<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-5" data-turn="user" data-turn-id="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" data-turn-id-container="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" dir="auto">Time &amp; Place’s plans to transform the former David Jones factory building in Surry Hills into a mixed-use residential precinct have gone on exhibition through the NSW Government’s In-fill Affordable Housing pathway.</section>

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" dir="auto">
The Marlborough House proposal, lodged for the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marlborough-house-47-97-marlborough-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">47-97 Marlborough Street</a> site, would see the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed warehouse building alongside the construction of new residential additions and a separate apartment building on the northern portion of the site.

The proposal seeks approval for 172 apartments across three buildings, including 15 per cent affordable housing managed by a community housing provider for at least 15 years from occupation.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d1d3c2a-bf13-47d6-a335-7c01102cdee1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cjMYrbR.BLUlWH4dar0RVDDo0bG.u2YT" />

Interior view from the Northern Building Penthouse overlooking the park

&nbsp;

The redevelopment is planned for the prominent 3,413 sqm site bounded by Marlborough Street, Goodlet Street and Lansdowne Street, directly opposite Eddie Ward Park and around 200 metres from the Surry Hills light rail stop.

Time &amp; Place acquired the former David Jones building in 2024, marking the first time the property had changed hands in around 50 years.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal centres around the adaptive reuse of the former David Jones factory, originally constructed between 1913 and 1935 in the Inter-War Chicagoesque architectural style.

Wardle noted in its Architectural Design Report that the building “occupies a significant place in the industrial and cultural history of Surry Hills” and at its peak was “the largest department store manufacturing facility in Australia, employing over 800 people and fuelling the growth of Sydney’s fashion and retail industries.”

The practice said the project positions itself “not as an isolated intervention, but as a contributor to the civic, social, and architectural grain of the precinct.”

The proposal would deliver 75 apartments within the retained southern heritage building, 59 apartments within the central addition, and a further 38 apartments within the new northern building fronting Lansdowne Street.

Planning documents show the scheme would comprise a mix of heritage apartments, new-build apartments, townhouses and penthouses.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57758518-40a3-4b83-958c-d06e96a2cffa" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.42%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VerlX9ST5xgBi8.1_YRsqdWTJeT6ygjs" />Interior View of the Heritage Building Apartment

The development would also include a ground-floor retail tenancy on the corner of Marlborough and Lansdowne streets, rooftop communal open space, a landscaped pedestrian link along the western edge of the site, and basement parking accessed from Lansdowne Street via a car stacker system.

&nbsp;

The scheme emerged from a competitive design process run by Urbis, with Wardle ultimately selected as the winning architect ahead of FJC Studio, TZG, Architectus and Wilkinson Eyre.

The Design Integrity Panel later described several aspects of the Wardle scheme as fundamental to the project, including “the stepped character of the new addition to the north of the site”, the landscaped western pedestrian link, and the “garden arrival” experience separating the original Marlborough House from the heritage addition.

Wardle’s design heavily references the site’s industrial and heritage history, while also responding to the surrounding Surry Hills streetscape.

The Architectural Design Report describes Surry Hills as “a finely grained neighbourhood with beautiful and expressive brickworks throughout the suburb,” with the proposal introducing a material palette intended to sit comfortably alongside the existing warehouse fabric and neighbouring terraces.

The report also outlines the project’s relationship with Eddie Ward Park and the broader landscape context of the area.

“Marlborough House occupies a site of deep cultural memory and the neighbouring Eddie Ward Park is of local ecological significance, where natural systems, topography, and stories have long shaped human experience,” Wardle noted in the report.

The architects said the proposal sought to “rebind built form to Country” through landscape, materiality and the adaptive reuse of the heritage structure.

<img alt="Marlborough House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9ae3f2f9-c85f-477a-a6f8-b43f6cb97c41" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.53%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=B.qUCLqRvJOR.n9CvYcTpaknIX9LuqKZ" />

The project is also being progressed under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions, allowing developments that include affordable housing to access additional height and floor space incentives.

Under the plans, 2,593 sqm of the project’s floor space would be dedicated to affordable housing, slightly exceeding the required 15 per cent threshold.

In its Design Excellence Strategy, Urbis said the project aimed to “sensitively adapt and enhance the heritage-listed building on site through alterations and additions that preserve its historical significance” while delivering “high-quality market and infill affordable housing development in Surry Hills.”

