penthouse, featuring five bedrooms, five bathrooms, five car spaces, and a private infinity pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean, was acquired by a Gold Coast-based entrepreneur, highlighting continued demand for ultra-premium beachfront product.

Selling agent Freddie Tehle of PRD Burleigh Heads said the result reflects tightening supply of high-quality, large-format apartments in Burleigh.

“There’s very limited opportunity to secure this level of scale and absolute beachfront position in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/burleigh-heads-qld-4220">Burleigh Heads</a>,” Tehle said.

“Buyers are increasingly seeking apartments that genuinely replace a standalone home, and this penthouse delivers that with its size, privacy, and direct ocean frontage.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323057]

The sale comes as construction progresses on ONE Burleigh, a boutique development of 17 full-floor residences at 88 The Esplanade, scheduled for completion in early 2027.

Developed by MAYD Group and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/mas-architecture-studio">MAS Architecture</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/sici-design">Sici Design</a>, the project has been positioned as a collection of house-sized beachfront apartments, each occupying an entire floor with around 381 sqm of internal and external living space.

When construction commenced, MAYD director Todd Mould pointed to the long-term resilience of premium coastal real estate as a key driver behind the project.

“Real estate, particularly at the premium end, remains one of the most resilient and proven long-term investment avenues,” Mould said.

“Our ambition is that anyone who buys a MAYD-built product can genuinely feel the care, craftsmanship and commitment we bring to every detail.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323055]

Each residence has been configured with four bedrooms, multiple living zones, a private office, and expansive ocean-facing terraces. Interiors draw on a restrained material palette, including travertine stone, timber joinery, and integrated premium appliances.

Interior designer Sici Design said the approach was to reflect the project’s coastal setting through both materiality and spatial planning.

“ONE Burleigh is our vision of luxury living, designed to bring the essence of Burleigh Heads' vibrant coastal beauty into an unparalleled residential experience.”

Residents will have access to a suite of wellness-focused amenities, including pools, sauna facilities, and dedicated relaxation spaces, reflecting a broader shift toward lifestyle-driven apartment design on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323052]

The project occupies a southern Esplanade site with uninterrupted beachfront frontage, an increasingly rare offering in Burleigh Heads, free from the Norfolk Pines that line much of the coastline and often limit direct ocean outlook.

Mould said the design intent was to balance that outlook with a sense of retreat.

“Living at ONE Burleigh is about how your day naturally unfolds, morning light across the ocean, coffee on the balcony, and being in Burleigh but elevated above the noise.”

The result further reinforces Burleigh Heads’ emergence as one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held and supply-constrained beachfront markets, where boutique, owner-occupier-focused developments are increasingly setting new price benchmarks.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146358]

MAYD Group sets Queensland record with $30 million penthouse sale at ONE Burleigh in Burleigh Heads

Apartment developers in the Gold Coast are finding new, creative ways to differentiate themselves from competing projects, as new supply starts to flow through up and down the Coast.

Developer BIG Projects brought in the renowned Sydney-based design studio YSG Studio to craft the interiors for The Frederick, BIG Projects' new Mermaid Beach project and YSG Studio's first move into the multi-residential development space.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5346]

It was a strategic move for BIG Projects to bring in a Sydney eye to the development.

“Our role is to give our design partners the space and freedom to explore,” says Matt Barrett, Director of BIG Projects.

“We wanted YSG Studio to capture the essence of Nobby’s, to design a building that embraces life, light and connection, while creating a genuine sense of place.”

There are only 39 apartments in The Frederick, including a striking beach house, just 100 metres from the booming Nobby Beach precinct.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5347]

Yasmine Ghoniem, Director of YSG Studio, says their vision&nbsp;for The Frederick "reinvents coastal living."

“Nobby’s has such an iconic energy, it’s one of those rare pockets of the Gold Coast where the community, the beach, and the streets all feel connected,” Ghoniem says.

"Responding to the neighbouring coastline, soothing curves add a relaxing regional overlay, while unique detailing really sets it apart. It’s a place that feels lived in from the moment you step inside.”

A standout feature of The Frederick is its rooftop terrace, an uncommon inclusion for a boutique, low-rise building, where amenity is typically concentrated at ground level.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5360]

Positioned to capture panoramic views from the hinterland to the ocean, the rooftop has been designed as a series of intimate zones. It includes a pool, sauna, sun decks, workspaces and dedicated entertaining areas.

“The rooftop was conceived as a collection of spaces where residents can unwind and connect, an extension of the Nobby’s lifestyle,” Barrett says.

Architecture for the project was led by Plus Studio, with landscape design by LDG Landscape Architecture.

