<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" 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/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Canberra

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Canberra was the weekend's strongest auction capital cities with 75.6% of listings finding buyers.
Brisbane was the weekend weakest capital city sitting at around 44%, according to CoreLogic.
Geelong was the strongest region with a 77.8% auction clearance rate.
Canberra's prices ranged from $385,000 for a two bedroom villa at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-melba-126968946" target="_blank">44 Goldner Circuit, Melba</a> (pictured above) to $2.12 million for a three bedroom home at 58 Leichhardt Street, Griffith.
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Canberra emerges as summer's strongest capital city property market

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An out of tune estate agent in Canberra has used a rather unusual marketing ploy to advertise one of his recent listings.
Ben Lewis is no Rock n' Roll Star but is an agent at LJ Hooker Kaleen.
He has tried his hand at the former and <a href="https://kaleen.ljhooker.com.au/house-in-ngunnawal-act-2913-au-1se4f9q#.Wh7i4vll-00" target="_blank">used the tune</a> of Oasis' world hit Wonderwall to describe the house.
He opens with: "Today is gonna be the day that I'm gonna show this home to you. By now, you should have some how realised that its right for you." 
The home in Ngunnawal, a suburb in the district of Gungahlin in Canberra, is also advertised on its listing as 'Wonderwall in Ngunnawal'.
Again with a nod to the famous Manchester band, the home was described as being located in "Ngunnawal's oasis".
The three bedroom home has two living areas, a garage and a backyard.
Property Observer is not sure if the trend of appropriating Oasis tunes to spruik houses will catch on All Around the World, if it will Live Forever or simply Slide Away. 
Some Might Say  to Ben: Hey Now, we'll Roll With It. 
Don't Look Back in Anger, we appreciate the effort.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Off-key marketing for ACT home sees agent singing Oasis' Wonderwall to home features

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Canberra houses are selling in just 23 days, according to recent data from CoreLogic. 
It is the fastest selling capital city.
Meanwhile, Hobart lurks just behind with an average 24 days on market, with Melbourne (28 days) and Sydney (29 days) not far behind. 
Darwin is the slowest for both its private treaty house listings and apartment listings at 76 and 114 days respectively. 
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Canberra the fastest selling capital for houses: CoreLogic

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A growing appetite for Canberra’s office market has prompted the Willemsen Group to list Belconnen’s Northpoint Plaza for sale.
The family group has owned the office investment property since it was developed in 1987.
The listing comes as investors are turning their sights to Canberra’s secondary office market, with a series of transactions completed or in the offing in the lead up to 2018.
The trend is being driven by the anticipation of strong rental growth and a pickup in tenant demand in the short to medium term. 
Canberra Times added that the building's agent suggested a buyer could use the block for apartments or a hotel, leaving the future for its tenants unclear. 
Centrelink leases about 16 per cent of the building, which also houses Quest Training, Sonic Healthcare, Marist Youth Care, medical and other offices. 
CBRE Research highlights that secondary grade net effective rents recorded a 6% annual increase in the period to Q3 2017. Meanwhile, white collar employment grew 3.1% over the year to March 2017, with the business services sector adding 5,300 employees during that time-frame.
The Belconnen listing is being handled by CBRE’s Michael Heather.
“Northpoint Plaza presents a compelling value-add opportunity that will be acquired at below replacement cost, yet is 75% occupied and provides substantial passing income,” Heather said, adding that there was also the opportunity to increase the returns through a refurbishment and releasing strategy.
“Given its strategic location in the Belconnen Town Centre opposite Westfield Belconnen, the site would also suit future residential redevelopment or conversion to hotel or serviced apartments to capitalise on its park frontage and upper level lake views.”
Recent transactions of value-add office assets include 39 Brisbane Avenue, Barton, which was purchased by boutique fund manager Quintessential Equity for $16.5 million. Another Barton property at 42 Macquarie Street is currently in due diligence with a Sydney-based investment group.
Heather noted that Belconnen was also on investors’ radars as one of the better performing secondary office markets in the ACT.
Belconnen’s secondary vacancy rate is currently 5%, comparing favourably to Tuggeranong (23%), Woden (21%) and Civic (15%).
 