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-melbourne-vic-3205">South Melbourne</a>, and have future projects, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-wilmot-173-burke-road-28-hope-street-glen-iris-vic-3146">The Wilmot</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>, the redevelopment of the Northcote Plaza, and another tower in South Melbourne.

The developer broke into Sydney just a few years ago with Two Tides in Manly. They have another project nearby, which is at the ultra-luxury end of the market on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach.

It is also continuing to work through the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-time-place-settles-on-design-for-the-chimes-potts-point-redevelopment">redevelopment of The Chimes building</a> on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as a project on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Mosman's Redan Street</a>.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Time & Place unveils Marlborough House redevelopment designs for former David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

Renovation

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GUEST OBSERVATION
If the popularity of television shows like The Block is anything to go by, Australians don’t just love our homes – we also love to decorate, renovate and generally improve them.
If you’re bitten by the renovation bug, rest assured, a well-planned renovation can give your lifestyle - and your home’s value, a welcome boost. The key is to focus on improvements with broad market appeal, and give careful thought to how you will fund the project, something that is often glossed over in renovation shows.
To avoid overcapitalising - where you spend more on the renovation than the value it adds to your home, consider the market in your area to be sure your improvements will fit in. Adding a fourth bedroom for instance, can make sense if you live in a family-friendly suburb, less so if you’re in an area popular with young singles.
Next, put your hard earned cash to work where it will deliver the greatest benefit. High quality kitchen and bathroom renovations almost always add value to a property. The same can’t be said of outdoor spas or swimming pools, which can be high maintenance and don’t always deliver a fiscal return.
It’s also worth thinking about eco-friendly renovations. Home buyers can’t get enough of ‘green’ features like rainwater tanks, energy efficient appliances and drip-feed irrigation systems. Along with adding value to your home, you’ll also save on utility bills.
Planning a renovation is exciting, but before thumbing through colour charts or carpet samples, it’s critical to think about how you will pay for it all. Your home loan is a valuable tool here offering a low cost source of funds, and there are a number of options to weigh up.
If you’re ahead with your loan, a redraw facility provides easy access to those extra payments. If you need a little more cash, a home loan top up could be the solution. This simply means bringing your loan back to its original level – or borrowing a bit extra, and it’s a far simpler process than refinancing to a new loan.
A top up works best for non-structural improvements like painting, adding new floor coverings, or kitchen and bathroom makeovers. The funds are generally paid directly to you, providing the flexibility to complete the project in your own time.
For structural renovations like adding a new extension or an extra floor, a construction home loan can be the answer. Lenders will ask to take a look at your building plans, so you’ll have the benefit of an extra set of eyes checking the quality of your project. Funding is then provided as a series of drawdowns as various stages of the project are completed. The beauty of this approach is that you only pay interest on the funds drawn down.
Patrick Nolan is a home loans expert with <a href="https://www.mebank.com.au/" target="_blank">ME Bank</a>.
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PatrickNolan-Yjmguhh735

Boost your home’s value through renovation: Patrick Nolan

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Marcus Padley, the author of the stock market newsletter Marcus Today, has tipped the housing market will remain supported in 2015 as interest rates stay down and investors continue to prefer property to equities.
"But as the property market plateaus as the economy wilts and unemployment rises, making money in property will mean doing what we did in the 1980s, buying the worst house in the best street and adding value," he told Fairfa Media.
"On that basis renovating/DIY/home improvement suppliers to the housing market will continue to be a strong sector."
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Home improvements set to increase: Marcus Padley

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The three teams of returning contestants won't be the only "triple threat" joining the next series of The Block.
For The Block Triple Threat, regular judges Neale Whitaker, Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer will be joined by buyer's agents Frank Valentic from Advantage Property, Nicole Jacobs from Jacobs Buying Group and Greville Pabst from WBP Property Group.
Both Valentic and Jacobs have bid on the behalf of buyers in previous season of the show, while Pabst regularly appears on A Current Affair ahead of the auctions to evaluate the properties.
Executive Producer Julian Cress told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/channel-9-makes-shock-changes-to-the-block-triple-threat-after-auction-disaster-on-last-years-series/story-fn8yvfst-1227188716170" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>: "Everyone has an opinion on the rooms and the apartments on The Block but no one's opinion matters more for the contestants than the actual buyers on auction day."
"We thought giving them some feedback from people who might be ultimately bidding on their apartment would be a valuable addition to the program."
The decision to bring on buyer's agents as judges has been widely interpreted as a response to <a href="https://propertyobserver.com.au/finding/residential-investment/sales-and-auctions/36684-b-grade-high-street-prahran-location" target="_blank">last season's finale</a>, where two of the couples earned $10,000 and another pocketed $40,000, after three months of work.
But smart contestants for several series have been utilising the views of local agents from the preliminary planning to ensure their apartment matches local buyer demographics.
{mijopolls 80}
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Leading Melbourne buyer's agents join The Block Triple Threat

