<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

<h3 data-end="3697" data-section-id="q3n5ak" data-start="3672">&nbsp;</h3>
</main>

Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

Sydney

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Residential vacancy rates for Sydney are staying at 1.7 percent, according to the REINSW, with vacancy rates for Inner Sydney staying unchanged at 1.3 percent through March.
REINSW's Vacancy Rate Survey found Middle Sydney was at up 0.3 percent to 1.9 percent, while Outer Sydney was down 0.3 percent at 1.8 percent. 
REINSW President John Cunningham said the last time Inner Sydney had a vacancy rate of 1.3 per cent was March 2014 and the market is tight and is expected to remain tight for some time. 
“Rises in Middle Sydney and falls in Outer Sydney balanced out to see the vacancy rates for Sydney steady overall,” Mr Cunningham said.
Vacancy rates slid 0.3 percent at 2.6 percent in the Hunter region. In the Illawarra vacancy rates were up 0.1 per cent at 1.3 per cent. Wollongong slipped 0.2 per cent to 1.0 per cent. Albury fell 0.1 percent at 3.6 percent, New England rose 0.8 per ent at 3.6 percent and Orana dropped 0.4 percent to 3.3 percent. Coffs Harbour fell 0.8 percent to 1.5 percent and Northern Rivers rose 0.1 percent at 1.5 percent. 
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Sydney vacancy rates remain stable: REINSW

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The list of the most exclusive suburbs in each state reiterates just how much more expensive real estate is in Sydney relative to the rest of the country.
Sydney is by far and away the nation’s most expensive housing market. To put this into some perspective we have looked at the top decile of selling prices over the three months to January 2016. A decile simply divides a group into ten equal parts. What this means is if there were 20 sales over the three months and we lined the sales up from lowest to highest we would take the 18th price as a representation of the most expensive segment of the market.
Over the three months to January 2016, the 90th percentile price of a house in the city was $1.5 million and the 90th percentile unit price was $980,000.  Over the same period, the two capital cities with the next highest 90th percentile house price was Melbourne at a still high but much lower $1,050,000.  This highlights just how much more expensive housing is in Sydney and to a lesser degree Melbourne is relative to other capital cities.  As an example the next highest 90th percentile price is Perth at $870,000.
<div>
<h3>90th percentile price of houses and units 3 months to January 2016</h3>
<a href="/images/2016/04/15/2016-03-21--img1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/04/15/2016-03-21--img1.jpg" alt="">
There is also a large difference between the cost of premium housing in capital cities and non-capital cities.  The 90th percentile house price across the combined capital cities is $1,010,000 compared to $675,000 in combined regional markets.  Similarly, 90th percentile unit prices are $830,000 in the combined capital cities compared to $600,000 outside of the capitals.  This data points to the fact that non-capital city areas are the great un-tapped resource for more affordable housing.  Of course employment opportunities in these areas are the main factor holding back the regional areas of the country.
The table below highlights the five most expensive suburbs for both houses and units in each state.  The data is based on median values and we have only included suburbs that had at least 10 sales over the 12 months to January 2016. 
<h3>Suburbs with most expensive median values, January 2016</h3>
<a href="/images/2016/04/15/2016-03-21--img2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/04/15/2016-03-21--img2.jpg" alt="">
The Sydney premium becomes very evident when we look at the most expensive suburbs in each state based on median values.  The data shows the 5 most expensive suburbs for houses in NSW (all of which are in Sydney) all have a median value of more than $4 million.  In comparison, the most expensive suburbs for houses in Vic and WA are more than $3 million, in SA it is more than $2 million, in Qld, NT and ACT it is more than $1 million and in Tas it is less than $850,000.
Similarly for units, all of the 5 most expensive suburbs in NSW (Sydney) have a median values of more than $1 million.  Tennyson in Brisbane is the only other suburb outside of Sydney with a median unit value of more than $1 million.
There is a large premium for housing in our largest city.  Of course the city also has an abundance of waterfront homes which contributes to the higher overall cost of housing.  While employment opportunities remain significant in Sydney and employers limit the opportunities for workers to work remotely we would expect that a substantial Sydney premium will remain.  Elsewhere housing is generally much more affordable but of course not everyone has a choice when it comes to potentially leaving Sydney and heading to another area of the country where housing is cheaper.
Cameron Kusher is research analyst for CoreLogic RP Data. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/">here</a>.
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ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

