<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Reality Tv

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Location Location Location Australia has returned to the Lifestyle Channel for its third season.
The premiere episode of the house hunting show saw co-host Bryce Holdaway lending a hand to South Australian retirees Genevieve and Trevor, while Veronica Morgan busily searched for a house for parents Michael and Naomi in Sydney.
Woollhara renters Michael and Naomi were after a house in Sydney's eastern suburbs, but had a long list of specifications that they had trouble budging on. With a $2.4 million budget, Michael, a partner at a law firm, and Naomi, a sales manager at Facebook, were after a family home that would fit their three kids and grumpy french bulldog, Winston.
The busy couple were hoping for a four bedroom house, with all four bedrooms on a single level to suit their young children. First, they tried a <a href="/news">Bondi</a> home on a narrow plot, with an unassuming facade and contemporary interiors. The open plan home with a $2.25 million price guide piqued their interest, but space and layout was an issue, requiring two of their three children to share a bedroom. Veronica encouraged the couple to stretch their expectations with a North Bridge family house on a large sloping plot. There was plenty of space for the children, but again, the bedrooms were split over two levels. Naomi and Michael noted the home felt "like a grown up house", and weren't quite ready to pack up and head to suburbia quite yet. They also visited a home in <a href="/news">Willoughby</a>, closer to the city and on a big corner block. But the renovated and extended period single storey home, with five bedrooms on a single level, didn't appeal to Naomi, despite its listing price of $1.9 million making it the cheapest of all the homes they visited. In the end, Veronica concluded that the couple would take the eastern suburbs or nothing, and showed Naomi and Michael a Willoughby stunner which had incredible views to the city. Although practicality was a major issue in the house, the couple were smitten. Unfortunately, other buyers were even  more exuberant on auction day, and Michael and Naomi didn't even get a bid in. The house was listed with $2.4 million expectations, and sold for $2.82 million. In Adelaide, Bryce was busy searching for a home for retirees and former vineyard owners Genevieve and Trevor. They had a price limit of $700,000 and were after a three bedroom, modern home close to the CBD. First stop was stone cottage in <a href="/news">Tranmere</a>. Listed for $645,000 to $665,000, the home had street appeal but the interior layout wasn't a winner, nor was the size. Bryce, noting the couple's need to compromise between size and location, pushed the couple further out, to the northern suburb of <a href="/news">Paradise</a>. There, Genevieve and Trevor saw a four bedroom renovated 1970s bungalow, with an outdoor deck and pool. Again, the couple wasn't blown away - Trevor was particularly unmoved by the house, which had an odd laundry and kitchenette installed in the fourth bedroom. So Bryce hauled in Veronica for some backup, and the pair found a home in <a href="/news">Walkley Heights</a>, 20 minutes from Adelaide's CBD. Though the new suburb is further out than Genevieve and Trevor initially wanted, he thought they might like the house itself - and he was right. The single storey home (pictured in the gallery above) with limestone frontage had open plan living areas, with an additional separate living space for Trevor to use as a "man cave". There was also a pool and a substantially sized garage. Sitting on a 731 square metre block, the house had plenty of space for visitors. According to the listing information, the home was built in 2006. Listed at $699,000, it was right at the couple's upper price limit, but they were clearly taken with the house from the get go. After gauging interest in the property, Bryce put in an offer with the real estate agent and the couple snapped up the home for $699,000. Genevieve and Trevor were thrilled with the result, and a follow up with the couple showed them very happy with their new purchase.
{module Did Genevieve and Trevor pay the right price for their home?}
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Third season of Location Location Location Australia premieres

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Property program Location Location Location Australia will be back on the Lifestyle Channel tonight with its third season.
The reality television show follows hosts Bryce Holdaway and Veronica Morgan as they help families searching for a new home.
Every episode, the intrepid hosts split up to help two different prospective buyers, who each have different requirements for their dream purchase.  Bryce and Veronica travel the country, searching for properties and negotiating purchases.
Location Location Location Australia doesn't focus on one particular type of buyer, but on a range of different house hunters, from first home buyers to downsizers and those moving on from difficult family circumstances. 
Tonight's episode will show Bryce searching for a house for retired Barossa vineyard owners who want to move to Adelaide and find an more modern home. Genevieve and Trevor are moving from a vineyard that's been in the family for more than 100 years, and are being forced to sell due to drought and the financial downturn.
Meanwhile, Vanessa is helping busy Sydney parents Michael and Naomi, who are renting a four storey Woollahra terrace with their young children (and one grumpy french bulldog called Winston). They're hoping to stay in Sydney's eastern suburbs.
The show's third season premieres at 8:30pm on the Lifestyle Channel. 
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Location Location Location Australia returning tonight

