UAE-based developer Arada has unveiled plans for a $2 billion twin-tower apartment development in Broadbeach, marking its first move into Queensland as it continues its rapid expansion across Australia.

Arada will develop 952 apartments across two towers on a prominent site opposite the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the project targeted for completion ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The project represents Arada's largest commitment to the Australian market since arriving in the country in 2024 and significantly expands a local pipeline that has now grown to eight projects and more than 5,000 homes.

It will also be the first major Queensland project delivered by Roberts Co since the tier-one contractor was acquired by Arada Group in 2025.

Plus Studio has designed the Broadbeach development, which will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two towers connected by a landscaped podium.

A significant resident amenity offering will include lagoon and lap pools, a gym, sauna and steam room, alongside a mist room, infrared room and salt scrub facilities. Communal terraces, private dining areas, a library, residents' lounge and work-from-home spaces are also planned. Around 1,200 sqm of retail and hospitality space will occupy the ground floor.

The site puts Arada in one of the Gold Coast's most active apartment markets, directly opposite the convention centre and within walking distance of Pacific Fair, The Star Gold Coast and Broadbeach's dining and retail precinct.

It also has immediate access to the Gold Coast light rail network and sits just a few blocks from the beach.

Arada Group Chief Executive Ahmed Alkhoshaibi said Broadbeach represented an opportunity for the developer to expand beyond its initial NSW pipeline.

“Broadbeach is a world-class address that gives us the canvas to create a community of exceptional design and lifestyle quality that genuinely enriches the daily lives of the people who call it home,” Alkhoshaibi said.

“This is our first development outside New South Wales, and it reflects our growing ambition to grow in key urban markets around the country.”

Alkhoshaibi said bringing Roberts Co into the project would give Arada greater control over the development and construction process.

“Delivering this project through Roberts Co, our own tier-one construction business, means we can bring the quality, pace and accountability that our buyers expect.”

The move into Broadbeach comes as Arada accelerates its Australian expansion following its entry into the market two years ago. The developer has assembled a pipeline of eight projects comprising more than 5,000 homes, while the acquisition of Roberts Co last year gave the group its own Australian construction capability.

Globally, Arada has a development portfolio valued at $50 billion comprising more than 55,000 homes across the UAE, United Kingdom and Australia.

The Gold Coast is emerging as the next major market for the developer, with strong population growth and infrastructure spending ahead of the 2032 Games continuing to underpin significant apartment development across the coastal strip.

Joel Robinson

Arada plots $2 billion Broadbeach towers in major Queensland move

Sydney’s downsizer market is changing, with a growing cohort of buyers prioritising the right home over simply finding a smaller one.

Coronation Property Head of Sales Cam Porter says the traditional idea of downsizing does not necessarily reflect what many buyers are now looking for, particularly those moving from established family homes across Sydney.

Instead, he says they are increasingly becoming “right-sizers”, seeking lower-maintenance homes without sacrificing the space, amenity or quality they have become accustomed to.

“We are increasingly seeing buyers who are not motivated by the idea of simply moving into a smaller property,” Porter says.

“They are right-sizers. They want a home that is easier to manage and better connected, but they still expect generosity, quality and a floorplan that supports the way they live.”

It is a subtle but important distinction in a market where apartment developers are increasingly targeting established owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377495]

For many of these buyers, moving from a house to an apartment is not driven by a desire to dramatically reduce their living space. Instead, the appeal is in removing some of the maintenance associated with a larger home while retaining generous living areas, storage and enough flexibility to accommodate family and friends.

Coronation’s sales team is seeing buyers place particular importance on natural light, practical storage and additional rooms that can be used as guest bedrooms, home offices or secondary living spaces.

Kitchens and dining areas are also playing an increasingly important role, particularly for buyers who regularly entertain or have children and grandchildren visit.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377494]

“These buyers still want their home to feel generous,” Porter says.

“They may want less maintenance, but they are not looking for less life.”

The challenge for the broader housing market is providing enough of the right stock to encourage that move.

While much of the discussion around Sydney’s housing shortage has centred on the number of homes being delivered, Porter says the diversity of those homes is equally important.

Older homeowners can remain in large family houses for longer when they cannot find an appropriate alternative in the neighbourhoods where they have built their lives.

