<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/draycon">Draycon Building</a> is nearing completion of Boutique Chevron Island, a 42-apartment development on the northern end of Chevron Island at 17–19 Parneno Street, with a limited-time offer of fully furnished apartments available.

Now more than 90 per cent complete, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/boutique-chevron-island-17-19-parneno-chevron-island-qld-4217">Boutique</a> has been shaped by one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held island addresses, where riverfront outlooks and walkable access to Surfers Paradise converge.

For Draycon Building Managing Director Howard Dabit, the appeal of the site was immediate.

“I knew it was a good site as soon as I saw it,” Dabit said.

“The position and location on the north end of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chevron-island-qld-4217">Chevron Island</a>, the way the river swirls around the site basically from the north to the east, it feels like the site is surrounded by the water. The height that we’ve got and the aspect looking north is beautiful. Eighty per cent of the apartments are looking north so they get that drenching sunlight coming in.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89709 project_image_fid=360922]

That northern orientation places the development within a stretch of Chevron Island defined by open river aspects and skyline views, while remaining embedded in the suburb’s established village setting.

Chevron Island has increasingly drawn owner-occupiers seeking centrality without the intensity of high-rise beachfront living. Positioned at the geographical centre of the Gold Coast, the island offers direct access to both the beach and key cultural infrastructure while retaining a neighbourhood-scale character.

Connected by bridge to Surfers Paradise, Chevron Island offers walkable access to beaches, riverfront parklands and a revitalised foreshore boulevard animated by walkers and cyclists throughout the day. The Pacific Ocean is only minutes away, reinforcing the suburb’s dual river-and-surf identity.

At the same time, Thomas Drive forms the spine of the island’s village life, delivering cafés, wine bars, casual dining and everyday services within easy reach. Independent grocers, wellness operators and neighbourhood retailers contribute to a community atmosphere that remains distinct from the vertical scale of the beachfront.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89709 project_image_fid=360915]

In the opposite direction, the Green Bridge links directly to HOTA – Home of the Arts – placing galleries, performance venues and parklands within walking distance. Weekly markets and major exhibitions draw visitors from across the region, while residents return to a quieter residential pocket at day’s end.

Public transport, including nearby bus routes and the G:link light rail corridor along the coastal spine, strengthens connectivity north and south. Griffith University, the Gold Coast University Hospital precinct and established private schools such as The Southport School are all within a short drive.

Ongoing investment across Surfers Paradise, HOTA and the broader Southport corridor has elevated amenity while preserving Chevron Island’s comparatively low-rise residential character. It is this balance, walkable village atmosphere paired with metropolitan-scale infrastructure, that continues to differentiate the suburb from higher-density beachfront precincts.

Boutique comprises just 42 residences, designed to maximise river and skyline outlooks within this tightly held island setting.

Boutique Chevron Island is slated for completion in April 2026, with prices starting from $1,220,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=89709]

Joel Robinson

Draycon Building’s Boutique Chevron Island places 42 residences at the heart of the Gold Coast

Sydney developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/deicorp">Deicorp</a> has secured planning approval for a $300 million residential development in Lindfield, marking the company’s second project on Sydney’s North Shore and its first on the Upper North Shore.

Located on Beaconsfield Parade and designed by DKO Architecture, the state significant development comprises three buildings of up to 10 storeys and will include 399 residences, including 59 affordable homes and 40 adaptable homes.

Residences will range in size from one, two and three bedrooms, with two-bedroom apartments accounting for over 60 per cent of the product make-up. Residents will have access to a broad suite of amenities, including a wellness area, indoor and outdoor recreational spaces, a pool, a gym, a community room and a golf simulator.

In line with Deicorp’s long-standing focus on creating transit-oriented communities, the project is located just 260 metres from the Lindfield Train Station, reinforcing its role in delivering well-connected housing close to established infrastructure, retail and local services.

The inclusion of affordable and adaptable housing supports greater diversity within the local market, while the mix of apartment types responds to demand from downsizers, young professionals and families seeking access to the Upper North Shore.