SRQ Projects Director Nick Clydsdale, who is handling sales at The Frederick, says the majority of enquiry is coming from South East QLD and Victorian buyers who have been actively searching between Broadbeach and Mermaid Beach for some time.

"They’ve reviewed a number of projects, however this one has stood out for its unique detailing and compelling design,"&nbsp;Clydsdale says.

Site demolition is slated for this month, with construction commencing soon after. BIG Projects is targeting a late 2027 completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=110588]

Sydney’s YSG Studio makes Gold Coast multi-residential debut with BIG Projects at The Frederick

Melbourne-based property developer ALTA Property has this week achieved planning approval for the adaptive re-use of a former commercial tower into a $200 million, 169-apartment project at 10 Queens Road, one of the last developable sites along the Albert Park Lake-fronting boulevard.&nbsp;

Set within one of Melbourne’s most sought-after precincts and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fraser-partners-0">Fraser and Partners</a>, the illustrious building will offer unparalleled views across Albert Park Lake, Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne CBD.&nbsp;

The mix of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom residences will be complemented by a ground-floor amenity featuring private dining, a lounge bar, gym and wellness spaces, co-working, outdoor communal gardens, and retail.&nbsp;

The 17-storey building is a masterclass in adaptive re-use, with the existing commercial building’s façade, shell and internal structure to be retained, before high-end residences are built from the ground up in a newly built Albert Park facing addition to the building.&nbsp;

Sitting atop the building will be two 320+sqm penthouses with private rooftop terraces, which are expected to be priced between $9 - $11 million.&nbsp;

<img alt="ALTA Property achieves permit approval for $200 million Queens Road tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa11211b-5581-43f9-940c-fc84d30a0e61" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/C_04.png?VersionId=Yhf5p_1EgGDu_zOIMFgvA8Ug8j3sTFQs" />

Architecturally, the building will feature a curved, geometric façade that celebrates and elevates the existing structure, with warm, muted tones which were selected to extend the materiality of the existing building rather than contrast it.&nbsp;

Interiors will bring together three metre high ceilings with waffle concrete in some spaces, natural timber, granite and Australian materials, culminating in crafted, generous and considered spaces that are defined by authenticity.&nbsp;

The adaptive re-use means that the Queens Road project will be a sustainability led, high-quality finished product, with a 62% saving in carbon emissions by re-using the existing structure rather than knocking it down and rebuilding.&nbsp;

ALTA Property was launched by Nigel Givoni in 2023, bringing over 25 years of experience in multi level residential delivery.&nbsp;

Melbourne’s property market growth is currently led by apartments. According to RPM VIC Apartments &amp; Townhomes Market Report (April 2026), units are outpacing houses, especially in the middle ring suburbs where median prices hit $757,500 – a four-year high that represents 2.9 percent growth quarter-on-quarter.&nbsp;

<img alt="ALTA Property achieves permit approval for $200 million Queens Road tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="647e13d7-b4bc-433a-9bc9-fe3c3dd4f2ec" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/V_06.png?VersionId=ou4NUCWUgA3NAy.6CQJlEdKX50j3dOk6" />

For ALTA Property Founder Nigel Givoni, this performance speaks to the confidence he has in the Melbourne market.&nbsp;

“Queens Road represents a rare opportunity to continue to shape our presence in the Melbourne market.,"&nbsp;Givoni says.

"With a considered project team and a premier site along one of the city’s most sought-after boulevards, we look forward to contributing to the fabric of this established address.

“Other Australian markets are getting a lot of attention, but I believe the depth of value in Melbourne is being overlooked. The fundamentals are strong, population growth is steady and, based on our preliminary conversations with a leading builder, construction costs are beginning to normalise, creating further opportunity."

Givoni says the project is a&nbsp;highly considered example of adaptive re-use, delivering quality, high-end residences, premium hotel-inspired amenities and an architecturally striking façade, all achieved without the need to remove the existing structure.

"We are really looking forward to the market’s response,” he said.&nbsp;

ALTA Property to deliver $200 million Queens Road apartment tower

Prominent New Zealand apartment and hotel operator, <a href="/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>, is offering up a prime investment opportunity for Australians to purchase off the plan in one of the world’s most popular ski destinations.

They recently took to market Mountain Oak Queenstown Apartments, in the growing precinct of Remarkables Park in Frankton, near the airport and at the foot of The Remarkables - the mountain range the locals like to call “The Remarks”.&nbsp;

Sydney investors have shown interest in the one, two and three-bedroom apartments that secure high-season occupancy six months over the year, primarily over summer and winter months.

They average 90 per cent occupancy across their portfolio over January, February, March, August, November and December, while shoulder season months of April, July, September and October are still occupied 70 per cent of the time, with the growing appeal of Queenstown becoming not just a hotspot for the snow, but a lifestyle destination.

