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

Estate Agents

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The former Melbourne sports broadcaster Rob Astbury, who became a highflying Gold Coast estate agent, has died aged 69.
He died unexpectedly, but peacefully, according to reports.
After an early career in Melbourne radio, Astbury made the move to television where during a 21-year media career, he won 10 VFL/AFL awards, and was twice nominated for the Logie Awards for the Best News Story of the year.
He hit the headlines in 2006 when a biography King and I: My Life with Graham Kennedy detailed Astbury’s relationship with the late king of television comedy. 
After retiring from television, he worked as a real estate agent between 1994 and 2000. For the next decade he ran a property development company in Thailand. He returned to the Gold Coast in 2010 to continue in <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://raywhitebroadbeach.com/agents/rob-astbury/44016" target="_blank">real estate at Ray White</a>.
The Ray White chairman Brian White said "Rob was one of our superb Elite members renowned for his creativity".
<div>"The White family is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Rob Astbury who has been one of our finest performers over the long time he was with the Ray White group.</div>
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<div>"For more than 20 years Rob showed a creativity and an imagination that brought such wonderful results to his client base.</div>
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<div>"Invariably an Elite member, Rob's unique ability to communicate with his database and to encourage and locate the right buyers for the different properties he'd been commissioned to sell, had become legendary," Brian White noted.</div>
His own profile indicated he joined Ray White (Broadbeach) in 1994 and in his first year received Ray White's Rookie Of The Year Award, "possibly the oldest Rookie of all time!"
His sales achievements included the sale of the beachside home of Brian White.
Astbury had <a href="https://twitter.com/mrpford?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">a second book in the works</a>.
"So here are the last few paragraphs of Rob’s unpublished memoir," entertainment reporter Peter Ford tweeted.
"Yes it names names and settles scores but it’s a lot more than just that."
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Gold Coast Ray White estate agent Rob Astbury dies leaving unpublished second book

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The real estate industry is set to shed up to 25 percent of its workforce, according to the REIA, as the property market rebalances after five years of strong conditions especially in Melbourne and Sydney. 
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Real Estate Institute of Australia president Malcolm Gunning said the shedding of jobs was inevitable.
“What we see is a lot of opportunists come into the market when it’s a bull market, and yes we will see jobs shed because we will see less turnover of property,” Mr Gunning told The Australian.
“This is really a market for experienced real estate agents and I would expect about 20-25 per cent of our residential agents will leave.”
Mr Gunning predicted that low-cost operators would be among the first to go as the “momentum swung back to full service agencies”.
“Low-cost operators really can’t afford to put a lot of resources behind them, and people will quickly get sick of paying a fee up front and getting no results,” he said criticising the low-cost operator as one "who lists and waits for the inquiries.”
Mr Gunning said this week’s earnings downgrade by the McGrath agency could be seen as a “reference point” to the shift in the property cycle when the agency issued a downgrade based partly on the market slowdown.
“John (McGrath) floated at the pinnacle of all the hype surrounding the property market; he picked the sweet spot very well,” Mr Gunning said.
“That will always be a reference point as to what was the high water mark for that period.”
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Standby for 25 percent estate agent job departures expected by REIA

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Most of Sydney's leading estate agents set off on sun-seeking sojourns during July - and many posted their exploits on social media for those back here.
They are mostly back at their desks now as they seek out their late August and early spring listings.
Camel riding in Palestine and Egypt seemed popular including Ray White Double Bay agent of the year, Gavin Rubinstein (above). The pyramids went unsold though.
Warren Ginsberg - who featured in the gossip pages during his brief hookup with Jodi Anasta over our summer - was among the highlarking mid-year vacation crowd (below).
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-01%20at%2010.07.14%20AM.png" alt="">
He got to several locations including Mykonos in Greece and Tel Aviv in Israel.
Oliver Lavers, an integral member of the industry-leading team, The Rubinstein Group at Ray White Double Bay, appeared not to feature on any camel riding, instead sailing off Sorrento, Italy.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-01%20at%2010.09.27%20AM.png" alt="">
Ginsberg rode his camel in Jerusalem (top) before sun baking at the popular Panormos Beach in Mykonos.
Ginsberg works out of the Ray White Double Bay office too which is the number one Ray White office in Australia.
He has been in real estate since 2008 and was awarded Ray White Elite Performer in 2015 and 2016, as well as the eighth best sales person in the Ray White Group in 2016.
BresicWhitney Darlinghurst agent Nic Krasnostein was also a Mykonos, as well as dropping in to St Tropez during his European sojourn (below).
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-01%20at%2010.11.01%20AM.png" alt="">
Metro Commercial agent Alan Levy celebrated a birthday while he was at the Mykonos rendezvous. 
Some of the Laing &amp; Simmons team got to Capri, Italy or Montauroux, France. David Malouf (below) from LJH headed off as his father Bill has always done. David Malouf instragrammed his Kéa, Kikladhes, Greece holidays. Mykonos as well. The Malouf father-son tour continues given a big family birthday.
<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/2017/08/01/Malouf.jpg" alt="">
Their combined absence meant few sales and listing activity across the month of July.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Sydney estate agents return from riding camels on their winter holiday break