Sydney’s premium suburbs are much more expensive than anywhere else: Cameron Kusher

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
The New South Wales government is imposing an anti-urban legislative and development agenda on Sydney. This agenda conceptualises Sydney as centre – a privileged social, cultural and geographic core – and elsewhere.
Policies like building the multi-billion-dollar WestConnex roads system, increasing penalties and restrictions for cyclists, privatising public housing in inner-city suburbs and selling public assets have direct impacts on the existence of “the urban” in Sydney.
This agenda limits the capacity of Sydneysiders to engage with their city in diverse, improvised or alternative ways. This is despite government claims that it addresses imbalances and inequities between the centre and the rest of the city in terms of spatial advantage, job opportunities, public spending and services.
The suburbanisation of the city
One of sociologist Henri Lefebvre’s enduring contributions to urban theory and practice is the notion of the “right to the city<a href="https://au.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0631191887">”</a>. Lefebvre was not merely advocating access to space in the city or its resources, but the right to be urban.
By urban, Lefebvre meant the phenomenon that emerges from the complexity, collaboration and improvisation that are possible in cities. The urban is not the product of a privileged core. Rather, it is a decentralised network of diverse communities, practices and places that give rise to cities’ convivial and inclusive potential.
While the government’s lockout laws have attracted national and international attention for their deleterious effect on urban areas, they are merely the most visible of a raft of anti-urban policies. The privatisation of public housing in Millers Point and urban renewal plans for Waterloo, which include demolishing public housing and relocating 4000 tenants, are detrimental to the social and cultural mix of the urban.
Globally, the pattern is a familiar one. Redeveloped or new housing and commerce are targeted at more affluent investors and consumers. Areas that were urban in their social and cultural mix become increasingly homogeneous.
Some commentators refer to these outcomes as gentrification. However, inner-city areas have already undergone varying degrees of gentrification. Usually this is triggered by first-wave gentrifiers, such as artists, who value urban attributes.
One pleasure of the urban is spontaneous encounters and experiences with difference. The sociologist Zygmunt Bauman has called this “mixophilia”.
Historically, the suburbs have offered a refuge for the “mixophobic”. In these places, monoculturalism is a retreat from difference. The current urban development and transformation, at the behest of state government bodies such as Urban Growth, is the suburbanisation of urban areas.
Regulating flows in the city
City governance, design and planning are largely concerned with regulating the movement of people, goods, ideas and capital. Globally, this increasingly involves the facilitation of flows that support neoliberal state and corporate agendas, and the blocking of flows that do not.
One stated rationale for WestConnex, a project involving an unprecedented transfer of public funds (A$18 billion and rising) to the private sector, is increased flows to and from the city centre.
In response to the project’s critics, the Baird government has relied on crude rhetoric which insists it is tackling the geographic and social division between an inner city populated by “cultural elites” and “chattering classes” and an under-served wider populace.
Postcode should not determine access to resources in the city. Yet Westconnex is the product of an anti-urban imagination that re-iterates the single central core, rather than multiple localised urban centres. Government support for the Commonwealth Bank’s move to the newly privatised Australian Technology Park in Redfern, instead of to Parramatta as previously planned, reinforces that view.
Combined with restrictive and punitive measures that deter cycling and proposed steep rises in public transport fares, WestConnex limits Sydneysiders’ choices for mobility around the city. It consolidates the car as a dominant mode of transportation.
Unlike public transport and cycling, the car seals us off from encounters with others. It is the least urban form of transport.
The Baird government’s policy agenda for Sydney denies the right to the city, both as the right to be urban and the right to a city that is urban. It confirms Lefebvre’s position that those who manage cities devise and implement regulatory frameworks and infrastructure that are frequently – and paradoxically – detrimental to the emergence of the urban.
 
