Melbourne developer Spacious Group has completed Voyage Altona, one of the closest new apartment developments to Altona Beach.

Off the plan purchasers have started moving into the 49-apartment project on Pier Street, with the remaining move-in-ready one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments starting from just over $500,000.

Display apartments have now been fitted out, allowing prospective buyers to inspect the completed residences by appointment.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112195 project_image_fid=372638]

The completed apartments feature open-plan living and dining areas which extend onto private balconies and terraces, while full-height glazing maximises natural light throughout the interiors.&nbsp;

Hybrid timber-look flooring, stone benchtops, Miele appliances, porcelain-tiled bathrooms and generous storage feature throughout the building which also features landscaped communal areas, expansive shared terraces, lift access and secure on-grade parking.

Drawing inspiration from its bayside setting, Voyage adopts a restrained palette of warm neutral tones and textured finishes. Many of the apartments take advantage of views across Port Phillip Bay, while the indoor-outdoor living spaces have been designed to make the most of the coastal outlook.

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Voyage was developed to address what Spacious Group identified as an undersupply of higher-quality apartment product in Altona, with a focus on owner-occupiers looking to remain within the bayside community.

"Voyage responds to very strong local buyer demand for quality, owner-occupier-focused product," says Barry Plant Projects Director Jarrod Farey, who has handled sales since the project's launch.

"The project delivers an elevated lifestyle proposition, with its design and quality of finish far exceeding anything previously produced in the area, as well as its proximity to Pier Street Village and the beach."

The majority of purchasers have been local downsizers and owner-occupiers looking to stay within the Altona community but who previously had limited opportunities to buy a brand-new apartment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112195]

Joel Robinson

Spacious Group completes Voyage Altona in Altona's beachside precinct

Homecorp has secured approval for a $360 million apartment development at Budds Beach, paving the way for one of the Gold Coast's most amenity-rich residential projects to launch later this year.

Gold Coast City Council has approved Lýon Residences, a 32-level tower that will deliver 178 two and three-bedroom apartments across a prominent corner site at 8-10 Acacia Avenue and 25-27 Oak Avenue.

The approval comes as developers continue to invest in premium lifestyle-driven apartment projects on the Gold Coast, where owner occupiers are increasingly prioritising amenity as much as apartment size and location.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/l-on-residences-25-27-oak-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Lýon Residences</a> has been designed around a resort-style wellness offering, headlined by a Moroccan-inspired spa precinct featuring treatment rooms, a Nordic sauna and steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, a soaking pool and a residents-only juice bar.

The rooftop will include a heated infinity pool and spa, residents' lounge with private kitchen and bar, gymnasium, yoga and Pilates studio, outdoor entertaining areas and barbecue facilities overlooking the Surfers Paradise skyline.

<img alt="Lyon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d3e29af-8793-486e-a684-52cef862241f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-15%20at%204.32.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ayG2zpLf3SS6Zy8XmKDcQods4kVWb0gm" />

Homecorp Founder and CEO Ron Bakir said Budds Beach provided the ideal location for the company's latest luxury apartment project.

"Budds Beach represents one of the most unique and sought-after pockets of the Gold Coast, and Lýon Residences has been designed to reflect that sense of rarity and refinement," Bakir said.

The project arrives as wellness continues to become a defining feature of new residential developments both in Australia and internationally.

The latest Global Wellness Institute figures show wellness real estate remains the fastest-growing segment of the global wellness economy and is forecast to exceed $1.8 trillion by 2030. Australia continues to rank among the world's 15 largest wellness real estate markets, with developers increasingly integrating health, recreation and community facilities into apartment projects.

Queensland is also experiencing strong population growth, with the Gold Coast continuing to outperform many other Australian cities as demand for new housing remains elevated ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Bakir said the project had been designed to respond to that shift in buyer expectations.

"Strong population growth and sustained demand across the Gold Coast continue to highlight the need for well-designed new housing supply. Lýon Residences responds directly to this demand while setting a new benchmark for residential living," he said.

Each apartment has been designed to maximise views across the coastline, the Nerang River and the Gold Coast hinterland.

Located just minutes from Surfers Paradise beach and the Broadwater, the development also offers easy access to the light rail network, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads.

Early site works are underway, with construction expected to commence later this year.

Homecorp approved for Budds Beach apartment tower, Lýon Residences

New apartment developments with uninterrupted, north-facing views over Perth's Swan River are exceptionally rare.

Recognising just how limited those opportunities are, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/edge-visionary-living">Edge Visionary Living</a>, one of Perth's most respected builder-developers, targeted <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/applecross-wa-6153">Applecross</a>, assembling an unrepeatable 6,342 sqm riverfront site on the corner of Moreau Mews and Canning Beach Road to create one of Perth's only new north-facing apartment developments directly overlooking the Swan River.