 
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Office investment property in Canberra’s Belconnen listed

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Adelaide's landmark 1880 water tower offering certainly stood out among the weekend auctions.
The seven level Semaphore property had been been listed for sale by the Stibr family for the first time in four decades.
Set 14 kilometres north west of Adelaide, the water tower home is currently three bedrooms and two separate self-contained units.
The expansive top floor takes in 360 degree views over the whole of the city, beach and hills.
It sold for $1.2 million at weekend auction. <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-semaphore-126567366" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The tower</a> (picture above) was knocked down to a Sydney insurance broker, Daniel Johnson and wife, Virginia who haven’t made any firm decision on what they will do with the property.
“We want to make it the amazing place it could be,’’ Mr Johnson said.
"It could be an art gallery with a restaurant. It could be accommodation," they told the Adelaide Advertiser.
Adelaide had a 65 percent success rate across its 126 auctions, virtually unchanged from the prior weekend's 64.1 percent across 129 auctions, and pretty much the same as this time last year.
But with the weakening in Sydney and to a lesser extent in Melbourne, Adelaide's weekend success rate sat third among the capitals, behind Canberra's 72.9 percent success rate with Melbourne in second place with 71.4 percent of its auctions finding buyers.
Adelaide had the nation's cheapest sale when <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-hackham-126682466" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">29 Grenache Road, Hackham</a> sold for $239,000.
The 1970s sandstone brick house was offered with $225,000 price guidance having last traded in 2000 at $85,000. It had been listed as a $295 a week rental earlier this year.
In Canberra, 125 auctions were held with prices ranging from $348,000 at Bruce to $1.73 million at Red Hill.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-act-bruce-126777590" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The low rise two bedroom Bruce apartment</a> was set in The Hub complex.
The Red Hill sale was a four bedroom renovated cottage on 1155 sqm at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-act-red+hill-126722730" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">246 La Perouse Street</a> that had traded at $985,000 in original 1960s condition.
There were 2,894 auctions held across the combined capital cities returning a preliminary national auction clearance rate of 66.5 per cent.
Clearance rates have continued to track below 70 per cent since June the year, CoreLogic's auction analyst Kevin Brogan noted.
Brisbane, with only 45.7 per cent of auctions cleared, was the weakest capital city. Its sale ranged between $295,000 at Woody Point and $1.1 million at Kedron.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-woody+point-126649278" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The two bedroom 1960s Woody Point offering</a>, set 500 metres from the beach in the Redcliffe district, had sold at $200,000 in 2013.
The Kedron sale was a 2015-built five bedroom Amelia Lee-designed home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-kedron-126687578" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">18 Thirteenth Avenue</a>.
Melbourne's 71.4 per cent success rate was recorded across 1,299 auctions this week, down from last week’s final clearance rate of 74.3 per cent across just 318 auctions.
Melbourne's strongest clearance rate was recorded across the West region with an 82.2 per cent success rate across 189 auctions.
Melbourne had the nation's top sale when $6.4 million was paid for a Toorak offering through RT Edgar.
The likely knock-down at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-toorak-126537138" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">22 Lansell Road</a> had $5.5 million to $6 million pre-auction price guidance.
It last sold at $160,000 in 1979 on its 600 sqm corner block.
Sydney returned a preliminary auction clearance rate of 64.4 per cent this week, rising from last week’s revised final 59.8 per cent result, while one year ago 81.4 per cent of Sydney homes taken to auction were successful.
Auction volumes decreased week-on-week, with 1,089 auctions held this week, down from the 1,232 held last week.
The Ryde sub-region of Sydney recorded the highest preliminary clearance rate this week, with 88.6 per cent of the 49 auctions held reporting as sold.
Sydney's cheapest sale was a one bedroom, one bathroom duplex villa at Bexley when $411,000 was paid for <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-villa-nsw-bexley-126680462" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2/15 Caledonian Street</a>. There had been $400,000 to $440,000 price guidance.  Offered previously as a $370 a week rental, it had traded in 2013 at $305,000.
It's LJ Hooker agent Vesna Apoleska marketed it as "the best buy in town."
Perth’s clearance rate of 61.9 per cent across 39 auctions was amongst its highest recorded this year. Over the same week last year, the Perth clearance rate was a lower 37.5 per cent, and 43 auctions were held.
Perth's top notified result was <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-victoria+park-126677750" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$1 million at Victoria Park</a> when a four bedroom renovated house sold through Boston &amp; Co.
The late 1920s home had last sold at $965,000 in 2009.
"30 Mackie Street taps into the easy Western Australian way of life with seamless indoor outdoor living," the marketing advised.
"It's a healthy walk to the exciting new Perth Stadium," it also suggested.
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Canberra towers over other capitals with late spring auction success rate

