Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

Joel Robinson

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

&nbsp;

Developer GURNER™ Group has revealed $1.65 billion in residential sales nationally across the 12 months to December 2025, driven largely by the continued momentum of its Docklands wellness-focused precinct, Elysium Fields.

The sales result was generated across seven projects in Victoria and New South Wales, headlined by Elysium Fields, GURNER™’s $2.75 billion mixed-use precinct planned for Harbour Esplanade in Docklands.

The project has recorded more than $500 million in sales across the first three towers, equating to around 580 apartments sold.

The first tower, Helios, has now sold out of its 240 private residences, with GURNER™ preparing to release a premium penthouse collection comprising 15 three-bedroom penthouses in coming weeks.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370975]

Elysium Fields is being developed on the long-held 20,000 sqm Docklands site at 208-226 Harbour Esplanade, which had remained undeveloped for more than two decades prior to GURNER™ taking over the project around four years ago.

Construction has now commenced across four towers ranging between 18 and 30 storeys, with Hamilton Marino and Maxcon appointed as builders.

Once complete, the precinct is expected to comprise around 1,100 residences, alongside retail, hospitality and public realm uses integrated throughout the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370981]

Designed by Fraser &amp; Partners in collaboration with GURNER™ Design House, the project has been positioned around the developer’s broader focus on wellness-led residential living.

“We don’t sell apartments. We create a true luxury lifestyle that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in the market today,” Founder and Executive Chairman Tim Gurner said.

“To deliver that requires an extraordinary level of detail, coordination and discipline across multiple verticals, from design and hospitality through to wellness and service.”

“We’ve always believed that living extends far beyond the physical residence. It’s about how you feel the moment you arrive, how you live day-to-day, and the ecosystem that supports that.” 
[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370977]

The project’s design places a heavy focus on landscaping, wellness amenities and biophilic design principles.

Plans include around 3,700 sqm of landscaped gardens and open space throughout the precinct, alongside a retail and dining offering spanning approximately 5,000 sqm.

The broader public realm strategy centres around what GURNER™ describes as the “Path of Life”, an urban forest and landscaped pedestrian environment intended to connect the various buildings and wellness spaces across the precinct.

The apartments themselves will incorporate a range of wellness-focused inclusions, including purified air and water systems, circadian lighting, antimicrobial surfaces, and optional in-home wellness upgrades.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370980]

Gurner said the company’s experience through its Saint Haven wellness clubs had directly informed the residential offering now being incorporated into Elysium Fields.

“We’re seeing a clear global shift toward longevity, performance and proactive health,” Gurner said.

“Our role is to deliver that in a way that feels seamless, highly private and beautifully resolved within the environments we create.”

A large component of the wellness offering is planned through the resident amenity and health facilities proposed within the precinct.

That includes plans for bathing and recovery facilities spread throughout the towers, incorporating mineral pools, saunas, steam rooms, flotation therapy, red light therapy and wellness lounges.

The developer is also seeking approvals for what it describes as a “reverse ageing medical clinic” within the precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370978]

According to project information released by the group, the proposed facility would include cryotherapy, IV infusion therapy, infrared and dry saunas, PEMF beds, MRIs, DEXA scans, brain scans and blood analysis services.

Within the first tower, Helios, residents will also have access to a dedicated amenity offering known as the Sky Private Club.

The upper 15 levels of the building will include private lounges, dining spaces, rooftop amenities and optional private wellness studios integrated within residences.

The Helios tower itself comprises 260 apartments ranging between 60 sqm and 300 sqm, including a collection of penthouses.

That includes a planned two-storey penthouse spanning around 600 sqm with uninterrupted bay views.

The Elysium Fields precinct is being delivered in partnership with Digital Harbour Holdings, a consortium that includes the Liberman family, which controls the development rights across the Docklands site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370979]

The sales result comes as GURNER™ continues expanding its national development pipeline beyond Victoria.

“We have a strong pipeline across Australia and are now focused on scaling into key markets including New South Wales and Queensland, while continuing to build on our Melbourne base,” Gurner said.

“We currently have more than $3 billion in the market, growing to over $5 billion by October, and expect to materially outperform last year in the 2026 calendar year.”

The result also reflects the continued strength of the upper-end apartment market in Melbourne, particularly for owner-occupier-focused product with large-scale amenity and lifestyle offerings.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144441]

Record result anchored by the Group’s “utopian” Elysium Fields precinct – defying market headwinds in Docklands.

