<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.

&nbsp;

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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

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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The National Broadband Network is reviewing the pricing for Australia's $50 billion broadband network to address growing complaints by customers about internet speeds and quality.
The chief executive of NBN, Bill Morrow, said the company is facing an image problem. Telcos have complained that it was the NBN's pricing mode that was driving up their prices, while at the same time around 15 per cent of users were facing problems.
Morrow said he was reviewing the pricing model that could include measures to give disgruntled customers a better idea about the quality of the service they were paying for. 
He said a "land grab" by retail service providers chasing market share was misleading customers about the speeds they were paying for, The Australian Financial Review reported.
"We have to take it seriously, it is causing reputational damage and it does need to get fixed and we are committed to working with the industry to get it fixed," said Morrow.
A review of the pricing model could include introducing "minimum assurance" standards for certain products, such as media streaming, to ensure customers were receiving a certain level of service. He said NBN was looking at a restructuring of the pricing mechanism.
"I am sympathetic with the many smaller retailers, in particular, who say I am stuck in this price war and I can't step up and raise my price to the end users.
"So, we are thinking can we restructure the CVC (Connectivity Virtual Circuit charge) and the AVC (monthly access charge) to have a minimum assurance of a certain quality of product ... do we introduce a media streaming product?"
NBN Co is in initial talks with broadband providers.
The CVC charge is the price NBN charges service providers for the bandwidth they want for their customers. The NBN lowered its its CVC charge to $15.25 per megabit per second from $20 per megabit per second in December last year. Under a new pricing model announced earlier this year, they will be able to get discounts based on how much CVC they purchase per end-user. 
Morrow said most NBN problems were around two issues: slower-than-expected internet speeds reported by some customers and technical issues in connecting premises. About 15 per cent of NBN customers have complained about their connections.
Just a few days back, NBN Co’s chief network deployment officer Kathrine Dyer said no premises will be left unconnected by the time the rollout is completed in 2020.
Nearly 200,000 premises faced lengthy delays connecting to the network despite the fact that the NBN has been rolled out in their neighbourhoods.
Morrow said the number of complaints was rising as new network connections accelerated, but the overall percentage had fallen. It is activating about 40,000 to 50,000 new customers a week, which will increase even more as the project is targeted to be complete in 2020.
The NBN has been swamped with complaints from customers about speeds that they say are lower than what they used to get on ADSL. 
When asked if the NBN had an image problem, he said: "I do [agree]….it is partly our fault. It is partly taken out of context because 85 per cent [of customers] are fine with this. It is the 15 per cent that is a large number because of the volumes we are dealing with. It is not just a lightly dissatisfied but a seriously dissatisfied service."
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said last week Telstra, Optus, TPG and Vocus could face legal action if they were found to have misled consumers about their NBN speeds.
"Most of the marketing attention is on price, not what kind of speed you are going to get," Morrow said, adding that 75 per cent of customers did not know what speed they were on.
"There is a land grab phenomena where retailers are chasing market share and classically during a land grab phase you get more discussion on price and less discussion about quality."
He said NBN was working on installation problems, particularly issues around an existing provider cutting off a customers' service before they were connected to the NBN. 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

NBN chief admits to image problem, will review pricing

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The National Broadband Network’s FTTP (fibre-to-the-premises) connections are costing $4405 on average and are among the most expensive in the world, according to an industry expert.
Rod Tucker, a telecommunications expert and professor at the University of Melbourne, told the Senate committee overseeing NBN that Australia FTTP connections on average per premises was way higher than New Zealand’s $NZ2800 ($2677) and even the United States’ $US1719 ($2259), The Australian reported.
“Australia’s FTTP rollout is likely to be one of the most expensive, if not the most expensive, in the world,” he said in a question on notice tabled in the Senate.
Even new technologies were not able to reduce connection costs, Dr Tucker said.
For comparison, he said Verizon in the US had halved FTTP connection costs since the start of the rollout while in France and Spain, operator Orange had reduced connection costs by 10 per cent each year.
NBN Co, however, claims that this cost is fixed, Dr Tucker said.
In fact, many countries with high GDP per capita, like Australia, have in fact lower costs for FTTP.
An NBN spokeswoman told the Australian that the “extremely high cost of deploying FTTP to every single premise is why almost every country around the world is deploying a mixture of technologies to deliver better broadband”.
“Whilst smaller countries like Singapore may not be able to ­afford to deliver FTTP to every single premise, larger countries like the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the UK and ­others are deploying a combination of ... technologies to deliver better broadband — just as we are doing at NBN.”
Adding to the controversy is recent research by the Centre for Research Excellence in the Social Determinants of Health Equity that examined the rollout of NBN technologies as of December 2016. It said "preliminary analyses suggest areas of greatest socio-economic disadvantage overlap with regions typically receiving NBN infrastructure of poorer quality". 
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NBN network rollout costs among the highest in the world