Even in the low seasons of May and June, occupancy levels reach around 40 per cent.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Safari’s Safari Hotels arm can also manage the holiday letting for an investor, from the listing on holiday accommodation websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com to the cleaning and maintenance of the investment. They’ve been in the short stay management business for 15 years and offer 24/7 support for investors, an important convenience benefit for any overseas investor

Another major drawcard for Australians is that New Zealand doesn’t have a stamp duty policy - so the entry price of NZ$639,000 (AU$586,000), is all that is payable on completion.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Livingv2_WEB.jpg?VersionId=nV229fM0ZeYpoxOrX372HyGjfwY_LR8c" />

Safari is starting construction of the 141 apartments in Q2 this year, with a two-year build estimated to complete in mid-to-late 2027.<img alt="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="15" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXczFpFAb7WuA6f4f9TtKWcqXyNwR8qqtakWv352ERkpqNlP3KwIo8YKxw67jZNHfpjEGIZGv5MQTbnvLZwNt8iu9IVdOrswOjCvBZ4zhSoOOLrpt6etVEZTN1gkBho0r_R72zdHNA?key=yq3daOanqHSb88QFd8jGYKdb" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" />​

The apartments will feature modern amenities and contemporary designs with expansive windows capturing sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range.&nbsp;

Interiors are equipped with modern finishes, premium appliances, and secure electronic key-locked doors, ensuring a comfortable living experience for residents and guests alike.

With its strategic location near Coronet Peak and Cardrona Alpine Resort, as well as key retail and dining precincts such as Market Street, Five Mile Shopping Centre, and Remarkables Market, Mountain Oak offers a strong proposition for investors seeking high rental yields and capital appreciation in one of New Zealand’s most sought-after locations.&nbsp;

Queenstown’s sustained demand for visitor accommodation and rental properties is underpinned by a shortage of housing options, attracting both local and international buyers.

Safari Group offers low-touch investment proposition in Queenstown’s popular ski fields district

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Credit growth has been slowing as the housing sector cools in response to tighter lending conditions.
However, in the September quarter, a burst of strength in the business segment provided some temporary respite.
Total credit grew by 0.4% in the month of September, including a 0.35% rise for housing and a 0.6% expansion in business
Annual credit growth is 4.6% currently, moderating from 5.3% a year ago. Housing growth has eased to 5.2% from 6.6% over this period. Business grew by 4.4% over the past year, up a fraction from 4.2% a year earlier. Personal credit continues to contract, down 0.9% in the year to September 2017 and falling by a further 1.5% over the past year.
Business credit remains volatile around a modest uptrend. The September quarter saw a brisk rise of 2.0%, up sharply from gains in the three previous quarters (0.9%, 0.8% and 0.6%). The pace of the past three months is unlikely to be sustained given the current economic and financial backdrop.
On housing, indicators point to a further cooling of conditions. House prices have turned, moving lower following a strong run, and dwelling approvals are down from the 2016 peak and are likely to move lower still after an extended upswing, to bring them more in line with underlying requirements.
Tighter lending conditions and rising funding costs will continue to weigh on the housing sector over coming months - recall that 3 of the 4 major retail banks raised mortgage rates over August and September.
Momentum in housing credit, as measured by 3 month annualised growth, has slowed progressively from a peak of 6.8% in May 2017 to be 4.7% currently.
Tighter lending conditions were largely directed at the investor market. The upshot is a marked slowing in investor credit growth. For the three months to September, investor credit almost stalled, advancing by only 1.4% annualised.
The slowing in the owner-occupier market has been less pronounced - but the trend is lower. The 3 month annualised pace for owner-occupier housing credit is 6.4% currently, a moderation from a peak of 8.7% last July.
Turning to business credit, this is volatile around a modest uptrend, as noted above. Annual growth is 4.4% currently - three months earlier it dipped to 3.2%.
In 2017, the business mood improved, mirroring the global trend. This has translated into an increase in business investment in the real economy by the non-mining sectors.
Currently, business credit growth is undershooting growth in non-mining business investment, the reverse of the experience in recent years, suggesting a greater reliance by businesses on other sources of funding, including retained earnings.
Andrew Hanlan is a Senior Economist for Westpac
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Credit growth slowing as housing sector cools, responding to tighter lending conditions: Andrew Hanlan