Elysium Fields drive Gurner to $1.65 billion in apartment sales over 2025

National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more international and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party

Residential Development

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Construction is underway at the Turner architects designed No 1 Lachlan project in Waterloo.
Developed by Golden Age in collaboration with Time &amp; Place Property, No 1 Lachlan comprises three linked buildings.
They are of eight, nine and 10 storeys.
The three buildings will be made up of 143 one, two and three bedroom apartments.
The project is part of the inner-east's 278 hectare Green Square urban renewal initiative and on the doorstep of the future Green Square Town Centre.
One-bedroom apartments start at $665,000; two-bedrooms range from $960,000 and three- bedroom apartments are priced from $1,345,000.
Probuild have been commissioned to build the block on the 3355 sqm site which is due to be completed October 2017. 
The interiors will come from Melbourne multi-disciplinary practice Hecker Guthrie.
Each apartment will have  timber floors, pale walls, marble kitchens and fully-tiled bathrooms.
There will also be a childcare centre, cafe and retail tenancies in the development.
Building one will be a distinctive sculptural landmark with apartments located atop a two-storey retail space.
The 10th floor is a landscaped roof terrace, which comes with barbecues, lounge areas and shady vine-clad pergolas and will cantilever out over the street.
“I think everyone likes to look out over the edge,” says Dan Szwaj, associate director of Turners.
“We have stolen space over the street and engaged with the edge.”
 
 
 
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Construction commences on No 1 Lachlan St, Waterloo

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Whilst there has been so much commentary this week on the Federal Budget, I thought we could talk about a different type of Budget - one that’s just as important to property developers as the Budget is to the politicians.
Budgeting well for your building or construction works is crucial to the success (or not) of your development. 
Property developing can throw many different challenges at you but one thing I have learnt in this industry is there is always a solution to a problem. The trick is to understand what possible problems may arise and preparing yourself for them. This comes with experience but sometimes things don’t always go to plan and as a project manager it’s our responsibility to make sure a development is completed as efficiently as possible.
When pricing a development and running feasibilities, it is important to understand that your building estimate is an organic creature. By this I mean the building estimate you start with will nearly always be different to the one you end with.  It will evolve throughout the process as you obtain more and more details.  Once you have all the fine details, the building estimate can be finalised and a fixed price builder’s contract issued. 
When architecturally designing our villas, we follow this process:
<ol>
<li>Once the site has been secured, a Concept and Yield Plan is designed – this shows the number of units we can get onto a site and the size of each, but not much more detail.</li>
<li>After we are happy with the Concept Plan and we’ve received a Detailed Contour Survey and Geotech Report, then we progress to the more detailed Development Application (DA) plans. These include enough information to satisfy council requirements.</li>
<li>When the DA Consent is received, we finalise Construction Certificate (CC) plans – these include more detail, including engineering detail for the stormwater drainage and slab design.</li>
</ol>
Before a Concept Plan is available, the starting point in assessing the development potential is our construction estimate.  This is based on similar projects that we have recently completed and includes any allowances for differences in the sites.
The builder is asked to run their first quote based on the Concept Plan.  This is still a ‘loose’ estimate as there is not enough detail on the Concept Plan for the builder to give a finite cost.  The build estimate we have at this stage will tell us whether we are tracking within budget.  If not, we can make the necessary changes required, perhaps reducing the size of the units working with both our builder and architect to design the right dwellings for our project to be successful.
Once the Concept Plan is approved, the architect will proceed to full DA plans.  Using the information received on the Contour Survey and soil test results, there is much more detail added to the plans.  Our builder will then price the DA plans and we will review the costs against our initial estimates and make sure they are within our range for the project to be successful. At this stage we still do not have the final build cost but we will be getting closer to the expected outcome.  Once approved by our client, the DA plans are finalised and the DA is lodged with council.
During the DA process, council may request some changes to the plans, so it is important to understand we are still ‘evolving’ at this stage. Then once approved, we need to review the Conditions of the DA Consent before we have more detail to finalise the build costs.
Next we move to preparation of the CC plans.  Engineers will be briefed and a stormwater drainage and engineered slab design or footings for the foundations will be produced. More detail is added to the CC plans, finalising levels and double checking schedules. 
Before we lodge the CC plans with our private certifier we will have our builder issue a third costing. It is this costing that will give us the final build costs...well almost.  We still need to have the CC approved and ensure there are no further revisions to the plans required.  
After we have the CC stamped plans, our builder will issue their final tender and the building contract. This will be a fixed price contract; however, there may still be a few items that will be ‘provisional’. They are usually some site works, removal of fill and retaining walls.  The builder may mark these items as provisional as they won’t know until works proceed exactly what the cost is. For instance, if rock is hit during the site cut, this will increase the site costs. If the site cut differs slightly to the plans, this may impact on the height of retaining walls.  So these ‘provisional’ items will be charged at actual cost whether it is lower or higher.
So you can see how the build budget must evolve through the development process and until your development is completed, you really won’t know the exact cost.  It’s important you allow a contingency amount for any variations that may arise along the way. 
As a developer, you will embark on a challenging journey from start to finish and the development budget is a very important part of your work. If you don’t have experience, then consider using the help of an experienced project manager to guide you along the way.
And always take the time to have builder’s estimates updated at each stage of your development planning process to avoid any nasty surprises. 
Jo Chivers is chief executive officer of property development project managers <a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/about" target="_blank">Property Bloom</a>.
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jochivers-wq5Bp59R5a