“The decision is rarely as simple as wanting fewer bedrooms,” Porter says.

“People are weighing up their connection to a neighbourhood, the space they need for family, the quality of the home and whether it will continue to work for them over the long term.”

It also has implications beyond the downsizer market. Providing suitable apartments for smaller households can free up established houses for families who need the additional bedrooms and land, creating greater movement through the housing market.

<h2>Lillian targets the next stage of apartment buyer</h2>

It is a buyer Coronation is targeting at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lillian-erskineville-9-metters-street-erskineville-nsw-2043">Lillian</a>, its new collection of apartments, terraces and penthouses at Erskineville Village.

Designed by Silvester Fuller, Lillian has been shaped around larger living spaces, natural light and flexible floorplans, alongside landscaped areas, wellness amenity and communal spaces for residents.

The development will form part of Coronation’s broader Erskineville Village precinct, which will combine new homes with green space, retail, hospitality and new pedestrian connections.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377688]

McPherson Park will sit at the centre of the precinct, creating a significant new green space alongside the project’s retail and hospitality offering.

For Porter, the opportunity is to give buyers another housing option without forcing them to leave the part of Sydney they already know.

“People should be able to change the type of home they live in without having to change their entire life,” he says.

“For many buyers, Lillian offers the opportunity to remain connected to the Inner West and the city, while gaining access to a more convenient, walkable and considered way of living.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377687]

Coronation will explore the changing <a href="https://lillianresidences.com.au/news/lillian-x-space-x-downsizers-event-27-august/">right-sizer market at an event on August 27</a>, bringing together experts across property, design and lifestyle.

Held in partnership with SPACE, Poliform and Downsizer.com.au, the event will include a property market outlook from economist Michael Blythe alongside discussion around the considerations facing buyers planning their next move.

Attendees will also be able to learn more about the residences and amenity planned at Lillian Erskineville.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135149]

From downsizing to right-sizing: What Sydney buyers want from their next home

Family-owned builder and developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/omaya">Omaya</a> is bringing its 27-storey The Maybelle development to market, with the 229-apartment tower rising alongside Ismay Reserve near North Strathfield.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-maybelle-21-parramatta-road-homebush-nsw-2140">The Maybelle</a> will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with its height providing elevated outlooks towards the Sydney skyline and Harbour Bridge, while other residences will look across neighbouring Ismay Reserve.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/squillace-architects">Squillace Architects</a>, the tower combines its parkside setting with proximity to the established retail, dining and transport amenity around North Strathfield.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376196]

Residences will feature open-plan living spaces and a choice of two interior schemes, while communal amenity is spread across two elevated levels of the building.

Level 8 will be home to the Garden Pavilion, a full-floor resident space incorporating communal entertaining and breakout areas, seating and recreation spaces. Further up the tower, a landscaped Sky Terrace on Level 14 will provide another communal area with panoramic views towards the Harbour Bridge and Sydney skyline.

At ground level, the development sits directly alongside Ismay Reserve, where lawns, walking paths, children's play areas, picnic spaces and recreational facilities extend the green space available immediately around the project.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376194]

The Maybelle is also within walking distance of North Strathfield and the Bakehouse Quarter, which provides a mix of cafés, restaurants, shops and everyday services.

Existing rail and bus services provide connections across Sydney, while the future North Strathfield Metro and access to the M4 will add to the transport options available around the precinct. Walking and cycling routes also extend via Powells Creek towards Sydney Olympic Park and its sporting, entertainment and parkland precincts.

Families are also well positioned for access to a broad selection of established schools and education options across Strathfield and the surrounding Inner West.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376181]

Omaya has operated in Sydney for more than 35 years, managing projects from acquisition and design through to construction and delivery. The family-owned company is both developer and builder of The Maybelle.

Apartments start from $560,000, with the development protected by 10-year Latent Defects Insurance.

