<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

Sydney

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A new tender has been announced for the Bennelong, Sydney Opera House restaurant site which was vacated at the end of 2013 by the Paddington-bound chef, Guillaume Brahimi.
“We have scoped potential improvements to the venue and will work with the new operator on those plans, while being careful to respect our obligations as a World Heritage-listed site,” Opera House chief executive Louise Herron said in a statement on the trust website.
It is now more than three months after the Stokehouse plans by the Melbourne-based Van Haandel Group dissolved given their decision opting instead to concentrate on rebuilding their burnt-out Stokehouse premises at St Kilda.
It will be a new, two-part tender commencing late next month.
Chef Matt Moran's Aria Catering will run Bennelong until sometime in 2015 as a premium functions venue while the tender process is being conducted.
Opera House Trust chairman John Symond wants an operator with a concept that embraces Bennelong’s unique qualities and magnificent setting.
Chef Guillaume Brahimi ended his 10-year tenure declining to bid declaring his fine dining style was unsuited to the required seven-day operation. But Ms Herron has affirmed the venue needs to be open day and night, seven days a week. 
The Australian food columnist John Lethlean says those who expressed interest initially have gone "ice-cold" on the idea of an Opera House address where it has been suggested the trust was seeking a base rent of $700,000 to $900,000 a year as well as 5-8% of turnover.
A who's who of restaurant identities were believed to have vied initially for the opportunity including Vue de Monde's Shannon Bennett, <a href="/expert-insights/investing/bills-of-sydney-rides-wave-of-international-success-to-waikiki-hawaii">Bill Granger of Bills</a>, Maurice Terzini of Bondi Icebergs and the operators behind Quay, one of the tender finalists.
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As announced last year, the Opera House is conducting public tenders for all its expiring food and beverage contracts in accordance with NSW Government procurement policy. 
The Opera House received a strong response to the first expressions of Interest stage for the lower concourse bar and restaurant. It has now invited shortlisted applicants to participate in the second stage of the confidential tender process. Their offers will be finalised by late next month. 
The existing long-term contract for the lower concourse venue expires at the end of August. The successful applicant is expected to be operating before the busy summer season later this year. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Fresh Bennelong, Sydney Opera House restaurant site tender 

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Innovative plans are among the five Australian finalists shortlisted from 144 entries in the City of Sydney’s competition to design the Green Square Aquatic Centre and neighbouring Gunyama Park.
The shortlisted entries add green touches to habitats lost during Zetland’s industrial expansion. 
The five finalists are:
Andrew Burns Architect – Sydney Cullinan Ivanov Partnership – Sydney CHROFI &amp; McGregor Coxall – Sydney Andrew Burges Architects – Sydney TYP-TOP Studio (Andrew Daly and Kevin Liu) – Sydney
Scenarios depicted within some of the final designs include  a picket-fence reminder of old cricket fields, a grand central foyer with sprawling views, swimming pools sunken amid revived wetlands, a beach and boardwalk, and connected pools that can be rearranged for fun.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the number of high-quality entries was a testament to the City of Sydney’s commitment to design excellence.
“Green Square is Australia’s biggest urban development and one of Sydney’s fastest growing and most exciting new communities,” the Lord Mayor said.
“With 40,000 residents and 22,000 workers on the way, the City is moving ahead with the construction of new community facilities. Our new aquatic centre, parks and library will be at the heart of this growing community.”
Located on Joynton Avenue, opposite the former South Sydney Hospital, the aquatic centre will house an outdoor 50 metre, an indoor 25 metre pool, a leisure pool, a hydrotherapy pool and a gym.
The aquatic centre and park will form part of the commercial, retail and cultural heart of the $8 billion greater Green Square redevelopment on the city’s southern fringe.
An independent jury selected the five finalists in the design competition. The second stage over the next 10 weeks requires the finalists to prepare more detailed designs and carry out cost assessments.
The jury will recommend a winner to Council with an announcement expected later this year.
 The five members of the Aquatic Centre and Gunyama Park Competition Jury are:
Chair: Carey Lyon, architect – Director of Lyons, an award-winning architecture and urban design practice based in Melbourne; acknowledged leader in urban design, sustainability and the design of research/learning environments.
Professor Richard Johnson MBE AO, architect – Director of Johnson Pilton Walker, an award-winning architecture and urban design practice based in Sydney; Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects; RAIA Gold Medalist;
Camilla Block, architect – Director of Durbach Block Jaggers, an award-winning architecture and urban design practice based in Sydney; acknowledged design leader for residential, commercial and civic projects;
Professor Gini Lee, landscape architect – Elisabeth Murdoch Chair of Landscape Architecture, University of Melbourne; registered landscape architect; member of City of Melbourne Parks &amp; Gardens Advisory Committee; and
Greg Holman, architect/aquatic buildability and construction – Principal Architect at Harry Seidler &amp; Associates, in charge of the winning design and construction oversight of the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre in Sydney. 
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Five finalists shortlisted for City of Sydney’s Green Square Aquatic Centre designs