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Canberra’s top weekend auction sale was a Forrest house designed in 1927 by Oakley &amp; Parkes, who had previously designed The Lodge.
The home (above) on <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-forrest-126638310" target="_blank">its 1500 sqm Barkly Crescent block</a> last sold in 1997 at $525,000.
Luton Properties sold another Oakley &amp; Parkes designed home in Forrest earlier this year.
Owned by the same family for more than 40 years, the residence was marketed as of 1925 origin.
"A traditional Oakley and Parkes design; privately hedged on this superb 2006 sqm came with high ceilings, cornices and large portrait windows.," the marketing advised.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-forrest-125703758" target="_blank">Dominion Circuit hom</a>e fetched $2.25 million (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/2017/11/7/Oakley2.jpg" alt="">
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The Lodge, a fine example of the Inter-War Georgian Revival style of architecture, was designed by architects Oakley and Parkes, who played a key role in the design of Canberra's permanent housing in its initial phase.
Architects suggest The Lodge is the Canberra residence which demonstrates best their architectural expertise. 
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The designers of The Lodge were Melbourne architects, Percy Oakley and Stanley Parkes.
 Work was begun on the residence in 1926, before the Federal Parliament moved to Canberra from Melbourne. 
The design was illustrated in the 7 June 1926 issue of Australian Home Beautiful after it was built by James G. Taylor of Glebe, NSW, at a total cost of £28,319, which included furnishings, decoration and landscaping, with a tennis court and a croquet lawn. 
Mrs Ruth Lane-Poole supervised the interior decoration of the house and the purchase of fashionable, late 1920s furnishings.
The first occupants were S. M. Bruce and his wife, in May 1927. 
In 1929 his Labor successor, J. M. Scullin refused to live there, declaring that it was "too grand".  
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Oakley & Parkes-designed Forrest home sold

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Canberra's iconic Westridge House in Yarralumla, one of the capital's oldest homes, has been listed for sale.
The property dates back to 1928 when Harold Desbrowe-Annear designed it for Charles Lane-Poole, the founding principal of the Australian Forestry School.
In 1975, federal agency CSIRO became the new tenant of the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-act-yarralumla-126783138" target="_blank">community-zoned mansion</a> and it was used as the residence for the chief officer.
Westridge House had been in government hands since its construction before it sold for $3.2 million at auction in late 2010.
The buyer was Dr Vincent John Adams Flynn, an heir to the Tattersalls gambling fortune, who died last year.
The expansive two hectare grounds back on to Royal Canberra Golf Course.
<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/2017/11/2/West2.jpg" alt="">
A 50 sqm reception room with antique fireplace, solid timber floors and high ceilings open onto a sandstone terrace.
There's five bedrooms, three bathrooms and two sitting rooms.
Peter Blackshaw Real Estate agent Mario Sanfrancesco is marketing the home for a November 26 auction.
This article was first published in The Weekend Australian property section.
 
  
 
 
 
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Westridge House, one of Canberra's oldest homes, hits the market

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First home buyers, downsizers and families looking to upgrade have all been active in the property market as well as those who are new to Canberra, according to the valuation firm Herron Todd White.
First home buyers have affordable detached housing options in the outer suburbs of Belconnen and Tuggeranong, while Gungahlin provides newer detached housing at more of a premium.
"Alternatively, there are affordable unit options available throughout the Canberra region with new developments being completed in the city and town centres," HTW added.
There is also a large supply of older units close to the city and in the suburbs that would be suitably priced for first home buyers, the report advised.
The strong detached housing market has forced most first home buyers to look to apartments to climb onto the property ladder.
New Canberra residents have been active mainly in the Gungahlin market where they can buy new homes in a newly established suburb.
"Demand has been very strong from these buyers with land selling at a similar rate per square meter to land in established inner suburbs.
"This demographic has also been active in the new apartment market especially dwellings in close proximity to universities and town centres," HTW said.
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Canberra first home buyers have been active: HTW