Deicorp Founder Fouad Deiri OAM said the approval represents an important milestone for both the company and the suburb

“This approval allows us to deliver well-designed homes in a location that is already supported by strong transport and community infrastructure," Deiri said.

"Our focus is on creating places that integrate into their surroundings and provide long-term value for residents, and the broader Lindfield community. Being within walking distance of the station ensures this project supports sustainable growth in the right locations."

Across its portfolio, Deicorp currently has 4,703 apartments under construction, playing a leading role in shaping connected, liveable communities across Sydney.

Its expanding portfolio of Metro-linked developments includes Tallawong Village, <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> in Five Dock, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/hyde-metropolitan-sydney-133-141-liverpool-street-sydney-nsw-2000">Hyde Metropolitan</a> in Sydney CBD, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/falcon-alexander-crows-nest-8-alexander-street-crows-nest-nsw-2065">Falcon &amp; Alexander</a> in Crows Nest and Showground Village, Castle Hill.

Deicorp purchased the Beaconsfield Paradise site last year. Construction is scheduled to commence in Q2 of 2026 and will be completed in 2029.

Deicorp expands portfolio to nearly 5,000 apartments with Lindfield project

In a joint venture with The Trump Organization, Australia developer Altus Property Group has announced plans to bring a Trump International Hotel &amp; Tower to the Gold Coast, marking the first Trump-branded project in Australia.

"Trump International Hotel &amp; Tower, Gold Coast is our first official project in Australia and reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering world-class luxury experiences in iconic locations around the world," Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, said.

"This development exemplifies the Trump brand’s dedication to quality, sophistication, and unmatched service, and we are thrilled to bring this vision to the vibrant Gold Coast community."

The 91-storey building, which will become the tallest in Australia at 335 metres, will feature a&nbsp;285-room luxury hotel bearing the trademark Trump logo. It will also include 272 luxury residential apartments, a three-level podium with an exclusive Beach Club, and over 3,400 sqm of premium commercial, retail, and dining space, revitalizing the central Surfers Paradise precinct.

“Trump International Hotel &amp; Tower, Gold Coast will be a truly unique offering in the Australian market, bringing the prestige and allure of a world-class luxury brand,"&nbsp;Altus founder and chief executive David Young said.

"Altus Property Group is proud of its track record in delivering landmark developments across Australia, and our expertise ensures this project will be an outstanding success."

Trump Hotel heads for the Gold Coast to become Australia's tallest building

More than a century after the Corrimal Coke Works first opened in 1912, the industrial landmark that helped shape the suburb is being reinterpreted as a walkable residential neighbourhood, with Stage One of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-works-stage-one-27-railway-street-corrimal-nsw-2518">The Works</a> now underway at 27 Railway Street.

For 102 years, the site was central to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/corrimal-nsw-2518">Corrimal</a>’s economic and social identity before operations ceased in 2014. Rather than erasing that legacy, developer Legacy Property has embedded it into the masterplan, retaining and reinterpreting elements such as the iconic 1912 brick chimney and sections of the original C1 Coke Oven Battery, alongside the adaptive reuse of the former powerhouse building.

Stage One will introduce 181 apartments across low-rise buildings, offering predominantly two and three-bedroom residences with completion targeted for mid-2027. The scale and configuration reflect a deliberate focus on owner-occupiers, targeting those seeking a lower-maintenance home in a prime location within the northern suburbs of Wollongong.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143415 project_image_fid=359833]

Apartments have been designed to maximise natural light and cross-ventilation, with floor-to-ceiling glazing extending living areas onto generous balconies. Engineered timber flooring, induction cooktops and 900mm ovens in larger residences support everyday functionality, while two interior palettes allow buyers to tailor finishes to their preferences. The material selection draws on a restrained coastal language, intended to connect homes to their surroundings rather than compete with them.

