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.

Joel Robinson

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

Castle Hill’s booming development market is set for another boost, with builder-developer Buildex proposing a new mid-rise apartment building near Castle Towers.

Buildex has submitted plans to The Hills Shire Council for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/197-old-northern-road-castle-hill-nsw-2154">nine-storey building comprising 57 apartments</a> on Old Northern Road. The company acquired two adjoining sites earlier this year, totalling more than 2,683 sqm.

Texco Design has prepared the scheme, which includes five one-bed plus study apartments, 37 two-bedrooms, and 15 three-bedrooms.

Castle Hill has become a hotspot for developers in recent years, undergoing significant transformation driven by the opening of the Hills Showground Precinct to development and the introduction of two metro stations servicing the suburb.

Developers including Deicorp and Kassis Homes have already completed projects, and are progressing future developments, while Meriton, Arada, and Ellipse are currently delivering new projects in the rapidly evolving area.

First look: Buildex plans 57 apartments near Castle Towers

Juwai

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GUEST OBSERVER
For Michael Hickinbotham, Managing Director of South Australia’s number-one home builder, his company’s deep-seated family roots and commitment to innovation, quality, and value make the Hickinbotham Group a trusted household name today — some 60 years after the first house went up.  
His father and grandfather, Alan David and Alan Robb respectively, established the company more than 60 years ago. Today, it has built 40,000 homes and more than 50 community estates and maintains the founders’ mission of creating beautiful, quality homes for South Australians.
Hickinbotham tells me he proudly attributes the company’s ongoing success to its core values. 
“Above all, I believe in the concepts of innovation, creativity and value. It’s innovation and creativity that allow us to create value and, it’s the ability to offer superior value that underpins our success,” he enthusiastically shares. 
Hickinbotham Group is the only homebuilder to create and successfully manage brands for every segment of the market, from first home buyers to the middle market and all the way up to luxury homes.
But keeping the company at number one, Hickinbotham explains, takes tenacity and a passionate team that thrives on a sense of urgency. “When we decide to do something, we commit to it, and we do it as well as we can.”
He says, “To sell significant volumes of real estate you have to offer unmatched value. That starts with beautiful designs, great build quality, and fantastic service and is backed up by people who care.”
While Hickinbotham says luck has played a part of the company’s success, he also notes the company has continued to pioneer through significant challenges, including the South Australian State Bank collapse in the 1980’s, the Global Financial Crisis, and the residential building downturn of the mid- and late-2000’s.
The family business emerged from each crisis stronger, smarter, and wiser. 
South Australian Heritage
Hickinbotham’s father and grandfather were the first in the family to develop homes for sale, starting with a house in 1954 on Sturdee Street in Linden Park, an inner-eastern suburb of Adelaide. I understand that house still stands today and is in immaculate condition. 
These are humble beginnings, but both men had a vision to improve communities that still inspires the company’s success today.
His father was a renowned sportsman who represented South Australia and Geelong in football and seemed larger than life. He was well read and engaged with the world but determined and single-minded about the family business.
His grandfather —known to many as “Hick”— was a respected academic and the founder of Australia’s most famous winemaking course at Roseworthy, which is now part of the University of Adelaide.
The legacy of these two men drive Hickinbotham to try new things. 
