One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

First look: Inca eyes Mona Vale with State Significant DA for Dawn apartments

Bitcoin

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A Surfers Paradise apartment, priced at $320,000, has followed the trend and is willing to accept Bitcoin as legal tender
The<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-surfers+paradise-127084094" target="_blank"> two bedroom apartment</a> will be sold tenanted at $370 a week, which would reflect a strong six percent yield for the buyer. The lease expires in February 2018.
Set in Cannes Court, the three storey walk up complex between Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise, the partly furnished apartment features an open plan living area which opens to a balcony.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/12/5/Surf2.jpg" alt="">
It last traded for $285,000 in 2008.
Ray White Broadbeach/Mermaid Waters agent Melissa Sekulic has the listing.
Buying property in Bitcoin has flooded the markets in the last two weeks.
The first home to hit the headlines offering Bitcoin was a home in Melbourne's The Basin. The vendor was only interested in a part Bitcoin payment for the home.
A home in Far North Queensland followed, willing to accept a 100% payment in Bitcoin for the $1.2 million home. That would equate to 100 Bitcoin at its current average price of around $12,000.
The 32 hectare rural estate known as Wooroonooran Falls at the foot of Mt Bellenden Ker, is happy to take the full transaction in Bitcoin.
The home is steeped in history. It was owned by one of the first settlers in the area, the Hon. Victor Nelson Hood, the nephew of Lord Nelson and the Godson of Queen Victoria.
The four bedroom, one bathroom Queenslander was built in 1948. Views from the front verandah look over the sugar cane fields.
Grandview, another Victoria home, this one north of Melbourne at Mount Macedon, was advertised as happy to also take full Bitcoin payment for the home, priced at $2.5 million.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Surfers Paradise apartment accepting Bitcoin payment

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A land parcel at Helidon, near Toowoomba, has been listed for sale with the option to purchase in Bitcoin.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-qld-helidon-201976810" target="_blank">600 sqm parce</a>l in the Bella Vista Heights Estate master planned community is the first land parcel to be listed for sale using the cryptocurrency.
Coronis - LUTWYCHE agent Craig Gillies is marketing the block (below)
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/12/6/Bitcoinland.jpg" alt="">
“We want to make buying, renting and selling as simple as possible for our clients and that includes adopting new innovations in technology and currencies,” Gillies said.
“The idea of using bitcoins in real estate transactions has been discussed in recent years, but at Coronis we’re excited to be one of the first major Australian agencies to make it a reality.
“We’ve received a lot of enquiries and messages recently about the use of bitcoins in real estate transactions, particularly from our landlords and tenants, so it will be interesting to see the how this marketing campaign will go.
“Logistically, it will speed the settlement process up as the buyer can transfer the agreed amount directly to the seller eliminating the wait time involved with banks, so we could see properties in the near future legally transfer hands within 14 days allowing time for conveyancing and building and pest inspections etc.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rSMXSQ6PJKs" frameborder="0" width="560" height="315"></iframe>
Some estate agents aren't listing their properties for Bitcoin transactions, however are suggesting in the marketing that their property is 'a better investment than Bitcoin.'
Bitcoin has risen over 1000 percent in the last 12 months. To my mind, no property has done so.
A number of houses this week have been listed for sale with Bitcoin.
At Melbourne's The Basin, a home is willing to accept a part Bitcoin payment, while a home in the Gold Coast, one in Mount Macedon and a vast estate in Far North Queensland are both happy to accept a full Bitcoin payment.
 
  
 
 
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Block of land near Toowoomba for sale with Bitcoin purchasing option