Kirsten Seale is adjunct fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kirsten-seale-234742" target="_blank">here</a>.
<h4><a href="https://theconversation.cmail20.com/t/r-l-edhiduk-qitldhiii-c/" target="_blank"> </a></h4>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Suburbanising the centre: the Baird government’s anti-urban agenda for Sydney

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The historic Trinity Bar in Sydney's Surry Hills is being brought to the market for sale via an expressions of interest campaign.
It will be the first time in 20 years that the asset has been offered publicly for sale. 
Dating back to 1882, the hotel is an example of Victorian free classical style. It has undergone several modifications since its construction- most notably during the 1920’s by the former Tooth and Co brewery in the Inter-war style, according to the hotel's website.
Trinity Bar originally traded as ‘Somer’s Hotel’, the first of many titles including ‘Hotel Victoria’, ‘Surry Hills Inn’ and more recently ‘The Elephants Foot’. It has operated as Trinity Bar since 1998.
Daniel Dragicevich and Ben McDonald of CBRE Hotels are handling the campaign on behalf of Ray Reilly.
“Opportunities to acquire inner city freehold hotels of this calibre are becoming increasingly rare as hoteliers compete with buyers from various other segments for prime properties. The Trinity Bar definitely fits into this profile," said Dragicevich.
The national EoI campaign will run till May 12 and CBRE expect a mix of commercial property investors and traditional hoteliers to compete for the asset.
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prateek24-ezbwHMbNAk

Trinity Bar in Sydney's Surry Hills up for sale   

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The former NRL star and rugby's first openly gay player Ian Roberts has picked up a quick $1.41 million sale for his Redfern apartment.
Belle Property had a price guide of between $1.3 million and $1.4 million for the property which sold pre-auction.
The <a href="https://www.belleproperty.com/buying/NSW/Eastern-Suburbs/Redfern/Apartment/44P1864-d2109-780-bourke-street-redfern-nsw-2016" target="_blank">dual level apartment</a> has two bedrooms and a wrap around entertainers balcony off the open plan living area.
Roberts, who bought the property in 2008 for $945,000, is looking to downsize nearby.
Following his successful career in rugby league, Roberts turned to acting and appeared as Riley, a henchman of Lex Luthor in Superman Returns in 2006.
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

Former NRL star Ian Roberts sells Redfern apartment

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The inner suburbs always get plenty of press, but options lay beyond the hipster belt. 
Fringe suburbs present an affordable way into the market, especially if you are a first-time buyer and as long as you choose a prospect with the right fundamentals, you can expect your holding to show good long term growth, according to valuation firm Herron Todd White's property clock for April.
Given the growth in values achieved in the Sydney metropolitan area of late, the metamorphosis of older suburbs into modern living spaces that have been driven by location and buyer demand have changed the faces of many for the better. HTW focuses on suburbs within 20 to 25 kilometres of the CBD as the primary location for this shift.
Sydney South
Starting with the southern end of Sydney, we have seen Engadine and Kirrawee in the Sutherland Shire as two of the standout performers with significant growth and redevelopment changing these areas. The buzz has mainly come from the affordable price point for first-home buyers and upsizers.
In addition, the re-zoning for duplexes and new unit complexes has created an increase in current DA applications.
The Engadine shopping precinct has expanded over the past decade with the big three supermarket chains along with a number of restaurants and cafes drawing people to the suburb. Engadine is seen as ideal for buyers wanting to live within one of the few regions in Sydney bounded by national parks, close to Sydney’s southern beaches and with direct access to the CBD which is less than 50 minutes by train. The next five to 10 years in Engadine will see more development of high density units and duplex style dwellings. Engadine has seen median house prices increase from $600,000 in December 2012 to $885,000 in February 2016 with unit median prices increasing from $415,000 to $617,500 over this time period (source: realestate. com.au).
Property Observer found a few recently sold units around the median range on realestate.com.au.
<img src="/images/2016/04/13/image2-2.jpg" alt="" width="575" height="431">
1. A two-bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-nsw-engadine-121990510">11/6 Preston Avenue Engadine NSW 2233</a> (above) sold for $595,000 recently.
<img src="/images/2016/04/13/main-1.jpg" alt="" width="510" height="383">
2. Another recent sale was that of a three-bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-engadine-121423654">1/1084 Old Princes Highway Engadine</a> (above) NSW 2233 sold for $630,000.
On a larger scale, Kirrawee is seeing huge redevelopment with a new $8.5 million hotel development on a site on the Princes Highway which was once home to a service station and motor mechanic. The new hotel will be almost opposite the Brick Pit site which sits at the junction of the existing retail strip, industrial factories and residential development, only 200 meters from Kirrawee train station. This site, approved for approximately 750 residential apartments between six and 14 storeys with a large commercial and retail presence, will be constructed at a cost of approximately $500 million.
A similar large-scale development is already under construction at Woolooware Bay which neighbours the Cronulla Sharks Football Stadium. The former car park and playing fields will be transformed into approximately 600 apartments with resortlike facilities including pools, spas, massage room, rooftop theatre and BBQ area set amongst lush gardens. There will be a retail, cafe and dining precinct, with the entire development adjoining foreshore parklands. 
A few recent sales in Kirrawee are 
<img src="/images/2016/04/13/image4.jpg" alt="" width="569" height="427">
1. A two-bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-nsw-kirrawee-122032070">31/602 Princes Highway Kirrawee NSW 2232</a> (above) for $580,000
<img src="/images/2016/04/13/main.jpg" alt="" width="561" height="421">
2. A two-bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-nsw-kirrawee-121869534" target="_blank">20/494-496 President Avenue Kirrawee</a> fetched $545,000
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Sydney's fringe suburbs of Engadine and Kirrawee hold promise for FHBs: HTW