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EXPERT OBSERVER
It is hard to find signs of rising inflationary pulse
The September Quarter CPI printed 0.4%qtr, compared to the market median and Westpac’s forecast for 0.5%. At 2 decimal places the rise in the CPI was 0.44%qtr so a sound 0.4% but it was the third consecutive 0.4% print holding the six month annualised pace at 1.6%yr. With base effects, the annual rate has eased back to 1.9%yr compared to 2.1%yr in Q2, 1.9% in Q1 and 2017 Q4 and 1.8%yr in Q3. Inflation continues to bump along just at, or just under, the bottom of the RBA’s target band.
Following the December quarter 2017 CPI we argued that searching for inflation in the Australian economy has been a fruitless as Vladimir and Estragon’s wait for Godot. This has not changed as we are still waiting to see how long this record breaking performance can continue. There were some hints in the September suggesting this scenario has much longer to run.
The average of the core measures, which are seasonally adjusted and exclude extreme moves, rose 0.3%qtr meeting our expectations. In the quarter, the trimmed mean gained 0.37% while the weighted median lifted 0.28%. The annual pace of the average of the core measures printed 1.7%yr, a further deceleration from 1.7%yr in Q2 2018 and 2.0% in Q1.
Incorporating revisions, the six month annualised growth in core inflation is only 1.5%yr which is well below the bottom of the RBA target band and the slowest pace September 2016.
<img src="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/image/bulletin/Justin_Images/Sept_OCt18/sept18CPIchart.JPG" alt="CPI " title="history">
Components of the CPI broadly as expected but some interesting surprises in the finer details
Some standout in the quarter – on the positive side there was a bump from food (0.5%),and surprising rise for clothing &amp; footwear (0.2% vs –0.3% expected), rising auto fuel (1.4%) and a larger than expected seasonal bump in holiday travel (3.3%). On the downside, the bump from tobacco was less than expected (just 1.8%) while health costs fell more than expected (–0.4%), car prices fell again (–0.1%) and the fall in household content &amp; services was larger than expected (–1.2%) with a larger than expected 12% fall in child care. We had highlight child care as a clear risk to our forecasts.
The most interesting new bit of information in the survey was for housing expenditure. While housing costs overall rose as expected (0.4%) rents rose 0.2% (we thought they would be flat), dwelling prices rose just 0.1% (we thought 0.4%) while utilities rose 0.8% vs our –0.4% expected. Overall the mix on housing is softer than expected as there are a number of near term negative risks for both rents and dwelling purchase costs in NSW and Victoria. Given that rents and dwelling purchases are worth around 15% of the CPI their own this is significant for headline and inflation even more so for core where their weight is somewhat higher.
<img src="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/image/bulletin/Justin_Images/Sept_OCt18/Sep18CPIcontribs.JPG" alt="CPI " title="contribs">
Tradables rose 0.8% in the September quarter. The tradable goods component rose 0.4% due to automotive fuel (1.4%), fruit (2.4%), furniture (1.9%), and vegetables (1.6%). The tradable services component rose 4.0% due to international holiday travel &amp; accommodation (4.3%).
Non-tradables rose 0.3% in September quarter. The non-tradable goods component rose 0.5% due to tobacco (1.8%), beer (0.9%) and takeaway &amp; fast foods (0.7%). The non-tradable services component rose 0.1% due to domestic holiday travel &amp; accommodation (2.4%) and property rates &amp; charges (2.3%).
Low inflation remains embedded in the economy
We have now two consecutive years where forecasters have over-estimated the CPI print. The average error since the December quarter 2016 is +0.14ppt. Core inflation came in below expectations (0.3%qtr vs 0.4%qtr expected) but there error on core inflation is more random and does not have a consistent bias. The average error on core since December 2016 is just 0.006ppt. So analysts are broadly getting the core inflation pulse corrected but are still underestimating the disinflationary pulse which has seen greater than usual discounting in some sectors \which are then trimmed out of the core measures.
There are some isolated inflationary pressures; rising petrol and tobacco prices are clear standout as well as embryonic indicators that disinflationary pulse in retail may be easing but the moderation in housing costs (rents and dwelling purchases in particular) are a significant offset. This is significant as this group weighting means it has a meaningful impact on the estimates of both inflation and core inflation. As such, with core inflation well below the bottom of the RBA’s target band we can find little to suggest any risk of a meaningful acceleration.
Our preliminary estimate for the 2018 Q3 CPI is 0.7%qtr which will see the annual pace lift a touch to 2.0%yr as the recent rise in petrol prices makes a larger contribution in the December quarter. We are also expecting a modest recovery in dwelling purchase prices. Under our current scenario, even with a modest lift in housing costs and rising fuel prices inflation, inflation is expected to be at, or just under, 2.0%yr all the way out to end 2019.
On a festive note the ABS reports that this is the 70th birthday of the CPI in it’s current form – the index has quarterly history that goes back to the September quarter 1948.
Justin Smirk is a Senior Economist at Westpac
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 36px; margin: 18px 0px; color: #621a4b; font-family: ChronicleSemibold, 'Times New Roman', Times, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; line-height: 1.1;">It is hard to find signs of rising inflationary pulse</h1>
</div>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The September Quarter CPI printed 0.4%qtr, compared to the market median and Westpac’s forecast for 0.5%. At 2 decimal places the rise in the CPI was 0.44%qtr so a sound 0.4% but it was the third consecutive 0.4% print holding the six month annualised pace at 1.6%yr. With base effects, the annual rate has eased back to 1.9%yr compared to 2.1%yr in Q2, 1.9% in Q1 and 2017 Q4 and 1.8%yr in Q3. Inflation continues to bump along just at, or just under, the bottom of the RBA’s target band.