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A site housing a half-a-century old meat company based in Sydney’s fringe suburb of Glebe has sold for for $23,580,000 to a local Chinese developer, AVP Developments Pty Ltd.
‘The Glenmore’, at <a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/news/2017/new-chapter-for-historic-glebe/" target="_blank">40-46 Wentworth Park Road</a>, currently houses the Glenmore Meat Company.
The Glenmore Meat Company became popular with Sydney-siders, with its origins dating back half a century to a small meat company based in Paddington’s Glenmore Road. It was founded in 1967.
The 2,034 sqm site was being marketed by Colliers International’s Ryan Bennetts and Guillaume Volz through an expressions of interest campaign that closed on May 24. It was expected to fetch around $20 million.
According to the selling agents, there were 26 bids and more than 250 enquiries and several bids exceeded the price expectations.
“The Glenmore was one of the most hotly contested development sites we’ve seen this year,” said Ryan Bennetts.
“Glebe is shaping up as one of Sydney’s most desirable residential markets given its proximity to the CBD, walking distance to Sydney’s leading universities and upcoming rejuvenation of White Bay and the Fish Market precinct.”
The suburb is well positioned to take advantage of the redevelopment of the Bays Precinct, which is expected to become a hub of enterprise, activity and beautiful spaces.
Bennetts added that the sale and interest in the site showed developer preference for owner-occupier style product with townhouses most likely for the site, particularly with a scarcity of the townhouse-style product amid many high-density projects in the area.
The sale follows the success of the Roxy-Pacific development West End Residences nearby, which sold 70 percent of the apartments on its first day of launch on April 1.
Located just 3 km south-west of the Sydney CBD, Glebe was traditionally regarded as a working class suburb on the city fringe, but over time has emerged as a hotspot for tertiary education, retail and community living.  
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prateek24-ezbwHMbNAk

Glenmore Meat Co site in Sydney's Glebe sells to Chinese buyer for over $23.5 million 

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A curious feature of residential real estate is the way we keep building bigger and more costly dwellings, in defiance of trends with household sizes and concerns about affordability.
ABS data shows that the market-share of dwellings containing four bedrooms or more increased by 1.9 percentage points between the 2011 and 2016 Censuses, while three-bedroom dwellings fell by 2.4 percentage points.
Homes with four or more bedrooms represent 32% of total dwellings, up from 30% in 2011. Those with three bedrooms or fewer still predominate, but have fallen from 68% to 66% of the total.
Some three-bedroom houses are disappearing as older places are knocked down and replaced with new high-rise developments.
Yet the typical Australian family - a couple with two kids - remains largely unchanged, while the number of lone-person households has increased from 22.9% of the total in 2001 to 24.4% in 2016.
These numbers hardly suggest a need for an increase of the number of big homes with additional bedrooms. But there are other possible explanations for the rise in the number of four- and five-bedroom dwellings.
Blended families, where children from previous marriages live with step-siblings from a newer relationship, are becoming more common. A spare bedroom may be reserved for visits by step-siblings or children in a custody arrangement.
Another reason is more people are working from home, necessitating a home office. About 1.3 million people say they work from home to enjoy a better work–life balance. 
Inter-generational households are common with immigrants, who provide the bulk of Australia’s population growth, especially in Melbourne and Sydney.
Indian and Asian immigrants in particular may have three generations living in one household: grandparents, parents and kids – and the Census shows that, increasingly, migrants to Australia are coming from these sources.
One of the Census findings was that the number of single-family households has decreased from 75% in 1991 to 69% in 2016 – while group households have increased from 3.7% of households in 2011 to 4.3% in 2016. We may see more of this trend if our migrant patterns remain the same.
Louise Lucas of The Property Education Co. suggests all may not be as it seems with four-bedroom houses.  The “McMansions” that are being produced by developers are not necessarily larger, but they are promoted as having four bedrooms although the fourth bedroom is likely to be much smaller than the others and only be useful as a study, she says.
But, one way or the other, the trend towards larger homes for a multitude of reasons is continuing.
Brisbane analyst Michael Matusik suggests we need to rethink the style of the stand-alone houses we’re producing and make allowances for more than one generation, including elements such as home offices, flexible spaces, smarter storage and energy efficiency.  
 