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Adelaide House Rules winners Carly Shulz and Leighton Brow achieved their success last July.
Now <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-caringbah-116118699" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">they have spent $1.01 million at Caringbah South</a>.
Just what they plan for the three bedroom house remains to be seen as they have put it up for rent at $750 a week while they sell in Adelaide.
The new Sydney was marketed as "ideally positioned".
Situated on the high side of a cul-de-sac, the home on 796 square metres was offered for the first time.
It is located close to Yowie Bay.
"Ideally suited to renovate and recreate your new home," listing agent Peter James from Peter James Realty Caringbah said.
The young Adelaide couple was crowned the renovation show's inaugural winners last July.
They got their house renovated and got their mortgage paid off.
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On their win, Brow said they were considering going into property development.
"I renovate houses anyway for a living, so we'll just step it up," he indicated.
"I'll maybe get Carly as a (business) partner and get into developing.
"She can do the nice colour choice and interior decorating."
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Adelaide House Rules winners Carly and Leighton spend $1 million at Caringbah South

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The premiere of Nine Network's increasingly cruel reality renovation series The Block attracted 1.374 million viewers.
Host Scott Cam toyed with the constantant teams who got a first look inside the massive 1980s office block conversion project in Prahran.
At times the lack of hard hats - especially when hastily ripping down the office bock ceiling - almost appeared close to downright dangerous.
Sunday night's Nine News sat in second place with MasterChef in third place after drawing an audience of 1.261 million, according OzTAM's figures.
The Block was possibly the highest rating program of Sunday night due to the network’s decision to simulcast the show across its multi-channel, Go! and Gem in the 6.30pm time slot against Seven’s X Factor which had an audience of 1.14 million.
Meanwhile the ABC's architectural show Grand Designs <a href="https://www.channel4.com/programmes/grand-designs/articles/all/east-devon-suppliers" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">featuring East Devon cob-style home</a> sat strongly in sixth spot with 988,000 viewers, beating both 60 Minutes and Sunday Night.
Host Kevin McCloud was tracking the process of a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8knaVoipcGc" target="_blank">snail-shell shaped cob house </a>which used ancient building material and 21st century technology. Its made from mud, straw, water, clay and sand.
Kevin McCabe was the owner builder, wrestling houses out of mud using his bare hands for his proposed house formed of two vast curved cob roundhouses - the largest of which is inspired by the natural geometry of a snail shell.
The latest Block Glasshouse ratings sit within prior Block premiere audiences which included The Block Sky High premiere in South Melbourne of 1.312 million.
The Block All Stars at Bondi premiered with just 959,000 viewers tuning in, and the first-night set in South Melbourne with four adjoining Dorcas Street terraces rated an average 1.4 million viewers.
The Block's 2011’s Melbourne debut had 1,342,000 viewers for the Richmond cottage renovation.
The most recent Albert Park series, The Block Fans v Faves  secured a 1.14 million opening night five capital city audience.
 
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Kevin's Devon snail shell house sneaks up behind The Block Glasshouse in ratings