Today, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/riviere-residences-applecross-59-canning-beach-road-applecross-wa-6153">Rivière Residences</a> offers buyers a unique opportunity to choose between completed residences ready to move into now and off-the-plan homes in the final stage, Rivière West.

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Across the completed East and Central buildings, residents are already enjoying the development's luxury amenity, while two of the precinct's hospitality venues are now open.

The completed component of the development gives buyers the advantage of experiencing the finished product firsthand, including its uninterrupted river views, while still having the opportunity to secure a residence in the final stage.

"People are wowed by the view and the quality of the apartments,"&nbsp;Edge Visionary Living Sales Executive, Holly McSweeney, says.

"They're looking for the convenience of lock-and-leave living, but they're not looking to downsize on quality."

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The rarity of the development hasn't been lost on prospective buyers, McSweeney says.

For McSweeney, it all comes back to a location that is becoming increasingly difficult to replicate.

"Location, location, location," she says. "We are nestled right on the front of the Swan River. You can never get built out, so wherever you are in Rivière Residences, you've got views of the river forever."

The unique waterfront position has resonated particularly strongly with local downsizers. McSweeney says many buyers are long-time Applecross residents looking to transition from large family homes into a luxury apartment without sacrificing space, quality or the lifestyle they've enjoyed for decades.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N_FowNW0wu8?si=vb25XFq1wZ-iufAW" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

A major focus for Edge in recent years has been resident amenity. Across its apartment portfolio, from beachfront developments in Scarborough to luxury towers in South Perth, the developer has increasingly invested in the spaces beyond the apartment itself.

The strategy has largely been shaped by downsizer demand. Many buyers are moving from large family homes with swimming pools and established gardens. While they're looking to leave the maintenance behind, they don't want to compromise on lifestyle.

At Rivière, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hillam-architects">Hillam Architects</a> designed the resident facilities as an extension of each apartment. A 25-metre heated swimming pool takes advantage of the north-facing river outlook, complemented by a large gym, sauna and steam rooms, private dining spaces, residents' lounges, a cinema, games room, and dedicated wine and whisky rooms.

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The waterfront location has also proved to be a major drawcard. Residents are within walking distance of the Raffles Hotel, South of Perth Yacht Club, the Heathcote Cultural Precinct and the cafés, restaurants and boutiques along Ardross Street.

Beyond the location and amenity, McSweeney says many buyers take confidence from Edge's fully integrated development model.

Having delivered apartments across Perth for decades, Edge now designs, develops and constructs its projects in-house, giving the company greater control over quality, delivery and the finished product.

"What I love is when people walk through their apartment for the first time and say, 'This is better than what we imagined,'" McSweeney says. "We hear that all the time."

Completed apartments in the East and Central buildings are now available to inspect by appointment, while Rivière West, the final stage of the precinct, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027.

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North-facing Swan River views drive demand at Rivière Residences in Applecross

Nearly 60 per cent of apartments at McNab Group's $220 million The Tannery development in Brisbane's West End have sold ahead of the project's public launch, including a suburb-record $2.57 million sale for a two-bedroom apartment.

The early sales campaign has secured buyers for 50 of the project's 87 apartments, highlighting continued demand for larger owner-occupier apartments that combine generous floorplans with premium lifestyle amenities in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

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McNab Group Executive Chairman Michael McNab said selling more than half the project before launch reflected changing buyer expectations.

"Selling more than half the project before public sales open tells us buyers are actively seeking apartments that offer something genuinely different," McNab said.

"Today's buyers are looking beyond four walls. They want homes that genuinely enhance the way they live, with spaces that support health, connection and everyday wellbeing."

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A key point of difference for the project is the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed Dixon's Tannery building, which will become The Retreat, a residents-only wellness precinct rather than being redeveloped into additional apartments.

The Retreat will feature a sauna and steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, a commercial-grade gym, Pilates studio, cinema, library, co-working spaces and private dining room. Rooftop amenities will include a swimming pool, landscaped gardens, outdoor entertaining areas and dog-friendly spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374760]

Designed by Cottee Parker Architects with interiors by Tom Mark Henry and landscape architecture by Aspect Studios, The Tannery comprises 87 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 11 levels overlooking the Brisbane River.

Cottee Parker principal Dee Passenger said preserving the original tannery building had been central to the project's design.

"The easy option would have been to maximise the site's development potential with additional apartments. Instead, McNab has chosen to preserve the original tannery as a shared wellness retreat, ensuring this important piece of Brisbane's history remains at the heart of the community."