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="mailto:%20%3Cscript%20type='text/javascript'%3E%20%3C!--%20var%20prefix%20=%20'ma'%20+%20'il'%20+%20'to';%20var%20path%20=%20'hr'%20+%20'ef'%20+%20'=';%20var%20addy38821%20=%20'ryder'%20+%20'@';%20addy38821%20=%20addy38821%20+%20'hotspotting'%20+%20'.'%20+%20'com'%20+%20'.'%20+%20'au';%20document.write('%3Ca%20'%20+%20path%20+%20'/''%20+%20prefix%20+%20':'%20+%20addy38821%20+%20'/'%3E');%20document.write(addy38821);%20document.write('%3C//a%3E');%20//--%3E/n%20%3C/script%3E%3Cscript%20type='text/javascript'" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a>
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Bigger, more costly homes defy trends with household sizes, affordability

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Property portal realestateVIEW.com.au has been relaunched as view.com.au.
The portal features an insights tool called Property 360, which features over 10 million properties and allows people to track the value of their home, calculate property price estimates, and see historical sales/rent data.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/08/07/view_logo.jpg" alt="" width="491" height="216">
Enzo Raimondo, chief executive officer of view.com.au said the goal of the new view.com.au portal is to empower people through property data and analytics. 
“Our research shows that consumers are looking for more data-driven information to help them make more informed decisions, and with spring being the peak buying and selling season in Australia we wanted to launch this new information-led portal in advance to support those looking to place their property on the market and/or to purchase a property,” he said. 
“View.com.au provides intelligence and accurate property price estimates, giving people more control over how they browse, as well as greater access to insights and a better view of the whole picture.”
The old site (below).
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/08/07/realestateviewold.jpg" alt="">
"Four valuable tips for buyers, sellers and renters in the lead-up to the spring market is with national real estate listings increasing three percent in June and house prices trending slightly lower (the June QTR the lowest since Dec 2015), the pendulum of power has swung back to buyers.
"High unit supply will likely put downward pressure on inner city unit prices, particularly in Melbourne and Brisbane
"While there has been a slight dip in clearance rates over the past few weeks, this is a common occurrence in the cooler months and we’re expecting clearance rate to increase again with the onset of Spring.
"The democratisation of data has put the power back into the hands of the consumer, allowing them to be more educated and more informed, thus making the property decision easier for the individuals and agents." 
Enzo Raimondo established realestateVIEW.com.au in 2001 during his time at the Real Estate Institute of Victoria. In 2016 Enzo retired from the REIV and became the CEO. 
You can view the site <a href="https://www.view.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

RealestateVIEW.com.au relaunched as view.com.au

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Houses in Newcastle, the NSW Central Coast and Coffs Harbour are still at market peak according to the August Property Clock from Herron Todd White.
The locations were at peak of market for houses in July as well, according to HTW.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/07/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-07%20at%209.38.46%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/07/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-07%20at%209.38.46%20AM.png" alt="" width="854" height="555">
 
<div class="page" title="Page 7">
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Herron Todd White said over 50 percent of residential sales in the Lower Hunter in the past financial year being to investors, this region is certainly a hot spot for property investment. 
"The number of investment home loans has dropped nationally over the past year and this trend is predicted to continue due to the regulatory clampdowns that have been imposed," HTW said.
"These regulations and the government’s efforts to cool the housing market especially in major cities would suggest that investment should slow down nationwide. 
</div>
<div class="column">
"This may not be the case in the Lower Hunter however; in fact it will probably buck the trend. 
"Newcastle is still an enticing prospect for investors due its close proximity to Sydney, its affordability compared to the capital cities and an excellent rental market with a current vacancy rate of just 2.3 percent. 
"With Newcastle being a university city there is a high investor involvement in good rental yield suburbs close to the university such as Jesmond and Wallsend. 
"However investors are also looking at inner city and coastal suburbs such as Cooks Hill, Wickham and Adamstown for higher capital gains. 
"Strong rental returns, larger blocks, competitive capital gains and the ability to find low maintenance 2- to 3-bedroom properties for under $500,000 means the region offers plenty of good investment opportunities for those who can’t afford the larger capital cities, especially Sydney."
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</div>
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</div>
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Houses in Newcastle, the NSW Central Coast and Coffs Harbour at market peak: HTW Property Clock

