Joel Robinson

Sydney's top 15 new apartments developments set to launch in 2026

Developer-builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dasco-australia">DASCO</a> has pushed beyond the now-standard inclusions of rooftop pools and landscaped podiums at its recently launched new Epping project, Senso.

It has laid out over 4,000 sqm of resident-only amenity in a move designed to compete directly with low-density housing on livability, not just density. The result is a development that supports genuine daily use through purposeful spaces distributed across its five-building, 479-apartment precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4396]

Two rooftop pools form the anchor of Senso. One is a 27-metre lap pool adjoining a heated spa, designed for everyday fitness rather than just summer leisure. The second sits on a lower podium, allowing different buildings to share in vertical access and reducing crowding during peak times.

It is the secondary spaces that start to distinguish Senso from other large-scale suburban projects. A rooftop cinema is integrated into a landscaped terrace, offering open-air screenings with natural ventilation and passive cooling.&nbsp;

The inclusion of a “sensory walk”, an elevated boardwalk that threads through the site, suggests a rare investment in non-commercial, non-essential amenity: space for quiet movement that doesn’t double as access or traffic circulation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4402]

The gym and wellness centre, often relegated to a small ground-floor room in many builds, takes on more substance here. Residents have access to a fully equipped gym, as well as outdoor yoga areas and meditative zones that integrate greenery and natural light.&nbsp;

The Club Lounge is similarly designed to support multiple use cases, with a private dining terrace, kitchenette, workspace, and lockable wine storage. These aren’t superficial additions; their scale and spatial allocation indicate serious intent for frequent resident use.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4391]

Importantly, Senso’s amenities are embedded within a site that spans more than 10,000 sqm, allowing for better separation between spaces and reduced noise spillover, a critical but often overlooked factor in high-density developments. This spatial generosity also enables multiple alfresco kitchens and communal terraces without compromising individual privacy or usable space.

While many developments make claims about lifestyle, few back it with this level of built infrastructure. Senso’s mix of dedicated fitness, wellness, social and passive green spaces suggests a conscious response to the post-pandemic shift in housing expectations, especially among owner-occupiers.&nbsp;

DASCO is one of several leading developers who have taken out Resilience Insurance's Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing buyers with a 10-year structural and waterproofing warranty, and giving them the ultimate peace of mind.

Senso is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134954]

Staff Writer

The outdoor amenities elevating life at Senso, Epping

Following the proposal by the Minns Labor Government to rezone Parramatta Road to create up to 8,000 new homes, prominent developer Ceerose has gone to the NSW Gov to increase the density of its new mixed-use residential building in Leichhardt.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/ceerose">Ceerose</a>, founded by Edward Doueihi nearly three decades ago, has filed plans for 154 apartments above ground-floor retail at 307-315 Parramatta Road, a key corner site near Norton Street, the main high street strip in Leichhardt.

It's an upsize from the previously approved scheme of 63 apartments across a seven-storey building.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ba1ae75b-5f08-43fb-b8d5-3de6d9f6ef71" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.39%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=yA3hBBLPH4ev7MsAE0_hieXeqiFqBUb7" />

The project is being advanced through the State Significant Development (SSD) pathway, with concurrent rezoning sought to facilitate the proposal. The 10-storey development would rise over a four-level basement and deliver two retail tenancies, one a larger-format offering and the other a smaller “hole in the wall” space, addressing the Parramatta Road frontage. 21 of the apartments are dedicated as affordable housing.

According to the Urban Design Report by Architecture AND, the scheme includes a podium and tower configuration, with a fine-grain, two-storey parapet street wall that references the traditional shopfront rhythm along the corridor. “An elegant tower form is proposed, combined with a characterful two storey frontage... articulating it as two related buildings, providing consistency with the rhythm and grain of Parramatta Road,” the report notes.

The residential component is split across two slender towers set back from the street edge, a design move aimed at preserving solar access and reducing perceived bulk. This massing strategy also seeks to improve residential amenity by focusing scale toward the quieter northern interface, away from Parramatta Road’s noise and pollution.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="347f2f8f-5d36-4388-b40a-2e77380b9c19" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.02%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=xvyUE2ujT1lzivXTo.mHBJFF4SmfgLtz" />

Architecture AND has worked with Ceerose on previous Inner West projects, and cites a deep familiarity with the local character. Their design draws heavily on context, heritage, and sunlight access considerations, and engages with the Inner West Council’s “Our Fairer Future” strategic planning framework.