“While I don’t like failures, I accept that if you don’t have some failures you’re not pushing the envelope far enough, you’re not testing your limits, you’re not growing,” Hickinbotham said. 
“With business you have to learn to take risks and to minimise risk where you can. You have to be willing to fail and, more than that, to face your failures squarely and learn from them.”
Creating homes, not houses 
Although a trained lawyer, Hickinbotham chose property. He could have also joined his family’s other business, which is wine. His older brother David oversees a business that produces excellent wines. Twice they have been ranked among the 100 best in the world by Wine Spectator magazine.
“I love real estate because it is so fundamental to human happiness,” Hickinbotham says. “Nothing improves lives like putting a roof overhead. Real estate is also a time-honoured way for people to build their wealth.”
“I whole-heartedly believe the family serves the business, not the other way around. The business, in turn exists to serve our customers and the community”.
And, as Hickinbotham confidently and proudly states, it is this philosophy and commitment that will continue to guide the business for the next generations. 
Hickinbotham Group was the first Australian developer to put telephone and power lines underground; the first to impose restrictive covenants on the felling of trees at a new home estate; the first to win a Civic Trust award for a housing development. They were the first to store run-off stormwater in the aquifer for later re-use. They were also the first to develop a privately-owned public school at a time when the South Australian State Government couldn’t afford to fund new schools. 
Notably, the company recently signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s Tesla to explore the deployment of Tesla batteries in its estates. And the company already puts solar on many of the homes it builds. 
Hickinbotham Group has even worked on plans to take an entire housing estate “off the grid” via photovoltaic cells and batteries. This means homeowners might be able to earn revenue by selling excess power back to the grid. 
Advice for First Time Buyers and Investors 
As a proud Adelaidean, Hickinbotham whole-heartedly believes his city is the best in Australia for first home buyers.
“You will get a lot more for your money in Adelaide than in Sydney or Melbourne,” he says. 
“Infrastructure here is less stretched. Prices are not as high, so there is a lower entry cost. Adelaide is beautiful and the perfect size at 1.3 million people.”
According to Hickinbotham Group, South Australia is a less volatile market to invest in because traditionally it hasn’t been subjected to the same booms and busts as other capital cities.
“I have also lived in London, Sydney and Melbourne, and I love those cities. But in Adelaide, I can take the family to the beach, or we can go to the wineries and small towns in the Adelaide Hills. Both are only about 30 minutes from the city centre.”
And, naturally, he firmly believes houses are a fantastic investment. 
“The secret to investment success in property is to understand that it is the land that appreciates, not the buildings”, he explains. 
“If you’re in a block of 200 apartments, when the land value increases, the extra value is divided 200 times. That’s the main reason why houses have been such a good investment for such a long time.”
GEORG CHMIEL, the chairman of Juwai, a Chinese website for buyers of overseas property, was speaking to Michael Hickinbotham in his regular column giving insight into the leading minds of Australian property experts.
He has spoken with LJ Hooker agent Bill Malouf about the ins and out of the Sydney market, REINSW president Leanne Pilkington about women in real estate, developer Larry Kestelman about developing your first property, Harcourts boss Mike Green on real estate investment secrets, Ironfish chief Joseph Chou on investing in today's market and liveability guru Cecile Weldon.
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Georg Chmiel chats with Hickinbotham Group's Michael Hickinbotham about the home building family business