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While on the subject of dwelling price indices, CoreLogic's index results to 31 July showed capital growth across the combined capital cities of +10.5 per cent over the year to July. 
The quarterly price increased across the capital cities slowed to +2.2 per cent in July, down from a pacy +3.6 per cent in February.
Sydney houses (+12.3 per cent) and units (+10.3 per cent) have continued to be strong performers over the year to July 2017.
Growth in Melbourne house prices has accelerated to a thumping +17.2 per cent, although unit prices (+4.6 per cent) have lagged.  
Overall, this helped to take the median capital city dwelling price to a new high of $625,000.
The rest of state figures increased by +5.4 per cent over the year to July, to $382,500.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/07/CL.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/08/07/CL.jpg" alt="">
 
Rental price growth returns
CoreLogic's quarterly showed a return to annual rental price growth, following a crackdown on lending to investors. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/07/DGF71qyUMAATak6.jpg-large.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/08/07/DGF71qyUMAATak6.jpg-large.jpeg" alt="">
 
The rental price growth was driven by Sydney, (+4.5 per cent) Melbourne (+4.1 per cent), Hobart (+6.2 per cent), and Canberra (+8.4 per cent).
These rental price gains were offset by declines in Darwin and Perth.
Perth levelling out
CoreLogic noted that Perth appears to be approaching the bottom of its market cycle, with prices easing by -0.3 per cent over the three months to July. 
Prices in the Western Australian capital have declined by -10.2 per cent since the market peak in 2014.
Transaction volumes in Perth have also found a floor at 2,500 per month, while listing numbers have also declined.
The "mining cliff" has now been effectively seen off<a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/2017/06/mining-cliff-seen-off">,</a> too.
These are positive numbers, though I do note that my dwelling supply dashboard implies that there will yet be a lot of new dwellings to be absorbed!
 
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>.
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
 
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Is the Perth property market finding a floor?

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GUEST OBSERVER
The consumer price index (CPI) for June 2017 was released earlier this week showed that over the quarter headline inflation was recorded at 0.2% which took inflation to just 1.9% over the year to June 2017. 
Although annual headline CPI was temporarily within the Reserve Bank (RBA) target range of 2% to 3% over the March 2017, it has been below target for 10 of the past 11 quarters.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/04/chart-1-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/08/04/chart-1-1.jpg" alt="">
Adjusting dwelling value growth for inflation provides valuable insight into the housing market’s performance.  With inflation currently at such a low level, adjusting for it is not resulting in any additional capital cities seeing value decline however, over the longer term it does highlight the significant under performance in terms of value growth for certain cities.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/04/chart-2-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/08/04/chart-2-1.jpg" alt="">
While in nominal terms capital city dwelling values declined in 2008 and then again in 2011-12, in real terms the declines were larger over these two periods and values also declined in 2004-05.  In nominal terms, values fell by -6.1% between March and December of 2008 and by -6.4% between September 2010 and June 2012.  In real terms, values fell by -2.6% between March 2004 and December 2005, by -8.3% between March and December 2008 and by -10.8% between September 2010 and December 2012.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/04/chart-3-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/08/04/chart-3-1.jpg" alt="">
Since the value declines ceased at the end of 2008, only Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra have actually recorded real growth in dwelling values.  In all other cities, real dwelling values are currently lower than they were at the end of 2008 which is now almost nine years ago.  This data really highlights the uneven nature of growth across the capital city housing markets since the end of the financial crisis. It also shows that low mortgage rates alone are not the driver of the much stronger growth in Sydney and Melbourne.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/04/chart-4-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/08/04/chart-4-1.jpg" alt="">
The above chart shows the change in real dwelling values across each capital city relative to their most recent market peaks.  The chart again shows that values are only above their previous peak in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.  Brisbane values are -9.3% lower than their peak in March 2008, Adelaide values peaked in June 2010 and are still -6.3% lower.  In Perth, the market peak was September 2007 and values are still -20.0% off their peak and in Hobart values are -11.2% lower than their peak which occurred in December 2007.  Finally, Darwin has seen the largest fall in real dwelling values, down -26.7% from its peak with the peak having occurred in September 2010.
The regularly reported nominal value data is valuable however, it is important and interesting to consider the impact of inflation on dwelling values from time-to-time.  As the data shows, outside of Sydney and Melbourne and to a lesser degree Canberra, dwelling value growth has been extremely weak for a number of years now.
Cameron Kusher is research analyst for CoreLogic. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/" target="_blank">here</a>. 
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ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