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If you're hoping to compete in the next season of Seven's House Rules, you'd better act fast.
Seven will only accept applications for the next two days, with the process closing on 30 July.
Don't panic - if you and prospective reno partner can sit down and describe yourselves, your home and <a href="/expert-insights/building/house-rules-season-three-do-you-have-what-it-takes">any past violent episodes</a>, you can still be in the running for House Rules season three.
You'll be one step closer to having your home renovated by a competing team of strangers, and if all goes to plan, you could end up like <a href="/expert-insights/building/underdogs-adam-and-lisa-win-house-rules-season-two">season two winners Adam and Lisa</a> or season <a href="/news/carly-and-leighton-crowned-house-rules-winners-with-450-000-adelaide-mortgage-wiped-clean">one winners Carly and Leighton</a>, who had their mortgages wiped clean.
South Australian couple Carly and Leighton are now selling their renovated home, after Seven cleared their mortgage. They originally purchased the Warradale house in 2012 for $450,000.
The three bedroom, two bathroom 1950s house with a stone facade has an open plan interior with floorboards throughout the living spaces. The north-facing backyard has an outdoor entertaining area and lawns, with a detached studio with bar that could double as a home theatre room or bedroom.
While listing agents Troy Tyndall and Nicholas Hage of Toop&amp;Toop Norwood note that $400,000 were spent on renovations on the house, they make no mention of its House Rules history.
According to The Herald Sun, Carly and Leighton have purchased a home in Sydney, with plans to move interstate and "follow their renovation dreams".
Would-be winners can apply at the <a href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/#page1" target="_blank">House Rules </a><a href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/#page1" target="_blank">website</a>.
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Time running out for House Rules hopefuls as season one winners list home

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The Lifestyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia will return next year, with filming currently taking place.
It seems filming for the new season began at the start of this month, with host Andrew Winters tweeting the following:
<img src="/images/2014/07/09/sha1.JPG" alt="">
As always, the locations for the new season are a tightly held secret, but Winters offers a little clue with this tweet:
<img src="/images/2014/07/09/sha2.JPG" alt="">
Winter, along with interior designer and The Block judge Shaynna Blaze and landscape designer Charlie Albone, will be helping home owners who are desperate to sell their properties, which might be struggling to attract buyers due to poor staging, bad conditions or the sellers’ attitudes.
Winter has been in the real estate business since he was 17, selling homes in Central London and Australia and imported his television franchise from England, where he was the host of Selling Houses – he was also the host of another spin off, Selling Houses Abroad.
Blaze is also a familiar face in renovation reality TV as a judge on The Block, with Belle Magazine editor-in-chief Neale Whittaker and interior designer Darren Palmer. Not to be beaten by Winter and Blaze, Albone has hosted other Lifestyle Channel shows including The Party Garden and Charlie and the Flower Show.
Selling Houses Australia makes a point of tackling particularly difficult to sell houses, including the three bedroom <a href="/news/nt/even-selling-houses-australias-andrew-winter-renos-didnt-turn-the-tide-on-rapid-creek-darwin-apartment-offering">apartment of boilermaker Robert Crispe</a>, which even Winter couldn’t  help - the home failed to sell at its filmed auction. 
If you have a home you’re hoping to offload, applications for the show are open through the <a href="https://www.lifestyle.com.au/tv/selling-houses-australia/apply/" target="_blank">Lifestyle Channel’s website</a>.
The application reads:
“Can't sell your home and need a makeover from the team? We want to hear from you!
“Selling Houses Australia are always searching for homes that will offer fresh challenges for the team. They've been hit with just about every real estate nightmare from on site pylons to flood affected homes, to inner city hovels but there are always more testing property scenarios out there and more home owners in unique circumstances.
“So, if your home is stagnating on the market with no buyer in sight then register now. Try to be as specific as possible with your dilemma whether it be location, décor, or an urgent need for a sale.
“Please note: your house must be on the market to qualify and must remain on the market after the makeover until it sells."
Applicants are asked to provide their contact details, descriptions of their home and its selling history (including the time it’s been on market, the agent’s details and the house price). They are also asked whether they are Foxtel subscribers. 
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Selling Houses Australia now filming 2015 season