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Georg Chmiel chats with Harcourts co-owner Mike Green about secrets for real estate investing.
One of the most charming and gregarious people in the real estate industry calls himself an introvert. But what will really surprise you about Harcourts MD Mike Green is the job that he sought before becoming an agent and what he has to say about investing in apartments. 
Green is co-owner of international real estate network Harcourts – a New Zealand native who made the hop to Brisbane (for the weather) and has since conquered not only Australia but nine other countries as well. 
We will get into Green’s secrets for real estate investing, but first let’s look at how he climbed the business ladder. He got into real estate purely by accident.  
“I was looking through the newspaper for a job, having just left university” he says. “I applied for a job washing cars in a car yard, and the guy turned me down.” 
That rejection sent Green back to the employment classifieds (remember those?). Eventually, he talked his way into his first property job at 19 as a real estate sales consultant with no experience and only one year of university. He hasn’t looked back since.
Does he still pine for the missed opportunity to wash cars all day long? I didn’t ask him, but I imagine not.
“I went into a profession that I just clicked with,” he told me. “I love the freedom of it, the impact you can have on people’s lives. Eventually, my wife Irene and I opened our own Harcourts franchise. Now (Harcourts Chairman) Paul Wright, Irene and I are the owners of the Harcourts international franchisor.”
Green’s secrets to success in business are available to anyone. “The reality is,” he says, “if you hang around long enough, you end up at the top — as long as you don’t do anything stupid and don’t annoy people.”
I have managed hundreds of people in my career and, as simplistic as it sounds, this advice is actually quite profound.
DISRUPTON
Green runs a major international real estate agency network with more than 900 offices in 10 countries. Is he worried about losing it all to a tech giant like realestate.com.au, purplebricks.com or Google? 
Not a bit.
“The only thing we need to worry about is disrupting ourselves by not delivering value,” he told me. Selling a home “is such an emotional and traumatic experience. Our clients actually want an advisor to help them through the process. It’s very hard to disrupt when you have hundreds of thousands of people on the ground doing just that.”
But Green did admit that there are still risks. No real estate company has a monopoly. 
“If we don’t add value to clients we will disappear like so many other companies in other industries have.”  
COUPLES
For Green, one of the benefits of a career in real estate has been the opportunity to work alongside his wife Irene, who is herself extremely successful in the industry in her own right. 
“Irene and I have worked together for nearly 30 years,” he said, “and it certainly creates its own unique challenges. You never stop talking about the business. It’s a really dangerous place to be when your wife technically reports to you, which was the case for a very short period of time.” 
After all, we all know who the real boss is…
That said, Green encourages other couples to consider a property career, as long as you can “keep a sense of humor and understand that, while the business is important, the relationship is far more important.”
WHAT SHOULD FIRST BUYERS DO?
Now, let’s get to Green’s advice for first-time buyers who are in a tough position because of high prices. 
“Government is more attuned to first-home buyers now,” he says. “Study up on the available first-home buyer grants and other incentives available.”
You should choose a “good property that can be readily resold and has a wide market appeal. What they say about location is very true. If you buy in a good location you will always be fine in the long term.”
And watch out for interest rates, which are still at historic lows. “Reality says that will change,” advises Green. “You should say, ‘Hey if the rates go up two percent or three percent, will I be OK?’ 
“Also factor in starting a family. If you have to live on one income, how will that look?”
ADVICE FOR INVESTORS
Green advises property investors to play it safe, too. His preferred investment is a three-bedroom home on a little bit of land and with a garage.
“They are very easy to rent, and if you need to sell they sell easily. Some investors look for houses that have been split up for multiple revenue streams, but those are harder to sell. They only appeal to other investors. If you are under pressure and need to sell, chances are other investors will be, too.”
Green made a 38% profit on his first investment home after only two and a half years. It had cost him NZ$29,000. Today, the same home is worth as much as NZ$1.8 million. 
Now, about apartments. While Green lives in one for the care-free lifestyle it affords, he doesn’t recommend apartments as an investment.
“They don’t perform as well in terms of rental return or capital gain. I’d recommend you spend a bit more and buy a three-bedroom house.”
Green firmly believes property investors today can still leverage a small amount of capital into a large and successful portfolio that eventually lets them live off their earnings. His own sons and a number of their friends are following just this strategy.
“I think you can do it today,” he said. 
“You have got to be a bit careful because there is more money involved. But as rents and capital gains grow and the mortgage is paid down, you are building wealth. Property will never be cheaper than it is today!”
Georg Chmiel, the chairman of Juwai, a Chinese website for buyers of overseas property, was speaking to Mike Green in what will be a monthly insight into the leading minds of Australian property experts.
He has spoken with LJ Hooker agent Bill Malouf about the ins and out of the Sydney market and REINSW president Leanne Pilkington about women in real estate.
He most recently spoke with Melbourne property developer Larry Kestelman about developing your first property.
 