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Despite the ups and downs in the value of bitcoin, Australia’s top experts and economists don’t think the cryptocurrency is a “foolish” investment, according to finder.com.au.
Results from the December <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/bank-interest-rates" target="_blank">finder.com.au</a> <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/rba-cash-rate" target="_blank">RBA Survey</a>, the largest of its kind in Australia, show all 33 respondents are forecasting a cash rate hold this Christmas.
There is widespread agreement among the panel (87%) that when the cash rate next moves, it will be in a positive direction.
However, opinions are divided about when the next move will happen, with a significant number of respondents predicting a long wait until the rate is adjusted.
Graham Cooke, insights manager at <a href="https://www.finder.com.au" target="_blank">finder.com.au</a>, says it’s probable there won’t be movement until the latter half of 2018.
“Even if it does nudge next year, it’s likely to be in the third or fourth quarter,” he says.
One third of the panellists aren’t expecting any cash rate movement until 2019.
Meanwhile, the upcoming Royal Commission into the banking industry may shake things up in Australia. Nerida Conisbee from REA group believes consumer confidence is the cornerstone of a well-run economy.
“It’s too early to tell what the impact of the Royal Commission will be. For Australians who feel the banks have at times been operating illegally or unethically, the Royal Commission will hopefully provide better ways for them to resolve their grievances,” she says.
Mr Cooke warns Australians not to get caught up in the Royal Commission.
"Nobody knows what the next year will have in store, and what skeletons the banks may have in their closets. However, the fact that the banks have asked for this inquiry may indicate a belief that their closets are fairly empty. Only time will tell," he says.
Meanwhile, with the value of bitcoin soaring to over US$10,000 this year and then falling sharply last week, experts weighed in on cryptocurrency as an investment.
 Most respondents (11, 79%) don’t consider bitcoin a “foolish” investment.  <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/press-release-nov-2017-blockchain-is-the-real-power-behind-bitcoin-say-experts" target="_blank">L</a><a href="https://www.finder.com.au/press-release-nov-2017-blockchain-is-the-real-power-behind-bitcoin-say-experts" target="_blank">ast month’s finder.com.au </a><a href="https://www.finder.com.au/press-release-nov-2017-blockchain-is-the-real-power-behind-bitcoin-say-experts">RBA</a><a href="https://www.finder.com.au/press-release-nov-2017-blockchain-is-the-real-power-behind-bitcoin-say-experts" target="_blank"> survey</a> showed the real impact from the bitcoin revolution could be the blockchain system behind it. "The blockchain essentially works as an unhackable record of transactions and interactions. It therefore has a wide range of applications outside of bitcoin. "Blockchains are being developed today to keep track of property ownership records and to allow expatriates and immigrants to send funds home to their families faster and cheaper than ever before – this could have far wider implications than the cryptocurrency itself," Mr Cooke says. Here’s what our experts had to say: Jordan Eliseo, ABC Bullion (Hold): "The RBA will be happy to sit tight as we approach Christmas, and monitor incoming data. With housing starting to roll over, retailers facing a tough holiday period,  and a stubbornly high Australian dollar, we remain confident that the next move will be a cut, but this will take time to play out. " Shane Oliver, AMP (Hold): "Strong business conditions, strong employment and the RBA's own expectations for stronger growth point to an eventual rate hike but low inflation, record low wages growth, the slowing housing cycle, uncertainty around consumer spending and the still too high $A argue for flat or even lower rates. So the outcome is likely to be on hold for the 16th month in a row." Alison Booth, ANU (Hold): "The fundamentals don't justify any change for the moment." John Hewson, ANU (Hold): "Insufficient data." Darryl Gobbett, Baillieu Holst Ltd (Hold): "RBA comments suggest even more uncertainty about the inflation forecasts, when falling wages growth will stabilise and the very high and rising levels of household debt, which might justify ending the very low  cash rate, but this being offset by the concerns at what a rise may do to the $A and household consumption. So hold off." Paul Dales, Capital Economics (Hold): "The RBA doesn't want to cut interest rates for fear of inducing households to take on more debt, but equally economic growth and inflation aren't strong enough to prompt it to raise interest rates." Saul Eslake, Corinna Economic Advisors (Hold): "RBA has again made it clear it has no appetite for cutting rates further, but nor will it start raising them until there is a more solid basis than presently exists for confidence that inflation will return to within the target band, that economic growth will return to trend, and that spare capacity in the labour market is being steadily absorbed." Scott Morgan, Greater Bank (Hold): "Data does not support a move at this stage." Mark Brimble, Griffith University (Hold): "While the economy could do with support and the lead into the holiday season could be a great time to generate consumer confidence, the RBA is likely to not move due to ongoing concerns in housing and credit markets." Shane Garrett, Housing Industry Association (Hold): "Australia needs interest rates to stay low at the moment. General inflationary pressures are well under control - but several components of demand are below par and need a supportive interest rate backdrop." Paul Bloxham, HSBC (Hold): "Inflation remains below target, but growth is lifting." Alex Joiner, IFM Investors (Hold): "No economic justification for a rate rise. As house price growth decelerates pressure on the RBA to raise rates dissipates. Its outlook for inflation does not warrant any move or indeed even any more of a hawkish stance." Robert Montgomery, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia (Hold): "There has been little change in economic indicators, so the cash rate will continue to remain on hold." Michael Witts, ING (Hold): "The economy continues to perform in line with the RBA's expectations, so there is no need for RBA action at this time." Leanne Pilkington, Laing+Simmons (Hold): “The OECD has recently signalled that the winds of change in the Australian economy may be preparing to blow, and that a rate rise may come sooner than previously thought. Even so, this would be 12 months away. In our view, with the heat gone from the housing market, and with wages, unemployment and inflation steady, there’s no impetus for the RBA to tinker with interest rates in the near term." Nicholas Gruen, Lateral Economics (Hold): "They've signalled they will." Mathew Tiller, LJ Hooker (Hold): "The soft outlook for GDP, inflation, and wages growth, combined with the moderation in property price growth, should keep the cash rate on hold over the short term." Stephen Koukoulas, Market Economics (Hold): "The RBA continues to ignore the signals that point to the need for an interest rate cut - low wages growth and inflation, weak consumer spending and moderate growth." Michael Yardney, Metropole (Hold): "The official RBA interest rate is likely to remain at 1.5% throughout 2018.  Australia's economy is still operating below its potential with economic growth not strong enough to justify an interest rate increase.   The positive signs of jobs creation, falling unemployment and rises in full-time employment are being offset by slow wages growth, sluggish retail sales and a benign inflationary environment.  Fortunately, the RBA will be pleased our property markets are cooling and will not feel the need to use rising rates to slow the market." Mark Crosby, Monash University (Hold): "The RBA has signalled no increases in rates for the foreseeable future. Whether or not this is wise doesn't matter, the RBA will sit on their hands for the next 6 months at least." Jessica Darnbrough, Mortgage Choice (Hold): "Anaemic inflation, combined with a drop in consumer sentiment, and non-existent property price growth over the last month, will encourage the Reserve Bank to leave the cash rate on hold once again." Alan Oster, Nab (Hold): "Still watching wages and house prices." Jonathan Chancellor, Property Observer (Hold): "The bank doesn't move unless it has to, and there's no reason now to." Matthew Peter, QIC (Hold): "The economy still contains sufficient slack to keep underlying inflation at low levels. The RBA will need to keep rates on hold well into 2018 to support our export and import competing sectors, which are currently the drivers of growth." Noel Whittaker, QUT (Hold): "House prices flattening - wages growth slow - why raise?" Nerida Conisbee, REA Group (Hold): "Economy is still too weak to increase and I would say the RBA is waiting to see what the data says early next year. " Christine Williams, Smarter Property Investing (Hold): "Overall the economy has not changed in the last month  Retail is still quite slow leading up to the festive seasons spending." Janu Chan, St. George Bank (Hold): "Low inflation and ongoing spare capacity will keep the rba from raising rates despite a more upbeat outlook for business investment and the labour market." Brian Parker, Sunsuper (Hold): "The data flow over the last month won't have significantly changed their view on the outlook for inflation or growth." Clement Tisdell, UQ-School of Economics (Hold): "No reasons to expect a change." Nicki Hutley, Urbis (Hold): "Modest demand and inflation outcomes present no risk or need to raise rates." Tim Nelson (Hold): "Inflation and wage growth remain low. Both are expected to increase only gradually over time. Further progress is expected on reducing spare capacity in the economy and current rate settings appear consistent with sustainable growth and achieving the medium-term inflation target." Other participants: Bill Evans, Westpac (Hold).
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Bitcoin is no foolish investment, say 80% of Australian experts