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While Channel Seven’s House Rules would have us believe that the contestants are the typical Aussie battlers, some argue that their property portfolios say otherwise.
Doubts over the accuracy of the contestants’ portrayal on the show began after Woman’s Day reported that five of the six couples owned at least one other investment property.
Western Australian couple Russell and Carole have attracted the lion’s share of the criticism, with reports that the have a $2.3 million property portfolio. Among their assets is <a href="https://mandurah.harcourts.com.au/Property/560898/WMU22784/14-Leisure-Way" target="_blank">this three bedroom Halls Head home</a>, selling through Harcourts Mandurah.
The canal front home is currently listed for $1.17 million, and is described as without doubt one of Mandurah's iconic waterfront homes,” by selling agent Clare Seamer, who notes that the “sellers are keen to sell as is with all of the furnishings included.”
<img src="/images/2014/06/27/3.jpg" alt="">
The house has an outdoor woodfire pizza oven in its al fresco dining area, its own private jetty and a spa bath.
<img src="/images/2014/06/27/3.jpg" alt="">
Russell and Carole, whose names both appear on the title documents, purchased the home in June 2012 for $1,100,000. It’s been on the market since early April, just before the couple made their television debut. The property was advertised to rent for $750 per week in August 2012, with a yield of 3.55%
According to Woman’s Day, the couple are also part-owners of a $650,000 “luxury apartment”, while The Daily Mail reports that Russell is also listed as the owner of properties in Western Australia’s Boya, Ascot and Woodvale.
But House Rules host Joanna Griggs has called comments that the contestants aren’t battlers “utter bollocks”.
The host took to radio station WSFM 107.1 to defend the teams, saying apartment identified by Woman’s Day was “the apartment Channel Seven put them in during the course of the filming when they’re not allowed in their homes”.
Woman’s Day also reports that Candy and Ryan don’t actually live in the house that was renovated for House Rules, according to neighbours. The show’s rules don’t require contestants to only own one property, but the property that is renovated must be their primary residence. Ryan, who has split from Candy since filming the show, also reportedly owns another house in the same Western Sydney suburb.
Townsville team Maddi and Lloyd also own two homes, according to the magazine, with their property portfolio valued at $940,000. South Australians Mel and Bomber reportedly have three homes between them. The magazine estimates that Bomber’s other home is worth around $400,000, while Mel also has a home in Adelaide.
Woman’s Day claims that Melbourne couple Lisa and Adam have a $520,000 four bedroom house outside Melbourne’s CBD, bringing their property holdings to $1.2 million. Griggs says that house was purchased by Adam with his father, but that Adam sold his share of the property when he purchased the house seen on the show.
Meanwhile, it seems that eliminated contestants Brooke and Grant, at times portrayed as the villains of the series, are the only couple without other property holdings. The farmstead that houses their seven children appears to be the couple’s only residence. 
While Channel Seven has released <a href="/expert-insights/building/channel-7-s-house-rules-the-contestants-and-their-mortgages">the mortgages associated</a> with the homes renovated on the show, it is unclear how much debt is attached to the contestant's other properties. 
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House Rules contestants hardly on struggle street, say critics

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The eight level, 34-room octagonal-shaped Hotel Saville in South Yarra sold recently with the whispered buyer being Channel 9’s The Block.
As there's no confirmation from the Colliers International selling agents Ben Baines and Ted Dwyer, Title Tattle was yet to be convinced either way.
But the exclusive speculative report by the Melbourne Herald Sun was worth mentioning, especially as The Block never confirm anything until they want it out there.
<img src="/images/2014/06/27/block-june-27-three.png" alt="">
Source: Sydney Daily Telegraph 
<a href="/expert-insights/investing/the-block-south-yarra-octagonal-hotel-saville-mystery">Property Observer's initial article</a> also noted, almost as an afterthought, that in 2002 the hotel was in the news after it was alleged Reservoir man Shane Chartres-Abbott violently raped a client in a hotel suite, with part of her tongue missing.
The gigolo Chartres-Abbott was arrested shortly after the attack with the victim's blood on his pants and her phone in his bag. With the forensic evidence, medical reports, the victim's testimony and witness statements, Chartres-Abbott presented a bizarre, headline-grabbing defence that he was a 200-year-old vampire.
Chartres-Abbott was <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-14/man-admits-to-killing-melbourne-vampire-gigolo/5452674" target="_blank">subsequently executed outside his Reservoir home in 2003</a> as he left for the County Court during the rape trial.
But such a connection proved waywardly, irresistible for the Sydney Daily Telegraph who even made it their newsagency poster headline.
<img src="/images/2014/06/27/block-june-27-one.jpg" alt="">
The journalists got it right, but the subsequent spruiking of the story including its front page banner didn't. All very wrong, as no murder took place at the South Yarra hotel. And the rape victim was not murdered.
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Not on this Block: Sydney News Corp tabloid gets The Block’s octagonal South Yarra hotel history wrong