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MiSale, an online startup that connects people selling their homes directly with buyers, is launching into New South Wales and Victoria following its success in Queensland.
The MiSale platform has facilitated close to $12 million in sales, saving users potentially $293,000 in commissions, since its launch earlier this year in Queensland, it said in a media release.
The startup is part of the growing trend of online selling platforms like Purplebricks, which offer a cost-effective model by doing away with the traditional agent fees. 
“At zero cost and with no real-estate agents and their associated commissions, users can sell their home independently on the platform, taking control of all aspects of the selling and buying process,” said the media release.
MiAgent also offers an aided service, offering an agent assistance package for $2,999.
The startup says the service comes with “no commissions and no lock in contracts”.
MiSale offers a simple and seamless alternative for home buyers and sellers, with 
Its services, including conveyancing, solicitors, mortgage brokers and legal minds, are all accessible on its platform. 
MiSale also allows its users to list their homes on realestate.com.au for free.
Co-founder Ewen Malcolm said the easy-to-use platform facilitates the conversation between seller and buyer.
“Selling your home is a process that has been covered in smoke and mirrors for many years, with pages of paperwork and litigation. MiSale’s freemium model is aimed at reducing the barrier to entry for even the most skeptical person. Users have nothing to lose, there is absolutely no risk involved,” said Malcolm.
“We have some strong goals, targets and blue sky ideas in the pipeline, so our expansion to Eastern Australia is only the beginning for the business.” 
The average commission on homes sold in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales was 2.47 per cent, 2.13 per cent and 2.11 per cent, respectively, the release said quoting LocalAgentFinder data.
In Sydney and Melbourne, where median home prices are already very high, this works out to  thousands of dollars which users of MiSale can potentially save while selling their properties.
He said real estate agents needed to re-skill themselves as technology continues to cut out the middle-man for the industry. 
“There will always be disgruntled people when you disrupt a system, but this is the way the world is moving, so agents can either get on board and prosper or be left behind,” Malcolm said.
He said several real estate agents were willing to come on-board to help with the additional support some customers need with buying or selling. 
“Not everyone is well spoken and confident, and agents can offer strong value in this respect,” he added.
Australian home buyers are increasingly turning to the internet to research their future homes. Research by National Association of Realtors found that 90 per cent of prospective home buyers are looking online to find their perfect home.
 
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Online selling platform MiSale launches in NSW and VIC

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REI Forms Live (known as Realworks in Queensland) has produced its 10 millionth form. 
The system, created by the Real Estate Institutes in collaboration with Australian software developer Dynamic Methods, integrates with REST Professional, Agentbox, Console, MyDesktop, RP Professional, and APM PriceFinder, and a number of others.
Tim McKibbin, chief executive officer, REINSW said it first went live in February 2010 and and since then ihas been rolled out by most of the REIs across Australia.
“REI Forms Live has doubled its user-base in the past two years, with REIQ, REIACT and REIT coming on board. The creation of the 10 millionth agreement is a major milestone," he said.
“This world-leading technology is having a significant impact on our industry. The feedback from our members has been extremely positive."
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Property 101: REI Forms Live produces 10 millionth agreement  

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GUEST OBSERVER
One of the many advantages in using a buyer’s advocate is to capitalise on both their knowledge of the property market and their relationships with the sales agents.
As a result of such a relationship, I managed to obtain access to an off-market property in the Lower North Show and set up a private inspection with my client.
At the time I suspected the property would be beyond my client’s budget but my client still insisted on viewing the property.
It was a lovely family home in excellent condition and as it was of interest to my client, we completed an appraisal, concluding that the property would be very fair buying in the range of $3.79m to $3.84m.
After discussions with the agent, it was revealed that the vendor ideally wanted $3.9m but we suspected that there would be some room for negotiation.
At the time, I anticipated we would be able to secure the property for around $3.8m to $3.85m but unfortunately this was well beyond my client’s limit so we moved onto another property.
As it would turn out, the vendor’s motivation actually increased a month later once they had purchased and they decided to list the property on the open market.
A couple of weeks later we were contacted by another person who expressed interest in our service.
They initially wanted to purchase a home in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and so I arranged for a meeting with my colleague who specialises in the East.
We outlined our services and put forward our fee schedule. However, unfortunately after further discussions with this prospect they decided not to proceed, but rather to attempt to secure a home themselves.
This is not an unusual occurrence as I have to admit that it can be a little difficult for some people to see the value in our service prior to engaging us.  
As we usually do, we followed up a few more times over a two-week period before finally making contact. 
They told us they had decided not to purchase a home in the Eastern Suburbs, but changed track and preferred a house in the Lower North Shore and of course, you guessed it – it was the same one that I had seen prior to it coming to market.
But the sad part about this story is that this person ended up buying the property in question for an inflated price of $4.07m. 
I will always respect one’s decision to do it alone, using a buyer’s agent is not for everyone.
This was another example of a good selling agent doing their job well and taking advantage of an inexperienced and possibly emotional buyer.
I believe that even after the buyer would have paid our fees, I would have saved them around $200k.
However, this buyer was no Robinson Crusoe – sadly I’ve seen it many times before. Another win for a vendor – I only wish I could have been involved.
Rich Harvey is REBAA president and can be contacted <a href="https://www.rebaa.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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How to throw away $200,000: Rich Harvey