The site spans 2,712 sqm and is located near key intersections with Catherine Street, Hay Street, and Redmond Street. It adjoins a public carpark to the north and is within walking distance of Stanmore and Petersham stations. It is also flagged in state and local planning strategies, including the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, as a suitable candidate for increased density.

Ceerose recently completed The Alex Collective on McEvoy Street in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay.

The Parramatta Road corridor is coming to life with the proposed rezoning which is serviced by a significant number of bus, light rail and train routes.

Deicorp is progressing with its $1.8 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kings-bay-village-five-dock-53-75-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">Kings Bay Village</a> precinct on Parramatta Road in Five Dock, as is <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/toga-to-push-on-with-five-dock-mixed-use-masterplan">TOGA further down the street</a>. Those two projects alone will bring nearly 2,000 new homes to Parramatta Road.

First look: Ceerose plots mixed-use Leichhardt development on Parramatta Road

North Sydney's landmark 'SBS Building' on Alfred Street is set to be demolished to make way for a new mixed-use residential tower in the booming North Sydney.

Commercial property group FiveX is behind the plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/275-alfred-street-north-north-sydney-nsw-2060">39-storey tower</a>, the latest project to advance under the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

They are proposing 184 apartments above retail spaces, which will replace the existing 20-storey commercial building. FiveX was set up more than five decades ago by Joshua and Marko Berger. It is currently led by Joshua's son Lesli.&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower at 275 Alfred Street, North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2efa0980-53fa-4cca-9f9e-9c3c845d4746" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29%20%281%29_0.png?VersionId=y_YyPMq3NQLfYRs84pP4os9UgWiMLp75" />

According to the Architectural Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fjc-studio">FJC Studio</a>, the slender tower form has been deliberately designed to respect the site's transitional setting at the southern gateway to the North Sydney CBD, where high-rise towers give way to lower-scale residential precincts.

"The slender tower form and articulated podium establish a respectful relationship with nearby heritage and low rise buildings, including the Whaling Road Heritage Conservation Area,” the architecture firm noted, adding that the tower “completes a missing link in the urban fabric” while enhancing the Alfred Street streetscape.

The proposed building will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with 15 percent of the gross residential floor area allocated as affordable housing. There is an agreement already in place that those apartments will be managed by Evolve Housing.

The project aligns with broader state housing objectives, including the National Housing Accord target of delivering 1.2 million new homes by 2029. The Scoping Report filed with the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) suggests the site "presents no impediments to rapid delivery,” with construction able to commence within 12 months of receiving consent.

North Sydney has been one of the most popular suburbs in Sydney for new and off the plan apartment development, but hasn't had the supply to keep up with demand, until recently.

AURA by Aqualand was, for a long time, the only off the plan apartment building on the market. That completed last year, and has sold the majority of its 386 luxury apartments. Recently ALAND launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-173-179-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> on the same street, selling over $100 million within just a few hours of its launch, while developer CASA also launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-mclaren-north-sydney-45-mclaren-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The McLaren</a>&nbsp;in the same precinct.

First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower in booming North Sydney

Kokoda Property Group has announced the Sydney-based Versatile Construction as the builder for its landmark $1.5 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a> precinct.

Construction of the 17,612 sqm site is scheduled to commence in December 2025 and is expected to be delivered in stages from 2028. Once complete, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a> will comprise 212 residences across four architecturally distinct buildings, alongside Brisbane’s first Kimpton Hotel, extensive retail, hospitality, and wellness amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139896 project_image_fid=295098]

Kokoda Property Group Founder and Managing Director, Mark Stevens, said appointing Versatile Construction marks a significant milestone for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a>.

“Partnering with Versatile Construction gives us confidence in delivering a precinct that sets a new benchmark for luxury living, curated experiences and vibrant riverfront activation," Stevens said.

