The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

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Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

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The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

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The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

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Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

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Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

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Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

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Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

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One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

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There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

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"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

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The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

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The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

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Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

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While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

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That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

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The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

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The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Sunshine Coast

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Maleny House, a contemporary Sunshine Coast hinterland home that featured on ABC's Dream Houses Australia, has hit the market.
It is offered for the first time since it was constructed nearly a decade ago.
Queensland Sotheby's agents Adrian Kirwan and Hannah Dodds are marketing the home which Brisbane couple, banker Robert Hadley and his wife, Anne commissioned from their then base in Romania.
The design of the home, set 40 kilometres inland from the coast in picture-postcard lush dairy country, merges contemporary Australian design with a Japanese-inspired cultural aesthetic.
Steve Guthrie and Lindy Atkin from <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://vimeo.com/48923897" target="_blank">Noosa-based Bark Design Architects</a> designed it on the 2,000 square metre block at Wootha which had been bought in 2005.
"We just stumbled on this block of land and we couldn't resist," Robert Hadley recalled, adding they had been inspired through the years by designs of Lindsay and Kerry Clare, Adrian Poole, John Mainwaring and Glenn Murcutt. 
After living in cities for 15 years across three different countries, the couple had decided that they wanted a quieter life.
It was built with the wabi-sabi design approach by local builder Nathan Quail.
The wabi-sabi design is described as one of beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete, with characteristics including asymmetry, roughness, modesty and intimacy.
"It has a simple beauty, an Asian aesthetic with an Australian touch," Robert explains.
"We were interested in the Zen philosophy of tranquiility and simplicity in the garden and the house overall.
Over the 16 month build, the couple only visited the site twice.
"We trusted our architects and they delivered," Anne said.
Robert and Anne communicated with architects Stuart Guthrie and Lindy Atkin by e-mail.
"The brief that Robert and Anne gave us was incredibly detailed," Guthrie recalled when the design was aired on the popular ABC series in 2012.
"Sometimes have a brief which is a single A4 page but this was a substantial document."
"It was an amazing brief," noted Lindy.
Maleny House was inspired by houses the couple have lived in throughout the world. They've also called Singapore and Amsterdam home before settling back in Australia.
Featuring modernist architecture of the mid 20th century, Maleny House is made up of a series of inter-connected pavilions.
"The layout of the house is essentially a central courtyard," says Atkin.
The living pavilion on the ground level contains the kitchen, dining and lounge area. Two of the three bedrooms sit upstairs.
"The kitchen is the heart of the house," Atkin suggested.
A glass framed floating walkway leads to the master bedroom which features sliding shojis which screen a large void to the living area below.
On the opposite side of the courtyard is a separate pavilion, which homes a guest room as well as a study or music room, enclosed in certified plantation-grown plywood to enhance acoustics.
Screens and walkways blend the structures comprised of glass, space-grey Australian corrugated steel and reinforced concrete.
A gabion wall, handcrafted by a stonemason, partially screens the home from public view. 
Walls in the home slide away to meld indoor and outdoor spaces.
Despite being solidly anchored the earth below, Maleny House floats above the ground, and has uninterrupted views across the Glass House Mountains National Park and as far as Moreton Bay.
This article was first published in the Weekend Australian. 
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Maleny, Sunshine Coast trophy home featured on ABC's Dream Build listed

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Melbourne businessman Nick Bell has bought a holiday home on the Sunshine Coast.
The young entrepreneur, who has a net worth of over $100 million, has spent $7.6 million on a 2014 built home on Sunrise Beach, near Noosa.
Bell founded WME, his first digital agency, with $400 in 2008 from his bedroom. He sold it for $39 million last year, billed as one of the largest digital marketing agencies in the country.
His new property purchase is part of the prestigious Beaches gated-estate.
The state of the art oceanfront terrace over two levels comes with a garden courtyard with resort-style pool with a 25 metre lap lane and a water slide.
It has four bedrooms, a home office, a Swedish sauna and a five car garage, which Tom Offermann Real Estate selling agent Milan Markanovic says feels more like a showroom.
The home had been on the market since mid 2016. It last traded for $2.6 million in 2012.
This article was first published in The Weekend Australian.
 