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Perth’s home owners have been reminded by the Building Commissioner to check the registration of painters, in particular, before paying them to carry out work priced over $1,000. If property owners do not undertake this due diligence, they may face being ripped off.
According to Building Commissioner Peter Gow, they are continuing to receive details of unregistered painters obtaining business by distributing flyers and going door-to-door offering services. Just recently, home owners in Willetton and Sorrento have provided reports of this activity.
Sub-standard and overpriced work could be the result of getting involved with an unregistered painter.
“In most parts of Western Australia, carrying out painting work valued over $1,000 requires a registration and any advertisements offering major painting work should contain the painter’s registration number,” Gow said.
“The Building Commission and our colleagues at Consumer Protection receive frequent complaints from consumers who have handed over money to an unregistered painter only to be left with overpriced and substandard work – or in some cases, no work at all,” he said.
“The best way for consumers to protect themselves from dodgy painters is to ask to see their accreditation and independently verify it before agreeing to any major work on their property.”
For those concerned, a quick check on the Building Commissions registration portal will <a href="https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/building-commission/find-registered-building-service-provider" target="_blank">be able to find registered painters</a>.
Other signs to watch for are headings such as “full roof painted” for a value in excess of $1,000, and sometimes a 1800 phone number and no trading name could be warnings home owners could check out for to determine whether they are operating illegally.
Always check for credentials before agreeing to any work.
“These unregistered traders are difficult to track down for a refund or to make a warranty claim if you’re not satisfied with the work and are breaking consumer law by not observing a 10-day cooling off period for unsolicited sales,” Gow said.
“Most building work valued over $20,000 also requires the builder to be registered in WA and all plumbing work must be carried out by a licensed plumbing contractor,” he said.
You can report anyone you know to be offering unauthorised work via the Building Commission:1300 48 90 99 or <a href="https://mail.privatemedia.com.au/owa/redir.aspx?C=Ultkv_vW706GgICQ1Lr4DMvqpdX_AtIIb4VbQ_7izJOeO3QJXpzOHTVog-kX_Y62w6VPR2gnEM8.&amp;URL=mailto%3abcinfo%40commerce.wa.gov.au">bcinfo@commerce.wa.gov.au</a>.
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jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

Home owners warned to check registrations before paying for home improvement

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It’s common investment talk that to do up a property with a new kitchen or bathroom should reap you thousands of dollars in added value.
However, this might not actually be so, according to Smartline Personal Mortgage Advisers’ executive director Joe Sirianni.
“Minor renovations are more likely to have an impact with a unit,” Sirianni said.
“But with a house, superficial renovations may make a property more saleable, not necessarily produce a greater value – particularly given that in Australia a large proportion of a property’s value is in the land.”
In fact, in many cases superficial renovations have the potential to result in a slight increase in purchase price, and perhaps more buyers, but usually attracts the people who are already looking.
“It’s not the new floorboards, a new kitchen or a renovated bathroom that will have the banks’ valuers applying additional value to a property,” said Sirianni.
Structural improvements, however, do have the potential to have an impact on a valuation.
This could include adding bathrooms or bedrooms, and possibly adding a new garage.
For home buyers who are looking to undertake “non structural” renovations, then the bank often lends without a new valuation.
“People who improve the look of a home with non-structural renovations generally don’t understand that’s all they have done – that is, take away the run-down look of the property,” Sirianni said.
“They haven’t added bedrooms, bathrooms, a garage or anything that will put it into a new category for buyers.”
As a result, it’s usually looked at in the same way by valuers.
“It’s acknowledged that you spent, say, $50,000 on it, but they know that you’re very unlikely to get more than your $50,000 return on it,” he said.
“Quite often the banks won’t even match the valuation to what you’ve spent unless there’s a big structural improvement.”
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A kitchen or bathroom renovation won’t deliver a windfall: Smartline