"Together, we will bring the vision for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a> to life, creating a destination that residents and visitors will enjoy for generations."

Throughout the construction phase, more than 2,000 jobs will be created, supporting hundreds of local contractors and suppliers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139896 project_image_fid=352274]

Marco Fahd, Chairman &amp; CEO at Versatile Group, said the company is looking forward to&nbsp;expanding their footprint in the state, taking on their inaugural project in Brisbane.

"We are proud of the unwavering commitment our team of experts have to quality and certainty in delivery and are excited to work with Kokoda to bring their vision for this unique project to life," Fahd says.

Sales reached $285 million on the launch of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a>, with sales momentum continuing to "exceed all expectations."

Stevens says the overwhelming response from buyers validated the group’s vision for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a>.

“The demand for a luxury product in this enclave has been extraordinary, we’ve never seen anything like it before. It reinforces everything we’re doing around quality, design, and creating genuine lifestyle precincts. Buyers are recognising the enduring value of Brisbane’s riverfront and are responding to the opportunity to live within a world-class destination that celebrates both place and lifestyle.”

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=139896]

Kokoda appoints builder for $1.5 billion Teneriffe Banks waterfront precinct

Estate Agents

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Gold Coast estate agent Nick Slater has been confirmed as the victim of Tuesday's shark attack off Greenmount Beach.
Slater worked at London Estate Agents Mermaid Beach, ran by principal Ron London.
He had been there since last November, having previously worked as a sales manager in Ray White's Projects Gold Coast division.
He spent the vast majority of his career at McGrath in Canberra. He was an agent and business development manager for nearly a decade.
Slater had secured two sales this year, both in Mermaid Beach, two villas. He secured $1.42 million for four bed home and $741,000 for a three bedder.
“While I’m focused on getting the best possible sales result, I want the journey to be as a pleasant as possible," Nick said about his approach.
“I feel privileged to be entrusted with client’s business, and I like to repay that trust by delivering a superior service experience.”
 
 
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Local estate agent Nick Slater confirmed as Gold Coast shark attack victim

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A former Varsity Lakes real estate agent has been fined $5,000 in the Southport Magistrates Court after charges were laid by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
Kylie Beecroft-Wilson, former sole director and principal licensee of Beecroft‑Wilson Real Estate Pty Ltd, pleaded guilty to operating as a real estate agent without a licence and making false representations that she held approval to supply real estate agency services for a period of time when she did not.
Mrs Beecroft-Wilson was fined $5,000. A conviction was not recorded.
The court heard that Mrs Beecroft-Wilson’s real estate agent’s licence, which she had held since February 2013, expired in December 2018 and that the licence of her company, Beecroft-Wilson Real Estate Pty Ltd, also expired in December 2018.
However, despite the expiration of these licences, Mrs Beecroft- Wilson continued to manage 11 properties for clients and operate a real estate trust account in her corporation’s name into which rent money was paid before being dispersed to owners.
Mrs Beecroft-Wilson also operated a business account into which she deposited rental commissions, management and letting fees, and she continued to advertise she represented a licensed real estate corporation on correspondence, receipts and new tenancy agreements, despite Beecroft-Wilson Real Estate Pty Ltd being deregistered by ASIC on 2 June 2019.
Mrs Beecroft-Wilson ceased trading in January 2020 when the OFT became aware that she was managing properties without a licence. The OFT appointed a receiver to manage and wind up the trust account.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mark Howden took into account Mrs Beecroft-Wilson’s early guilty plea, that there was no consumer detriment in relation to funds held in trust, and noted a fine would show that unlicensed conduct will not be accepted.
Fair Trading Executive Director Brian Bauer said Mrs Beecroft-Wilson’s continued operation of a real estate business despite the expiration of her licence and the winding up of her company presented dangers to both her and her clients.
“Large sums of money can change hands in property transactions so it is vital that agents are licensed to minimise the risk to consumers,” Mr Bauer said.
“The type of conduct demonstrated by Mrs Beecroft-Wilson risks undermining the confidence of consumers who have investments in the property industry.
“The OFT will take appropriate action against any individuals or agencies who are found to be not complying with fair trading laws.”
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No conviction recorded as former Varsity Lakes real estate agent fined $5,000 