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Melbourne entrepreneur Nick Bell buys holiday home on Sunshine Coast

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The office market on the Sunshine Coast is heavily oversupplied due to a number of projects completed in 2017, according to the latest report by the valuation firm Herron Todd White (HTW).
They suggested it has led to a reduction in rental levels across the Sunshine Coast market over the past nine months for new tenants.
This oversupply was predominately in the Maroochydore area.
"We have generally seen all but the most prime tenancy areas in quality buildings with good views have reductions in effective rentals of circa 10% to 30%," HTW said.
The valuers suggested effective rents within A grade style premises on the Sunshine Coast were from circa $400/m² gross pa to circa $480/m² gross pa, "though have now fallen and the market remains volatile."
It had begun to impact on the traditional owner-occupier strata titled market, which generally has a value range from $3,500/sqm to $5,000/sqm depending on the location, size of the strata and overall quality.
HTW noted office sales over the past 12 months had begun to slow in this market as business owners have begun to look at the cost of owning or leasing and the quality of space that is available.
The largest of these developments, Kon Tiki in Maroochydore, is a mixed-use development with a range of retail uses to the ground level and medical uses within one of the two towers.
Kon Tiki is a mixed-use style development, the first of its type on the Sunshine Coast (above).
"While take-up of the office space has been slow, the majority of the lower level retail space is now taken up with the medical space also mostly taken up."
HTW forecast the new CBD development within Maroochydore will see further construction of large office complexes, but more in line with the mixed-use nature of developed CBD rather than the business park style developments that have been developed previously.
 
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Kon Tiki sets the mix-use office trend for Sunshine Coast: HTW 

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When looking at prestige properties on the Sunshine Coast the one thing you can say is that it has ‘all been happening’, according to the valuation firm, Herron Todd White.
 Buyer demand is strong with the stock levels being low in turn leading to upward pressure being placed on prices, its May report noted.
When defiining the Sunshine Coast prestige market, the $1 million mark has always been considered the starting point. 
Just like lower-priced entry-level properties, the entry levels of the prestige market, between $1 million to $1.5 million have been the most popular.
"As this sector of the market took off we have seen a fuse being lit. 
"Activity has picked up right through the value bands all the way to the three record-breaking transactions that occurred in the space of four months," HTW advised.
The most popular areas in the prestige market have continued to be coastal locations.
When looking at the coast you can break it up by the old shire council regions being Caloundra to the south, Maroochy to the central area and Noosa to the north.
"There is no doubt that beachside and canal front areas have all been performing really well.
"Suffice to say they aren’t making any more of these property types which should hold owners in good stead.
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When looking at the prestige rural residential/ lifestyle market, things are a bit different," HTW advised.
 This market is little hard to gauge as it is very property specific with personal preferences presentation and motivation of both purchases vendor is having an impact on the ultimate sale price. 
Therefore wider market parameters should be expected than those experienced for more traditional residential properties.
An interesting observation in this lifestyle market is that proportionally, values for smaller acreage prestige properties have performed better than the larger acreage counterparts. 
It appears that the cost to run these larger acreage properties have had a bearing on the market that does sometimes struggle to get its ‘head around’ what’s involved.
For units, HTW have seen a flight to larger permanent occupancy style product. 
The main market operating in this area is the ‘empty nester’s that are looking to downsize and have a property where they can ‘lock and leave’ and go travelling etc.
Within the resort/holiday space, we have also started to see the Hasting Street beachfront units come back but still a bit off from the last market peak.
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The improvement in the prestige/higher end properties has historically been driven by a high percentage of interstate investors from Sydney and Melbourne. 
"This is especially the case in the Noosa region. 
"The relative affordability, when you compare Sydney and Melbourne prices to those of the Sunshine Coast, demonstrate pretty good value. 
"It also appears that Sunshine Coast is pretty high on a number of the list of the baby boomers that have started to retire."
There have been three record sale prices that have transacted in the space of four months. 
First off 29 Wyuna Drive, Noosaville sold in October 2017 for $10.3 million (Listed for $11.9 million) which was on the market for 351 days. 
Next was 46 Seaview Terrace Sunshine Beach, which sold for $15.2 million (Listed for $18 million) in January 2018 and was on the market for approximately 581 days.
Finally 21 Webb Road, Sunshine Beach sold in February 2018 for $18 million (Listed for $22 million) after being on the market for only 52 days. 
It is HTW's understanding that the purchases of some of the properties were highly successful business people that had effectively sold large businesses.
The ‘ultra- prestige’ sector is more a matter of timing rather than anything else and tends to be more active during periods of stronger M&amp;A activity.
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"The question that we always get when we looking at the prestige markets is that - is the current growth that we are experiencing sustainable?
"There is no doubt that the prestige market is heavily linked to the wider economy which has been performing well.
"HTW do however have a history of volatility (up to 40% in some cases) in this market given that these properties are ‘wants’ rather than ‘needs.’ I mean, is there anything more discretionary than a multimillion-dollar holiday home?"
The report concluded the big positive at the moment is that the Sunshine Coast appears to be ‘on a lot of people’s lips’ and while the economy keeps performing well and barring any unforeseen incidents, the prestige market should keep chugging along for a little while yet.
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Upwards pressure on prices in Sunshine Coast trophy home market