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Prelease opportunities for Sydney’s industrial market are at such a low that infill sites are seeing increased demand, according to CBRE national director, industrial brokerage Jason Edge.
Edge said that englobo sites are highly sought after, but developers and investors are seeking out other opportunities due to supply issues in the market.
“A shortage of new supply entering the market has seen a shift in interest towards infill sites to satisfy the lack of new opportunities,” Edge said. This is despite a recent $55 million purchase by Mirvac in Eastern Creek.
“Furthermore, businesses relying on metropolitan distribution rather than warehouse distribution, as well as a work force reliant on office accommodation, have prompted more and more developers to look at these locations rather than the greenfield sites located at Erskine Park,” he said.
Two properties were recently purchased by Commercial and Industrial Property for $25.9 million – a 5.3 hectare Smithfield site for $14.6 million and a 4.1 hectare Chullora site for $11.3 million.
“Chullora continues to be a location in high demand. Occupiers not only benefit from the surrounding road network, but the Enfield Intermodal Terminal will see this area continue to transform,” said Edge.
Investors are still active in the inner and outer areas of Sydney’s industrial market, explains CBRE Research, with institutional investors and property trusts looking for passive plays. This is often traditional assets with long term leases around the main ring roads of the M4, M5 and M7, explains CBRE senior director of industrial investments Angus Klem.
“There continues to be a strong investment focus on assets within Sydney’s infrastructure-laden areas.”
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jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

Sydney's lack of pre-lease industrial opportunities sees infill demand uptick

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Sydney supply problems, investor finance through the roof and "ferry good" Neutral Bay

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Coal mining executive Peter Bond has snappily sold the Watsons Bay harbourfront semis he only bought a year ago for $4.25 million.
The chief executive of Linc Energy bought the adjoining two-bedroom properties with approved plans for one residence from thoroughbred horse breeder Jocelyn May.
But <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-watsons-bay-nsw-2030/227280/?searchID=40143361" target="_blank">James Dack of McGrath Estate Agents sold them</a> well ahead of the scheduled 21 June auction where Bond had reported hopes of recouping his purchase price.
No sale price has been given, but prospective buyers were being told they'd need to better $4.7 million.
Title Tattle recalls the pair of semi-detached cottages failed to sell at 2012 auction when listed with $6 million price hopes. 
Owned by the May family for more than 50 years, the properties have DA approval to combine them into one house with a main bedroom suite upstairs.
The properties are on the beachfront strip fronting a boardwalk near the landmark Doyles restaurant.
In 2007, Jocelyn May sold another pair of semi-detached cottages on Marine Parade for $6 million to developer Graham Werry.
Peter Bond has also listed<a href="/expert-insights/investing/linc-energys-peter-bond-lists-redfern-post-office-premises"> the Redfern Post Office office premises</a>.
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Linc's Peter Bond sells beachfront Watsons Bay semis in quick flip