Passenger said sustainability also played a key role in the design, with materials from the original industrial site salvaged and repurposed throughout the development.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374761]

Motiv CEO Carly Cottam said buyers had responded strongly to the combination of larger apartments, wellness facilities and the West End lifestyle.

"We are seeing more buyers looking for homes in the sky that provide the space and functionality of a traditional home, while benefiting from the convenience and lifestyle that apartment living brings," Cottam said.

She said purchasers included both owner occupiers and investors, with demand coming from local buyers as well as interstate purchasers.

Coinciding with the public launch, McNab also announced a partnership with Queensland Ballet, whose neighbouring Thomas Dixon Centre shares historical ties with the original Dixon family.

Located on a 4,465 sqm site at 439 Montague Road, The Tannery overlooks the Brisbane River and is around 10 minutes from the CBD.

Construction is underway, with completion expected in the second half of 2027.

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More than half of residences sold before public sales as McNab announces significant partnership with Queensland Ballet

McNab's The Tannery nears 60 per cent sold before public release, sets two-bedroom West End record

Iwan Sunito's vision for a landmark mixed-use precinct in Sydney's Inner West has taken a major step forward, with approval granted for the $1.9 billion Five Dock development first unveiled earlier this year.

The approved scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/one-global-capital">One Global Capital</a> will deliver an 80,500 sqm mixed-use precinct comprising 840 apartments, integrated hotel accommodation, commercial and retail space, alongside publicly accessible open space designed to create a new destination for the growing suburb.

"This is a significant milestone for One Global Capital and for the future of housing delivery in Sydney," Sunito said.

"The Housing Delivery Authority was established to identify major housing projects capable of delivering meaningful supply more efficiently, and we are delighted that Spencer Street has been recognised as one of those projects.”

He said the declaration reflected the rapid progress achieved since acquiring control of the site.

"In less than seven months we have progressed from taking control of the site to securing entry into one of the NSW Government's most important planning pathways. It reflects the experience of our team, the strength of our consultant group led by Urbis, and our long-term commitment to delivering transformational projects that contribute to Sydney's future."

When the project was revealed earlier this year, Sunito described the opportunity as one of the strongest development sites he had worked on.

"I probably hadn't appreciated the uniqueness of the site until more recently when putting together the concept plans," Sunito said.

"The proximity to the water, and the golf course opposite, is unlike any other part of Parramatta Road. We have a unique position and view corridors over the water that makes this one of the best sites I've worked on."

The development has evolved since its initial announcement, with the approved plans increasing the residential component from the originally proposed 750 apartments to 840 homes while retaining the project's focus on creating an integrated neighbourhood rather than a standalone residential development.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/a-city-within-a-city-iwan-sunito-flags-1-5-billion-mixed-use-precinct-in-five-dock">"A city within a city": Iwan Sunito flags $1.5 billion mixed-use precinct in Five Dock</a>

The precinct will combine apartments with hotel accommodation, commercial workplaces, retail offerings and public spaces, creating a mixed-use environment intended to serve both residents and the broader Five Dock community. The proposal also continues the collaboration between One Global Capital and internationally recognised architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/koichi-takada-architects">Koichi Takada</a>, whose previous work with Sunito includes Infinity, Arc and Skye North Sydney.

Takada previously said the design was driven by a philosophy of integrating nature into the built environment.

"The concept for this development is born from our design approach to naturalising architecture," Takada said.

"The public realm benefits from biophilic design that integrates generous landscaping, and the development is optimised for natural daylight, airflow and water views to foster wellbeing, sustainability and spaces that foster community interaction."

Sunito has consistently described the project as a "city within a city", with a strong emphasis on creating a destination that extends beyond housing.

"We want to create a development that's not only to be seen, but to be experienced by the whole local community," he said.

The approval comes as Five Dock continues its transformation ahead of the opening of the Sydney Metro West line, with the new Five Dock station set to significantly improve connections between the Inner West, Parramatta and the Sydney CBD.&nbsp;

The precinct will also benefit from its proximity to the Parramatta Road corridor, nearby waterfront parklands and established retail and dining offerings that have made Five Dock one of Sydney's most tightly held Inner West suburbs.