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Elizabeth Brunton, who described herself as one of McGrath’s high performers with loyal dedication to the company for close to 20 years, has departed the estate agency.
She held the position of associate director projects.
There was no confirmation from the agency on the departure, although her profile no longer appears on the McGrath website.
<a href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:hiSYlOIKQ28J:https://www.mcgrath.com.au/agent/1045-elizabeth-brunton+&amp;cd=1&amp;hl=en&amp;ct=clnk&amp;gl=au" target="_blank">The elite project marketer</a>, who declined to respond to approaches to comment on her intentions, had claims of notching up $2.5 billion of transactions.
Her success spanned the eastern seaboard of Australia with experience in the international markets of Asia and China. 
She was recruited to McGrath in 1995 from Ben Boyd Real Estate where she was a property manager.
Her departure was entirely predictable following the resignation of Stephen Chen, the head of projects.
Chen quit around the time that director of sales Matt Lahood departed after more than two decades at the agency. 
The departures of veteran agents appears at this stage to be mostly quarantined to a few of the eastern suburbs office although Derek Farmer, who had sold some 170 properties on the lower North Shore with his speciality Cammeray, has disappeared from the website recently.
A rumoured agency to be established by Lahood and Chen has yet to emerge. 
Nor has the rumoured "mass departure" which The Australian business gossip column, Margin Call has suggested would see 30 agents leave. The denied rumour was followed today by a slight dip in the share price in opening trade to hover around 99 cents, at three month lows.
Recently the Mark Redhill experiment at McGrath ended with the estate agent moving to another eastern suburbs estate agency.
Mark had been working in real estate for 23 years best known for his tenure at the Wentworth Courier before embarking on agency sales.
Mark worked with wife, Lorraine Crawford who "together leveraged their expertise in marketing and sales to offer a multidisciplinary approach."
Crawford remains at the agency.
The latest hiring at the agency is Walter Burfitt-Williams who is described as professional, reliable and highly experienced, an award winning sales agent. He was at BresicWhitney previously.
The group recently announced the opening of its new office in the bayside Melbourne suburb of Sandringham.
McGrath Sandringham is the sixth franchise office the company has opened since first launching in Melbourne in December last year.
The new office will be led by principals Mark Zammit and Fran Harkin with sales agents at the new office including David Picking, Simone Cumberlidge, Andrew Solomon and Melina Scriva.
Fran Harkin was at hockingstuart, as was Zammit who had a consultancy over the past year. 
It takes the number of McGrath offices to 93 on the East Coast.
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Elizabeth Brunton exits McGrath Estate Agents

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Offshore investors had been concerned about their investment through Macro Realty especially since the closure of its Singapore office.
"About time someone puts a stop to this unbridled licence by Macro Group to borrow money from tens of hundreds of investors all over the world," one source advised yesterday after the ASIC announcement.
ASIC advised Perth’s Federal Court has made the interim orders against Desiree Veronica Macpherson that required her to surrender all passports. 
"Many from our part of the world, namely Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore have invested significant portions of our life savings because of our high regards for the Australian financial regulatory system, natural justice and common laws.
"We have been following this development for almost a year now with little in the way of information since Macro closed their office in Singapore after fellow investors complained about not getting paid their monthly interest, and hope the authorities will take the appropriate actions in an expedient manner to ensure borrowers' interests are fully protected."
The website reports it was "proud to announce that MACRO Realty Developments has been awarded the REIT Manager of the Year Award – Singapore 2016 as part of The European Global Banking &amp; Finance Awards."
The European Global Awards recognises organisations and individuals achievements based on leadership, innovation and attention to sound corporate governance.
Earlier this year the WA State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) announced that it has granted a supervision order in relation to Macro Realty Pty Ltd following an application by Consumer Protection.
“Macro Realty is suspended from carrying on its business and controlling the agency’s bank accounts. The supervisor, Alan Ferris of BDO, will now take control of the agency’s financial operations and begin the process of winding up the agency,” the WA Department of Commerce said.
The action follows the company’s failure to appoint a person in bona fide control of the agency as required by the Real Estate and Business Agents Act. The previous person in control of the agency resigned on 9 February 2016 and Macro Realty requested a three-month grace period to find a replacement.
The three-month grace period was granted by the acting commissioner for Consumer Protection, David Hillyard, on condition that the agency submitted its monthly reconciliation summary reports for their three trust accounts for February, March and April 2016.
“The agency’s failure to adequately adhere to these conditions was cause for action to be taken to have a supervisor appointed in order to safeguard the money and property of consumers,” Mr Hillyard said.
“It is extremely important that agents understand and fully comply with any condition placed on their licence, especially relating to three-month grace periods. The risk for doing otherwise, as in this instance, can be fatal to their business,” he said.
“Immediate and decisive action will always be taken to safeguard the money and property of consumers where we believe, on reasonable grounds, that an agent is either unable or unwilling to fulfil their obligations under the Act.”
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Offshore Macro investors seek answers and assurances on funds 