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A Hope Island real estate agency, Hi Care Real Estate Group Pty Ltd, has been ordered to pay $1,044 in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 17 July 2020 for failing to lodge an audit report on time with the Office of Fair Trading.
Under the Agents Financial Administration Act 2014, real estate agents have four months from the end of their audit period to lodge a report with the OFT.
The Hi Care Real Estate Group’s audit report was due in March 2019 but it was 79 days late in submitting it.
The court heard that the OFT issued Hi Care Real Estate Group Pty Ltd an infringement notice for the offence but the agency elected not to pay it and instead have the matter heard in court.
In sentencing, Magistrate Judith Daley said the licensee held public money and the trust account required stringent oversight to ensure defalcation did not occur, therefore audit reports were required to be submitted on time.
No conviction was recorded.
Fair Trading Executive Director Brian Bauer said this court action should act as a reminder to real estate agents about their legislative obligations when it came to operating a trust account.
“Reports of agents who fail to follow their trust account obligations are taken very seriously by the OFT,” Mr Bauer said.
“Audit measures are in place to ensure the integrity and accountability of the industry.
“Agents are able to get assistance from legal or financial professionals, or even the OFT if they have questions regarding the operation of their trust accounts.”
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No conviction recorded after Hi Care Real Estate fails to meet audit requirements

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The global pandemic has dramatically changed the way real estate agents do business but the role they play in helping buyers to find the right property and representing sellers in navigating the sale of their home for the best possible price has never been more important.
For varying circumstances, there are still buyers in the market that need to buy and sellers that need to sell. These people are looking to real estate agents for their expertise, local knowledge and importantly, to help them in a time which commands working together towards a common goal.
Agents have been forced to be more agile, get creative, leverage technology and go the extra mile in building client relationships. Former marketing strategies no longer work and determining how and where they spend their clients’ money to advertise their properties is reshaping how agents do business.
Proptechs like ListingLoop.com.au have become a lifeline in supporting agents to maximise their time, grow relationships with their buyer database, save their sellers thousands of dollars and help them earn an additional recurring revenue stream.
ListingLoop.com.au, which recently announced a partnership with the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV), and calls NBA and NBL basketball legend Andrew Bogut as an ambassador and investor, is Australia’s first buyer industry database. Agents can advertise their sellers’ properties for sale on ListingLoop.com.au under a no sale, no charge success-based advertising model where they pay for a result, not an advertising space. If there’s no buyer on ListingLoop.com.au, there’s no fee.
ListingLoop.com.au CEO Rhett Dallwitz said that “no sale no charge advertising provides an appealing, no risk solution during this current market. We understand that sellers don’t want to pay upfront advertising fees, while agents are not in a position to carry these fees on behalf of their sellers. Our model provides a safe digital solution that connects motivated buyers to the right properties faster than ever before”.
The ListingLoop.com.au platform saw a 23 per cent increase in buyer registrations last month demonstrating that there’s still serious buyers out there ready to take action. The company anticipates further buyer sign ups as people become more and more accustomed to our ‘new normal’ way of living.
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Buyers receive superior and timely service by registering their homebuying criteria and receiving an alert in real time the moment there’s a just listed or exclusively listed property that matches their needs. It’s a fresh and efficient take on the traditional model of property ‘searching’, especially now that not all properties listed for sale are on the major real estate websites due to the upfront advertising fees.
A property listing and property photos taken from a smartphone can be uploaded to ListingLoop.com.au in less than 30 seconds, including immediately after an agent has got the job and signed the listing authority. Registered matching buyers are notified instantaneously.
For sellers that need to sell but don’t want everyone knowing, all property information such as the address and the sale price are protected behind a login. The property is only seen by registered matching buyers on ListingLoop.com.au and is not visible in search engines such as Google and Bing, shutting out the window shoppers.
Unlike markets such as the US, real estate agents in Australia typically generate revenue through their sellers. ListingLoop.com.au is the first industry platform to financially reward agents for the work they put into helping buyers find their home. Up to 50 per cent of ListingLoop.com.au’s advertising revenue is paid back to an agent when a buyer purchases a property from within the ListingLoop.com.au network and from outside of their agency. If that buyer purchases property through ListingLoop.com.au multiple times in their lifetime, the agent receives a recurring revenue stream.
If a buyer purchases a property that’s the agent’s own listing, or if the listing falls under the agency that the agent belongs to, there is no fee. ListingLoop.com.au’s ‘community over competition’ approach to real estate has never been more relevant.
Agents are working more closely than ever with buyers as we collectively recognise the value of home and how much our homes matter. ListingLoop.com.au provides agents with free buyer intelligence tools that helps them instantly identify the buyers within their database that are actively looking for properties and those that could also be potential sellers.
“Despite a substantial drop in transactions, the role of a real estate agent has never been more important. Home is where we are eating, sleeping, playing, working and home schooling right now. An agent can tap into new tools and technologies to help buyers find the place that’s right for them, while supporting their sellers with targeted and cost-effective solutions that generate sales,” Mr Dallwitz said.
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Real estate industry needs agents to rise to the occasion: Listing Loop