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New home buyers with smaller deposits often opt for a ‘fixer upper’, a property that needs substantial renovation, to get into the market they are after.
Filled with aspirations of renovating, and hyped up on The Block, it’s not surprising that sometimes the reality of home improvement isn’t at the forefront of every purchaser’s mind.
Here are six things to consider to give yourself a reality check.
Your own skills
First up – have you renovated before, or do you have any renovation experience? If not, are you intending to bring in the experts? It’s time to get honest with yourself about your capabilities.
Some people are more able than others to renovate, it’s just a fact of life. Know your limits, know how much it’s going to cost to bring in some experts, and whether or not you should really be DIY-ing.
In fact, real estate expert Chris Gray’s perspective is to overestimate the costs and time it takes to renovate.
“My tip is to double your expected cost and double the time frame, and then work out if you’re still going to make a profit. Most of the time, it works out more efficient from a time, cost and stress perspective to outsource the renovation to the experts,” explained Gray.
He <a href="/expert-insights/building/when-you-should-turn-your-diy-reno-project-over-to-the-professionals-chris-gray">also suggests being realistic about the DIY</a>. Remember, tradespeople and renovation experts do these tasks for a living. They’re not all as straightforward as you’d imagine and often you get what you pay for.
“I once had a client who wanted me to buy him a property to renovate as a retirement project. When the time came to renovate, my client asked me to outsource big jobs like the kitchen and bathroom, as they’re best done by specialists who would do it in a fraction of the time,” Gray said.
“We then agreed that tiled flooring was best left to an expert and built-in wardrobes left to a different specialist. Five minutes later, the only non-specialist job that he had a hope of completing himself was the painting.”
The ‘unchangeable’ items
If you’re looking to renovate a property, it’s fair enough to overlook garish wallpaper and pink bathrooms. But what you don’t want to overlook are the items you cannot change in the property.
One of these is the neighbourhood. Another may be the busy road to the front, or the overshadowing neighbours to the sides that offer no privacy. Be acutely aware of these limitations and understand that no matter how nicely you update the physical property itself, some of these aspects will ensure a ceiling on potential growth remains.
Floor plan
An aspect to check is the floor plan of the property you’re looking at. This will largely determine whether the shell offers you scope to work with the space as you choose. Ensure you know which walls are load bearing and which can be taken away easily to make a room open plan or to combine two small pokey rooms into one large room.
The floor plan is also worth looking at if you’re only looking at a cosmetic upgrade. If you don’t want to be pulling out walls, ensure the floor plan shows good potential on its own.
Structural integrity
The structural integrity of the property is critical, especially if it is out of your budget to fix up largely hidden items. This could cover plumbing, electrics, termite damage and a whole host of other issues.
These are unlikely to be spends that you will recoup in a re-sale environment, unless you plan carefully and get the property at a discount as a result of the time, effort and cost you need to put in to rectify the issues.
When someone refers to a property with “good bones” this is usually what they are referring to – a property without structural defects and with little that needs to be done to the physical property itself. A building and pest inspection will certainly come in handy at this point.
Local council restrictions
Depending on the extent of renovations, to the point of structural or minor redevelopment, you may want to quickly call the local council. Some councils take longer than others and some are not as open to development.
It is also worth speaking to the neighbours if you intend to do anything major with the home to see if they are likely to fight against your improvements.
You may also want to look online at what has already been approved to check timeframes and what is likely to be allowed on your block.
Are you purchasing for a fair reduction?
Buying a cheaper unrenovated home can be a false economy if renovated properties are available for less than it will cost you to purchase and fix up the lacklustre cheaper option. Ensure you are getting the property for an acceptable discount, otherwise you will face overcapitalising and plenty of wasted time.
Do your back of the envelope sums to work out the cost of your potential renovations.  
What have your experiences with renovating been like?
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Buying a 'fixer upper': Six things to check for