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The Cotton On model Lara Bingle's Darling Point apartment offering failed to find a buyer at its damp Sydney auction.
And with the vendor uncontactable overseas, there was no chance for immediate price negotiations around the undisclosed written reserve.
Bingle, spotted this week holidaying in Capri, Italy with partner Sam Worthington, subsequently accepted a post-auction offer Saturday evening, but too late to be included in <a href="https://domainmastheads.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Sydney.pdf" target="_blank">the Fairfax Media auction results</a>.
Property Observer gathers $875,000 was secured, slightly less than its $882,000 sale in 2010.
The top auction bid was $855,000 from one of the two bidders at the crowded 10.30am auction in the 65 square metre one bedroom apartment. The onsite bidding opened at $825,000 with a vendor bid subsequently placed by the McGrath auctioneer Scott Kennedy-Green at $850,000. Property Observer counted around 25 at the auction. There appeared to be three interested buying parties.
<img src="/images/2014/06/16/bingle-june-16-one.jpg" alt="">
The weekend Sydney auction clearance rate weakened slightly from the late May fillip to 75.6% on higher than normal winter volumes, according to Australian Property Monitors, with sales between $180,000 in Blacktown and $5.25 million in Mosman. 
McGrath Estate Agents had, in the lead up to the Bingle auction, revised its price expectations to more than $850,000 for the Darling Point apartment.
The agency initially was quoting more than $825,000 for the stylish one-bedroom, with one car space that was listed<a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-darling-point-nsw-2027/225301/?searchID=39312079" target="_blank"> through Richard Bonouvrie</a>. 
The marketing campaign was not assisted when <a href="/news/fairfaxs-domain-tips-lara-bingle-will-secure-1-million-plus">Fairfax Domain</a> speculated, seemingly of its own volition, that it could fetch $1 million plus.
The model bought it from interior designer Blainey North for $882,000 in 2010, soon after Bingle's break-up with Test cricket captain Michael Clarke.
Blainey North moved into a $2.2 million Potts Point apartment.
The Bingle apartment is the Goomerah Court company title art deco apartment apartment with city and harbour views from most of its 65 square metre space.
<img src="/images/2014/06/16/bingle-june-16-two.jpg" alt="">
It came with American oak parquetry floors, DeGourney silk wall panelling, Kreon lighting and Vola tap ware. Its quarterly levy was $2000.
There had been two other McGrath sales in the cul de sac block when $925,000 was secured for <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-darling-point-nsw-2027/76865" target="_blank">a two bedroom unrenovated listing</a> and then a <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-darling-point-nsw-2027/193910/?searchID=38820498" target="_blank">renovated two bedroom sale last October</a> at around $800,000 which explained the initial pricing estimate.
It was Bingle’s brother, and former reality show co-star, Josh Bingle who endeavoured to represent his sister at the auction. The listing had $850,000 plus price guidance on the McGrath website immediately after the onsite auction, and the McGrath weekend sales advisory did not give any update at close of business Saturday afternoon. However it was sold Saturday evening with the price undisclosed.
Of course the building is best known for its long association with Jean Wright, regarded as the doyenne of magazine stylists.
She was responsible for many of the upmarket glossy pages in local and international magazines and books with her trademark look, contemporary classicism, all the time operating out of a small, modern, all-white apartment there in Darling Point after her move from Melbourne. 
The Melbourne weekend auction clearance rate, according to APM, was 73.8%, with prices between $262,000 at Seaford and $4.65 million at Hawthorn East.
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Buyer secures slight discount on fashionista model Lara Bingle's Darling Point apartment