The Works forms part of a broader 18-hectare masterplan that will ultimately deliver around 550 dwellings, new parks, and a heritage precinct celebrating the site’s past. More than seven hectares are dedicated to open space, including Southern Park and a Village Green with community gardens and recreation areas. The creek corridor is being rehabilitated with 150,000 native plantings, restoring biodiversity to the site and softening landscape.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143415 project_image_fid=359841]

Positioned adjacent to Corrimal Station and within walking distance of Corrimal Town Centre, the precinct places daily essentials, rail connections and local retail within easy reach. Wollongong CBD, including the hospital, university and entertainment venues, sits approximately 6.5 kilometres to the south.

For buyers more familiar with North Wollongong, Corrimal offers a different proposition: a well-established coastal suburb framed by beaches to the east and the escarpment to the west, with a strong sense of local identity shaped in part by the former Coke Works. The Works seeks to reinforce that identity by creating a connected, walkable neighbourhood between coast and escarpment, rather than a standalone apartment complex.

Sustainability underpins the development approach. The Works is targeting Wollongong’s first 5-Star Green Star-rated community, with water-sensitive urban design, recycled materials and energy-efficient buildings integrated across the masterplan. For residents, these measures provide not only environmental benefits but also reduced operational costs and future resilience.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143415 project_image_fid=359842]

With construction commenced and display materials available to view, prospective buyers can now engage more directly with the project’s vision, reviewing floorplans, material selections and the broader masterplan in detail. For many local homeowners weighing a move, the opportunity to experience how heritage, landscape and contemporary design intersect may help bridge the gap between familiarity and the next chapter.

As Stage One progresses toward its mid-2027 completion, The Works represents a significant chapter in Corrimal’s evolution, transforming a site that once powered local industry into a walkable residential precinct designed for its next generation of residents.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=143415]

Legacy Property’s The Works reimagines Corrimal’s century-old Coke Works

When it comes to developing in Melb​ourne's Bayside region, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lowe-living">Lowe Living</a> knows exactly what buyers want.

With a longstanding presence in the area and a string of sell-out projects, Lowe Living consistently delivers developments that are as sought-after as their predecessors.

Their latest instalment is in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/hampton-vic-3188">Hampton</a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/hampton-east-vic-3188">&nbsp;East,</a> the same postcode where they have previously delivered Hampton Hill and Oceano. The developer-builder recently commenced construction on its newest project,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marella-hampton-31-35-alicia-street-hampton-east-vic-3188">Marella</a>, a collection of 32 apartments just five minutes from the beach.

Site acquisition is paramount to success. Lowe Living rarely brings a building to market that isn’t within walking distance of essential amenities, whether it be the beach, a prominent retail strip, or a train station. Marella is no exception, located at its Alicia Street address, less than a kilometre from the retail heart of Hampton Street and Hampton Station.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358495]

Equally important to Lowe Living is the architecture.

For Marella, they appointed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a>, who explains that the architectural vision was to create a contemporary reinterpretation of the Californian bungalow, a style that’s iconic to Hampton’s heritage.

"By borrowing, abstracting, and reinterpreting elements of this quintessential style, such as strong datum lines, articulated columns, exposed structures, and roof tiles, our design strikes a balance between modernity and familiarity," says Cera Stribley.

"This approach ensures that the development is not only visually appealing but also contextually sensitive, resonating with Hampton's existing architectural landscape."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358499]

The building features terracotta brick, soft cream masonry, and exposed metal detailing, giving it a tactile presence that is intended to weather gently over time.

Internally, the focus on lasting quality continues, with two and three-bedroom residences anchored by sculptural stone kitchen islands, natural light, and clearly defined transitions between living, dining, and outdoor spaces.

The layouts have been carefully designed. Open-plan zones extend to private balconies, with light-filled interiors and generous kitchen proportions, supported by Miele wall ovens, induction cooktops, and integrated fridge-freezers. These are not small apartments rebranded as luxury; they have been designed at scale, with ample storage, hotel-style entry access, and secure basement parking provided as standard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358492]

At the uppermost level, Marella’s Signature Collection penthouses offer city or bay views, large entertaining terraces (some with outdoor spas), and elevated finishes, including fully wrapped stone kitchen benches and a Liebherr wine fridge.