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The AREAs, an industry awards program that spans the property and media industries, will make 17 awards in its inaugural competition.
It is open to estate agents, residential and commercial, developers, home builders, project marketers and media agencies.
<a href="https://theareas.com.au/" target="_blank">The awards</a> will cover the three categories of innovation, service excellence and contribution to the community.
REA Group customers are eligible to enter the following awards: 
 Game Changer of the Year 
 Contribution to Community x 2 – one of which is a People’s Choice Award, open to the public for voting 
 Excellence in Customer Service  Project Campaign of the Year 
 Commercial Property Campaign of the Year 
 Property Campaign of the Year 
 Brand Campaign of the Year 
 Direct Response Campaign of the Year 
The People’s Choice Award is a separate award that will be voted on by consumers after a short-list has been established by the panel of judges. 
The winner will be determined by the highest number of votes received.
Coming from the media, property, data, technology and not-for-profit sectors, the judging panel include: 
 Andrew Winter, real estate expert &amp; host of the LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia 
 Chris Gray, CEO Your Empire; leading investment property expert and media commentator 
 Danni Addison, CEO, Urban Development Institute of Australia, Victoria 
 David Spriggs, CEO, Infoxchange 
 Dick Karlsson, Co-Founder and Chief Sales &amp; Marketing Officer, Diakrit 
 Dr Heather Holst, Deputy CEO, Launch Housing 
 Greg Dickason, EGM Real Estate &amp; Partnerships, CoreLogic RP Data 
 Paul Fisher, CEO, UnLtd 
 Greg Troughton, CEO, Real Estate Institute of South Australia 
 Steven Persson, CEO, The Big Issue 
 Tim Burrowes, Editor - Mumbrella 
 Tim McKibbin, CEO, Real Estate Institute of New South Wales 
The panel will be reviewing the property industry’s best examples of service and marketing excellence. 
"To be an agent today and survive is a huge challenge, we have a constantly evolving marketing environment and whilst embracing the continual flow of the next 'must do' still I'm pleased to say the real winners are agents remembering this is a totally people driven industry where outstanding service and human referrals are still vital," Andrew Winter said. 
He offered a tip for those thinking of entering the AREAs before the July 1 cut-off.
 “What I’ll be looking for are submissions that clearly tell a story – a beginning (what was the situation), a middle (what did the person or business do) and an end (what was the impact). If you follow that format you’ll be on the right track."
REA Group CEO Tracey Fellows said the AREAs aimed to help recognise and celebrate people doing amazing things in property and media.
REA Group has been recently included in LinkedIn’s Top Attractors list, featuring the top 25 companies where Australians would most like to work now, based on LinkedIn data.
It was the sole company featured from both the digital and media industries.
 
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AREAs judging panel announced by realestate.com.au

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The NSW Fair Trading department will not be appealing the judgement by the magistrate of Blacktown Local Court that dismissed all charges against BresicWhitney Estate Agents Pty Ltd for falsely understating the estimated selling prices when marketing properties in 2014.
After a considerably delayed trial, the dismissal came on a technicality concerning the term ‘employee’ in the Property Stock and Business Agents Act 2002 (the Act).
In this case the ‘operating’ arm of the business was the licence holder and undertook the business of a real estate agent.
A subsidiary company ‘employed’ the employees.
As a result the court found the ‘employees’ who made the statements about price, which were less than the estimated selling price in the agency agreement, were not technically employed by the licensed agent.
"This is not the policy intent of the provisions and in his findings the Magistrate acknowledged the likelihood that the business was structured in a way that would insulate it to some degree against liability in the event of such matters," a department spokesperson advised.
While the prosecution was taken under the old laws, the Government is now committed to legislative repair.
"Consumers can be assured any legal loopholes will be closed," the spokesperson advised.
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