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Former Double Bay estate agent Ryan Watsford has been sentenced to four years in jail for his part in an alleged drug smuggling operation.
Watsford had been an estate agent during the events which are alleged to have taken place between 2016 and 2017.
The Sunday Telegraph reported he used his industry knowledge and industry mates to find empty houses in Sydney's eastern suburbs which were then used in the mail shipment of more than 580g of cocaine by a US drug syndicate.
One of the empty houses was the <a href="/news/rose-bay-trophy-villa-tivoli-sold-to-entrepreneur-john-szangolies">waterfront Rose Bay mansion which was being bought by the restaurateur John Szangolies</a>, who had paid $16.8 million to the Bartley family with plans on knocking it down.
Watsford has been sentenced to a maximum eight years and six months in jail, with a non-parole period of four years.
The smuggling ring was accused of attempting to bring in 800 kg of MDMA and millions cigarettes in to Australia.
Police found a photo of three US Postal Service receipts relating to packages that had been sent to three Sydney address; 26 Tivoli Ave, Rose Bay, 51 Towns Rd, Vaucluse, and 22 Chisholm St, Darlinghurst.
The Rose Bay trophy, Villa Tivoli, had been listed with more than $20 million hopes by the family of racing identity "Melbourne Mick" Bartley.
It was sold in March 2016, with settlement scheduled for July 2016. Neither the vendors or buyers, the Bartley and Szangolies family, knew that their home had been pinpointed for the purpose of the clandestine postal delivery.
Watsford had directly called the owner of the Tivoli Ave property in early July who advised him when she'd be moving out within six days, ie ahead of the July 16 settlement by the new owner.
According to documents tendered in the Downing Centre District Court, eight packages containing 985g of cocaine were sent to “Hayes Alan” at 26 Tivoli Ave, Rose Bay.
Australian Federal Police intercepted the packages of cocaine on July 13, 2016, at the Australia Post facility at Alexandria.
The parcels were delivered July 15 when Watsford dropped off another member of the syndicate to collect the delivery from the postman. The US pickup guy was immediately arrested.
On June 27, 2016, police had previously intercepted a phone call where Watsford asked another Double Bay estate if the agency was holding any vacant properties, the court documents show.
The agent, who isn’t accused of any wrongdoing or knowledge of Watsford’s plan, advised on the property at 51 Towns Rd, Vaucluse.
The Sunday Telegraph's Brenden Hills coverage recently took out the Scoop Of The Year at the News Awards 2019 for his reporting work.
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Former estate agent Ryan Watsford sentenced to four years jail