Flexible room arrangements allow for a fourth bedroom or secondary living space, sought-after by both empty nesters who want the space when family visits and families with older children.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358498]

A residents’ lounge on the ground floor reinforces the project’s small-community feel. With a fireplace, private dining area, and adjoining terrace, it’s one of several shared spaces that balance amenity with privacy and scale.

Construction has commenced, with completion expected in early 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146197]

Lowe Living continues Bayside legacy as Marella rises in Hampton

Marketing

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Given the impact of technology on our everyday life it’s not surprising that any list of the world’s top brands is tech dominated.
If you own a smartphone you might well interact with one of these brands as the first and last thing you do every day, as you check the time or check your emails. As you might already have guessed currently the world’s number one brand is Apple, followed by Microsoft, Google, Coca Cola and IBM, it’s the tech brands that dominate the top 50 brands.
Ikea is the highest ranked brand that could be related to homemaking, however the value of a successful brand is an important part of property marketing. One reason is that as more of us continue to live in cities we are also looking to secure our identity, and where we live is central to this. The branding of suburbs, apartment buildings, housing estates, different states and right on to brand Australia, all of these tie into the essence of our marketing and as a marketing tool and part of the sales path, this topic deserves a lot attention.
House Names to Brand Australia
Perhaps the most common property related brand would be the name given to individual houses, this has been a long tradition in many countries including Australia. While house names might have originally helped the postman deliver the mail, they are a popular part of our residential history.
It does appear, and perhaps not surprisingly, that Australian house names are often associated with the sea, or at least an association with being near to or having a view of water. Some of the more obvious examples include Driftwood, Bay Cottage, Lakeview, Seaview, Waterfront and Seacrest, and at least a few of these have been recycled as names and brands for apartment blocks. I am sure we have all at least seen more than one Seaview or Waterfront apartment project name!
House names and terrace row names are really living history and add interest and colour to many an inner-city suburb across Australia. Then as far as real estate is concerned we have brand Australia itself.
Brand Australia has some both familiar, and some lofty aspirations and these include core values like: friendly people, an attractive natural environment, resources, quality lifestyle, sunny, confident, creative, outward looking and talented, grand and impressive!
In a very matter-of-fact but interesting way, many of these same values are the very attributes that attract offshore buyers to our country and our local property market. Such brand values are almost priceless but they do underscore beyond the dollars and bricks and mortar why we are such a popular market with offshore buyers.
Creating Brand Value
Brands aim to create a personality, brand awareness and it’s an ongoing and complex task. I am not an expert, here my aim is to acknowledge how important brands are in project marketing. For the actual success of projects, in the eyes and mind-set of buyers, for developers and for the marketing agents, we all benefit and can I suggest need strong brands, and this also extends to personal brands. In today’s world a personal brand is no longer something just for a handful of personalities.
I think it’s useful if we tick off some of the key ways any brand is created and sustained. Firstly there is a need to create energy around the process and the wide participation of all team members. Creativity is not something you can buy in a bottle or a neat package, that’s why team involvement in particular with a major project is a good idea. While there has to be a lead taken, to avoid an endless round of likes and dislikes, involving the project team never does any harm and is usually positive.
There are also some well-regarded measures for how the success of a brand is measured and this includes longevity, a brand that is easy to remember, is unique, keeps things fresh, reflects passion and must have consistency.
For buyers there might also be another test. If you happen to live in a block of 100 or 200 apartments you want the brand to be well regarded, in particular that’s important when it comes time to sell.
I Can’t Imagine Living Anywhere Else!
If every buyer we have dealt with was happy to say these words, then in every respect we have doubtless created a building or a new estate with a great brand.
When thinking about a residential project brand, one aim is to create and build the project’s reputation, to humanise the brand and encourage a strong word of mouth connection.
While there are graphic and design considerations, the appeal of a brand should also aim to reinforce key aspects of a project’s lifestyle. Inspiration can come from how potential residents might interact with the environment, for example by having a morning ritual or relaxing at or near home.
The creation of a strong brand that reflects all of the key aspects of a project can have considerable appeal and will also aid social media and can directly help create more web traffic. For larger, longer-term projects this sort of brand awareness has big up-side advantages.
There is also strong synergy between individual project brands and the brand qualities of the developer because the two are intertwined. Strong brand values for any developer will pay off handsomely as they help sustain off-the-plan sales, where the buyer’s trust in the end product is important.
Buyers, the future residents of a building or an estate are not only attracted by brands that represent the height of fashion, the core idea is to create ownership of the project in the most positive light. The brand can also then galvanise and give focus to all aspects of the project.
Gentrification A Good Example
Looking for a good example we need to look no further than how clever branding has been used to re-cast the gentrification of many former industrial areas on the fringe of many of our capital cities.
In areas like Sydney’s south-east entire groups of suburbs have been ‘re-branded’ with a great mix of residential, commercial and social infrastructure and innovative building design to create very desirable areas. The combination of facilities has been important in building the brand in these areas, and new shops, cafes and even supermarkets with extended trading have all played their part. This process of gentrification is perhaps one of the best examples I could use to show the power of brands in our field.
Peter Chittenden is managing director for residential of Colliers International. He can be contacted <a href="https://www.projectagenda.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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The role of brands in marketing projects: Peter Chittenden