Iwan Sunito secures approval for $1.9 billion Five Dock mixed-use precinct

Residential Auctions

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Sydney home auction market is back to record pace following last weekend's long weekend according to domain's Andrew Wilson.
He said over 800 homes are set to go under the hammer this Saturday, well ahead of last weekend’s holiday impacted 407 auctions and significantly higher than the 650 listed over the same holiday weekend last year.
"Sydney sellers continue to rush the local market in unprecedented numbers with this weekend set to break the previous June Saturday record of 788 set just two weekends ago," he said.
"Sydney’s strong inner west market will host the most number of regional auctions this weekend with 118 listed. 
"The next highest is the upper north shore with 108 closely followed by the south 107, the city and east 84, the lower north 80, the west 66, Canterbury Bankstown 57, the northern beaches 49, the south west 46, the north west 37 and the central coast with 25 auctions scheduled on Saturday.
"Mosman is clearly the most popular suburb in Sydney this weekend with 15 followed by Randwick, Killara and Ashfield each with 10, Bankstown, Cronulla and Blacktown each with 9, Marrickville 8 and a number of suburbs with 7 auctions listed including St Ives, Epping and Paddington.
"Over 950 Melbourne homes are set to go under the hammer this Saturday which will be predictably up on last weekend’s holiday impacted 267 but similar to the 989 listed over the same weekend last year.
"Auction numbers will continue to ease over coming weeks as the market enters the typically quieter mid-year selling season. A significantly lower proportion of inner suburban, higher-priced listings will be the usual feature if the winter market.
"Melbourne’s western suburbs are the most popular for auctions this weekend with 176 listed.  Next highest region is the outer east with 141 followed by the inner south with 133, the north east 123, the inner city 121, the inner east 100, the north 79 and the south east with 62 auctions scheduled.
"Glen Waverley is clearly the most popular suburb for auctions this Saturday with 19 followed by St Albans 14, Mount Waverley 13, Reservoir and Richmond each with 12 and a number of suburbs with 11 auctions scheduled including Epping, South Yarra and Elwood."
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Sydney, Melbourne auctions back to strength

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Housing measures announced in the federal budget drove a high point for Sydney and Melbourne auctions over the weekend, according to Domain's Andrew Wilson.
He said on Saturday, the Sydney recorded an auction clearance rate of 79.6 percent, a sharp increase from the previous weekend’s year-low 73.6 percent.
"This was however lower than the 80.3 percent recorded over the same weekend last year, when interest rate cuts activated the local market," he said.
"This strong performance was likely influenced by the announcement of last week’s federal budget policy initiatives designed to alleviate perceived housing market imbalances.
"These included allowing first home buyers to save home loan deposits through superannuation accounts, incentives for older down-sizers to sell larger homes and financial penalties for foreign investors that leave investment properties vacant.
"The northern suburbs returned to the Saturday boom-time results typically recorded over the past year to clearly lead the regional results at the weekend.
"The top performer was the Blue Mountains with a 100 percent clearance rate from the single reported auction.
"Next highest was the northern beaches with 96.2 percent followed by the lower north 90.6 percent, south 83.8 percent, inner west 81.3 percent (and the highest number of sales at 65), north west 80.0 percent, upper north shore 78.7 percent, city and east 76.1 percent, Canterbury Bankstown 68.8 percent, central coast 66.7 percent, west 65.8 percent and south west with a clearance rate of 65.2 percent."
"Melbourne recorded a clearance rate of 78.3 percent at the weekend which was similar to the 78.7 percent recorded the previous weekend but still well ahead of the 73.6 percent recorded over the same weekend last year.
"Auction listings bounced back hard at the weekend with 936 homes scheduled to go under the hammer which was significantly higher than the previous weekend’s 646 listings and also well ahead of the 759 listed over the same weekend last year. Higher auction numbers will continue through the remainder of autumn with over 1100 auctions listed next weekend.
"Melbourne’s booming north recorded another strong result at the weekend with a leading clearance rate of 83.1 percent. Next highest was the inner south with 81.1 percent followed by the inner city 80.5 percent, the west 79.8 percent, the inner east 79.0 percent, the north east 78.0 percent, the south east 73.1 percent and the outer east with an auction clearance rate at the weekend of 71.6 percent."
 
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Federal budget measures drive weekend auctions

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Melbourne's strong home auction market continues this weekend with just over 900 homes are scheduled to go to auction on Saturday, up from the 655 conducted last weekend, according to Domain's Andrew Wilson.
"Melbourne’s north east is the most popular suburban region for auctions this weekend with 148 followed by the west (137), the inner city (131), the inner east (130), the inner south (123), the outer east (109), the north (87) and the south east with 46 auctions.
"Reservoir is again the most popular suburb for auctions in Melbourne this Saturday with 18 followed by Preston 15, Mt Waverley, South Morang, Camberwell and Kew each with 13 and a number of suburbs with 11 auctions listed including Glen Waverley, Brighton and Glen Iris.
"Nearly 800 homes are scheduled to go under the hammer this Saturday in Sydney which will be significantly higher than the 458 conducted last weekend and also well ahead of the 505 listed over the same weekend last year.
"The upper north shore will host the highest number of auctions of the Sydney regions this weekend with 111 followed by the city and east (104), the inner west and the south each with 100, the south west 71, the lower north 67, the northern beaches 66, the west 57, Canterbury Bankstown 41, the north west 31, the central coast 21 and the Blue Mountains with just 1 auction scheduled this weekend.
"Mosman is the most popular suburb in Sydney this weekend for auctions with 13. 
"Next highest is Castle Hill with 11 followed by Marrickville, Ashfield, Randwick and Turramurra each with 9 and a number of suburbs with 7 auctions listed including Eastwood, Dee Why and Chatswood."
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Bumper weekend for Sydney, Melbourne home auctions