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Raine &amp; Horne Double Bay are among the many real estate agency's across the country who will be helping to raise money at the upcoming the Real Estate Sleepout at Bondi Beach.
The <a href="https://youthoffthestreets.com.au/event/real-estate-sleep-out-2019/" target="_blank">Real Estate Sleepout</a>, held on the Bondi sand on Monday night, helps fight homelessness as agents and real estate employees sleep rough for the night on the beach.
Raine &amp; Hourne Double Bay's business development manager Matthew Serrao says he is hoping to raise $5,000 for the charity. 
“Whether the kids are homeless due to poverty or child abuse, the statistics are worrying. We want to do our bit to help,” said Mr Serrao, who has raised more than $1,000. 
“We have decided to contribute to at least three charity events each year, as we don’t want to take our good fortune for granted. Just last week, my water supplier cut the water off for 15 minutes, and I was caught short. 
“Then I stopped and thought about those less fortunate on the streets who we are supporting next week.”
With single-digit temperatures forecast for Monday, Serrao said his team is planning for the chilly conditions on one of Australia’s most famous beaches.
“We’re preparing as well as we can. But unlike the tens of thousands of homeless people, we are only living rough for one night,” he said.
“We could easily have just donated some dollars, but by sleeping on the beach for one night, we’re experiencing a little of the horrors of homelessness for ourselves.”
Patrick Cosgrove, associate director of Raine &amp; Horne Double Bay, is supporting the sleepout to promote greater awareness of youth homelessness. Cosgrove has also raised $1,000. 
“I support several charities. However, I’m troubled by the lack of community awareness about the 40,000 children sleeping on the streets every night,” he said.
“When we think of people living on the streets we think of adults, we never think of children.
“This is a great cause because we are helping to provide funding and awareness for people who can’t help themselves.”
Cosgrove said sleeping rough on Bondi Beach will prove to be a fantastic team-building exercise.
“Apart from the team members sleeping on Bondi Beach, most of the other members of our team have got behind the fundraising.”
The event is supporting the work of Father Chris Riley’s Youth off the Street, a nondenominational community organisation that is fighting to reduce the numbers of minors living rough.
On any given night, there are 116,427 homeless Australians, 43,555 of those being young people.
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Raine & Horne Double Bay joins Real Estate Sleepout

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The Fair Work Commission handed down a decision to change the Real Estate Award.
The decision affects how commission-only payments for salespeople apply and who they apply to. 
The changes apply in two stages. 
The first will be from the first full pay period on or after 30 April 2019.
The second will be from the first full pay period on or after 30 June 2019.
30 April 2019 changes
<ul>
<li>The phrase “was an active licensed real estate agent” in clause 16.3 has been replaced with “has operated his or her own real estate business”.</li>
<li>A definition of a real estate business has been included to mean “a business involved in the sale of real property or businesses”.</li>
</ul>
30 June 2019 changes
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<li>Employers will no longer be able to employ part-time employees as commission-only salespeople from the first pay period on or after 30 June. </li>
<li>There will be no ‘grandfathering’ of the clause, which means the payment method for all current part-time commission-only employees will need to change to the hourly rates provided in the award.</li>
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Fair Work Commission amends rules for commission-only real estate agent employment

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Real estate agents, lawyers and accountants won't face the toughest new anti-money laundering measures as the federal government has delayed its full crackdown on the professions.
Australia has been promising to introduce comprehensive "tranche 2" laws since 2006 – but the Department of Home Affairs confirmed it will instead seek "phase 1.5" laws as a transitional step.
The laws will clarify aspects of Australia's money laundering offences.
But anti-money laundering experts have warned that failing to crack down on illicit funds flows, including 'hot money' from China, has added significantly to Australia's housing affordability problem, Thomson Reuters head of financial crime intelligence Nathan Lynch said.
There was a <a href="https://www.afr.com/brand/chanticleer/oecd-warns-of-money-laundering-through-australian-real-estate-20171219-h07emq" target="_blank">highly critical report</a> from the international Financial Action Task Force (FATF) three years ago that warned Australia's real estate sector was at significant risk for money laundering.
"The government is currently preparing a bill to amend the Anti‑Money Laundering and Counter‑Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (AML/CTF Act)," a spokesperson from the Department of Home Affairs told Fairfax Media.
"Timing for introduction is subject to the parliamentary schedule."
The new legislation is expected to include changes to the "tipping-off" rules and other secrecy provisions to allow more sharing of information between the government and private sector, including with foreign partners.
The bill will also simplify reporting requirements for cross-border movements of cash or bearer negotiable instruments.
But the government confirmed the laws will not include the long-awaited coverage of lawyers, accountants and real estate agents.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) estimates organised crime costs the Australian community $36 billion each year and "the most common professions exploited by organised crime include lawyers, accountants, financial and tax advisers, registered migration agents, stockbrokers, real estate agents and customs brokers", their report said.
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Anti-money laundering legislation delay a let-off for estate agents