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I was invited to speak at a recent property event in Singapore. I was booked and ready to go – and then pulled out when it became clear it wasn’t a research-based seminar for investors but an event designed to flog Brisbane off the plan units to Asian buyers in an oversupplied market. 
The event organisers wanted to censor my presentation, eliminating any information deemed unfavourable to the selling objective – particularly the vacancy rate figures.
Vacancy rate data is unflattering for central Brisbane – and is set to get considerably worse, given the high level of new supply in the construction pipeline. The Brisbane inner-city unit market is one of the locations I warn about in my No Go Zones report.
Marketing companies who are earning big money selling inner-city Brisbane units to unsuspecting foreign investors have been putting a politician’s spin on the situation – with some even claiming the city isn’t building enough apartments.
A research paper published by Matusik Property Insights puts those claims into perspective. It confirms that Brisbane’s inner-city areas already have high vacancies and the city is making matters worse by building too many new rental properties.
According to the Matusik report, the highest vacancies are all in the inner-city and near-city suburbs, headed by 6% in upmarket Ascot/Hamilton and 4.6% in the CBD/Spring Hill precinct.
The lowest vacancy rates in the Brisbane City Council region, between 1.5% and 2%, are all in the outer reaches of the municipality.
Overall, says Matusik, the Brisbane LGA has about 155,000 rental properties, of which an estimated 4,600 are vacant. This makes the city's overall vacancy rate about 3%, up from 2.5% a year ago. 
“The vacancy rate is rising and Brisbane is already adding more new rental properties than is required,” the report says. “This trend is likely to accelerate as more new rental dwellings are built across the city.”
The number of Brisbane rental properties has increased by 3,725 over the past 12 months. The current rate of rental supply in Brisbane is growing at twice the rate than is needed. Two thirds of this new rental supply is apartments and a further 30% is in townhouses. 
“Apartments now dominate the rental market in Brisbane, with a 45% market share. Houses come in second with 38%, followed by townhouses with 11%.”
The average vacancy rate across inner Brisbane is 3.6%, compared to 3.1% in the middle-ring suburbs and 2.4% in the outer suburbs. 
“Typically, a rental market is tight (rents rising) if the vacancy rate is under 2%,” the report says. “Between 2% and 3% represents a balanced market and over 3% suggests oversupply. 
“An increasing number of locations in Brisbane, typically the inner-city postcodes, already have rental vacancy rates over 3%. And new rental supply, especially new apartments, is snowballing across Brisbane. 
“Brisbane is unlikely to see much in the way of generic rental growth for some time to come.”
Brisbane is not alone. The No Go Zones report also warns about the inner-city apartment markets in Melbourne, Perth and Darwin, while noting that the Gold Coast is hurtling towards another boom-bust scenario.
TERRY RYDER is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="mailto:%20&lt;script%20type='text/javascript'&gt;%20/n%20&lt;/script&gt;&lt;script%20type='text/javascript'&gt;%20%20&lt;/script&gt;This%20email%20address%20is%20being%20protected%20from%20spambots.%20You%20need%20JavaScript%20enabled%20to%20view%20it.%20&lt;script%20type='text/javascript'&gt;%20%20&lt;/script&gt;">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting">Twitter</a>.
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Brisbane inner-city vacancy rate to get considerably worse: Terry Ryder