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Georg Chmiel chats with Harcourts boss Mike Green on real estate investment secrets

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EXPERT OBSERVER
When brothers Ben and Rob Coorey created the technology to analyse the profitability of potential development sites within seconds, they had a choice.  
They could keep it to themselves and go on to become two of Australia's richest developers. Or, they could share it with the world and make real estate investment, development, and design much easier and more transparent for everyone.
They chose the latter.
Not that they haven't also benefitted. Their business, <a href="https://archistar.ai/" target="_blank">Archistar</a>, has raised millions from investors such as the former Foxtel chief executive Peter Tonagh, ex-CoreLogic managing director Graham Mirabito, and former CEO of CBRE Australasia Tom Southern.
"Our tool evaluates development opportunities for your property and assesses its potential market performance,” Ben Coorey told me in a conversation last week. "A consumer, developer, architect, or council … anyone can benefit if they need to assess designs."
MAKING NEIGHBOURS RICH
Archistar can even turn a handful of neighbours into millionaires.  
As Coorey pointed out, the most important part of real estate development is to understand what the rules are for your site. His tool gives you exactly that information.
Coorey say, "Our software allows you to piece together a number of neighbouring lots and determine what you could build if they were combined.”
A group of eight neighbours in Castle Hill secured $5 million each by selling all their homes in one go. The developer who bought the land plans to build a unit project. Since the average price in Castle Hill is about $1.3 million, the vendors earned about a 300% profit by informing themselves about the development potential of their property.
That kind of windfall shows why Archistar’s tool is so valuable. But I don’t think the Coorey brothers are in it for the money. 
Talking to Ben, I got the sense that what really motivates the Cooreys is getting their arms around complex problems and then solving them. The fact that they made their development analysis tool publicly available is proof. (You can get a free, basic analysis of your own home on their website, https://archistar.ai.)
More proof that the Archistar team is motivated by a good challenge rather than a fast buck comes from the fact that they decided to take on the challenge of developing automated reports based on the arcane rules of a 3,000-year-old practice that has been called both science and superstition.
DOES YOUR HOME HAVE GOOD FENG SHUI?
“We wanted to democratise the principles of Feng Shui so that anyone, anywhere could get an instant Feng Shui analysis of their floorplan,” Coorey told me.
How hard was that? 
Very. 
Archistar spent 12 months developing a one-of-a-kind artificial intelligence engine that makes the Feng Shui analysis possible. To start with, they had to understand the principles of Feng Shui. Then, they had to digitize them, create algorithms that can analyse any floorplan according to those rules, and design a system that uses those algorithms to provide useful insights that allow you to fix whatever Feng Shui problems your home might have.
"We had to translate over 500 rules from ancient Chinese Feng Shui texts that go back hundreds of years," Coorey said. The sources they consulted also included some recent page-turners such as Human Habitat and Feng Shui (人居环境与风水), Modern Residential Feng Shui (现代住宅风水), and Chinese Wisdom Feng Shui's Application (国学智慧-风水文化应用篇) by Professor Yu Xixian.
"From those texts, we put together a set of Feng Shui rules," said Coorey. "Then we take apart floorplans and use these rules to evaluate the Feng Shui of each one."
To test its new Feng Shui analysis tool, Archistar looked at The Lodge, the official Canberra Prime Minister’s residence which has been home to leaders such as Robert Menzies, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, Gough Whitlam, Paul Keating, and John Howard.
Archistar’s Feng Shui analysis found that the 1927 building generally abides by Feng Shui principles. It’s not that the original architects consulted a Feng Shui expert when designing The Lodge.
“Sometimes, a design has good Feng Shui even though the architects didn’t know anything about the practice,” said Coorey. “Good design can transcend cultures.”
Juwai.com, where I am chairman, now provides Archistar’s Feng Shui reports to our Chinese international property buyers.
WHICH CITY RULES?
As Archistar analyses the Feng Shui properties of more and more floorplans, Coorey expects to be able to draw conclusions about entire cities.
“As we build a database of floorplans, you can start to collect insights on regions, countries, and cities. Up until this point, you haven’t had the analysis in a common format that you could compare. Now, we have a standard format to do so.”
I asked Coorey which Australian city he thought would come out on top in the Feng Shui competition. 
Do buildings in Melbourne have better Feng Shui than Sydney? Does Brisbane beat Perth? And can Parramatta blame bad Feng Shui for the fact that the Eels came dead last in 2018, or is there a more nefarious cause?
Probably wisely, Coorey wasn’t willing to hazard an answer to any of these questions.
Georg Chmiel is the chairman of Juwai, a Chinese website for buyers of overseas property, was speaking to Ben Coorey, the founder and CEO of Archistar, a training centre teaching digital design skills for architects and engineers.
His regular column, getting into the leading minds of Australian property experts, has spoken with LJ Hooker agent Bill Malouf about the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/advice-and-hot-topics/82193-georg-chmiel-chats-with-bill-malouf" target="_blank">ins and out of the Sydney market</a>, REINSW president Leanne Pilkington about <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/advice-and-hot-topics/83830-georg-chmiel-chats-with-reinsw-president-leanne-pilkington-on-women-in-real-estate" target="_blank">women in real estate</a>, developer Larry Kestelman about <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/advice-and-hot-topics/85169-georg-chmiel-chats-with-larry-kestelman-about-developing-your-first-property" target="_blank">developing your first property</a>, Harcourts boss Mike Green on <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/advice-and-hot-topics/86232-georg-chmiel-chats-with-harcourts-boss-mike-green-on-real-estate-investment-secrets" target="_blank">real estate investment secrets</a>, Ironfish chief Joseph Chou on <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/advice-and-hot-topics/87440-georg-chmiel-talks-with-ironfish-ceo-joseph-chou-about-whether-to-invest-in-today-s-market" target="_blank">investing in today's market</a>, liveability guru <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/advice-and-hot-topics/90628-georg-chmiel-talks-with-liveability-guru-cecille-weldon-about-unlocking-a-home-s-hidden-value" target="_blank">Cecile Weldon</a> and Hickinbotham Group's <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/investment-strategy/129-industry-leaders-give-their-property-insights/93219-georg-chmiel-chats-with-hickinbotham-group-s-michael-hickinbotham-about-the-home-building-family-business" target="_blank">Michael Hickinbotham</a>.
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Georg Chmiel chats with Ben Coorey on how to turn neighbours into millionaires