Construction is well underway, with completion expected by the end of 2026 and move-in anticipated from Q1 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134873]

The Maybelle brings 27-storey parkside tower to market near North Strathfield

Melbourne developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pdg-corporation">PDG</a> has unveiled its vision for the former Water Tank Site in Ivanhoe, which would see it transformed into a thriving residential neighbourhood, complete with a 2000 sqm public park.&nbsp;

Delivered in partnership with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/development-victoria">Development Victoria</a>, the proposal would transform the prominent corner of Bell Street and Upper Heidelberg Road into a connected community comprising two residential buildings, generous public open space and shared amenities.&nbsp;

The vision includes 287 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with a minimum of 10 per cent allocated to affordable housing, alongside a 2,000-square-metre publicly accessible park featuring a children's playground, activity lawn, indigenous planting, timber climbing logs, seating areas and a rock gathering circle.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dko-architecture">DKO Architecture</a>, the proposal draws on the site's industrial heritage, using a robust architectural language that references the former water tank through expressive structural elements and durable, self-finished materials.&nbsp;

Extensive landscaping has been woven throughout the development, creating a living landscape that strengthens connections to nature while responding sensitively to the surrounding neighbourhood. Two residential buildings ranging from three to 12 storeys are linked by a landscaped forecourt, creating a welcoming arrival experience and improving pedestrian connections through the site.&nbsp;

Residents would also enjoy more than 1,000 square metres of communal open space, including barbecue and dining facilities, vegetable gardens, landscaped seating pavilions and a dedicated coworking space.&nbsp;

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the vision reflected an opportunity to transform one of Ivanhoe's most recognisable sites into a place that balanced housing, community and landscape.&nbsp;

"This is an opportunity to reimagine an important site and create a neighbourhood that delivers lasting benefits for Ivanhoe," Giuliano said.&nbsp;

"We're creating much more than new homes. The vision brings together affordable housing, quality architecture, meaningful public open space and shared places that encourage people to connect, while respecting the site's history and its place within the local community."&nbsp;

Development Victoria’s Executive General Manager Precincts, Niall Cunningham, said the application is an important step for the government-owned site.&nbsp;

“This is about delivering more homes in a well-connected location, along with public open space that the Ivanhoe community will benefit from for years to come,” Cunningham said.&nbsp;

PDG was selected as development partner in late 2025 following a competitive tender process.&nbsp;

A planning submission for the project is currently being progressed through the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program, with positive early engagement from both Banyule Council and the Department of Transport and Planning.

PDG unveils plans to transform landmark Ivanhoe Water Tank Site

Shane Wilkinson's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pace-development-group">Pace Development Group</a> has lodged plans for a major residential precinct on the former Presentation College site in Windsor, with an eight-building masterplan ultimately rising to 10 storeys.

The proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/167-dandenong-road-windsor-vic-3181">167–187 Dandenong Road</a> spans a substantial 19,027 sqm site and is being progressed across six stages, with the first residential stages comprising 170 homes across four buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a>.

Stage Two will deliver the bulk of the initial housing, with Building A comprising 81 apartments and Building B 49 apartments, both rising to six storeys.

Stage Three will deliver a further 40 homes. The heritage Nagel Building, identified as Building C, will be converted to 12 dwellings, while a new five-storey Building D will comprise 28 apartments at the Hornby Street and Dandenong Road corner.

The 170 homes across Stages Two and Three will include a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, including townhouse-style dwellings.<img alt="First look: Pace plans landscaped housing precinct on former Windsor school site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="83c56e3e-dfb9-4e12-b172-c3f18513ec32" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_9.png?VersionId=xRcRpSZsxX.UX_NDDGcRZktw7HVrzx7u" />

&nbsp;

The longer-term masterplan points to considerably greater density across the site.

Indicative plans show Building E accommodating around 80 dwellings across up to 10 storeys, while Building F is earmarked for around 120 dwellings and also up to 10 storeys. Building G is planned to range between four and 10 storeys, however its apartment yield is yet to be determined. That means the masterplan currently identifies at least 370 dwellings across Buildings A to F before any apartments within Building G are counted.

Across the 1.9-hectare site, that represents an indicative density of at least 194 dwellings per hectare, with the final figure to increase once the yield of Building G is established.

Pace is pursuing the project through the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program, with Urbis lodging a combined Section 96A planning scheme amendment and planning application on behalf of the developer, which secured the site earlier this year.

The application seeks detailed approval for Stages One, Two and Three, alongside approval of the broader masterplan framework that will guide the later residential stages. Stage One will see an existing heritage building adaptively reused for a wellness and fitness-related facility, while the broader precinct will retain several significant heritage buildings and established trees as part of the redevelopment.