Since 2008, only Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra have seen ‘real’ growth in dwelling values

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Units in Melbourne, the NSW Central Coast, the Gold Coast and Newcastle are still at the peak of the market according to the August property clock from Herron Todd White.
Apartments in Ballarat are now at the peak of the market, with the Sydney apartment market starting to decline.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/04/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-04%20at%2010.32.32%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/04/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-04%20at%2010.32.32%20AM.png" alt="" width="669" height="445">
 
Units in Melbourne, the NSW Central Coast, the Gold Coast and Newcastle were at the peak of the market in July, apartments in Cairns, Townsville and the Whitsundays were ranked at the bottom of the market and apartments in Sydney, Ballarat and Dubbo were approaching the peak of market.
In the August report, HTW said Sydney is fast becoming a vertical city, with a change in buyer expectations and a surge in demand for apartment living.
As a result, modern, medium to high density zones are becoming increasingly common with many notable precincts springing up across the city including Green Square at Zetland, Harold Park at Forest Lodge, Discovery Point at Wolli Creek, Central Park in Chippendale as well as developing precincts in Erskineville and Camperdown (to name a few).
"Another example of an investor hot spot is the area known as Kings Cross," HTW said.
"Kings Cross is one of Sydney’s highest density precincts and covers the suburbs of Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay and Rushcutters Bay.
"It is well established, being within two kilometres of the CBD, and has a train station, light commercial buildings and retail spaces.
"Recent changes to laws governing the opening hours of entertainment establishments in the area has allowed the precinct to begin to shed its reputation as a somewhat unsafe nightlife district allowing it to become increasingly popular with investors.
"Investors targeting this area in the past have been seeking the strong rental returns offered by the many small studio and 1-bedroom units.
"It seems to be the trend however that many small studio units have lower levels of capital growth than standard 2-bedroom units for example which we assume is also due to the broader market appeal.
"In western Sydney the new apartment market continues in various degrees throughout all major regional zones with the Liverpool/Fairfield areas as well as Parramatta and The Hills district in particular seeing substantial development.
"The Norwest Railway line currently under construction from Rouse Hill to Epping has resulted in a signi cant increase in unit developments approved or under construction in what is typically considered the burbs, with unprecedented construction occurring particularly in Kellyville.
"This list in western Sydney is continually growing with a record number of unit approvals passed over recent years.
"What these areas have in common is that they all appear to have a high investor contingent although the future of some will depend heavily on an unknown tenant pool with oversupply perhaps becoming a future issue."
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Sydney apartment market in decline, Ballarat units at peak: HTW property clock

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<div>APRA released its latest Monthly Banking Statistics for June 2017 yesterday, detailing information on the banking business of individual banks within the domestic market.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Further strong mortgage growth of +0.63 per cent was reported taking the total for outstanding housing loans to a fresh high of $1.57 trillion.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The figures officially reported were $1,107,754 million (+0.73 per cent) for owner-occupier mortgages and $552,270 million (+0.44 per cent) for investment mortgages outstanding.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thus investment mortgages now officially account for 35.2 per cent of banking loan books, classification issues notwithstanding. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Investor loan books</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Looking specifically at investor loans, it's clear that none of the major banks is close to the arbitrary 10 per cent 'speed limit' or annual growth cap imposed by the regulator.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>As you can see, of the major lenders Westpac Banking Corporation (WBC) is ramping up its investment loan exposure at the present time. </div>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/04/banks.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/08/04/banks.jpg" alt="">
<div>Indeed, Westpac (WBC) is presently expanding both sectors of its mortgage book, and has the largest exposure to investment loans overall at $146.8 billion, although Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has a more substantial loan book in aggregate.</div>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/04/APRA3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<div class="separator"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/08/04/APRA3.jpg" alt=""></div>
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<div>Although the majors have wound back growth in investment loans, some other lenders continue to exceed the 10 per cent growth cap comfortably.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Additionally certain lenders have loan books that are exposed to markets at risk of mortgage arrears, including regional Queensland.</div>
 
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>.
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
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