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Crown Residences at Barangaroo has won Chinese Global Choice Awards from Juwai.com, the number one Chinese international property portal
The awards presentation, held in Shanghai, saw Crown Residences pick up the Best International Hospitality Branded Residence.
The presentation followed followed four months of nominations, online voting by Chinese consumers, and final selection by a panel of judges that included senior executives from Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Noah Holdings, and other respected companies.
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The Juwai Global Chinese Choice Awards (below) is the only awards program in the world to target China-centric residential developers, agencies, lenders, and other organizations.
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Todd Nisbet, executive vice president of strategy and development for Crown Resorts said the fact that a project in Australia won the award shows how global real estate has become.
 "We couldn’t be more excited about receiving this award, given the fact that it is voted on by the general public who are interested in real estate," Nisbet said.
"That an award has been won by a project in Australia is a testament to how truly global real estate has become for the Chinese consumer. 
Crown wasn't the only Australian winner at the awards night.
Property investment firm Ironfish won the Trustworthy Overseas Property Service Provider award.
Lanny Xu, CEO of Ironfish China, said it's one of the best awards to win.
“Since 2004, we have built up our business in China and received lots of awards and are very appreciative, but none of these can be compared with today’s award from Juwai," she said.
"It is one of the best awards in the industry and we are very honoured to receive it. 
"Hopefully, in the future, we will work with Juwai<a href="http://juwai.com/">.</a>com in a long-term relationship in terms of serving clients in purchasing and investing in overseas property.”
 
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Crown Residences at One Barangaroo win Juwai award for best international hospitality branded residence

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Former Mirvac CEO Greg Paramor will join the board of directors at Juwai, the No.1 Chinese international property website, as a non-executive director from December.
Paramor has been involved in the real estate and funds management industry for more than 40 years.
He is former CEO of Mirvac Group, past president of both the Property Council of Australia and the Investment Funds Association, a board member of the professional Australian rules football club the Sydney Swans, and the immediate past Chair of LJ Hooker.
Juwai.com board chairman Georg Chmiel said Greg brings to Juwai.com so much expertise in Australian and APAC property, finance, and business that he is a treasure to have on the board.
"We expect Greg to work closely with the existing board members and the executive team on delivering on our vision for Juwai in 2019 and beyond," Chmiel said.
“This year, Juwai.com has delivered rapid growth on its financial and operational metrics."
Paramor said he is delighted to join the board.
“Juwai.com is one of the most exciting real estate technology companies on the landscape today," he said.
“Juwai.com has a promising future, given the size of its addressable market, its lead over potential competitors, and its role in the cross-border property sales process."
In August, Paramor's property fund management and development group, Folkestone, was acquired by Charter Hall Limited for $205 million.
He is a non-executive director at Charter Hall, which is a listed property funds management group with over AU$26 billion under management.
Paramor served as CEO of Mirvac Group between 2004 and 2008. He cofounded Equity Real Estate Partners, Growth Equities Mutual, Paladin Australia and the James Fielding Group. 
Paramor was awarded an Officer in the General Division (AO) of the Order of Australia in January 2015 for his distinguished service to the community through executive roles in fields that include breast cancer research, sport, the not-for-profit sector, and property. 
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Former Mirvac CEO Greg Paramor joins Juwai board