Building a better Budget: Jo Chivers

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Developer Jeff Xu's Golden Age sold of the second stage of its Sky One residential project in Box Hill.
It sold more than $80 million worth of apartments on Saturday.
Last month at the launch for Sky One Box Hill some 85 percent of the apartments on offer sold for $140million.
Thousands came through the display suite which had to be kept open for several extra hours on both days to cope.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Golden Age secure $80 million in Sky One apartments off the plan

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The south west residential market in the Australian Capital Territory leads the latest National Top 20 Building and Population Hotspots from the Housing Industry Association with an annual population growth rate of 127.3 percent and 216,488,000 residential building approvals in 2014/15.
HIA Economist Diwa Hopkins said total of more than 220,000 new dwellings were commenced last year with a strong performance among housing Hotspots across Australia. 
“The report identifies a total of 602 Hotspots spread right across Australia’s eight states and territories. Nearly all jurisdictions were represented amongst the National Top 20 Hotspots,” she said. 
<a href="/images/2016/04/27/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-27%20at%209.19.24%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/04/27/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-27%20at%209.19.24%20AM.png" alt="">
The report found six top 20 hotspots in Victoria, five in Western Australia , four in NSW two each in QLD and the ACT and one in the Northern Territory. 
A hotspot is defined as a local area where population growth exceeds the national average and where the value of residential building work approved is in excess of $100 million, according to the HIA.
The report found the ACT’s South West area was the country’s top hotspot yet again, with $216.5 million worth of new residential building approved and its population more than doubling.
"In second place was Cranbourne East in Melbourne’s southeast, where the population increased by 32.0 per cent and some $328.7 million worth of new residential building was approved. Rounding off the national Top 3 was Cobbitty-Leppington in the southwest of Sydney," Diwa Hopkins said. 
“In the final analysis, the fact that ten of the Top 20 Hotspots are located in NSW and Victoria speaks volumes. These two states have been the engines of the strong upturn in new home building over the last few years. It is also encouraging to see WA still perform strongly this time at the national level, considering the difficulties arising from the natural resources downturn.".
 
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Where are the hottest markets for housing? HIA

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A mixed-use masterplanned urban village in Melbourne's Footscray comprising up to 1,000 apartments and a new retail laneway linking the suburb to the Maribyrnong River is part of a $600 million development plan by developer Growland.
The site at 8 Hopkins Street spans 13,500 square metre and on completion will also feature an elevated Olympic-sized running track for residents.
The precinct, designed by Melbourne architectural firm Kavellaris Urban Design (KUD), will be named Joseph Place and proposes six buildings earmarked for apartments and a potential hotel, 4,000 square metres of retail space and open space for public.
If approved by the state government, construction on Joseph Place is expected to start in early 2017, with the first apartment building due to launch for sale over the coming months.
Due for completion over the next several years, the integrated mixed-use development is expected to house more than 3000 residents and 30 new retailers.
Apart from a new retail laneway, it will have a pedestrian link from Footscray to the Maribyrnong River where, in the future, potential river taxis could connect locals to the city.
“Joseph Pl will elevate what’s on offer in Footscray, bringing its amenity in line with its inner city neighbours. The elevated Olympic-sized running track takes the idea of an apartment gym to the next level,” KUD director Billy Kavellaris said. 
Growland CEO Stephen Yau said Footscray was the same distance from the city as Richmond and was currently undergoing the same transformation Richmond underwent some years ago. 
“Footscray is currently in the midst of a demographic shift - attracting a new wave of students, young professionals and working families who are looking to reside in a well-connected community with easy access to transport services,” Yau said.
“The inner west has been recognised as one of Melbourne’s most undervalued opportunities and is due for rapid growth over the next two to five years."
The Joseph Place precinct is 4.5 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD. 
Growland is a Melbourne-based developer which was founded in 2013 by property entrepreneur Bruce Chan and architect Stephen Yau.
 