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Demand from Sydney and Melbourne residents looking for a sea change is one of the major impacts on the Sunshine Coast market, according to Herron Todd White’s (HTW) recent report.
The property valuation firm says that a leading indicator for interstate migration to the region is sentiment in the two largest capital city markets, particularly the higher end beachside and prestige hinterland properties.
These are attractive to retirees and sea change buyers making the move north, the firm says.
“Prestige beachside areas such as Noosa and Sunshine Beach are influenced by demand from southern buyers as are some prestige hinterland areas including Maleny and Doonan,” the report states.
“Employment levels also influence demand for local property and, generally speaking, when the tourism and construction industries are strong, the local residential market follows.”
 “The Sunshine Coast has always been a popular investment location for both dwelling and units alike, with many holiday let units owned by intra and interstate investors.
“Like most areas, any significant interest rate rises will likely impact many investors and we may see an increase in the supply of investor stock hit the market, which is what has happened in the past.
“This may also be a similar issue for some of the newer affordable estates which have a higher proportion of investment properties as opposed to owner-occupied stock.”
HTW also pinpoints the University Hospital as a primary influence on demand for property in the sub-$700,000 region.
“Land prices, as well as established housing, are continuing to increase with demand remaining strong.
“Currently, stock levels across the coast are low and we are seeing multiple offers becoming more common again.
“Units are also improving although not to the same extent as traditional housing.
“With a number of local infrastructure projects still to be delivered, we’re expecting another good year for the residential property market on the Sunshine Coast.”
Examples of recent sales in the area include a Parrearra two bedroom unit that sold for $395,000 (pictured below).
It was sold by Tanya Murphy from Stewart Property - Mooloolaba.
Located at 32/57 Grand Parade, the unit comes with two bedrooms, modern kitchen with stone benches, open plan living and two car parking.
The complex facilities include a large lagoon pool, outdoor spa, gym and BBQ areas.
It is 5.2 kilometre from the Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital and Sunshine Coast University Hospital, medical development and University of the Sunshine Coast.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/4/6/parrearra.jpg" alt="">
Another new offering currently on the market is a Bli Bli three bedroom house with a price guide of $399,000 (pictured below). 
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-bli+bli-127930126" target="_blank">The 23 Conway Court house</a> features open plan living and dining zone, three generous sized bedrooms, and kitchen with island bench.
It is conveniently located home offers an easy-care layout for effortless family living.
Set on a 731 square metre parcel, it's an easy stroll to Bli Bli school and moments to local shops.
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Sea change seekers setting sights on Sunshine Coast: HTW 