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Estimating the number of properties that need to be built in any city to cater for a forecasted population change can be a tricky job.
Particularly when forecasts are prone to change.
Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson notes that the projections over 20 years have changed – from 1.3 million people from the 2013 Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney to 1.575 million in the 2014 projections.
“If the robust population growth continues over 50 years we will need to double the number of houses or apartments in Sydney from the current 1,673,800. Clearly this is a big task and this will require a pro-growth attitude from community groups and councils and strong leadership from the state government. The stalled planning reforms will need to be reactivated to help drive housing supply.” This works out to around 90 dwellings a day.
Property Observer has made the supply situation, from the Urban Taskforce statistics, a little more digestible below (click to open in new window):
<a href="/images/2014/06/12/infographic%20june%2012%20one.png" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2014/06/12/infographic%20june%2012%20one.png" alt=""></a>
Sydney’s future will be one of density, Johnson more recently noted.
“Sydney will become more dense through the trend towards apartment living in urban areas and this will need an efficient rapid transit rail service with an under harbour crossing. By aligning the areas of future growth with new infrastructure Sydney can move from being a provincial city to a real global city rivalling the economic centres of London, New York and Shanghai. We must aspire to a bold future for Sydney but this needs good infrastructure,” he said.
Urban Taskforce predicts that the majority of these new dwellings will be in urban centres and along transport nodes.
Stand out LGA Population Predictions for 2031 (figure stated is total people in LGA for 2031)
<ol>
<li>Penrith: 261,450 Due to: Overseas migration (some internal migration loss noted) 
</li>
<li>Blacktown: 473,300 Due to: Overseas migration and fertility rate 
</li>
<li>Auburn: 130,600 Due to: Overseas migration and fertility rate (some internal migration loss noted) 
</li>
<li>Parramatta: 253,900 Due to: Overseas migration (some internal migration loss noted) 
</li>
<li>The Hills: 280,900 Due to: Overseas migration 
</li>
<li>Liverpool: 288,950 Due to: Overseas migration and fertility rate 
</li>
<li>Camden: 162,350 Due to: Internal migration gain and fertility rate</li>
</ol>
Source: NSW government 'Your Future NSW'
Click here to see the <a href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/en-au/deliveringhomes/populationandhouseholdprojections/yourarea.aspx" target="_blank">projections for your LGA</a>.
Photo courtesy of Duncan Hill/Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
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Sydney's population density increasing, here are the top growth areas: Urban Taskforce

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Land developers in Sydney have been producing large numbers of new lots and charging more for land, but data from a specialist residential property researcher shows sales are now declining and could fall rapidly if pricing is not reduced.
Sales activity volumes in Sydney fell by 7% in the March quarter compared with the December quarter, Research4’s National Land Survey Program found. It was the first fall in activity levels since December 2012.
“We think the Sydney [land] market is going to moderate ... Where it goes from here will depend on how [developers] manage pricing,” Research4 director of strategic research Colin Keane told Property Observer.
“It’s either going to stabilise and fall away quietly, or drop quickly if they keep pushing prices up.”
On average across the Sydney market median lot pricing rose by 1.8% in the March quarter, Research4’s data shows.
In the city’s west and south west, median prices rose by 17% during the quarter.
Keane said the sizable jump in prices in those regions was mainly due to price rises at a development by Landcom and Greenfields Development Company at Oran Park, and at Stockland’s Willowdale.
Research4’s figures show median lot prices in Sydney’s North West rose by 7% in the March quarter, while median lot prices in the Lower Hunter fell by around 4%.
The median price for land across the Sydney region was $283,000 for a 516 square metre block, Keane said.
“We think the pricing is problematic in the Sydney market now,” he said. “I don’t think developers can push prices any further. The might have to take a hit and reduce their prices over the coming months.”
Land prices last fell in Sydney in September 2013, according to Research4’s data.
While prices have been rising, lot sizes have been falling so cost per square metre is at a record high, Keane said. In 2010, the median lot size was 600 square metres. In 2012 it was 550 square metres and now is it around 510 square metres.
Keane said land developers may not be aware that a problem was emerging, as the market was still good and customer cancellation rates were still very low.
“The market is still really good but I think now is a good time to start thinking about the next 12 months and the next 12 months is going to be tighter in terms of demand and [customers] are going to be looking at saving in pricing,” he said.
The Sydney land market has historically suffered from significant supply shortages, but Keane said since June 2013 the land market had been fully meeting underlying demand and exceeding demand in some locations.
“It used to be an issue five years ago but with the South West market coming online we have seen lots of land coming on the market,” he said.
Demand would also fall as net overseas migration into NSW and visa applications had moderated, while the number of loans issued to second home buyers was falling, Keane said.
Australian Bureau of Statistics housing finance figures for the month of March will be released on Tuesday May 13, but the February result showed the number of finance commitments for the purchase of new dwellings around Australia fell by 5% in seasonally adjusted terms compared with January.
On approvals for new dwellings, Housing Industry Association chief economist, Harley Dale said: “Building approvals for the month of March 2014 were consistent with healthy growth in new home building activity this year, although the approvals cycle itself may well have peaked.”
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Sydney land sales could rapidly decline if prices not reduced warns researcher