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Following the December quarter 2017 CPI we argued that searching for inflation in the Australian economy has been a fruitless as Vladimir and Estragon’s wait for Godot. This has not changed as we are still waiting to see how long this record breaking performance can continue. There were some hints in the September suggesting this scenario has much longer to run.
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The average of the core measures, which are seasonally adjusted and exclude extreme moves, rose 0.3%qtr meeting our expectations. In the quarter, the trimmed mean gained 0.37% while the weighted median lifted 0.28%. The annual pace of the average of the core measures printed 1.7%yr, a further deceleration from 1.7%yr in Q2 2018 and 2.0% in Q1.
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Incorporating revisions, the six month annualised growth in core inflation is only 1.5%yr which is well below the bottom of the RBA target band and the slowest pace September 2016.
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/image/bulletin/Justin_Images/Sept_OCt18/sept18CPIchart.JPG" alt="CPI " title="history" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 36px; margin: 18px 0px; color: #621a4b; font-family: ChronicleSemibold, 'Times New Roman', Times, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; line-height: 1.1;">Components of the CPI broadly as expected but some interesting surprises in the finer details</h1>
</div>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Some standout in the quarter – on the positive side there was a bump from food (0.5%),and surprising rise for clothing &amp; footwear (0.2% vs –0.3% expected), rising auto fuel (1.4%) and a larger than expected seasonal bump in holiday travel (3.3%). On the downside, the bump from tobacco was less than expected (just 1.8%) while health costs fell more than expected (–0.4%), car prices fell again (–0.1%) and the fall in household content &amp; services was larger than expected (–1.2%) with a larger than expected 12% fall in child care. We had highlight child care as a clear risk to our forecasts.
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The most interesting new bit of information in the survey was for housing expenditure. While housing costs overall rose as expected (0.4%) rents rose 0.2% (we thought they would be flat), dwelling prices rose just 0.1% (we thought 0.4%) while utilities rose 0.8% vs our –0.4% expected. Overall the mix on housing is softer than expected as there are a number of near term negative risks for both rents and dwelling purchase costs in NSW and Victoria. Given that rents and dwelling purchases are worth around 15% of the CPI their own this is significant for headline and inflation even more so for core where their weight is somewhat higher.
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><img src="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/image/bulletin/Justin_Images/Sept_OCt18/Sep18CPIcontribs.JPG" alt="CPI " title="contribs" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%;">
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Tradables rose 0.8% in the September quarter. The tradable goods component rose 0.4% due to automotive fuel (1.4%), fruit (2.4%), furniture (1.9%), and vegetables (1.6%). The tradable services component rose 4.0% due to international holiday travel &amp; accommodation (4.3%).
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Non-tradables rose 0.3% in September quarter. The non-tradable goods component rose 0.5% due to tobacco (1.8%), beer (0.9%) and takeaway &amp; fast foods (0.7%). The non-tradable services component rose 0.1% due to domestic holiday travel &amp; accommodation (2.4%) and property rates &amp; charges (2.3%).
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 36px; margin: 18px 0px; color: #621a4b; font-family: ChronicleSemibold, 'Times New Roman', Times, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; line-height: 1.1;">Low inflation remains embedded in the economy</h1>
</div>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">We have now two consecutive years where forecasters have over-estimated the CPI print. The average error since the December quarter 2016 is +0.14ppt. Core inflation came in below expectations (0.3%qtr vs 0.4%qtr expected) but there error on core inflation is more random and does not have a consistent bias. The average error on core since December 2016 is just 0.006ppt. So analysts are broadly getting the core inflation pulse corrected but are still underestimating the disinflationary pulse which has seen greater than usual discounting in some sectors \which are then trimmed out of the core measures.
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">There are some isolated inflationary pressures; rising petrol and tobacco prices are clear standout as well as embryonic indicators that disinflationary pulse in retail may be easing but the moderation in housing costs (rents and dwelling purchases in particular) are a significant offset. This is significant as this group weighting means it has a meaningful impact on the estimates of both inflation and core inflation. As such, with core inflation well below the bottom of the RBA’s target band we can find little to suggest any risk of a meaningful acceleration.
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Our preliminary estimate for the 2018 Q3 CPI is 0.7%qtr which will see the annual pace lift a touch to 2.0%yr as the recent rise in petrol prices makes a larger contribution in the December quarter. We are also expecting a modest recovery in dwelling purchase prices. Under our current scenario, even with a modest lift in housing costs and rising fuel prices inflation, inflation is expected to be at, or just under, 2.0%yr all the way out to end 2019.
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d373e; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">On a festive note the ABS reports that this is the 70th birthday of the CPI in it’s current for – the index has quarterly history that goes back to the September quarter 1948.
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It is hard to find signs of rising inflationary pulse: Westpac's Justin Smirk