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The record-breaking Sunshine Coast, Noosa price secured by the former world number one tennis player Pat Rafter and wife Lara has emerged as $15.2 million on its recent settlement.
It's been bought by Queensland restaurant entrepreneurs David and Louise Hales, who were originally from Tasmania.
Hales was the co-founder of the Betty’s Burgers &amp; Concrete Co, which he established on Noosa’s Hastings Street in 2014 and then expanded to nine outlets.
Rafter, a former world number one tennis player and wife Lara, waited two years to sell the impressive <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-sunshine+beach-123425942" target="_blank">John Burgess-designed beachfront home</a> having relocated to just outside the northern NSW township of Byron Bay.
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The Rafter's now live at a 38 hectare Broken Head estate that cost $1.35 million in 2015 on which they built a barn like home amid heritage fig trees.
Tom Offermann agents Tom Offermann and Eric Seetoo were marketing the Rafter property at $18 million.
The Seaview Terrace property covers two oceanfront blocks of land so Offermann says the sale price was not exorbitant given each oceanfront block is worth at least $5.5 million.
The now disclosed $15.2 million sale was the Sunshine Coast record for just a couple of weeks before another impressive beachfront home fetched $18 million.
It was the Webb Road home of IT entrepreneur Danny Wallis which sold to Singapore-based David Russell, co-founder of a private equity group Equis Energy, which had been listed with $22 million hopes.
Sydney identities Anthony Bell and Kelly Landry set the ball running on the recent record prices when they paid $10.3 million for their Noosa waterfront home.
Set on Hideaway Island on Noosa Sound, it spans over 800 sqm of living space.
It comes with 45 metres of water frontage which features a private sandy beach, two jetty's and a boat ramp.
The property had an $11.9 million price guide.
Not withstanding his commercial arrangements since retirement, the Courier Mail noted the sale proceeds outdid his career prize money, which spanned between 1991 and 2002.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Restaurant entrepreneur's secure Pat Rafter's Sunshine Coast home

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The retirement owner, operator and manager Aveo Group has received planning approval for a $60 million project on the Sunshine Coast.
Set within Harmony, the $3 billion master planned community at Palmview; the 5.4-hectare site will accommodate 138 independent living units, providing homes to more than 200 seniors upon completion.
Aveo will commence construction in April 2018 to be built over five stages featuring two and three-bedroom units, with the first 63 units planned in the first stage with completion anticipated by June 2020.
Amenities also planned in the first stage include a community centre featuring a café, media room, recreational and entertaining areas, as well as a range of professional health and wellness facilities.
Aveo Group CEO Geoff Grady said Harmony’s location was a key consideration when choosing the site, with the Sunshine Coast experiencing a 21% growth in senior residents in the five years leading up to 2016.
Palmview will be Aveo’s third development on the Sunshine Coast alongside flagship community Aveo Peregian Springs Country Club,
Strategically located in the heart of the Sunshine Coast on 378 hectares, Harmony will deliver more than 4,800 homes for 12,000 future residents, 100 hectares of open space and a 60km network of pedestrian path and cycle ways. 
AVID Property Group General Manager Queensland Bruce Harper said intergenerational planning has been an important focus at Harmony since the project’s inception more than a decade ago.
“In the past, most new residential developments really only catered towards younger families, with the expectation that people would move on as their circumstances changed,” Harper said. 
“Needless to say, we are thrilled that Aveo Group will deliver a state-of-the-art retirement community right here at Harmony.”
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Situated on Harmony Boulevard in Palmview, the community neighbours Sippy Downs, Buderim, Mooloolaba, Maroochydoore and Kawana Waters. 
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Aveo receives planning approval for $60 million Harmony, Sunshine Coast community

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The White Shells penthouse apartment in Marcoola on Queensland's Sunshine Coast has been sold by mortgagees.
It fetched $700,000 when sold by Jay Pashley and Liz Hope from North Shore Reality. 
It was last sold at $1,115,000 by the developer, Twaddle Developments in 2007.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-qld-marcoola-126541826" target="_blank">east facing beachfront apartment</a> with views had been on the market since September.
The penthouse has the direct access to its exclusive roof deck. 
The apartment came with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and office nook. 
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According to CoreLogic, the median price for units in Marcoola sits at $380,000.
Another White Sheels apartment sold last year at $698,000 to a Netherlands couple who work at their Chinese embassy. Apartment 42 was a three bedroom luxury apartment on the first floor in the South East corner.
The marketing advised it had "previously been valued at just under one million dollars."
It had been sold off the plan in 2007 at $985,000.
The CoreLogic Pain &amp; Gain report highlights the Sunshine Coast loss-making locality (below).
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/1/29/painandgain.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
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All 48 apartments have either a north or east-facing aspect. White Shells has four residential levels with lift access to every level and there are three separate entrances into the apartments, making living at White Shells much lower density than most apartments.
On completion there had been very little in the way of brand new beachfront apartments on the coastal side of the David Low Way.
It sits at the corner of Merchants Parade and Seashore Street, Marcoola. 
 