A minimum 10 per cent affordable housing contribution is proposed across both the initial residential stages and the later masterplan stages, delivered through a discounted rental model.

The project comes immediately after a major change to the site's planning controls.

The site was rezoned to the Housing Choice and Transport Zone through Planning Scheme Amendment GC285, gazetted on July 22, 2026, and now sits within the inner catchment of the Windsor Station precinct under the State Government's Train and Tram Zone Activity Centres Program.

While the new controls identify large sites within the inner catchment for buildings of up to six storeys, Pace's masterplan pushes height to 10 storeys in parts of the site, with the taller buildings concentrated toward the centre and along the Sandringham railway corridor.

Lower-scale built form is proposed toward the site's more sensitive residential and heritage edges, with Buildings A and B generally stepping from three storeys at their interfaces to six storeys at upper levels.

Cera Stribley's masterplan breaks the development into a collection of separate buildings rather than a continuous built form, with landscaped spaces, new pedestrian links and a new publicly accessible road forming part of the precinct.

The planning report says the development will create new pedestrian connections to Elm Place and along the railway corridor, as well as a new publicly accessible road linking Elm Place with Dandenong Road. The proposed buildings will occupy around 54 per cent of the site, leaving a substantial portion available for landscaping, communal areas and permeable surfaces.

Urbis said the scale of the project reflected the site's strategic location close to Windsor Station, tram services and the Chapel Street Activity Centre, with the former school campus identified as a significant opportunity to increase housing supply on an underutilised inner-Melbourne site.

&nbsp;

First look: Pace plans landscaped housing precinct on former Windsor school site

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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Businesswoman Patricia Ilhan has listed her four-level Melbourne office building at 362 Little Collins Street.
Set between Queen and Elizabeth streets, the building has annual rental returns of nearly $400,000.
The 312-square-metre block has airspace development potential.
It is expected to sell for more than $8 million by listing agent Vinci Carbone.
It was bought for $4.4 million in 2009.
She is believed to be selling the prime CBD property to reinvest in another commercial property.
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Patricia IIhan lists 362 Little Collins Street

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The Age has reported entrepreneur Bobby Zagame is the mystery buyer of the former Age printing plant beside the Tullamarine Freeway in Westmeadows.
His already diversified portfolio includes property investments and prestige car dealership operations before the $16 million purchase.
He will use the redundant six-hectare site as a pre-delivery process centre and distribution facility for his automotive group. 
The property at 31-69 Western Avenue includes a modern 24,091-square-metre office with a multi-level basement and a 125-bay open-air car park.
With 375-metre frontage to the freeway, more than 300,000 vehicles pass the frontage each week.
Colliers International’s Tony Iuliano and Marco Sandrin secured the sale with CBRE’s Dean Hunt and Lindsay Davidson represented vendor Fairfax Media while Vinci Carbone’s Frank Vinci and Joseph Carbone represented Bobby Zagame.
The prominent ex-Age spire will be rebranded to Zagame.
The Victorian print site had a $200 million-plus development cost.
 
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Luxury car dealer Zagame takes Age printing plant on Tullamarine Freeway