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Chinese buyers of Australian real estate spent US$6.4 billion less in 2017 than they did in 2016, according to Juwai.com’s Chinese Global Property Investment report.
<div>Chinese purchased US$17.4 billion on Australian real estate in 2017, well down on the 2016 total estimate of US$24 billion.</div>
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<div>New Zealand saw US$1 billion in investment.</div>
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<div>The total Australia and New Zealand investment combined was down 23 percent from 2016.</div>
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<div>Carrie Law, CEO and director of Chinese international real estate website Juwai.com said that capital controls, restrictions on bank financing to offshore buyers, and new foreign buyer taxes and restrictions all served to reduce Chinese investment last year.</div>
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<div>"This year we expect moderate growth, which is in line with Beijing’s goal of managed, rational overseas investment," Law said.</div>
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<div>“Despite the higher stamp duties, Chinese still see Australia as a long-term value," Law noted.</div>
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<div>Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/9/11/region1.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
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<div>"The majority of our residential buyers are purchasing for their own use, because they have children studying or working here, or because they plan to visit regularly or to retire here.</div>
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<div>"Australia offers a table environment, safety, quality educational institutions, and high quality of life. Both Sydney and Melbourne rank in the top five most liveable cities in the world.</div>
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<div>“In the first half, the most popular Australian cities for Chinese buyers were Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, and Perth.</div>
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<div>Juwai found US$14.1 billion of the $US17.4 billion spent my Chinese in Australia in 2017 was on residential acquisitions. Commercial sales totalled US$3.3 billion.</div>
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<div>“Sources like KPMG suggest that Chinese commercial real estate investment accounts for one-third of all Chinese corporate direct investment in the country.</div>
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<div>"Political tensions between the two countries have a greater impact in creating uncertainty with corporate commercial real estate investors than they do with individual investors buying residential property for their own use.”</div>
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<div>Globally, total Chinese investment in commercial and residential property hit US$119.7 billion, up 16.1% from the US$101.4 billion reported by Juwai in 2016. </div>
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Chinese property purchasing in Australia down 27 percent in 2017: Juwai 

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
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Juwai's The Foreign Buyer Restrictions Report 2018-19 has found that the world will see fewer new foreign buyer restrictions imposed in top Chinese property destinations in the year ahead than in any of the prior three years. 
The Report points out that Canada’s two largest provinces, six of Australia’s eight states and territories, and Australia’s national government have all increased the taxes or restrictions that apply to foreign buyers of real estate over the past two years.
By contrast, in the year to come, only New Zealand is likely to impose new policies targeting foreign buyers. New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Amendment Bill is now under consideration in Parliament.
The rapid upward trend in Chinese international property investment of the past decade hit the world at the same time as historically low interest rates and population growth were inflating values in popular destination cities. In some places, especially Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, Chinese buyers were blamed for the price increases that objective data suggested was actually due to other factors. 
After retreating from an exuberant peak in 2016 of $101.1 billion, Chinese international real estate investment again appears to be on a growth path, although more steady and restrained that what we saw in that golden year. The Chinese government seems comfortable with what it calls ‘rational’ growth in international investment. 
Beijing has already telegraphed that it may experiment with further loosening capital controls. China has already resumed two key outbound schemes for investment in overseas securities, which had been suspended to reduce capital outflows. These have no direct impact on foreign property buyers, but do reveal a change of direction — from tightening to loosening. The Financial Times has reported it expects some of the controls introduced over the past two years to be ‘quietly relaxed.'
AUSTRALIA The Reserve Bank of Australia, the Australian Treasury, and a Parliamentary inquiry have all found that foreign buyers do not cause house-price inflation in Australia. The national government and six of the eight states and territories have none-the-less found it hard to resist targeting this group with no voice in the political process. Taxing foreign buyers gives state governments the appearance of taking action without having to tackle stamp duty and the planning mechanisms that are a major cause of the affordability crisis. The top Australian destinations for Chinese buyers are Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and the Gold Coast – followed by Canberra and Perth.
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CANADA Canada has seen high bars placed in front of new foreign property buyers over the past two years. But we think that in 2018–19 it is unlikely that new restrictions or taxes will be imposed. New mortgage regulations have weakened the market, by dampening the primary drivers of higher prices, which is local buyers taking advantage of low interest rates to trade up or buy investment homes. 
The most popular Canadian destinations for Chinese buyers are Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, and Ottawa. 
NEW ZEALAND New Zealand is the sole major investment destination in the world that we consider to be very likely to impose new foreign buyer restrictions this year. The Overseas Investment Amendment Bill with its recent amendments would have the advantage of finally putting to an end the political uncertainty that has been ongoing since before the last election. 
The most popular destinations in New Zealand for Chinese buyers are Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Queenstown, and Hamilton. 
THAILAND In Thailand, new restrictions on foreign homebuying do not appear likely. Weak economic growth and the desire to tap overseas investors for the massive Eastern Economic Corridor project play role. Thai nationals are already protected by rules that prevent foreigners from owning land and more than half of the units in apartment buildings. 
The most popular destinations for Chinese property buyers in Thailand are Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Ko Samui. 
UNITED KINGDOM In the UK, the only potential legislation restricting foreign homebuyers that we foresee would address illegal Russian investment, not other buyer groups. We believe anxiety about the potential property-related impact of Brexit, currently weak markets, a dependency on foreign luxury in London buyers, and the UK’s proud tradition as a financial and investment center will prevent other measures. 
The most popular destinations in the UK for Chinese buyers are London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Edinburgh. 
UNITED STATES The United States offers the freest market, the largest market, and the most diverse market of any major investment destination for Chinese property buyers. That’s why it attracts the greatest amount of investment year after year. We foresee no new restrictions in the US this year, except perhaps for legislation that prevents the acquisition of real estate near critical military bases. The EB-5 visa program is also a perennial candidate for reform. While changes to the investment visa program with the deed affect Chinese nationals, it is not a residential property investment policy. 
The top American destinations for Chinese property buying are Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Houston, and Orlando.
Carrie Law is the CEO and director of Juwai.com, the No. 1 Chinese international real estate website and the exclusive international real estate partner to Chinese online giant Tencent.
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New taxes targeting Chinese property investment set to drop worldwide: Juwai