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McGrath’s domination in the recent annual Real Estate Business Top 100 Agents ranking with 27 of the Top 100 agents in Australia was spotlighted when the listed estate agency reported its latest financial update.
<a href="/news/mcgrath-on-track-to-reach-forecast-earnings-despite-weakened-overall-property-market">The financial results</a> showed some signs of consolidation and recovery despite the weakened overall property market.
"Importantly, 37% of the female agents in the Top 100 ranking work with our company,” said Geoff Lucas, CEO of McGrath Estate Agents. 
Betty Ockerlander (pictured above) leads the agency's female agents in the sales list.
REB put her annual sales tally at $215 million, which ranked her the 15th best selling agent on the <a href="/news/alexander-phillips-lead-narrows-at-top-of-the-highest-selling-residential-estate-agents">top 100</a>.
The McGrath Epping agent has been president of Epping Rotary as well as the long standing position as the secretary of the Epping Chamber of Commerce. She also has a strong connection with the local schools.
Operating her own agency for over 20 years within Epping, North Epping, Eastwood and Beecroft, she is now ranked as the #3 agent in McGrath Australia 2017.
Around half her sales were through auction. 
Ockerlander's highest recorded sale price over the past year was $2.7 million for 15 Barellan Avenue, Carlingford, a four bedroom house which sold by auction in March.
Lorraine Crawford (pictured below) was in 32nd place with $170 million in annual sales.
She is based at McGrath's head office in Edgecliff specialising in the suburbs of Bondi Junction, Queens Park, Waverley, Bondi and Millers Point.
She has worked and lived in these suburbs over the past 11 years, having been involved in sale over the past 17 years.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/7/31/lorraine.jpg" alt="">
Her record sales have occurred in suburbs including Queens Park, Bondi Junction and Malabar.
Lorraine's highest recorded sale price over the past year was $6.3 million for 46-48 Argyle Place, Millers Point, a five bedroom house.
Teena Vaughan (pictured below) was the third best selling McGrath agent on the REB top 100, with over 20 years experience.
She secured $124 million in sales. Her highest recorded sale price in the past year was $4.5 million for 4 Hillside Crescent, Epping, a six bedroom house sold by private treaty last December.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/7/31/teena%20.jpg" alt="">
McGrath's top selling agent was Matt Steinwede with $271 million in sales followed by Peter Chauncy with $207 million in sales.
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Women leading the McGrath agency recovery