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In February the Reserve Bank Governor Glen Stevens admitted concern over the Sydney property, with expectations that the median house price ‘may hit $1 million’ by the end of the year. We all know that prediction has already been realised and last week Sydney’s median house price just crept past the $1,000,000 mark.
Since February there has also been an ongoing discussion about the impact of investors on the marketing. Investors have been very active buyers and this shows up in the demand for finance with investors active across the established and new home market, and also buying new apartments off the plan. Among these buyers there are big numbers of SMSF.
With investors being seen as dominant in the market there are now strong concerns being expressed that they are in part (along with offshore buyers) shutting out first home buyers, and with the advantage of very low interest rates possibly over-heating the market. So much so now that the banks and banking regulators have started to make it more difficult for property investors (and it must be said for offshore buyers) by taking a number of steps. These include higher interest rates and bigger deposits for investors and a restriction of loan funds that the banks allocate to this sector of the market.
Taken as a package these measures look like a strong reaction aimed at investors. In accessing if these steps are warranted or not, I think we should firstly remember that property investors have always been an important part of the market, and that they are a very diverse group. This is not a sector dominated by the ‘rich and famous’.
Are Restriction Really Necessary?
Now that some investors will face additional hurdles I think we need to ask if this group is simply an easy target and will, for instance, the measures announced do anything to directly help first time buyers. This sort of direct intervention into the market is rare and there’s little doubt that it’s driven by the idea that the Sydney market and parts of Melbourne in particular, may be overheating.
However just targeting investors in isolation looks puzzling. Mainly I suggest from the point of view that this is as mentioned earlier it’s a very diverse group. Low interest rates and the search for yield are two factors and the flow of SMSF investment I think is also very much tied up in the continued debate over superannuation.
For this group property has always had special appeal because it’s seen as a stable and long-term investment. SMSF already have to comply with a lot of tough rules when they invest in property and so such investments do not really strike me as speculative, in fact just the opposite.
Are such targeted changes really well founded, because from a financial view point I find myself asking why is one dollar of investment better than or worse than another?
I would think that most investors are more than capable of paying their obligations than an owner-occupier when someone else is after all usually paying the rent. Historically it has always been rents and tenants demand that has acted to temper investor demand.
Prior to some of the banks last week lifting interest rates for investors, there was already evidence that increased supply of new apartments was starting to slow down rental growth, a trend that I had noted earlier [see posts June 17th-19th] when looking at 2-3 year rental market trends as reflected in figures from the NSW Rental Bond Board.
And so given the very wide range of factors at work in the property market there is I feel, a need to question why are the regulators and banks are interfering with market process in one very select area.
Appreciating that there are tighter controls also now being focussed on some offshore buyers both measures look like high profile and doubtless popular measures among some sections of the community.
However if the aim is partly to give FHB an improved chance to enter the market, then I suggest that direct action should be taken to approve more land release, ease some rules around apartments, like lifting height restrictions along with much more effort to deliver infrastructure.
While above all, the tax burden, both direct and indirect on homebuyers, should also be addressed as readily as other financial measures now aimed at investors.
This coming at a time when the suggestion of a higher GST would further disadvantage first time buyers without really substantial changes to crippling stamp duty which now stands at $40,523 in NSW on the median house price of $1,000,616. The really horrific fact is that the rates have not been reviewed since December 1986 when the median Sydney house price was $98,325 and this is despite price creeping or the recent price explosion, a fact that is simply a disgrace and shows government’s addiction to property related tax revenue. For any sort of reform this does make investors, and offshore investors look easy targets.
Peter Chittenden is managing director for residential of Colliers International. He can be contacted <a href="https://www.projectagenda.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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pchittenden-eLqUUC8TWW

Throwing brick bats at investors: Peter Chittenden

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The retail outlet underneath the landmark Coca Cola sign in Sydney's Kings Cross has sold to a private trust for $37.3 million, netting the seller a 57% capital gain in two years.
The Kings Cross Centre, 82-94 Darlinghurst Road, currently has 98.5% tenancy, with Coles leasing until 2022.
LJ Hooker Commercial Sydney chief executive officer Warren Duncan said when the Kings Cross Centre was sold in 2013, it transacted on a passing yield of 8.3%, and this week it sold at 6.9%.
"We’ve seen yields compress dramatically over the last 24 months in Sydney," Mr Duncan said.
"The centre was well positioned for capital growth, and tenants were following the changing demographic of the Potts Point area. 
“Adding to the appeal of the Kings Cross Centre is the fact it’s located in one of the most densely populated areas of Sydney, with an estimated 30,000 people living within a square kilometre.”
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Landmark Kings Cross retail outlet sold

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<div>Sydney house prices have accelerated to be up by 20.36% over the past year to June 2015, according to Residex.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Sydney house prices jumped by 6.94% for the past quarter alone.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Rents for houses in Sydney also boomed over past year on this index, up 12.4% to $680/week. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Sydney unit prices were up 15.44%, with rents up 6.67% to $560/week.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Not too much doing elsewhere, with prices down marginally for the quarter in Adelaide, and declining moderately over the past year in Perth and Darwin. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/08/04/T1_Stats_Update.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/08/04/T1_Stats_Update.jpg" alt=""></div>
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Sydney achieves record growth: Pete Wargent

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An offshore developer has paid $7.2 million at a record land rate for a Doncaster development site.
The plans are for a retail and residential redevelopment.
It sold through Savills as total sales to off-shore buyers nears half a billion dollars in the last 12 months through Savills Victorian office alone.
According to selling agent, Nick Peden the price, at $4467 a square metre, represented a record land rate for Doncaster.
The sale campaign generated nearly 150 enquiries from a range of buyers including local and off-shore developers, investors and owner-occupiers.
"We were expecting $6 million plus."
 