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Wendy Moore has nominated her top five favourite items from this season’s renovations.
The House Rules judge and Home Beautiful magazine editor told The West Australian which design objects caught her eye.
<ol>
<li>
The Rita print from Candy and Ryan’s house. <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/2014/06/23/Rita-Vintage-Style-Canvas-189x139cm-Selected-Stores-Only.jpg" alt=""> The vintage style print from <a href="https://www.freedom.com.au/homewares/decorator-accents/wall-art/23397224/rita-vintage-style-canvas-189x139cm-selected-stores-only/" target="_blank">Freedom </a>was chosen by Carole and Russell, matching the yellow light shades over their kitchen. “It suited the house rules perfectly,” Moore told The West Australian. Carole and Russell won the highest score for their zone in Candy and Ryan’s house. 
</li>
<li>
The ant-cap lights from Bomber and Mel’s house. Brooke and Grant grabbed some ant-caps from Bomber’s shed to create new lamp shades in their lounge room. Moore called the ant-cap lights “a really clever concept.” 
</li>
<li>
The bedhead from Adam and Lisa’s house. <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2014/06/23/Capture.JPG" alt=""> The <a href="https://www.heatherlydesign.com.au/product/waldorf/" target="_blank">Warldorf bedhead by Heatherly Design</a> that Maddi and Lloyd was summed up in two words: “luxury and style” 
</li>
<li>
The blackwood bench from Brooke and Grant’s house. Halston Joinery made the custom blackwood bench in Brooke and Grant’s entrance, which had a pigeon hole for each of their seven children. 
</li>
<li>
The bath from Brooke and Grant’s house. <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/2014/06/23/bath-june-23-one.jpg" alt=""> Brooke and Grant were also given a freestanding bath. "The <a href="https://www.reece.com.au/bathrooms/products/kado-lure-1760-freestanding-oval-bath-white-9502377" target="_blank">Kado Classic freestanding bath</a> from Reece fits perfectly within a 100-year-old farmhouse," said Moore. "A great modern version of a classic look."</li>
</ol>
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Wendy Moore’s top five finds from House Rules

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Channel 9 has released its initial video revealing the contestant couples for its next renovation suction series of The Block Glasshouse.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6gZP26PqR4&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">There is no date yet set for </a>the series start, but it is expected to air after the current season of The Voice wraps.
The contestants include retired AFL ruckman <a href="/expert-insights/buying/former-afl-ruckman-darren-jolly-sells-surrey-hills-and-joins-the-block-prahran">Darren Jolly</a> and his wife Deanne.
<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/2014/06/23/block%20glasshouse%20contestants%20june%2023.jpg" alt="">
Photo courtesy of Channel 9/Facebook.
The video suggests <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheBlock" target="_blank">The Block</a> has responded slightly to past criticism over its lack of diversity.
It was something that the executive producer Julian Cress had been keen to reverse, thwarted as past Block series applications had resulted in fewer than 4% of applicants being other than Caucasian.
The Block, now into its 9th series, has previously had contestants with Italian, Greek and Lebanese heritage. There will be a contestant of Asian heritage in the series.
The Block was one of the first TV shows in the world to cast a gay couple in its initial 2003 series.
In 2014 Tasmania gets its first contestants, sibling guys, Shannon and Simon in the Glasshouse. 
The other contestants are Michael and Carlene from the Gold Coast; Karstan and Maxine from Newcastle; and Jenna and Chris from Sydney.
The next Channel 9 series of The Block Glasshouse is set for the<a href="/news/the-block-shifting-to-high-street-prahran-after-objectors-fail-to-lodge-vcat-appeal"> busy cosmopolitan High Street, Prahran</a> where some <a href="/developments/prahran-vic-3181">36% of the population are singles</a>.
There are five contestant couples, although the development proposal will see six split-level atrium apartments above two restaurants in a converted Prahran office block.
The production company, Watercress spent $8.25 million on the 1980s office building near trendy Chapel Street and opposite Swinburne University's Prahran campus last August.
<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/2014/06/23/life-in-a-glass-house-june-23-breakout.jpg" alt="">
The $2.5 million Brenchley Architects infill works schedule for <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/2010600795/for-sale/vic/prahran/offices" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the three-storey 3,540-square-metre building</a> (pictured above) will be mostly internally, but sought car parking dispensation and a waiver of loading and unloading requirements in association with the food and drink premises.
Feature photo courtesy of Channel 9/Facebook.
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