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Auction volumes are expected to rise this weekend with CoreLogic predicting some 2,196 properties across the combined capital cities listed for the forthcoming weekend.
According to CoreLogic Victoria has the busiest suburbs for auctions, with 17 homes scheduled to go under the hammer in Reservoir, while Kew and Preston are each set to host 16 auctions, followed by Brighton and Craigieburn with 14 auctions each.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/11/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-11%20at%2010.29.09%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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"Melbourne will be host to the highest volume of auctions this week, with 1,001 homes set to go to auction across the city, up from 792 last week, however Sydney will see the largest increase in volumes week-on-week, with 877 auctions scheduled, up from 592 last week," CoreLogic said.
"It is expected that auction activity will increase across Brisbane, Canberra and Tasmania, while decreasing slightly in Adelaide and Perth.
"Overall activity is set to be higher than what was seen over the same period last year (1,876)."
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/11/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-11%20at%2010.33.16%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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Auction volumes to rise this weekend: CoreLogic

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Auction numbers in Sydney and Melbourne are well down ahead of this weekend with Domain's Andrew Wilson saying the drop is likely to drive intense competition amongst residential property buyers.
"Just over 650 homes are scheduled to go under the hammer this Saturday in Melbourne which will be well down on the 1047 conducted last weekend and also lower than the 909 listed over the same weekend last year," he said.
"Melbourne’s west will again be the most popular region for auctions on Saturday with 133 followed again also by the north east (98), the outer east (79), the north (72), the inner south (77), the north (72), the inner east (61), the inner city (54) the south east with (51) auctions listed this weekend.
"Glen Waverley, Epping and Reservoir will host the most suburban auctions this weekend each with 12 followed by St Albans (11), Thomastown (10), Craigieburn (9), and a number of suburbs with 8 auctions scheduled including Hopper Crossing, Richmond, Rowville and Brunswick West.
"Just over 450 homes are scheduled to go under the hammer this Saturday which will be well down on the 653 conducted last weekend and also lower than the 526 listed over the same weekend last year.
"Sydney’s inner west will be the most popular region for auctions again on Saturday with 70 followed by the south (56), the south west (47), the upper north shore (43), the city and east (41), the lower north (34), the Canterbury Bankstown and the northern beaches each (31), the north west (22), the north west (22), the central coast (17) and the Blue Mountains with 2 auctions listed on Saturday.
"Blacktown will host the most suburban auctions this weekend with 7 followed by Marrickville and Crows Nest each with 6 and a number of suburbs with 5 auctions listed including Ashfield, Beverley Hills, Carlingford, Surry Hills, Bankstown, Pyrmont, Kellyville and Leichhardt."
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Sydney, Melbourne weekend auction numbers well down: Andrew Wilson