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Doncaster site snapped up by offshore developer

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There was a time when the announcement of a $6 billion mine creating 7,300 jobs would have set investors’ pulses racing and their fingers dialing.
If your heart is pounding at the prospect of a property boom around the China Stone coal mine in central Queensland, you haven’t been keeping up with modern trends.
The way mining companies operate these days, it’s possible to have thousands of highly-paid personnel working on a resources project without creating any local real estate demand to speak of.
Last week there was an announcement about the mine planned by Chinese mining company Macmines in the Galilee Basin region near Emerald. It was more of a confirmation than an announcement because, despite many newspapers treating it as new information, the project has been known a long time.
Construction cost $6.7 billion, 3,900 construction jobs, 3,400 operational jobs, $6 billion in royalties to government – it’s all been reported before.
China Stone is one of six mega-mines planned for the Galilee Basin, the others being Carmichael, Alpha, Kevin’s Corner, China First and Galilee South. They add up to $40 billion in investment, tens of thousands of jobs and lots of court time dealing with environmental opposition.
There was a time when this would have meant a property boom in the immediate area, with mining personnel paying huge rents for local houses.
But towns like Moranbah and Chinchilla in Queensland, and Port Hedland and Newman in Western Australia, became victims of their own success. The resources industry rebelled against rents topping $2,000 per week and tin-shed houses fetching over $1 million.
This created the concept that is now the scourge of many rural communities: the FIFO workforce and construction of temporary accommodation camps.
A mega-billion mine with thousands of employees doesn’t add up to a property boom any more. In many recent cases, it has destroyed real estate markets. 
Developers have piled in, building lots of new homes in expectation of rich rewards, while the big miners have flown their workers in and out, putting them up in special camps outside the towns that expected to benefit from the influx of workers and money.
Massive vacancies have resulted in the towns of the Surat Basin and the Bowen Basin in Queensland. If developers haven’t done their research, it will happen again in the Galilee Basin.
There are scarcely any benefits to local towns from major mining projects now. Locals don’t even get to apply for jobs in the big mines on their doorsteps, because the workers are recruited elsewhere and flown in.
In the case of the multiple mega mines of the Galilee Basin, there will be economic benefits for nearby regional centres with airports, such as Emerald, if and when one of the mega projects starts construction. 
Emerald has been hit by the current downturn in the coal industry, with vacancies around 7% (previously as high as 10%), houses typically taking 5-6 months to sell and discounting close to 20%. The median house price dropped 16% in the past 12 months and is now well below the level of five years ago.
If one of these mines proceeds, there will be a considerable uplift in air and road traffic through Emerald and inevitably some boost to its economy.
Consequently, the property numbers will improve.
But the days when Emerald and nearby coal towns like Moranbah and Dysart boomed, with astronomical prices and rents, are over - until the system changes.
In the current climate, these coal mines represent fools gold for developers and investors.
TERRY RYDER is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" 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

Emerald hit by coal downturn, property prices may improve: Terry Ryder

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Aspen Group has acquired a 160-site caravan park, Tomago Village Van Park in Tomago in Sydney's Hunter region for $10.5 million.
The purchase reflects an initial yield of 9.3%.
The property has 160 sites, 136 of which are licenced for long-term utilisation, with the balance being short-stay sites.
There is an existing development consent for a further 24 long term sites.
Tomago is located in metropolitan Newcastle, approximately 18 kilometres from the Newcastle CBD.
It is adjacent to the Tomago Industrial area, a substantial source of demand for accommodation at the property. 
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Aspen buy Tomago Village Van Park