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Want to list your business online for free and get user reviews as well?
Log on to Wealthify.com.au. The site allows financial services providers to create a free listing for their business. Consumers can then search these listings for brokers and advisers as well as read or post reviews.
Darren Moffatt, founder of Seniors First mortgage brokerage and online marketing agency WebBuzz, is the site’s creator, reports Australian Broker. 
“The listings on the site are indexed by Google and because we use our digital marketing expertise to promote the site, it is becoming highly visible on the search engine. For example, if a consumer searches for a mortgage broker in the Blue Mountains they will find one of our listings,” he told Australian Broker.
“In addition to that, consumers can use the site to leave reviews – and reviews are really, really powerful in the online space. If a broker creates their own listing and sends an email out to their clients to leave a review on the site, what they will find is that the listings that have reviews will appear much higher in the Google results.”
Users can also upgrade to Wealthify premium options starting at $49 a month. 
In addition, the site has a marketing hub where brokers and advisers can purchase search engine optimisation packages and social media management packages through the online shop.  
Moffatt said the idea behind Wealthify was to help financial services providers with their online footprint. 
“The overriding thing was we wanted a place for brokers to promote their business and get marketing help online. Equally, we wanted an opportunity and a place for consumers to come and find brokers or financial service providers and be able to have a say about any good operators they might find.”
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prateek24-ezbwHMbNAk

Wealthify.com.au allows brokers to list and market their business for free, mostly

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<div>Contrary to some industry guru claims, offline marketing is far from dead, Riti Verma the founder and president of the US based <a href="https://www.rankmyagent.com/" target="_blank">RankMyAgent</a> suggests.</div>
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"Although the search to buy and sell real estate has largely moved online, reaching out to potential clients in the real world creates a sense of trust and connection that simply can’t be duplicated digitally," she recently blogged.
Even mailings and postcards were great for getting agent brand in front of homeowners.
"One reason is that most people deal with a lot less physical mail — even direct mail — than they do emails and online advertisements.'
"There’s no denying the fact that the internet is the most powerful marketing mechanism today. 
"It makes it easier for real estate agents to get in touch with a wider market of prospective clients than anything else we’ve ever known." 
She suggested all good estate agents must have social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to assist in connecting with target markets for listing purposes.
She said two out of three sellers, before choosing a real estate professional to work with, research potential agents extensively online first. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

New and old world marketing remains key to agent success

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Savills Australia is marketing two showrooms occupied by national retailer, The Good Guys at Fountain Gate Super Centre in Melbourne’s outer east. 
The property is expected to fetch more than $7.25 million when offers close June 17.
The property at 48-50 Victor Crescent, Narre Warren, comprises showrooms 12 &amp; 13, totaling 2350 square metres.
Savills Australia industrial director Chris Jones says the property offers a secure income stream with a long established tenant of 15 years .
It comes with a ten year lease to Sheedy-Muirs Pty Ltd (The Good Guys) at a current net income of $561,605 per annum
"The property is part of a well-established showroom precinct including Snooze, Amart Sports Barbecues Galore, Ray’s Outdoors and Spotlight, which is located directly adjacent to a Bunnings Warehouse and the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre, the Monash Freeway, and Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road.
"The key driver for the co-location of such a plethora of national brand retailers has been the surrounding residential catchment in the City of Casey, one of Victoria’s fastest growing municipalities,’’ Mr Jones said.
Chris Jones said showroom properties had been popular with investors this year including the recent sales of a showroom in Epping which sold for circa $6 million on a 6.5% yield and a showroom at 1085-1087 Western Highway, Ravenhall which sold for $5.25 million on a 6.9% yield. 
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Savills selling Good Guys, Fountain Gate