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A Gold Coast home has become the fourth home in as many days to be listed with a Bitcoin payment.
The Sovereign Islands mansion has been listed by financial planner David Jenkins and wife Sandra for 500 Bitcoins, or offers over $5.15 million in layman's terms. 
David Jenkins told realestate.com.au he noticed other users of the currency were swapping major assets for the digital money.
“People had mentioned Bitcoin over the years and I didn’t know anything about it,” Jenkins said.
“When I ended up looking into it I realised it was a pretty good opportunity so I become involved. 
“It needs to be clear though that this is a personal investment only – I can’t advise my clients on it.”
It is unlikely a whole transaction can be made using Bitcoin, with the state laws needing to be worked around given legal sanctity of the trust fund accounts.
The home (below), that cost David and Sandra $3.4 million in 2015, is set in the pricey Knightsbridge precinct of Sovereign Islands.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/11/30/Gold%20Coast%205.jpg" alt="">
All four levels are serviced by a commercial lift, including the top level penthouse with ensuite, walk-in wardrobe and a balcony with panoramic views of the Broadwater and the hinterland.
It has four bedrooms, a 10 seat gold class style home cinema, wine cellar, home office and garaging for 10 cars.
The full concrete home was built by a former prominent politician.
The first home to hit the headlines offering Bitcoin was a home in Melbourne's The Basin. The vendor was only interested in a part Bitcoin payment for the home.
A home in Far North Queensland followed, willing to accept a 100% payment in Bitcoin for the $1.2 million home. That would equate to 100 Bitcoin at its current average price of around $12,000.
The 32 hectare rural estate known as Wooroonooran Falls at the foot of Mt Bellenden Ker, is happy to take the full transaction in Bitcoin.
The home is steeped in history. It was owned by one of the first settlers in the area, the Hon. Victor Nelson Hood, the nephew of Lord Nelson and the Godson of Queen Victoria.
The four bedroom, one bathroom Queenslander was built in 1948. Views from the front verandah look over the sugar cane fields.
Grandview, another Victoria home, this one north of Melbourne at Mount Macedon, was advertised as happy to also take full Bitcoin payment for the home, priced at $2.5 million.
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
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No slowing down in property listings willing to accept Bitcoin payment