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The new chief of Bauer Media in Australia, Nick Chan and wife Peggy have listed their Roseville family home after 16 years ownership.
Chan was made CEO earlier this week following his departure as chief operating officer from Seven West Media last year.
The couple paid $1.7 million for the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house/nsw/upper-north-shore/roseville/284620" target="_blank">1930s Clanville Road residence</a> in 1999, when he was in the Packer media camp.
Set on a 2083 sqm parcel, the four bedroom home also features a wine cellar, full sized tennis court and an in-ground pool.
The property is listed through Philip Waller of McGrath Linfield who has a price guide of between $5 million and $5.5 million for its May 7 auction.
Chan is also the chairman of online wagering business TopBetta.
Chan looks to be betting that oversea buying interest is still hot in Roseville.
The house price record was set late last year when a six bedroom mansion on 4000 sqm sold for $6.75 million to the Tan family.
This narrowly bettered the $6.63 million record set in May last year for a five bedder with tennis court and swimming pool sold on Shirley Road that sold to the Mak family.
The median house price in Roseville $2.25 million, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
Chan replaced Darren Goodchild who returned to Bauer in the UK in October.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

CEO Nick Chan lists 1930s Roseville trophy home

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The site of popular watering hole, the Evening Star Hotel in Sydney's Surry Hills, will go up for auction on May 3.
The pub, which tapped its first keg in 1873, is located at <a href="https://www.gunningre.com.au/1P3893" target="_blank">360 Elizabeth Street</a>.
It is pictured before the apartments went up above it around 2006 and below after renovations.
<img src="/images/2016/04/11/lt-1-1P3893-145679489287956429-rsd.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409">
The listing agent is Daniel Gunning of Gunning Real Estate. 
“It is a secure and well leased investment,” Gunning said. “The redevelopment of the hotel in 2006 consisted of retaining its façade and the floor space being reduced to a single storey premises as it is today, the rest of the land was developed into a high-rise residential building known as Icon."
<img src="/images/2016/04/11/lt-1-1P3893-145679491315796114-rsd.jpg" alt="" width="669" height="446">
Tenant, the Marvan Hotel group, has recently signed a new seven-year lease with a further five-year option.
“The Marvan Hotel group has also committed to a major renovation of which will capitalise on its positioning close to China Town and Haymarket. The focus will be on gaming and TAB facilities," he said.
<img src="/images/2016/04/11/lt-1-1P3893-145679494002630847-rsd.jpg" alt="" width="659" height="439">
Marvan Hotel group also operates other hotels, including the Sea Breeze, Nelson bay; Lidcombe Hotel, Lidcombe; The Flynn, Sydney; The Bald Face Stag, Leichhardt; The Westmead Tavern, Westmead and The Merrylands tavern, Merrylands.
“Outside of the lockout law precinct, 360 Elizabeth Street represents good value for future leasing opportunities and with the tram coming through in the area in 2017/2018, we believe demand will be high for this property.
He added that the property has the potential to be subdivided into multiple smaller retail shops or remain “as is” in-one-line.
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Evening Star pub in Sydney's Surry Hills up for auction 

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I’m not sure just how closely you have been following Australia’s property markets but what I can add is we are now starting to see some amazing trends emerging that will have both negative and positive outcomes.
This week we read that despite our national apartment building boom rents continue to rise. With approximately 30,000 apartments nearing completion in Sydney I predict that we have seen the rental peak. Unbeknown to many the major banks have already started black spotting many areas across Australia – where they are now no – go areas for future lending. For example, where you have an area that has undergone unprecedented new apartment high density developments you can expect values to start decreasing quite rapidly.
In Sydney the areas on ignore include, Darling Harbour, Dawes Point, Haymarket, Millers Point, Sydney, Sydney South, Waterloo, Annandale, Zetland, Homebush and Arncliffe. It will only be a matter of time before these areas spread further given the sudden – impact of oversupply where the vast majority of these properties will be left fighting it out in this newly created competitive rental market. It is quite unprecedented to see the lenders adopting this strategy given they are creating their own problems although they did approve the respective loans.
 