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Mosman, the Point Nepean region and Albert Park have notched up the highest level of residential renovation approvals over the past year.
The number of Australian home owners undertaking renovations on an annual basis has hit a recent four year, post-GFC high, according to research released by Westpac.
Some $600 million worth of residential renovations and conversions were approved in August 2014. 
Westpac noted of home owners who renovate to make extra room, more than a third choose to renovate instead of move as they do not want to pay stamp duty fees (36%) or do not want the inconvenience or cost of moving home (36%). 
But the key is that 71% simply want to stay in the same area.
The Westpac Renovation Report, compiled by RP Data and Sweeney Research, has Sydney's Mosman with $76 million as the most renovated location (by value approvals) in Australia. No details are given as to the number of houses under renovation.
The Victorian Point Nepean region - around Portsea and Sorrento - came in second with more than $41 million in residential approvals over the past year for the pricey location at the most westerly point of the Mornington Peninsula, in Victoria.
“Favourable market conditions across Australia means that many home owners have seen the value of their properties rise.
"As a result, one quarter of Australians have been able to service additional borrowings to tap into this added value and extend or improve their home further and stay in their preferred location rather than moving to a bigger home elsewhere,” said Gai McGrath, Westpac general manager of retail banking.
While 64% of renovators still finance their home improvements through savings, some 26% of those aged 18-54 are choosing to finance their renovations by increasing or topping up their home loan.
“Existing home owners who may once have looked to upgrade into a new home are choosing instead to renovate, adding desired rooms, features and cosmetic changes," Gai McGrath said.
“This can be a smart investment strategy as it means avoiding the costs associated with upgrading to a new home, like moving services and stamp duty.
“If you are renovating, not only are you improving your current surroundings and tailoring your home to suit your needs, but it can also add value to your property if you come to sell in the future.”
Top areas for renovation (by value) in Australia over the past 12 months (RP Data):
<table style="width: 460px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
SA2 Region
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
State
</td>
<td valign="top" width="192">
Value of residential approvals 12 months to August 2014
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
Mosman
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
NSW
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="192">
$76,357,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
Point Nepean
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
VIC
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="192">
$41,765,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
Albert Park
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
VIC
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="192">
$41,371,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
Brighton
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
VIC
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="192">
$35,255,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
Coogee - Clovelly
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
NSW
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="192">
$33,468,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
Richmond
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
VIC
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="192">
$32,341,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
Toorak
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
VIC
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="192">
$32,083,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
Hawthorn
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
VIC
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="192">
$31,714,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
Malvern - Glen Iris
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
VIC
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="192">
$31,692,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="229">
Willoughby - Castle Cove - Northbridge
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
NSW
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="192">
$29,259,000
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
RP Data compiled Australian Bureau of Statistics dwelling approvals data from 2004 to present, using projects where the value of work done was at least $10,000. 
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Mosman, Portsea and Albert Park are reno central