Grand View in Mount Macedon is being marketed as the first property in Victoria ready to accept 100 percent Bitcoin as payment by Unique Estates agent Dominic Romeo.

Unique Estates have yet to respond as to whether Bitcoin can be used for a deposit. Grandview is up for $2.5 million, which is around 208 Bitcoin.

Their current valuation is around $12,000 per Bitcoin.

The six bedroom home spanning 480 sqm sits high on Mount Macedon in nearly four acres of historic gardens.

<img alt="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/11/29/Grandview2.jpg" />

The seller of the home approached Unique Estates with the idea. &ldquo;The kids are getting bigger and we won&#39;t be needing all this room let&#39;s sell Grand View for Bitcoin.&rdquo;

Unique Estate&#39;s Dominic Romeo said that when he first heard the proposal to sell for Bitcoin I saw it as a great opportunity to try something new.

&quot;A good agent is always ready to listen to a vendor and negotiate the right terms,&quot; said Romeo.

When being explained Bitcoin, Romeo said the owner put him through a crash course and &quot;he even sent me $10 in Bitcoin.&quot;

The property is of course also for sale with &#39;real money&#39;.

Property listings accepting the virtual currency have been popular in the last week.

At the start of the week the vendor for a home in The Basin in Victoria was accepting a part Bitcoin payment.

The vendor of Wooroonooran Falls, a Far North Queensland home, is prepared to accept a full Bitcoin payment for the $1.2 million property.&nbsp;

Bitcoin was invented in 2009 and has risen over 1000 percent in the last 12 months.

Grand View in Mount Macedon another property offering to accept Bitcoin payment

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Wooroonooran Falls, a rural estate in Far North Queensland, is the latest to be swept up in the Bitcoin sales process.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-babinda-125115502" target="_blank">innovative listing</a> follows one in Melbourne earlier in the week where the vendor of a home in The Basin was willing to accept a part Bitcoin payment.
The vendor of Wooroonooran Falls however, at the foot of Mt Bellenden Ker, is happy to take the full transaction in Bitcoin.
The 32 hectare Babinda estate with Queenslander homestead and its own waterfall has been listed for $1.2 million, or 100 Bitcoin, with their recent valuation climbing to around $12,000 per Bitcoin.
The home is steeped in history. It was owned by one of the first settlers in the area, the Hon. Victor Nelson Hood, the nephew of Lord Nelson and the Godson of Queen Victoria.
The four bedroom, one bathroom Queenslander was built in 1948. Views from the front verandah look over the sugar cane fields.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/11/29/Bitcoin3.jpg" alt="">
LJ Hooker Cairns South agent Cheyenne Morrison told The Cairns Post the vendor heavily researched Bitcoin before making the decision.
“After extensive research the seller has decided that the digital currency offers significant chance of appreciation over the coming weeks, and buyers at the current price would get a discount on the asking price by paying in Bitcoin,” Morrison said.
Morrison told the Cairns Post that listing the property through Bitcoin opened up a whole new market of potential buyers.
“I believe this will be the first property advertised for sale via Bitcoin in Cairns,” the agent said.
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“The seller and I are both big advocates of Bitcoin, and have personally invested in the crypto currency.
“It was my idea to offer the property for 100BTC because of the recent swath of publicity about Bitcoin, and the seller was enthusiastic about the idea.
“Up until six months ago the value of Bitcoin was just bouncing along, and now it has gone through the roof.
“There’s a lot of people in Australia who have Bitcoin, so you just never know who might come along.”
 