Gen Y (or Gen Why? as I call them) should stop complaining and consider themselves lucky that they missed most of this modern day apartment investment boom. Since December 2008, when the Rudd government moved the off – the – plan apartment overseas buying ratio from 50 per cent to 100 per cent where the large percentage of these buyers came from Asia, which has a combined population of approximately 4 billion people compared to our 24 million. Whilst I certainly don’t agree with this decision we have introduced foreign owners although the debt remains local – another big problem.
Then of course it would be remiss of me not to mention that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has gladly accepted the role of “Big Brother” where every single property transaction in Australia dating back to 1985 now being scrutinised. Whilst the ATO has been remarkably quiet on the announcement side of developments this is an election year and the decision to hand the ATO total ownership of Australian property data was a decision by the present government, so we can expect this to figure prominently in the forthcoming election debate.
Now if developments were not getting interesting we now have the Panama Papers (the largest leak in journalistic history) which the ATO would be all over given 800 Australians managed to make guest appearances as a direct result from the leaked papers.
Just what the exposure to Australian property markets is remains to be seen although I did read in The Guardian this week – “Which is exactly why today’s revelations about the connections between tax havens and property ownership are so important. Revealed in the leaked documents was the fact that 2,800 Mossack Fonseca companies are connected to more than 6,000 UK title deeds, worth at least £7bn. On top of this, according to Guardian analysis, more than 90,000 properties in England and Wales are listed in the Land Registry to overseas owners, at least 75,000 of which are owned by companies or individuals registered in tax havens.”
Now can you start to see why raising the overseas buyers’ ratio from 50 per cent to 100 per cent could have a serious impact on our Australian property markets? Given all that is presently going on it would be sage advice to closely monitor exactly what is going on in these areas of high density development.
To be fair many areas saw very little development so they will go through this with minimum downside to property prices and rental returns. Having said that the property aggregators bundle all the statistics into the one bundle so rents will then show signs of easing although in some areas it will be quite the opposite.
I have no doubt that the role the ATO is currently playing within the tapestry of the Australian property markets will have a defining outcome that will result in many forced sales. Just what effect this will have on property prices is way too early to call although I see the investment market under significant pressure with all presently going on. Then again there will be a knock – on effect with all the new developments which are presently in the re – zoning and planning stages more particularly, those areas that already that are already marked as being over developed – over supply.
On the other hand the owner operated housing market has just been ambling along and looks to have well and truly dodged this modern day investor bullet. If there were to be an investor market collapse the owner occupiers would then be placed again with the opportunity of a lifetime with record low cash rates coupled with an investor market collapse. Yes, we have seen such markets before although never on this grand scale.
In my opinion, these are the markets you should be closely following on high visual alert.
<h5>MOSMAN – 2088</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 56
• Number of houses on the market last week – 45
• Number of houses on the market this week – 43
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 53
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 46
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 48
<h5>CREMORNE – 2090</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 0
• Number of houses on the market last week – 5
• Number of houses on the market this week – 6
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 8
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 26
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 14
<h5>NEUTRAL BAY – 2089</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 0
• Number of houses on the market last week – 7
•Number of houses on the market this week – 11
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year– 42
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 26
*Number of apartments on the market this week – 24
 
ROBERT SIMEON is a director of <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" target="_blank" title="RWM" rel="nofollow">Richardson Wrench Mosman and Neutral Bay</a> and has been selling residential real estate in Sydney since 1985.  He has also been writing real estate blog <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" target="_blank" title="Virtual Realty News" rel="nofollow">Virtual Realty News</a> since 2000. 
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robertsimeon-hRNTwJyXkQ