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A site of six amalgamated properties is on the market in Bondi Junction, with price expectations around $40 million.
Charles McKenzie and Trent Gallagher of Colliers International are selling the 2,679 sqm parcel alongside James Nixon of Belle Property through an international expressions of interest campaign.
Notably, owners Steve and Carmen Davidson have been approached numerous times to sell the site, prior to it being launched to market.
The six properties for sale in one line have an Oxford Street frontage and prominent corner location Denison Street and Mill Hill Road.
The four commercial and two residential properties are located at 45, 47-49 and 53-57 Oxford Street; 5-7, 9 Denison Street and 2 Mill Hill Road at Bondi Junction.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/10/31/Bondi%20Junction%202.jpg" alt="">
Trent Gallagher, National Director, Sales and Leasing at Colliers International said, “The site is surrounded by major destinations and is just 300 m from Bondi Junction’s main transport interchange and 40 0m from Westfield’s Bondi Junction Mall.
James Nixon of Belle Property said, “With B4 Mixed use zoning, this site gives investors, developers and owner occupiers the opportunity to capitalise on the land’s strong development upside and holding income.”
The expressions of interest campaign ends on the 28th of November.
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Six combined Bondi Junction lots with $40 million expectations

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TFE Hotels has announced it will open a new Vibe Hotel in Adelaide.
The Hotel is projected to open in 2020.
Savills Australia’s Rob Williamson and Vasso Zographou negotiated the terms for the 260 Flinders Street property (pictured above) on behalf of the project owners.
TFE Hotels has partnered with multi award-winning Loucas Zahos Architects and its development business Guava Lime to construct an 18-storey glass fronted tower with 118 spacious rooms with stylish décor and bathroom amenities.
There will also be an open plan ground floor restaurant and bar and gymnasium.
Principal Architect and Director, Con Zahos, said the hotel would be the anchor of the “Paris end” of Adelaide, completing Guava Lime’s 16-year development of the precinct.
Located in the eastern quarter of Adelaide city, the new hotel will be close to Rundle and Hutt streets and minutes from Rundle Mall, Victoria Square, Adelaide Casino and the convention centre precinct.
TFE Hotels’ Managing Director Allan Vidor said this marked a great year for the Vibe Hotels brand, which would soon grow from nine hotels to thirteen.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/10/24/Vibe%20NS.JPG" alt="">
It follows the opening of the Vibe Hotel North Sydney (pictured above) that opened in April 2018.
“We have another three Vibe Hotels under construction already: at Queen Street in Melbourne, Argyle Street in Hobart and Sussex Street in Darling Harbour, Sydney,” Mr Vidor said.
“Each has an innovative and attractive design and is located in a developing area of each city. It’s a very exciting time for the brand.”
 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/10/24/VIBE%20RUSH.jpg" alt="">
The Vibe Hotels brand launched in Sydney in 2003 with the opening of Vibe Hotel Rushcutters Bay (pictured above). This was followed by three more hotel openings in Sydney, Hobart and Melbourne in 2004. Later additions included Darwin Waterfront, Canberra Airport, which has since won multiple design awards, Marysville near Victoria’s Yarra Valley and North Sydney (April 2018).
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Savills negotiate terms for TFE Hotels first Vibe Hotel in Adelaide