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The performance of Sydney’s property market over the past 12-18 months is as concerning as it is spectacular.
Double-digit price growth isn’t consistent with Sydney’s property market fundamentals. While I’ll stop short of predicting that a downturn is on the horizon, the drivers of Sydney’s market are as fragile as a house of cards. With over 9.3 million properties to choose from in this country, one begs the question, “Why Sydney?”
First, The Fundamentals
Contrary to tabloid rhetoric, Australia is not having a property boom. Outside of Sydney, property markets are experiencing a predictable post-GFC recovery phase with normal rates of growth (0 to 6%) over the past 12 months.
The state of New South Wales is home to 7.4 million people (a third of Australia’s total population) and 4.3 million (18.7%) of these are in Sydney
Greater Sydney can be broken in to ‘Metropolitan’ and ‘Western Sydney’. With a population of 2.06 million people (8.9% of Australia), Western Sydney on its own is bigger than the combined populations of South Australia, Tasmania, ACT, and Northern Territory.
 <img src="/images/2014/06/10/pressley%20june%2010%20one.png" alt="">
With a median house price of $802,000 Sydney is the least affordable location in Australia (miles above the capital city average of $580,000).
For the same price that you can buy a Sydney apartment (median value $576,000) you can buy a house in every other location in Australia with the exception of Melbourne.
Sydney’s population growth rate has been below the national average over the past 10 years, and only ahead of economic minnows South Australia and Hobart. Rate of growth is completely different to size.
 <img src="/images/2014/06/10/pressley%20june%2010%20two.jpg" alt="">
New South Wales has a long history of people immigrating away from Sydney to alternative locations
 <img src="/images/2014/06/10/pressley%20june%2010%20three.png" alt="">
Sydney has been Australia's worst performing capital city market since the 2000 Olympic Games (it’s not a typo).
<img src="/images/2014/06/10/pressley%20june%2010%20four.jpg" alt="">
Through 2000 to 2010, the NSW unemployment rate was regularly above the national average. After finding its way back to parity it improved further to fall below the national average this January and currently sits 0.5% below. It is no coincidence that Sydney’s property market has improved with its employment record.
Metropolitan Sydney is Australia’s white-collar capital and unemployment rates are currently up to 50% better than the national average. It’s just a shame that few people can afford to buy a metropolitan home.
Large parts of Western Sydney, on the other hand, have significantly fewer job opportunities. Manufacturing accounts for 16% of jobs (not ideal with a high Australian dollar) while a fifth of all businesses are in the construction industry. Australia’s highest crime rates are in western Sydney
 <img src="/images/2014/06/10/pressley%20june%2010%20five.png" alt="">
To overcome a reported 182,000 job shortfall, tens of thousands of people have to commute from the more affordable western suburbs to work in metro Sydney each day.
Transport infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth. The rail network has not been significantly expanded since the 1930s, yet the region’s population is now five times greater. The heavy reliance on passenger cars results in horrendous traffic congestion, loss of productivity, and high fuel costs. Remember that earlier Interstate Immigration graph?
15 years of babble about Sydney having run out of land and therefore having an under-supplied property market is not totally correct. Metro Sydney’s land shortage has been compensated by higher density construction while sprawl has occurred to the west. Overall, dwelling construction was greater than required until the GFC handbrake was applied. The tightening of supply is another reason for the more recent pressure on Sydney property prices.
 <img src="/images/2014/06/10/pressley%20june%2010%20six.png" alt="">
Article continues on next page. Please click below. 
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The Foreign Investor Phenomena
Structural changes resulting from the revolution known as the ‘Asian Century’ has directly resulted in unprecedented volumes of properties being purchased in Australia by Asian investors.
With Sydney and Melbourne having Australia’s biggest profiles internationally, they have been the centre of attention for the construction industry’s marketing teams.
In a majority of cases, Asian investors are buying brand new properties – only Australian residents are permitted to buy established properties.
According to the latest report from Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), there were 12,647 applications approved in the 2012-13 financial year. A total of 12,025 of these approvals were for Australian real estate transactions (289 were for mining).
The number of FIRB approvals for Australian (residential) real estate has grown from 3,723 in 1999-10 to 11,668 in 2012-13. I’d be staggered if the numbers aren’t even bigger this year. The tsunami is coming! Victoria (38%) and NSW (30%) account for the lion share.
<img src="/images/2014/06/10/pressley%20june%2010%20seven.jpg" alt="">
The House Of Cards Concern
While I think that Sydney’s employment will follow current trends, its property market will ease (refer lack of affordability and a significant supply of new dwelling stock in the pipeline).
 <img src="/images/2014/06/10/pressley%20june%2010%20eight.png" alt="">
An unhealthily high ratio of investor-owned properties is already occurring with recent ABS data confirming that 53% of NSW home loan approvals (refer Sydney) were for investors. Melbourne is concerning high at 45%, 30% is about normal. Yields will reduce!
In light of the fundamentals outlined, the only thing that can sustain Sydney’s market strength is continued high rates of Asian investment. This is where there are two jokers in the pack which I feel make Sydney’s house-of-cards very fragile.
With the boom being isolated to Sydney and pressure still on the Australian dollar, the Reserve Bank is unlikely to pull the trigger on a few interest rate rises as they would normally do. But, what if the FIRB passed legislation to restrict Asian investment in Australian real estate? Joker number one!
The other possibility lies in China. There are recent reports of China’s residential market declining by 15% over the last 12 months. Chinese banking executives and economists say that a severe housing downturn could cause a considerable increase in non-performing loans at the country’s banks. We know that when times get tough investment properties are often one of the first assets disposed of in order to bring the household budget back in to order. Further instability in China’s market could result in high levels of resale stock in Sydney. Joker number two!
In so far as a medium term outlook, my money is on Sydney performing similar to the last 15 years – below the Australian average.
Simon Pressley is managing director of <a href="https://www.propertyology.com.au/" target="_blank">Propertyology</a>, a full-time property market analyst, accredited property investment adviser, and REIA / REIQ Buyer’s Agent of the Year (2012, 2013, 2014).
Photo courtesy of Peter Roberts/Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
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spressley-sBoeMhannA