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So far this week, 1,494 capital city auction results have been reported to CoreLogic RP Data, resulting in a preliminary auction clearance rate of 75.7% across the combined capital cities. 
There were a total of 1,862 capital city auctions held this week. This week’s result indicates that clearance rates are still tracking higher than they were one year ago, when the final auction clearance rate over the week was 68.9 per cent across 1,473 auctions.
<a href="/images/2015/08/03/20150803-Capital-City.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/03/20150803-Capital-City.jpg" alt="" width="787" height="588">
 
Across Melbourne, this week’s preliminary clearance rate was recorded at 78.6 per cent, up from a recent low of 75.7 per cent last week and remaining well above the clearance rate for the city one year ago (69.0 per cent). This week, Melbourne was host to 760 auctions, significantly lower than the 918 held last week, but higher than a year ago when there were 636 Melbourne auctions held over the week. Of the 9 individual Melbourne sub-regions, this week the strongest performer, in terms of clearance rates, was the Outer West. So far, CoreLogic RP Data has collected 48 results for the region and the preliminary results shows 93.8 per cent of these auctions were successful.
<a href="/images/2015/08/03/20150803-Melbourne.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/03/20150803-Melbourne.jpg" alt="" width="728" height="491">
 
Sydney’s preliminary auction clearance rate was 78.8 per cent this week, the fourth week in a row where Sydney has recorded a result below 80 per cent. Last week, Sydney’s clearance rate was 79.9 per cent, while one year ago results show that 76.7 per cent of Sydney homes taken to auction were successful, showing the gap between this year’s clearance rate and last year’s clearance rate is starting to close. In terms of the number of auctions across the city, this week volumes were lower, down to 816 from 906 last week. One year ago just 588 Sydney homes were taken to auction over the week. The Blacktown sub-region of Sydney has shown the strongest performance so far this week, with 94.4 per cent of the 18 reported results selling, with 2 remaining results yet to be collected.
<a href="/images/2015/08/03/20150803-Sydney.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/03/20150803-Sydney.jpg" alt="" width="759" height="518">
 
There were 140 Brisbane homes taken to auction this week, with 94 results reported so far. The preliminary clearance rate for the city is 60.6 per cent, up from 54.0 per cent last week and higher than one year ago, when just 36.7 per cent of the 96 properties taken to auction were successful. Across the Gold Coast 44 results have been reported so far, with a success rate of 47.7 per cent (21 sales).
<a href="/images/2015/08/03/20150803-Brisbane.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/03/20150803-Brisbane.jpg" alt="" width="836" height="561">
This week, Adelaide saw a preliminary clearance rate of 71.9 per cent, with 57 reported results across a total of 75 scheduled auctions. In comparison, over the previous week Adelaide’s clearance rate was 58.9 per cent and 61.0 per cent one year ago.
<a href="/images/2015/08/03/20150803-Adelaide.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/03/20150803-Adelaide.jpg" alt="" width="823" height="564">
There were 23 Perth auctions this week, with a preliminary clearance rate of 43.8 per cent. Last week, Perth recorded its strongest auction clearance rate for July, at 52.6 per cent.
Across Canberra a total of 40 auctions were held this week, compared to 49 last week and 28 at the same time last year. Canberra’s preliminary clearance rate of 79.2 per cent is higher than it was the previous week (68.8 per cent).
Of the 6 Tasmanian auction results reported so far this week, 2 sales have been recorded.
 