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A five-level Melbourne CBD office and retail building has sold for $11.98 million to a Chinese investor who beat out several local and off-shore groups.
Savills Australia’s Clinton Baxter, Ming Li and Jesse Radisich negotiated the deal for 26-32 King Street on a tight yield of 2.9 per cent on behalf of a local private investor. 
“The scarcity of Melbourne CBD properties on the market, particularly below $20 million, is apparent among active buyers, resulting in significant pent-up demand,” Mr Baxter said.
The property, a retail and office building of about 1,200 sqm, on a landholding of about 304 sqm, is leased to multiple tenants, including a 7-Eleven on the ground level, and returns a net rental of $352,000 per annum.
“The buyer was seeking to secure a prime CBD asset for long-term capital growth, and this sale demonstrates the strong market appetite for premium properties generating solid income within the CBD,” Mr Baxter said.
The property last traded for $5.1million at a Savills auction in 2010, and has grown in value by 135 per cent over just eight years.
Mr Li said that despite recent media reports of a withdrawal of Chinese money from the Melbourne market, Savills was “actually experiencing an uptick in capital from Asia seeking prime commercial assets”.
“We have Asia-based clients actively seeking all forms of CBD and inner-metropolitan commercial assets,” he said.
The Australian Financial Review reported Rialto Tower co-owner Lorenz Grollo was an underbidder.
The property is across the road from the Rialto tower. <cite> </cite>
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Savills sells Melbourne CBD office building to Chinese investor

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
Dwelling approvals rose 3.3% in September, reversing part of the 13% slide over the previous two months but with the monthly move a touch below the consensus expectations of a 3.8% rise.
Despite this, the detail was weak. The monthly gain centred on the famously volatile high rise unit segment, which had fallen sharply over the previous two months. The September high rise bounce was also heavily concentrated in Victoria. Approvals outside of this narrow state segment were significantly weaker (our estimates suggest total dwelling approvals ex Vic high rise were down about 7.5%).
Private detached house approvals declined 2.7% to be down 7.3% since June – a significant shift for what is usually a more stable segment.
Private units in total posted a 9.2% bounce, retracing some of the 20% decline over the previous two months. With-in this, ‘high rise’ approvals jumped 40-50% although this looks to be exaggerated by seasonal adjustment. A sharp fall in 'medium density' partially offset the gain.
By state, the Vic recorded an outsized 30.5% gain but was softer ex high rise (we estimate down 2.3% in seasonally adjusted terms). The other major states recorded big falls, NSW down 6.8%, Qld down 10.5% and WA down 19%.
The total value of renovations edged up 0.8%, the slight trend decline over the first half of the year showing signs of leveling out. Notably, trend approvals in NSW and Vic are down 7.6% since the start of the year.
The total value of non res building approvals declined 3.8%. Trends remain difficult to pick out due to high volatility but the segment looks to be tracking lower in most states.
Overall, the headline gain in dwelling approvals this month is a 'head fake'. Excluding a sharp spike in Vic high rise, something that is very unlikely to sustain, reveals a fairly broad based picture of weakness. Tightening credit conditions are clearly impacting both residential and non residential sectors. The pace of decline remains hard to pin-point but building activity is more clearly tracking towards a contraction in activity heading into 2019.
Matthew Hassan is a Senior Economist for Westpac
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Matthew_Hassan-HHWHptmrw4

Australian dwelling approvals had an unconvincing bounce: Matthew Hassan

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A shortage in critical trade skills in NSW is attracting migrants from across the state borders, says a new report.
According to the latest Q 3 2018 Property Market Insight report from Turner &amp; Townsend, major construction activity in commercial, hotel and infrastructure sectors is reating opportunities for Queensland tradies.
The report says that skills at capacity or critical levels in Sydney include fit-out (carpet, painting, partitioning and joinery), services (mechanical, electrical and fire), façade (glazing and balustrades and structures (form work, concrete, and pre-cast concrete).
The report also outlines that while wages are rising in Sydney, they are drifting in Queensland.
In Sydney, form worker salaries have increased by 4%, precast concreters 3%, site foreman 16% and reinforcement 14%.
Meanwhile, in Queensland site foreman recorded a minus 4%, precast concrete and curtain wall glazing façade workers was down 3%, while reinforcement was up by 14% and form work 4%.
 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/10/22/nsw.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px;">
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/10/22/qld%201.jpg" alt="">
Source: Q3 2018 Property Market Insight report  
Simon Kearney, Director at Turner &amp; Townsend said the report told a tale of two cities.
“The two cities are working at different paces which has opened up opportunities for Queensland tradies in the New South Wales market. Sydney remains the largest construction sector with $62 billion spent in the last financial year across building and engineering, reaching record levels,” he said.
“Construction work in all major sectors including commercial, infrastructure and hotels is at elevated or record levels which is providing strong job prospects for contractors and increased tender return prices in Sydney.”
“Prime office vacancy rates in Sydney are hovering around four percent indicating a tight market and creating ideal conditions for construction. White collar job growth is rising significantly on the back of a boom in financial services, real estate, engineering and tourism. Short term tourist arrivals of 3.4 million during 2017 – 2018 comprised 38% of the nation’s total, is driving growth in the construction of Sydney’s inner-city hotels.
“In addition, engineering construction in Sydney recorded over $23 billion in activity during the 2018 financial year. Most of the activity was road and rail which is expected to grow by another $1 billon to peak at approximately $12 billion during 2019/2020.”
“Despite all this growth, residential construction is now starting to slow. Housing prices have fallen by as much as eight% in 2018. The slowdown in residential construction is likely to take the heat out of trade labour costs, even if material prices are increasing strongly as a direct result of road and rail projects,” he continued.
“In comparison, Brisbane’s CBD commercial vacancy rates have blown out to 14% primary and 22% in secondary markets since the mining boom ended, negatively affecting commercial construction. Nevertheless, new commercial towers at 300 George Street, 360 Queen Street and a major refurbishment at 80 Ann Street are imminent,” he continued.
“Queens Wharf is emblematic of the changing face of Queensland construction with new projects catering for the tourism market rather than business. When construction starts in this area, demand for trades will increase significantly and will push construction costs up.”
“In the near future several infrastructure projects including Cross River Rail, Brisbane Metro Rail, the Queensland section of the Inland Rail project and the completion of the Kingsford Smith upgrade will spur activity in the state. These projects have the potential to draw Queensland tradies back home which will put more pressure on an already heated New South Wales labour market.”
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Sydney construction skill shortage attracting Queensland tradies