Sydney’s property market is a house of cards

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Peter Bond, the chief executive of gas company Linc Energy, has listed the Redfern post office premises.
The Business Review Weekly rich lister <a href="/news/nsw/redfern-proving-magnetic-for-coal-executives">bought it in mid-2011</a> when the former post office commercial premises at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/redfern-proving-magnetic-for-coal-execs/2011062250564" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">113-119 Redfern Street were sold by spruiker Max Markson</a> for $2,125,000.
The building, which has a clock tower and bell, last sold through agents Paul Ephron and Ben Forsyth. Markson had bought it from Sorin Dascalu &amp; Associates in 2006 for $1.9 million.
The former Redfern Post Office, in Redfern, NSW, was built in 1882. It has a two-storey Victorian Italianate building plus a dominant four-and-half-storey corner clock tower. The post office included a telegraph office, parlour, drawing room, three bedrooms, kitchen, a servant’s room, bathroom, scullery, washhouse, fuel shed and two stall stables. 
In 1880, £3000 was provided for the erection of the Redfern post office, and then the Public Works added a clock tower for an estimated extra £700.
The building has 480 square metres of internal space on its 330-square-metre Redfern Street block. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-redfern-nsw-2016/227755" target="_blank">It has been listed for June 26 auction</a> through McGrath agents James Dack and Chris Chung who don't give any leasing details in the marketing.
One of the largest property sales since was an 1891 heritage building, the Redfern Electric Light Station with 1042 square metres of space.
The grand neoclassical Renwick Street building, the former home of Rolling Stone magazine was briefly converted into the chic showrooms of antiques dealer Martyn Cook and the interior designer Thomas Hamel.
They sold in mid-2013 to publicist Sue Cato of Cato Counsel for $4.5 million having bought it unrenovated for $2.865 million in 2010.
 
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