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Most agents - so the story goes - get into real estate because they love property and they love helping people. And the chance to earn a small fortune is pretty alluring too. 
But within just a few short months, they are destined to hate both houses and people - and be broke - burned out by psychotic vendors, ungrateful landlords, feral tenants and disgruntled buyers.
Why does it happen like this? What is it about real estate that brings out all the crazy people? And why does your agency seem to be the one that attracts them as clients?
A look at neurological and behavioural research provides some clues that indicate maybe it is not individual agents or offices that attract the unstable or unbalanced, but that the stress involved in buying and selling property is enough to make pretty much everyone feel unhinged.
<a href="http://www.researchhistory.org/2012/06/16/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs/" target="_blank">Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory </a>argues that human psychological wellness is served by the meeting key needs. Until we feel secure at the base levels, we cannot move towards more enlightened behaviour. 
<img src="https://corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/media_crop/public/2018-04/2018-04-09-realestatecrazy.gif" alt="">
 Shelter is one of our basic physiological needs according to Maslow. What does that mean for agents? It means that when humans feel their “shelter” is uncertain, they they feel their very survival is threatened on a subconscious level and are in a constant state of anxiety. Property is a key part of the second layer of needs – part of our safety and security. When property is insecure, this makes us feel endangered and unsafe. 
Selling a property is to walk headlong into these feelings of anxiety and distress that often refuse to be reasoned away. But so too is the feeling triggered for buyers who can’t find a property, or tenants struggling in the search for something suitable to rent. 
Want to know why your vendor is shouting at you? Or a potential buyer just slammed down the phone on you during the negotiation? It’s not because they’re nuts. It’s because subconsciously, there’s a voice telling them “You’re not safe. You have no shelter. You’re in danger!” and that anxiety is affecting their behaviour in a way that can’t always be rationalised away.
This is because new research from <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201603/how-does-anxiety-short-circuit-the-decision-making-process" target="_blank">neuroscientists at the University of Pittsburgh</a> has identified that anxiety disrupts the decision-making regions of your brain which can make it physically impossible to think clearly in some highly stressful situations, which in turn is likely to affect your behaviour. 
The study found that anxiety affects your prefrontal cortex – the front part of your brain responsible for understanding rules, the consequences of risk, problem solving and decision making. In doing so, it also affects our ability to regulate our emotions and control behaviour. 
So when you’re in the middle of an auction, pushing a vendor to accept the highest offer, when you’re negotiating with buyers who’ve missed out on numerous other properties, when you’re asking someone who has lived in a home for 40 plus years who has been prevaricating to sign the sales agreement – these are all times when our stress responses are in full flight and in fact, our brains are actively incapable of making a good choice or monitoring our behaviour.
But it doesn’t have to be like this. There are things real estate agents can do that can alleviate the stress their customers feel which will in turn improve the behaviour they demonstrate toward you. These include:
1.    Let people know what to do in case of an emergency
Every time you get on an airplane, the crew runs through the safety demonstration. You’ve seen it a million times, but it is based on the fact that in the event of an emergency when your brain is flooded with cortisol and you literally can’t think, you’ll revert to something that has been drummed into you. 
It’s a great approach that more agents could take too – because while there’s no way of avoiding the fact that buying or selling a property is stressful, as a real estate agent with extensive experience, you’ve seen everything before – so share that knowledge with your clients. 
Research from <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2016/03/29/uncertainty-about-the-future-is-more-stressful-than-knowing-that-the-future-is-going-to-suck/#b894b1f646af" target="_blank">University College London</a> identifies that the unexpected is more stressful, than the expected, even if what’s expected is painful. So explain to your clients what the selling (or buying, or renting) process looks like, where things sometimes go wrong, and how you proactively solve those things when they occur. Make sure you know their auction instructions well in advance and ensure they’ve been planned for quietly and rationally, so you can remind them of that decision, not ask for a new one. Hope for the best but plan for the worst is the mantra. Make solving the stress in advance part of your procedure. 
This has a two-fold affect – it reassures people that what’s happening to them is normal and it tells them that you’ve got their back and they are in good hands which goes a long way to establishing a relationship based on trust.
2.    Help clients take a break from the stress
What is the most stressful thing about the sale process that is upsetting your vendor? Is it having the property clean in time for each open house? Is it making sure the dog is out of the house? And are there ways that you could give your client a break, even just once – by offering to organise a cleaner, or a dog sitter? 
Research from the <a href="http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/manage-stress.aspx" target="_blank">American Psychological Association</a> identifies that taking a break from stressors can be hugely beneficial, even if it’s just short term. Even a small gesture such as a voucher for coffees and a snack at the local café during the open tells them that you are noticing their behaviour, have empathy for what they’re going through and you’re there to support them. (and you can meet them for a coffee afterwards and let them know how it went).
3.    Encourage mindfulness
Both Persian and Jewish philosophers are credited with the saying “This too shall pass” – so dealing with stressful situations has been going on for millennia. But rather than enduring, modern psychology has identified that being able to visualise what the end result both looks like and feels like in a positive way is hugely powerful to reducing stress.
Sometimes your clients may resist this – if they’re selling a long-loved family home, the idea of leaving may terrify them and increase feelings of sadness. But encourage them to visualise how exciting it will once the hammer has fallen on auction day and they know how much money is coming in, how lovely their new home is going to be, all the things they will be able to achieve as part of their new chapter.    If you’ve outlined your process for selling (or buying) in detail and your clients know what to expect each step of the way, they’ll find it easier to imagine positive outcomes. 
Kylie Davis is the Head of Property Services and Content Marketing at CoreLogic.
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