Why property markets keep confusing us: Robert Simeon

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The home auction market is picking up after the slight pause for Easter holidays, with 1,677 capital city homes scheduled to go under the hammer this week, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
While Sydney had more auctions than Melbourne over the past two weeks, this week, Melbourne’s auction activity is set to rise, bringing the total number of residential auctions to 730, as opposed to the 624 scheduled for Sydney.
Auction volumes remain relatively steady across the remaining capital cities.
<img src="/images/2016/04/8/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-08%20at%2010.03.30%20AM.png" alt="" width="314" height="196">
Melbourne's 730 auction figure will be well ahead of last weekend’s 482 listings and higher than the 562 auctioned over the same weekend last year, wrote Domain Group’s chief economist Dr Andrew Wilson in his blog. 
Although auction activity is on the rise, overall autumn listings will likely remain below the levels recorded last year over the same period. Falling interest rates a year ago were a catalyst for a surge in housing market activity in Melbourne. 
The west will again clearly host the highest number of auctions this weekend with 126.  The north-east is next highest with 111 followed by the outer east (91), the inner south  (88), the inner city (82), the north (77), the inner east (54) and the south-east with 53 auctions.
Mount Waverley has the highest number of auctions listed this weekend, with 16, followed by Preston with 14, Reservoir and East Bentleigh, each with 13, Pascoe Vale with 10 and a number of suburbs with nine auctions scheduled including Glen Waverley, Essendon, Noble Park and Hawthorn.
The robust Melbourne home auction market resumed last weekend without missing a beat following the Easter holiday break.
Melbourne recorded a clearance rate of 73.8 per cent, which was just below the 74.1 per cent recorded on the pre-Easter weekend a fortnight ago and also below the boom-time 77.5 per cent recorded over the same post-Easter weekend last year.
Last Saturday’s result was just below the average weekend rate of 75.4 per cent recorded over the previous nine Saturdays, with a high of 79.2 per cent and a low of 73.4 per cent reported over that period.
Low interest rates continue to fuel buyer activity in both Melbourne and Sydney's housing markets, said Dr Wilson. This week the Reserve Bank predictably decided to leave official rates on hold over April at the record low two per cent for the 11th consecutive month. 
A near-term cut in rates, however, remains on the cards with continuing mixed reports on the health of the national economy. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data indicates that the recent home building boom has peaked, the trend for retail sales growth is declining, house prices are flat or falling, inflation remains low in an increasingly lifeless economy and the Australian dollar continues to track well above the preferred levels of policymakers.
Sydney auction numbers are down this weekend with the local market straining to regain momentum after the Easter holidays.
This Saturday, just 509 homes are scheduled to go under the hammer. This is below the 539 listed last weekend and also well below the 535 homes auctioned over the same weekend last year, he said.
Sydney auction levels this autumn remain far below those recorded over the same period last year. Falling interest rates a year ago were a catalyst for an unprecedented surge in housing market activity in Sydney, but so far in 2016 they have remained on hold. 
Sydney’s inner west has the highest number of auctions listed this weekend, with 82, followed by the upper north shore (78), the south (74), the city and east (58), the lower north (56), the south-west (34), the west (31), Canterbury Bankstown (28), the northern beaches (27), the north-west (19) and the central coast (17). The Blue Mountains have no auctions scheduled. 
Mosman, with nine auctions, will be the busiest this weekend followed by Ryde, Randwick, Carlingford, Killara and Marrickville, each with seven, and Blacktown with six. There are also several suburbs with five auctions scheduled on Saturday, including Epping, St Ives, Lane Cove North, Strathfield and Bexley.
The Sydney weekend home auction market returned from the Easter holidays in the same robust form it has consistently produced so far this year, notes Dr Wilson.
Sydney reported a clearance rate of 73.7 per cent last weekend, just below the 74.1 per cent recorded on the pre-Easter weekend the fortnight previous and also below the boom-time 86.8 per cent recorded over the same post-Easter weekend last year.
Last Saturday’s result was just below the average weekend rate of 74.5 per cent recorded over the previous nine Saturdays, with a high of 76.9 per cent and a low of 71 per cent reported over that period.
Over the week ending April 3 there were 1,582 capital city auctions with CoreLogic collecting results for 1,434 auctions, accounting for almost 91% of all auctions.
The final clearance rate was recorded at 66.6% which is down from the previous week and the lowest clearance rate in three weeks. The number of auctions increased from just 554 over the previous week. Excluding Sydney and Melbourne, clearance rates rose in Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart but fell elsewhere. Auction volumes were also higher this week across all regions except Tasmania. 
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