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The Melbourne house where 1980s singing actor heart-throb Rick Springfield spent a few formative years (above) sold at weekend auction for $1.13 million.
After competition between four bidders, Springfield’s Parkdale teenage years' home was secured by a young couple who saw the classic <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-parkdale-124558774" target="_blank">clinker brick home</a> for the first time on auction morning.
Buyers Wei Gu and his wife Jiegiong Zhan also only heard the Sydney-born rocker’s No. 1 hit Jessie's Girl for the first time when it was played prior to the auction.
The Hodges Mentone agent Mark Eddy said it was a great result.
"Rick and his brother Michael will be pleased that their mother’s home of many years has sold,” Eddy told the Herald Sun.
Domain Group chief economist Andrew Wilson told Domain the upbeat Melbourne auction market had passed another test, but a record super Saturday of auctions loomed next weekend, further testing the depth of buyer support. 
Home sales across the nation ranged from $166,000 to $5.68 million at weekend auctions.
Both sales were in Victoria, with a likely Brighton knockdown selling at $580,000 above reserve (below) at an executor’s auction for $5.68 million. It was a 720 sqm <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-brighton-124543926" target="_blank">St Ninians Road</a> offering.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/20/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-20%20at%2010.13.43%20AM.png" alt="">
The cheapest was a one bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-vic-bacchus+marsh-124468598" target="_blank">Bacchus Marsh</a> (below), 57 kms out of Melbourne, which was sold for $166,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/20/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-20%20at%2010.15.56%20AM.png" alt="">
It last sold at $101,000 in 2006, reflecting 4.7 percent annual growth for the Grant Street townhouse which was marketed as having an expected rental return of $190 to $210 per week.
A prime parkside home in Sydney's Chatswood (below) fetched $4,955,000, the second dearest result at auctions across Australia over the weekend.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/20/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-20%20at%2010.17.40%20AM.png" alt="">
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-chatswood-124569382" target="_blank">47 Stanley Street</a>, the property was marketed as "an ideal combination of prime positioning and powerful potential."
The solid five bedroom Federation home on a 925 sq m block was knocked down to an local Chinese owner occupier at about 15 per cent above its reserve.
The combined capital city weekend clearance rate remains in the high 70s, despite mid-February auction volumes reaching the highest level so far this year, according to CoreLogic's auction commentator Kevin Brogan.
The larger volume was driven by a substantial rise across the Sydney and Melbourne markets, while there was a small decrease across the smaller capital cities.
The strongest clearance rates, based on preliminary data, were in Sydney and Canberra, where 83 per cent and 81 per cent of auctions returned a successful result.
Canberra’s preliminary auction clearance rate of 81 percent was consistent with last week, and significantly higher than the 61 per cent recorded last year.
A 2011 Philip Leeson-designed <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.allhomes.com.au/ah/act/sale-residential/50-schlich-street-yarralumla-canberra/1317334380511" target="_blank">Yarralumla house</a> (below) sold for $2.4 million with Peter Blackshaw Manuka agent Mario Sanfrancesco signing up seven registered bidders.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/20/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-20%20at%2010.19.08%20AM.png" alt="">
The Schlich Street block cost $861,000 in 2008.
Melbourne recorded a strong preliminary clearance rate, with 76 per cent of auctions clearing, just below the 77 per cent national average.
The preliminary combined capital city clearance rate was higher on the weekend than the 71 percent in same period last year.
The 2,280 auctions held was slightly lower as 2,347 auctions were held over the same time last year.
Across Melbourne, the 76 per cent clearance rate was up from 75 per cent last week and also higher than the 74 per cent over the same weekend last year.
Melbourne hosted around 1,100 auctions, around double the 556 held last weekend, and around the same seen one year ago.
This weekend in Melbourne, the number of properties for sale is expected to rise to 1400 with Domain's Dr Andrew Wilson suggesting the listings were big for February when auctions were usually only just starting to build up again.
Of the Melbourne sub-regions, the highest clearance rate was recorded across the North East region, with preliminary results showing 85.5 per cent of the 91 auctions were successful.
Sydney’s preliminary clearance rate this week was 83 per cent across 661 auction results.
There were a total of 844 auctions held across the city. Looking back at the same weekend last year, 800 auctions were held across Sydney and a clearance rate of 76 per cent was recorded.
The North Sydney and Hornsby region hosted the most auctions of any Sydney sub-region this week, with 137 properties taken to auction.
"It's another extraordinary result for Sydney," Domain chief economist Dr Andrew Wilson told Domain.
"Next week it could be even bigger with the number of property listings to rise about 30 per cent to 900."
Brisbane’s preliminary clearance rate was 50 per cent, down from 53 per cent last week.
There were 117 Brisbane auctions this week, compared to 131 last week.
Adelaide recorded a clearance rate of 68 per cent across 86 auctions this week, up from 66 per cent across 91 auctions last weekend.
Perth’s clearance rate of 36 per cent across 41 auctions was up from the previous week's 25 per cent.
Perth's highest sale was $2.1 million when a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-mount+pleasant-124579946" target="_blank">Tudor-style Mount Pleasant riverfront</a> reserve home (below) sold with views of the Mount Henry Bridge on the Canning River.
 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/20/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-20%20at%2010.20.24%20AM.png" alt="">
It was the same price as its 2011 sale at $2.1 million.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Rick Springfield's teen home sold at weekend auction