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With the amount of popularity renovation shows multiplying over the last decade, many people now chose to go down the DIY path to spruce up their homes and investments.
Last year the value of alterations and additions to residential buildings was estimated to be over $500 million, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
All up, investors are claiming $25 billion worth of rental reductions every year.
With the help of Tyron Hyde and his book, <a href="https://www.claim-it.com.au/" target="_blank">Claim It! A Property Investor’s and Developers Guide to Depreciation</a>, Property Observer takes a look at 10 depreciation considerations for every renovator.
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-one.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">What you are claiming?
Around June every year the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) issues a warning to property investors to be careful about what they claim. Their major warning is aimed at people who are claiming repairs. Investors often claim repairs that are illegitimate. Things such as renovations or replacing broken features are not repairs; rather they are capital improvements, something that an investor cannot claim. This can be a gray area and can get quite confusing.
Consider these questions before deciding whether you can claim the work as a repair or whether you need to depreciate the work over time:
<ul>
<li>Was the work related to the wear and tear of the property while it was an income producing asset for you?</li>
<li>Were the repairs carried out when you initially brought the property? If so, these are defined as ‘initial repairs’ and cannot be claimed as an outright deduction.</li>
<li>Did you replace a whole item in its entirety? If so this is not a repair</li>
<li>Did you improve the material when you carried out the work? If so, this is called a capital improvement, not a repair, and is to be depreciated. </li>
</ul>
Source: Tyron Hyde, Claim It!
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-two.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">There is more to making a profit than just a good renovation
One of the major mistakes investors make is having a mindset of: “The faster the completion, the sooner the returns”. Although in some cases this is true, at other times investors are so fixated on improving their properties that they miss out on gains that they could have been getting even while they are still planning out their renovations.
The point is to always be on the lookout for things that can turn a profit.
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-three.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">What are you getting rid of?
Throwing away items that can later be claimed as depreciation assets is a mistake that investors commonly make. When renovating a property, its old unusable features (e.g. an old dishwasher) can still be claimed as a tax deduction. In the situation where the item cannot be recovered after being thrown out, with photographic proof and the help of a quantity surveyor it can still result in you gaining some return on the item.
It is important to note that the property must have been earning income for some time before the purchase was made in order to claim any residual or scrapping value. 
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-four.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Identify the values of your items
The values of old items in your property are the basis of the tax deductions you can get at the end of the first year of ownership. Without these values no tax deduction can initially be calculated.
So before throwing away old items in your income producing property identify the original values of these items by holding an inspection with a quantity surveyor.
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-five.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Finishing a depreciation schedule in time
The depreciation schedule you get on your property before renovation starts backs up your depreciation claims on old assets. It doesn’t back up any new assets put in once the house has been renovated. In order to claim these new assets a new depreciation schedule must be conducted before renovation finishes.
Article continues on the next page. Please click below.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-six.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Know what can be written off
Once renovations have been completed many investors think they can start writing off any newly installed assets, but this is not the case. A new item has to depreciate over its useful lifetime or the time frame specified for that item to last, before it needs replacing. As mentioned earlier you can run into many problems with the ATO when trying to claim something that is not a repair.  
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-seven.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Items you can’t depreciate
Although we can claim the depreciation of a property investment as a tax deduction not all construction costs are eligible to be claimed.
Here are some of the things that don’t qualify:
<ul>
<li>Demolition costs</li>
<li>Site clearing- It is important to note that excavating the site for a basement can be claimed as that’s considered part of the new basement </li>
<li>Landscaping- Landscaping elements such as retaining walls and concrete elements can be claimed. Plants don’t qualify- If it grows, you can’t claim it.</li>
<li>Developers profit</li>
</ul>
Source: Tyron Hyde, Claim It!
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-eight.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Depreciation on older properties
For properties built before July 1985 you cannot claim any building depreciations. But if a property built before this time is then later renovated you can, in most instances claim depreciation on the renovation. As long as the renovation took place after 1985, you are entitled to depreciate them.
A renovation on an older property that includes carpets, new blinds, a new bathroom and a new kitchen could cost up to $25,000. These assets can have big depreciation returns because the items being replaced have a relatively low effective life, this is the reason they needed replacing in the first place. Depreciation benefits like this can be up to $5,000 to $7,000 in just one year.  
Source: Tyron Hyde, Claim It!
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-nine.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Factors that the ATO use to categorise items under building or plant allowance
You can choose the effective lifetime or depreciation rate of an item that comes under the plant allowance. But for items that come under the building allowance category they must be claimed at 2.5 percent per annum. By knowing how the ATO choose what assets go into what category you can get a better understanding of what claims you can get on your assets.
The ATO determines which items go into each category based on factors such as:
<ul>
<li>The degree of affixation to the property</li>
<li>The physical life of the asset</li>
<li>Manufacturing specifications</li>
<li>Industry standards</li>
<li>The level of repairs by users of the asset</li>
<li>If the asset is leased</li>
</ul>
Source: Tyron Hyde, Claim It!
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-ten.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">The Tax Commissioner believes the “manufacturing life” doesn’t necessarily equal the effective life
This is important to consider because the Tax Commissioner determines many assets to last for 40 years when they might not necessarily last that long.
Here is a list of items that the Tax Commissioner believes will last for 40 years but most likely won’t:
<ul>
<li>Kitchen cupboards</li>
<li>Light fittings</li>
<li>Shower Screens</li>
<li>Taps</li>
<li>Vanities</li>
<li>Floor and wall tilings in wet areas</li>
<li>Wet areas ceilings</li>
<li>Painting</li>
</ul>
Source: Tyron Hyde, Claim It!
What the tax commissioner fails to understand is that not only do some of these items fail to be effective for 40 years but also, in many cases these items need to be updated for style reasons as investors need modern assets to attract new tenants. 
It’s good to know what you’re entitled to and if you don’t find someone who does who can help you.  
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About to renovate? The 10 depreciation considerations for every investor

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Buoyant home renovation market pushing retail sales growth

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The Grand Designs Live Home Show begins tomorrow in Melbourne at the Convention and Exhibition Centre, luring fans of the show, renovators and home improvement aficionados.
Areas at <a href="https://granddesignslive.com.au" target="_blank">Grand Designs Live</a> include kitchens, bathrooms, interiors, outdoors, sustainability, building and technology.
The Lifestyle Channel Grand Theatre will host talks from Kevin McCloud, Peter Maddison, Shaynna Blaze, Andrew Winter, Veronica Morgan, Bryce Holdaway and Charlie Albone.
Blaze will cover decorating in small spaces, Winter will be discussing how to sell your home for the right price and Holdaway will be presenting his top seven tips for buying at auction.
Book signings and prizes will be up for grabs.
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