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Official FIRB data has confirmed a collapse in approvals for foreign investment in Australia’s housing market.
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The Foreign Investment Review Board’s annual report reveals a 67 per cent fall in residential real estate approvals last financial year — down from 40,149 approvals to just 13,198 approvals.
The value of FIRB approvals fell from $72.4 billion to $25.2 billion in fiscal 2017.
The large numbers of residential foreign buyers from the boom of 2012-17 are unlikely to be repeated, a UBS report tips.
During 2016–17, 1,669 residential real estate compliance cases were identified for investigation (down from 2,104 cases in 2015-16). Of these, 1,409 investigations were completed (1,637 in 2015–16), which identified 549 properties acquired in breach of Australia’s foreign investment rules (up from 260). There were 96 residential properties divested by foreign persons (up from 54 in 2015–16) totalling nearly $97 million.
Victoria is the most popular state for residential real estate approvals, followed by New South Wales, with these two states accounting for 73% of all such approvals.
Queensland accounts for 18%, Western Australia for 5%, South Australia for 3%, and the Australian Capital Territory for 1%.
Chinese investors were again the largest source of foreign investment approvals by both value ($38.9 billion) and number (9,714) in 2016–17.  
China continued to be the largest source of foreign investment associated with approvals for residential real estate.
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Carrie Law, CEO and Director of Juwai.com, the No. 1 Chinese international real estate website and the exclusive international real estate partner to Chinese online giant Tencent, said the period saw half years "like night and day" in terms of Chinese investment.
"In the second half of 2016, Chinese investment were investing in Australian real estate at an almost irrational pace.
"It was like money falling from heaven for vendors and developers.
"In early 2017, capital controls, financing restrictions, and foreign buyer taxes reduced Chinese investment to more reasonable levels," Law suggested.
 “Since November 2017, we seem to have entered a period of more sustainable long-term growth. Chinese buying enquiries for Australian property in March were 5.7% higher than the month before and in Aprilthey were 22.3% higher.
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Law added that China’s capital controls have worked.
Today, China’s foreign reserves are up, the Yuan is stronger, the flow" of money out of the country has been reduced, and fears of a devaluation have virtually disappeared.
"But they have succeeded without having to make it impossible for ordinary Chinese families to buy property overseas."
Recent research reports that a majority of Chinese households intend to increase their offshore investments in the coming two years, with real estate the asset class most favoured by outbound investors.
 
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“The big declines are partly due to lower demand, and mostly due to the changed application fees.”
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/5/30/FIRB%20summary%20Juwai.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge:
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 Considering just commercial real estate investment from all nations, approvals dropped from $50 billion to $44 billion.
The FIRB reports that one reason for the decrease in approvals for commercial property is that under the new China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, Chinese investors no longer need request investment approval before purchasing developed commercial property worth less than $1.094 billion. 
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