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GUEST OBSERVER
Super Saturday is coming early for Cooley Auctions with 100 homes set to go under the hammer on February 25 - a personal best for the successful team.
Looking back at the same weekend over the past five years, February has never looked hotter for Cooley Auctions. Only 2014 came close with 97 auctions in one day, but this year will smash that record.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Sydney cracks 1,000 auctions. It's definitely going to be a very big day. 
There are already 926 auctions scheduled for February 25 according to APM price finder figures, but that number could be higher on the day.
With so many homes on the auction block on one day, the Cooley Auctions team will be far busier than the same weekend last year when there were 66 auctions scheduled. In 2015 there were 83 auctions on the corresponding Saturday.
All eyes turn to February as the month when consumers and industry insiders can truly gauge how the year's auction season will shape up.
It's extremely important that the day passes the acid test. If the market goes well on a big Saturday with big volumes then the indication will be that the market is in a really good position to continue through the Easter period and most likely well into the first half of 2017.
If the autumn season starts with a bang then it almost always guarantees that the winter market will be hot. However, timing is everything.
Super Saturday usually comes just before Easter, but Easter this year is in mid April which is actually really good news for agents.
Agents can capitalise on that time frame. When Easter is a little bit later it means that we get a couple more weeks of auctions in before the holiday weekend.
Despite 2017 barely being two months in, the Sydney auction scene is already showing signs of market sentiment.
Honestly, I think there is a bit of fear about. A lot of vendors are trying to come onto the market as early as they can because there's a lot of talk of a market correction. There is a fear of missing out on the peak of the market which is absolutely a contributing factor to the number of auctions on February 25.
With such a bumper February that will see 403 auctions in the bag, Cooley Auctions is gearing up for a busy 2017. The closest February auction numbers were back in 2015 when the firm clocked up 379 auctions for the shortest month of the year and subsequently went on to perform more than 6,000 auctions over the 12-month period.
Damien Cooley, managing director of Cooley Auctions and can be contacted <a href="https://cooleyauctions.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Super Saturday in February: Damien Cooley

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The Melbourne and Sydney auction markets will ramp up this weekend with the holiday season well and truly over.
More than 200 homes are set for auction across Sydney and Melbourne this Saturday with Melbourne suburbs Hoppers Crossing, St Albans, Epping holding the most popular.
Sydney's western suburbs region will host the most number of auctions followed by the inner west and the upper north shore.
Dr Andrew Wilson, Domain Group chief economist said the most popular suburbs for auctions this weekend in Sydney are Blacktown, Marrickville and Parramatta.
"The lower north, Canterbury Bankstown and the south west all reported 100 percent clearance rates last weekend from low listing numbers," he said.
"In Melbourne, the north east, the outer east, the west and the inner east all reported 100 percent clearance rates last weekend from low listing numbers. 
"Low auction numbers can result in misleading insights into the underlying nature of the housing market with more robust understandings set to be revealed as listings climb sharply over coming weekends.
"The Reserve Bank will meet for the first time this year next week to decide the level of official interest rates for February. 
"Recent economic data remains underwhelming, particularly with the national jobless rate rising to 5.8 percent over December – the highest result for the year. Although the Bank is more likely to leave rates on hold for the fifth consecutive month, a pre-emptive early year cut similar to February 2015 can’t be ruled out."
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Sydney, Melbourne auction levels back from holiday lows

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The Channel Nine television series, The Block is more about entertainment than real estate.
But there are always important takeouts from the stressfully quick renovation which concluded with the Sunday night showing of its rather laboured auction finale.
The location of this year's Port Melbourne offerings was brave, not because it sat in the capital city attracting negative headlines around the increasing potential of an oversupply in apartments.
The choice pushed the envelope because Ingles Street is still very much an industrial location, so a b-grade location in most buyers' mind.
For Sydneysiders it would be like flogging prestige apartments on say Canal Road, Tempe.
Notwithstanding the nearby rubbish tip, it will be a cosmopolitan suburb, but not in the immediate future.
Its massive residential development potential is only now kicking in.
Everywhere one looked from the heritage Block apartments, there's development which is potentially a good outcome, but also a poses a risk, and at least a disruptive period for potential buyers.
It will be many years before there is anything like a village atmosphere, so the art deco office apartment offerings were only ever going to appeal to a small number of owner occupiers.
Indeed four of the five apartments were sold to investors including the winning one fitted out very well by the young Queenslanders, Will and Karlie. 
Dan and Carleen Foley’s apartment was bought by a young family of owner-occupiers.
Will and Karlie's ground floor garden apartment sold for $2.6 million, some $715,000 over its conservative reserve. Remarkably the pair only had the ground floor apartment because they came last in a challenge among the contestants.
I am a huge fan of garden apartments as they are a rarity, so should typically always make for good prices and price growth.
With some 200 sq m internal space, plus alfresco deck and lawn, it was the biggest price any apartment on The Block has ever secured, beating the $2.47 million paid in 2014 for an apartment in the converted cinema complx in upmarket Albert Park.
All five sales did much better than the current price per square metre record for Port Melbourne that sits around $7,000. 
There's no doubting the depreciation benefits attracted the investors. 
Buyers secured likely tax deductions upwards of $80,000 in the first year, totalling more than $2 million after 11-plus years of ownership.
Investors were accordingly out in force, lured by the tax treat that investors receive from depreciation.
It was interesting the only criticism of the apartments came not from the posse of buyers' agents, but rather the Melbourne radio comedian, Dave Hughes who got inside by pretending to be a potential buyer. He turned up with his cheque book, and registered for the right to bid, though never raised his auction paddle.
His major issues centred around the height of the ceilings, noting the ground floor apartment, renovated by Karlie and Will, was his obvious preference due to the high ceilings, which then disappointed elsewhere in the apartment complex conversion.
He suggested the apartment won because the ceilings were really high, and as "you got up higher the ceilings get lower and lower."
The comedian was also critical of the parking facilities.
"You've got one car port and you've gotta walk quite a way to get to the car port.
"There's no parking people!"
The 1920s converted soap factory office was, he however acknowledged, "extraordinary."
This article first appeared in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Garden apartments are property winners