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I was recently tagged on an article that did the rounds on LinkedIn. The article proposed the notion that professionals in the financial sector are fearful of being ostracised by developers. More to the point, John Collett of the Sydney Morning Herald wrotes “The brokers fear that they will be ostracised by developers if they go public…”.
Perhaps I’m totally misunderstanding the writer’s point and the genesis of the brokers’ fears. Have I missed something altogether? Let’s discuss.
I don’t disregard what Collett writes and I’m glad to accept that there is one more voice crying foul-play when it comes to overinflated commissions and the financial sector being induced to participate. I am however, bemused that none of Collett’s interviewees or article subjects, shed any light into the simple truth that selling real estate without a license is against the law.
If the single and only notion is that “the brokers fear that they will be ostracised by developers if they go public” then I believe the financial sector has totally missed the required need to be a “licensed real estate agent” to sell real estate.
For over 4-5 years I have been writing about the need to have Real Estate Commissions disclosed by one form or another. I have tracked over the last decade how “Marketing Fees” have moved from 4% to an alarming 10% value off the sale price of a property in the new construction sector. The average or typical real estate agent’s commission on a sale is 2%. In an overly heated market, these fees are added to the end values of the properties, which in turn only add more fuel to the property bubble.
Hopefully, we will soon hear the voice of the consumer crying foul-play, as the properties that were marketed by the financial sector and brought through SMSF property investment schemes, lose value.
We already have hints of such concerns, as new properties in mining-town sub divisions which were notoriously preferred by these schemes are now losing value due to high vacancy.
Soon enough and on the agenda, will be high rise apartments in capital cities and in particular projects that are still under construction. Presently there are properties being sold for $360,000, with "marketing fees" reflecting 10% or in real terms $35,000.
Huge losses incurred by the investors may be the trigger or the catalyst for the regulators to take more assertive action. These are actions that will hinder the sale of property by spruikers and marketing companies that don’t hold real estate licenses.
Nonetheless, it won’t stop most. However, if commissions were disclosed the consumer stands a better chance at discerning what is good value or not. Don't you think?
How this is allowed to happen and why is this so prevalent is no real secret. As to the how? It all comes down to one word. Replace the word “commission” with “marketing” and the fee payable need not be disclosed and anyone can sell real estate.
As to the why; the exaggerated fees are readily passed on to “property marketers and spruikers” mainly involved in the financial sector, all because they have an immense amount of influence over the purchaser. The spruikers assist with the decision making and place high recommendations on the development/project. This in turn allows the developer to inflate the price of the property to make room for the 8-10 percent commissions, sorry I meant “marketing fees”.
Again, please enlighten me, why brokers should fear developers? They get a commission under their job description as pointed out by Jan Kirstein and that is mortgage brokering. However, even Kirstein only refers to “something going wrong” as the main reason and conflict of interest, should things go pear shaped. Again, there is no mention of the need for a license. Leave the sale of real estate and reasonable commissions to the licensed real estate agents, is my suggestion.
At this point I ask, where are the Real Estate Institutes on this topic? I first raised this very issue and the need for agents to be protected against spruikers tainting the industry, over 4-5 years ago.
The financial industry was encroaching in our territory even before the “property boom” hit town. And before it was fashionable to set up SMSF schemes to buy property. Or better still, before they learned to by-pass the real estate agent and go direct to the source, the developers.
The further demise of the real estate industry and in this arena where simple regulations can also protect the consumer, is not due to lack of education on the part of the agents. We know very well not to make any reference to any financial gain, assertions about return on investment and capital gains. But, it seems clear that the financial sector are not well versed on who can sell real estate, legally that is.
One of the key rules I share with my friends and family, when it comes to being offered property by spruikers, accountants or mortgage brokers is; if they refer you to new property, then it’s just not worth the risk. If they in turn, refer you to a buyer’s-agent to help you find something other than new or off-the-plan, it would make more sense. However never avoid doing your own research. Nor underestimate, the power of simply calling a local agent in the area to ask what comparable properties are selling for and they don't need to be new.
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