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smiller-vwPjRHTkST

Sydney’s clearance rate below 80%: CoreLogic RP Data's Shana Miller

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<h2>Melbourne's 78% clearance rate of 78 per cent compared to 76 per cent last weekend and 72 per cent this weekend last year, according to the REIV.</h2>
There were 595 auctions reported to the REIV, with Enzo Raimondo, the REIV chief, noting some $389 million in auction sales.
Houses had a clearance rate of 84% at an $850,000 median price.
Apartments had a clearance rate of 69% with a median price of $608,000.
TOP 5 HOUSES
1. 20 Reed Street, Albert Park $2,810,000 2. 21 Haydens Road, Beaumaris $2,800,000 3. 183 Church Street, Brighton $2,640,000 4. 44 Camperdown Street, Brighton East $2,600,000 5. 15 Fairmount Road, Hawthorn East $2,540,000 TOP 5 BARGAIN HOUSES
1. 36 Oriole Drive, Werribee $287,500 2. 26 Christie Street, Deer Park $308,000 3. 12 Leisure Way North, Rosebud $328,000 4. 2 Brampton Close, Craigieburn $341,000 5. 70 Kuringai Road, Tootgarook $350,000 TOP 5 APARTMENTS
1. 5/105 Crown Street, Richmond $2,000,000 2. 405 New Street, Brighton $1,751,000 3. 3/11 Monomeath Avenue, Toorak $1,701,000 4. 3/47 Durham Road, Surrey Hills $1,525,000 5. 29A Barnett Street, Hampton $1,448,500 TOP 5 BARGAIN APARTMENTS
1. 14/234 Warrigal Road, Camberwell $117,000 2. 11/242 Pascoe Vale Road, Essendon $237,500 3. 2/131 High Street, Thomastown $247,000 4. 2/8 Anzac Street, Carnegie $268,000 5. 3/64-66 Bent Street, St Albans $285,000
 
The REIV was expecting about 730 auctions in 242 suburbs this weekend, so further results will change the clearance rate.
The top auction locations were Mount Waverley (12 auctions) and Bentleigh East (10 auctions), followed by Richmond, South Yarra and St Kilda East with nine auctions in each.
Sales included 50 Swayfield Road, Mt Waverley (below) which sold at $1,267,000.
<img src="https://i3.au.reastatic.net/800x600/27472b9d5957b6d7263292fd13032b1d41eae49ae4fae257832d08ae7be6581f/main.jpg" alt="50 Swayfield Road, Mount Waverley" title="50 Swayfield Road, Mount Waverley" data-index="0">
Mt Waverley is among a select number of Melbourne suburbs to have recorded annual capital growth of more than 20 per cent. Mount Waverley's 28 per cent matched Doncaster (28 per cent), and narrowly bettered Burwood (27 per cent) and Balwyn North (23 per cent). 
Mount Waverley had none of the REIV's top sale results with propertydata.com.au listing recent results as:
<table><tbody>
<tr>
<td>381  Blackburn  Rd</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>$1,400,000</td>
<td>House</td>
<td>Passed in at Auction</td>
<td>01/08/2015</td>
<td>
S&amp;L
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2/ 80  Bruce  St</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>$580,000</td>
<td>Unit</td>
<td>Auction Sale</td>
<td>01/08/2015</td>
<td>
Buxton
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1/ 11  Grenfell  Rd</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>$628,000</td>
<td>Unit</td>
<td>Auction Sale</td>
<td>01/08/2015</td>
<td>
Jellis Craig
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1/ 17  Heany  St</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>$590,000</td>
<td>Unit</td>
<td>Passed in at Auction</td>
<td>01/08/2015</td>
<td>
Jellis Craig
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>69  Jubilee  St</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>$1,420,000</td>
<td>House</td>
<td>Auction Sale</td>
<td>01/08/2015</td>
<td>
Barry Plant
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>16  Leeds  Rd</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>$1,330,000</td>
<td>House</td>
<td>Auction Sale</td>
<td>01/08/2015</td>
<td>
Ray White
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>50  Swayfield  Rd</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>$1,267,000</td>
<td>House</td>
<td>Auction Sale</td>
<td>01/08/2015</td>
<td>
Barry Plant
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>36  Catherine  Av</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>$1,040,000</td>
<td>House</td>
<td>Auction Sale</td>
<td>31/07/2015</td>
<td>
Barry Plant
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>33  Wilga  St</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>$1,200,000</td>
<td>House</td>
<td>Sold Before Auction</td>
<td>25/07/2015</td>
<td>
Jellis Craig
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2/ 24  Damon  Rd</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>undisclosed</td>
<td>Unit</td>
<td>Auction Sale</td>
<td>01/08/2015</td>
<td>
Jellis Craig
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>96  Headingley  Rd</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>undisclosed</td>
<td>House</td>
<td>Auction Sale</td>
<td>01/08/2015</td>
<td>
Reed
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>36  Oakern  St</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>undisclosed</td>
<td>House</td>
<td>Passed in at Auction</td>
<td>01/08/2015</td>
<td>
Jellis Craig
 
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
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