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A likely $16 million private treaty trophy home sale in Mosman headlined the nation's weekend property sales.
It was the redundant Federation Queen Anne style home of the London-based infrastructure investment adviser, Peter Hofbauer.
The six-bedroom <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house/nsw/lower-north-shore/mosman/322852" target="_blank">1910 Bradleys Head Road</a> trophy home (above) on 2244 sqm was listed only late last month.
Offers were not due for another 20 days when it was snapped up Friday night.
It came with an asking price of between $15.5 million and $16.5 million through McGrath agents Michael Rava and Michael Coombs. 
It set a non-waterfront record for the suburb when it last sold at $7.15 million in 2001, but not this time.
At around $16 million is does rank as the third highest sale result across the lower north shore this year.
The Melbourne-born Hofbauer, who was previously Babcock &amp; Brown's head of infrastructure, moved back to London in 2007 where he now oversees infrastructure investments at Hermes, which is owned by BT Pension Scheme in London.
The top auction sales reported in Melbourne and Sydney were also both secured early in their pre-auction marketing.
A Cronulla beachfront (below) sold <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-cronulla-121799054" target="_blank">well ahead of its scheduled weekend auction</a> at $5.25 million on October 25.
<img src="/images/2016/11/07/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-07%20at%209.40.05%20AM.png" alt="">
The five bedroom, five bathroom bayside home sits on a near level 1340 sqm block with 24 metre width on the water.
It last sold at $4.3 million in 2011.
The Seaholme sale on the bay near Melbourne's Altona at $2.888 million was secured October 20.
The Jon Fredrick and Clayton Brown architecturally designed four bedroom home with study had a prominent street facade since built around 10 years ago.
<img src="/images/2016/11/07/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-07%20at%209.41.04%20AM.png" alt="">
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-seaholme-123732738" target="_blank">13 Esplanade, Seaholme home</a> (above) had been initially listed in May with $2.9 million hopes. 
Auction activity has continue to rise through into the final month of spring, however the number of auctions remained well below the highs recorded a year ago.
The preliminary national clearance rate was 77.5% across 2,490 reported auction results, according to CoreLogic.
This was higher than last week’s final clearance rate of 74.4 percent, with auction volumes increasing compared to the 2,253 capital city auctions reported last week.
Over the corresponding week last year, auctions volumes were significantly higher with 2,947 auctions reported and a 61 percent clearance rate.
The jump in success rate over the past week was especially evident in Melbourne which reported an 80.5 per cent clearance rate, up from the previous week's 77.5 percent.
There was a bigger jump in the Canberra clearance rate. Across Canberra a total of 113 auctions were held this week, compared to 93 last week and 122 at the same time last year. Canberra’s preliminary clearance rate of 79.5 percent was up on the 70 percent in the previous week. 
Sydney's 82.1 percent was the fourth week-on-week reporting above 80 percent, up from 80 percent, although the total 1,063 auctions scheduled fell just below last week's 1,100.   The Domain chief economist Dr Andrew Wilson suggests the Sydney market was beginning to ease 'reflecting more choice for buyers'.
'With more robust listing numbers also set for coming weekends' said Domain chief economist Dr Andrew Wilson.
Sydney’s preliminary auction clearance rate was up slightly on the prior week's 80.5 percent, while one year ago it was a significantly lower clearance rate of 58 percent.
The Northern Beaches sub-region of Sydney has shown the strongest performance with 92 percent of the 111 reported as sold over the past week.
It included the Thursday twlight auction when the North Curl Curl home of model Jennifer Hawkins and builder, husband Jake Wall sold.
They secured a $5,235,000 sale of the Koichi Takada-designed five bedroom, three bathroom home that had been listed with $4.8 million expectations.
<img src="/images/2016/11/07/north%20curl%20curl_0000_1.jpg.jpg" alt="" width="562" height="341">
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