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The QBE Australian Housing Outlook Report has added weight to other forecasts of a strong market in Canberra next year and beyond.
Its growth forecast for Canberra over the next three years is the highest among the state and territory capital cities.
The Housing Boom and Bust Report by SQM’s Louis Christopher also has a bullish prediction for Canberra. It suggests dwelling values in Canberra will increase by up to 9% in 2018. The only capital cities tipped to do better are Hobart and Melbourne, with Sydney growth waning. 
This follows a strong period for the Canberra market over the past 12 months, although it’s difficult to know exactly how much house prices have increased. 
The latest figures on price growth in Canberra show how difficult it is for consumers to make sense of the price data published in mainstream media. CoreLogic says Canberra house values are up 9% in the past 12 months, but Domain says 10.5% and SQM Research records a rise of 16%. 
In the apartment market, SQM says Canberra is up 7%, CoreLogic says just 3% and Domain reports a small decline in prices. It’s difficult for consumers to get any direction from such conflicting information. 
My assessment - based on all available data including sales volumes, vacancies and rental growth figures - is that the ACT housing market is strong and rising, but the unit market is less bullish, having been through a period of oversupply in the recent past. 
The quarterly surveys of sales by Hotspotting show that the Canberra market has been upwardly-mobile for the past two years and this is now showing up in price growth data for the housing market.
Meanwhile the QBE report, which is fairly cautious and conservative in its overall predictions for the next three years, has Canberra leading on price growth up to 2020.
“With Federal Government employment being the key driver of economic growth, the outlook for Canberra will be closely linked with public sector employment growth,” it says. “Conditions in the house market are expected to remain largely positive, driven by population growth, an under-supply of houses and strong employment prospects. 
“The median house price in Canberra is forecast to increase a cumulative 16% over the forecast period to $750,000 at June 2020. Canberra is forecast to have the strongest growing market of all the cities over this period.”
By way of background, it says: “Underlying demand for dwellings has been largely supported by population growth. The net interstate outflow has been shrinking over the past four years, with the 2016-17 period resulting in an estimated net inflow of 800 persons. The net overseas migration inflow has also increased to an estimated 2,200 over 2016-17 and appears to be largely related to growth in overseas students.
“The Australian Capital Territory unemployment rate is tightening, indicating an improvement in local economic conditions. At March 2017, unemployment was 3.7% compared to 4.5% in December 2015. Improved demand has led to a tighter vacancy rate of 1.3% in June 2017.”
The report’s comments reinforce my viewsabout the fundamental importance to property markets of events in the local economy, rather than national factors such as the level of interest rates.
Investors looking to capitalise on Canberra’s rising market should be focusing their attention in the north.
A regular feature of Hotspotting’s sales activity surveys is that the busiest markets in Canberra are in the northern suburbs. 
Our Spring survey for The Price Predictor Index confirms that, while there are now growth suburbs across the Canberra metropolitan area, the strongest precincts once again are the Belconnen and Gungahlin districts. 
Suburbs with rising markets in the Belconnen District include Florey, Flynn, Holt and Evatt. Buoyant markets in the Gungahlin precinct include Casey, Ngunnawal, Crace and Palmerston. 
The Inner North precinct is also solid, led by good sales activity in Lyneham and Ainslie. 
Overall, as I have often commented, the stand-out characteristic of Canberra is the steadiness of its performance. 
That, plus the low vacancies and the growth numbers now emerging (including with rentals), make the national capital increasingly appealing for investors. 
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">twitter.com/hotspotting</a>
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Canberra forecasts strong next year and beyond: Terry Ryder

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Canberra has seen a steady increase in A-Grade office stock since the move to more environment-friendly buildings started in 2000 and as businesses focus more on lessening their impact on the environment.
This demand for quality space has meant a decline in vacancies and an increase in building refurbishments,  according to Colliers International.
According to PCA data, A-Grade vacancy in Canberra CBD has more than halved in the past 24 months, decreasing from 8% to just 3.2%. 
The Parliamentary Precinct has experienced an even bigger drop over the same period, from 13.1% to just 1%. This is resulting in rental rate increases and a decline in incentives.
A younger generation joining the workforce also means changing needs and is also impacting tenants’ choice of office location and quality.
Michael Ceacis, director of Office Leasing at Colliers International said that with tenants seeking better offices but with limited new supply, there has been a spike in the number of buildings being refurbished. 
“Landlords are looking to attract tenants to older buildings by undertaking extensive building refurbishments. Building upgrades are not limited to modernising their buildings, but focus on improving building amenity, increasing building performance to make tenants more comfortable, lowering tenancy costs and decreasing a building’s environmental footprint.”
“Where this is most evident is in the CBD and Parliamentary Precinct,” he added.
Colliers International data shows that by 2020, Canberra’s CBD will have two new office buildings completed, injecting a total of approximately 30,000 sqm of A-Grade office space into the market. 
“We have no doubt that these new buildings will quickly attract quality tenants seeking to upgrade from lower grade office accommodation,” Michael said.
“We’ve seen a significant drop in A-Grade vacancy over the past couple of years and with limited stock coming to market, we expect this to have greater impact on B-Grade stock levels over the next couple of years.”
PCA data reveals only a slight drop in Canberra vacancy in the past 24 months from 13.4% to 12.8% in the CBD and 15.3% to 12.3% respectively in the Parliamentary Precinct. 
“The trends we’re seeing in the market, combined with our knowledge of stock being refurbished and new buildings being built, we expect to see an increase in overall vacancy in the Canberra market by 2020.” 
According to Colliers, A-Grade stock will still be in high demand and with vacancies remaining low, tenants will either be forced to stay put or look to occupy higher quality or refurbished B-Grade stock.   
“Majority of vacancy will be in B-Grade or lower, and this is partly due to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection vacating space buildings in the CBD,” he said.
The Parliamentary Precinct A-Grade vacancy is expected to tighten even further and the impact on overall vacancy in the precinct could reach as low as 5%, says Colliers.
“The outlook for the Belconnen Town Centre is not expected to change with larger tenants likely to remain. Conversely, some work needs to be done to make Woden and Tuggeranong more attractive to tenants which will benefit businesses located in those town centres,” said Michael.
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