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Amazon's Australian headquarters will be on Market Street in the Sydney CBD.
As the technology giant steps up its expansion, Amazon already occupied office space at 2 Park Street.
The Australian Financial Review says it is now set to occupy 2 Market Street.
Allianz is leaving the building after it sold its half-stake in the tower to Charter Hall.
Allianz occupies more than 18,000 square metres in the building's total of nearly 40,000 square metres in office space.
The second largest tenant is Caltex with 9,000 sq m. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia will be vacating in 2021.
Amazon's distribution centres started in Melbourne's Dandenong South, securing a 24,387 square metre former Bunnings distribution centre from Melbourne's Pellicano family.
The online retailer will open its second distribution centre in Sydney's south-west after leasing a 43,000 square metre facility at Moorebank from Goodman Group.
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Amazon's new Australian headquarters location revealed 

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The Bendigo Bank building in Albury has been sold to a Sydney investor for $2.9 million.
The three-level property was sought by 10 bidders.
It sold for $600,000 over the reserve, reflecting a yield of 4.8%.
Other recent bank sales saw the Commonwealth Bank building in Shepparton sell for $3.6 million and Gympie’s Bank of Queensland property fetch $825,000.
The Mona Vale ANZ premises (pictured above) sold after its recent auction for $5.7 million on a 4.57% yield. 
There had been significant interest on the property with 84 enquiries and 15 contracts issued by Burgess Rawson.
A local Sydney Northern Beaches private investor was its buyer. 
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Commercial property investors banking on bank tenancies

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No-one envisaged the Sydney property boom would continue with similar gusto into 2018, which would have been its sixth year.
But the accelerated price reversal has caught many sellers by surprise after an extended period of double digit annual price growth.
Prices haven't yet fallen back by a prior year's growth, but negative equity does now loom.
This concern, along with not knowing just how much further there will be in falls, is creating uncertainty.
And property markets don't like uncertainty.
Falling prices are not the only factor hitting the feel good wealth effect. 
There are the recent sharemarket wobbles, the royal commission-induced tighter lending conditions, low wage growth, apartment oversupply fears, high household debt and the erratic political leadership.
The potential implementation of Labor Government policy hitting negative gearing incentives and hiking capital gains tax also has the markets worried as the Coalition government finally gets traction on raising the contextual consequences in a falling property market.
We are only starting to see the shocks of uncertainty in the property market.
And if it continues we will see it start being a drag on the wider economy too as fears about job security could see demand for goods fall, at least temporarily.
The RBA has modelling that found increases in uncertainty can trigger a downturn characterised by lower employment growth, weaker retail sales growth, and a fall in consumer confidence.
Olivier Blanchard, former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, wrote in 2009 after the collapse of the US financial markets that there was “(nearly) nothing to fear but the fear itself.”
That was obvious at weekend auctions.
There's enduring purchasing interest, with extreme caution.
Some 18 contracts were issued to potential buyers during the marketing of <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-north+balgowlah-129409278" target="_blank">a North Balgowlah brick home </a>(pictured above) in a great bushland location with renovation upside.
But not one bid came at its onsite auction.
Buyers and sellers are gaining insights that real estate goes up, down and or plateaus in cycles.
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph.
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