 
 
 
 
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Historic Far North Queensland home up for sale with Bitcoin accepted as currency

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<div>Well, it's certainly been a thrilling 12 months for Bitcoin price speculation, with the US dollar price surging an interstellar +1,065 per cent higher, although by the time I've finished writing this post the gains will probably be even greater (click to enlarge the chart)! </div>
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<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZ-RPwZa5_M/Whm79upyU2I/AAAAAAAAnL4/4-wl5u-FAY84Ef7fMFxocVo5QDbXkHquwCLcBGAs/s640/BC1.jpg" width="640" height="386" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1370"></div>
 
<div>There were record highs today in other cryptocurrency markets, including Ethereum, and, for all I know, probably a raft of others.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Will the penny drop?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It's not worth me wasting time even pretending to have any meaningful or unique insights into cryptocurrencies as an asset class.</div>
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<div>From a market psychology perspective, however, one assumes that many - if not most - of today's buyers haven't been around long enough to remember the dotcom bubble of 17 years ago. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The worry with charts like the one above is that although new and existing participants become excited by the prospect of immediate gains, loss aversion - the tendency for people to be far more sensitive to losses than gains - can make the trip down very hairy, and sometimes catastrophic.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Of course, it's perfectly possible that Bitcoin is here to stay. However, it pays to exercise caution when new and growing industries can have a nasty habit of chewing up and spitting out the brand names and entities that were once market leaders. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In the shorthand parlance of internet chat forums: GLTAH!</div>
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Bitcoin up over 1,000 percent in the last 12 months

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A house in Melbourne’s outer east is on the market, and the seller is willing to accept part payment through Bitcoin, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency.
The transaction for <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/1411-mountain-highway-the-basin-vic-3154-2014026324" target="_blank">1411 Mountain Highway</a> in The Basin, if settled through Bitcoin, could be the first cryptocurrency property transaction in Australia.
It comes as Bitcoin has surged past $US9,000 for the first time, less than a week after passing the $US8,000 mark, and taking its year-to-date rise to more than 850 per cent.
"The owner already has a bitcoin wallet and is fairly experienced in using the currency," said listing agent John Garnett.
The offer is part of a worldwide trend of the rise of digital currencies, and government regulators across the world are scrambling to set out clear guidelines for blockchain transactions.
Blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrency, is an anonymous, secure database that records digital transactions. According to experts, it could change the property industry.
The house has been built by Rob, who did not want his surname printed, Fairfax Media said. He is an experienced builder who buys, renovates and flips houses.
The listing says the “owner is agreeable to accept part payment in Bitcoin”.  
“I see cryptocurrency at the moment as like the early days of the internet dot com era,” Rob told Domain. 
He said declaring the property Bitcoin-friendly could be the deciding factor in someone’s ability to purchase the house. 
“If it came down to two or three people, and both had their maximum borrowing capacity at a certain amount, and one has bitcoin — because the banks don’t look at Bitcoin as an asset — that could be something that could get them across the line.”
The listing agent, John Garnett of Harcourts, said it was the first time he was about to handle a sale through cryptocurrency.
“We’ve got to be careful because the state revenue office will want the stamp duty to be paid on market revenue,” he said. 
Because of the dramatic fluctuations in Bitcoin’s value, the day of the transaction could be tricky.
“The way it would be is if someone was going to offer $10,000 in Bitcoin, then that would be $10,000 in Bitcoin whenever they pay that,” Rob said. “So if the market goes up or down or drops, that’s it.”
Consumer Affairs Victoria said it was legal for the settlement amount to be paid in any asset or security agreed between the buyer and seller, including Bitcoin. 
But the deposit part of the transaction cannot be paid in the form of Bitcoin due to the regulations around trust deposits.
The Australian Taxation Office treats Bitcoin as an asset, and requires a full record of Bitcoin transactions to be kept. 
The state government recommends buyers, sellers and agents seek legal advice to ensure they meet the regulatory requirements for the holding of deposits in the form of Bitcoin. 
While the property will not be the first to be offered in Bitcoin (that was a $1.4 million home in Perth in 2013) it is attracting huge attention.
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