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White Shells, Marcoola Sunshine Coast penthouse sold by mortgagee

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Former Davis Cup player Mark Kratzmann and business partner Don Moffat have teamed up to create a riverfront property developer on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Unique in its direction, the residential development called The Ivy Picnic Point will also aid in the development of houses in India.
For every apartment sold in the 37 apartment building, a house will be built in India. There are also two penthouses. Kratzman says he and his family are set to move in to one of the apartments.
“This really has been a dream 40 years in the making, and I have so much faith in the end result that my family and I are counting down the days until we can move in with another 36 residents."
The Kratzmann Group has partnered with not-for-profit organisations Habitat for Humanity and B1G1 to build the houses.
More than 40 percent of The Ivy Picnic has sold, with 15 of the 37 two and three bedroom apartments recently snapped up.
Kratzman said a number of the buyers hail from Melbourne and Sydney, who have been drawn to the Sunshine Coast because of the warm climate and the developments waterfront location and lifestyle.
The project, The Ivy Picnic Point, is located on the Picnic Point Esplanade, looking out to Channel and Goat Island.
Speaking on the development in India, Kratzman noted that more than 73 million families in India do not have access to proper shelter.
“Habitat for Humanity supports people who have lost their homes in natural disasters or cannot afford to build their own houses,” he said. 
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“Having recently travelled to India, I visited the Bawana slum in Delhi and was confronted with images of open sewers, children playing in widespread rubbish, and families with no access to clean drinking water.”
“It’s heartbreaking to see people – children included – living in such extreme poverty and poor sanitation and I’m determined to play a role in transforming the lives of those in need.” 
“It’s hard to fathom the troubling conditions these communities face on a daily basis and I certainly don’t take for granted how incredibly lucky we are to have such a high standard of living in Australia.”
“We’re excited to be helping transform many of the slum’s shanty homes into real houses with safe sanitation, and have received an overwhelmingly positive response from The Ivy Picnic Point buyers, who have embraced the initiative with open arms.”
The Ivy Picnic Point features a communal barbeque area, lap pool, steam room and gym, with all apartments incorporating Smeg and Miele appliances.
To find out more about the development, <a href="http://www.theivypicnicpoint.com.au." target="_blank">click here.</a>
Prices start from $499,000.
 
 
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Ivy Picnic Point development by Mark Kratzmann and Don Moffat to help develop homes in India

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<div title="Page 1">Stockland has received approvals for its proposed $830 million Birtinya Town Centre masterplan residential, retail and office development on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.</div>
Set over 18 hectares, Stockland's project is estimated to generate more than 550 jobs during construction and more than 14,600 new full time jobs on completion.
The first stage of the town centre masterplan is the $87 million Stockland Birtinya Shopping Centre, with works expected to commence before Christmas. 
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Stockland Group Executive and CEO of commercial property John Schroder said the new subregional retail town centre would embrace its coastal location with architectural finishes, extensive landscaping and natural ventilation, offering a relaxed atmosphere representing the culture of the Sunshine Coast.
“Stockland Birtinya will be the heart of this vibrant and thriving future town centre featuring a flagship Coles and Aldi supermarket, two mini-majors, an open-air, late night dining precinct, some 30 specialty retailers and 522 car parking spaces.”
“Upon completion of the first stage next year, this new centre will service a primary trade area of 15,000 people, offering a diverse dining, entertainment and retail offering. It will be a great place for convenience shopping, having a coffee along the waterfront or meeting friends for dinner and drinks.”
Stockland will also develop a service station and two drive-thru tenancies adjacent to the shopping centre in the first stage of development. A second stage of the shopping centre will be developed in future stages taking the total retail to 20,000 square metres.
Stockland has committed to a 5 Star Green Star As Built rating for the new Stockland Birtinya Shopping Centre, featuring solar panels and end of trip facilities among other sustainability measures. 
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It plans to develop a subregional retail town centre, a new civic plaza, walkable waterfront along Lake Kawana and open green space - all integrated with commercial, health related research facilities and high density residential. 
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