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Plans afoot for a $600 million, 1,000 apartment project in Melbourne's Footscray

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Buyers want technology in their dwellings and lives.
So Avantra, the Longton Property Group’s $300 million project in Sydney’s Mascot, aims to bring this new dimension to the luxury residential living with its mix of high-end design and technology. 
On completion residents of the 328-apartment complex will have access to a unique iButler service that simplifies tasks like shopping, cleaning, pet care etc.
iButler is a cross-platform application that offers customers a search and booking function for domestic services such as shopping, car washing, pet care, household cleaning, dry cleaning and booking removalists. 
Avantra residents will be able to use their provided iPads and other personal devices to book services simply by entering their postcode from any location and choosing the desired service.
Home automation is one of the unique technological offerings of the Avantra project, and the developer's apartment project offers unique home automation through the iButler service.
Online grocery shopping through the iButler system is a convenient service.
It also including ‘smart’ digital lockers that residents can use to receive home delivered goods.
Avantra is spread over a 8,762 square metre site and comprises two multi-storey buildings, including ground floor retail and a courtyard garden.   
Residents will also have their own information sharing network, iCommunity, providing updates on the news, weather and finance on personal devices and electronic noticeboards placed in the lobby.
The iCommunity Network is a dedicated community social media platform for each Longton apartment complex, which uses Twitter and its Chinese sister, Weibo, to create a virtual neighbourhood. 
The social media network will deliver daily updates regarding neighbourhood events (like BBQs, birthdays, catch ups), community initiatives (sports or groups) and a classified advertisements section. 
The courtyard overlooked by the multi-storey apartments also focuses on the concept of community.
Avantra’s landscape designer, Daniel Baffsky of 360 Degree Landscape says it is designed to bring “a higher level of detail to the landscape spaces so we bring in a domestic feel”.
The internal size of studios in Avantra are 60m˛to 61m, one-bedroom plus MPR units are 75m to 82m, two-bedroom plus MPR units are 100m to 127m, while three-bedroom plus MPR unit is 154 m. 
Avantra builds on a blend of an iconic industrial past with contemporary city living, boasting roof top gardens and a swimming pool with a view of the CBD, according to the developer.
It is close from Mascot station and 5 km from the Sydney CBD. 
Residents can expect to move in by December 2017.
For more information, <a href="https://www.avantra.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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New housing project in Sydney's Mascot makes life easy with Hi-Tech

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Melbourne-based developer Hudson Conway has appointed CBRE to sell its Somerset Rise project in NSW's Albury, with offers expected to exceed $10 million. 
The developer wants to exit the project to focus on those closer to its base in Melbourne.
Spanning nearly 42 hectares, the project has already delivered 76 houses across stages one, two and three.
The land holding has been developed over the past few years into a development for house and land buyers, underpinned by its location just minutes from Albury Airport and reputed educational facilities nearby.  
"There are 51 lots ready to be sold or developed as well as 288 undeveloped lots in future stages. We are selling the project as a whole, with the buyer to benefit from the work completed by the vendors to date," said Wizel. 
Wizel expects offers from a range of local developers, from South Australia, Victoria and greater New South Wales.
The average block in Somerset Rise has sold for around $132,500 in the past 18 months.
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Hudson Conway to sell remainder of Somerset Rise land holding in Albury

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Port Melbourne's 1 Dairy Lane premises have been listed with $3 million hopes.
The property was the Barry family’s <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-port+melbourne-121966490" target="_blank">Ideal Dairy</a>, dating from 1931.
Architect Jackson Clements Burrows has since transformed it into a warehouse-style urban oasis with brick walls, exposed trusses and beams.
There's now under-floor hydronic heating, car turntable, parents’ retreat with study and open-plan indoor/ outdoor living spaces.
It is listed through Hocking Stuart agent David Wood.
When is a pre-purchase building inspection a must?  What do they entail?  How does one interpret the results?  What defects can be fixed and which ones should prompt you to walk away. Jarrod McCabe, associate director, Wakelin Property Advisory and Peter Alexander, building inspector, Safehome Building Inspections present a webinar for Victorian home buyers on April 20. <a href="https://wakelin.com.au/inspection" target="_blank">Click here to register</a>.
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Ideal Dairy offering in Port Melbourne

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I’m not sure if you are into New Age stuff, but in my experience it works. I’ve read a few books and I think most of us has seen the movie “The Secret” a few years ago which really bought it all into the mainstream.
The Law of Attraction is a belief based on the concept that ‘like attracts like’ and that focussing on positive thoughts you will attract positive outcomes. Negative thoughts will do the same, attract negative outcomes. 
Whilst property developing is mostly all about numbers, if you don’t have the right mindset then you may find it hard to succeed. This goes for most things in life really.
I’ll tell you a little story. It’s been about 15 years since I started my business. Looking back, it was pretty crazy times. Not only did I transition from a career in marketing cosmetics to developing property, I also educated myself financially and bought a hand full of investment properties and had my first son all in the space of about a year.
I’ll always remember when I started Property Bloom as it was the year I also started a family. After discovering I was pregnant, I suddenly decided that we (my then husband and I) needed to build up our wealth in preparation for our retirements, still a way away but this must have been how my “nesting instinct” played out. When you are pregnant the increase in adrenaline in your system, alongside hormones and emotions makes mother’s-to-be very productive.
Rather than buying baby things, I started buying properties. Instead of cleaning out the cupboards, I sat in lecture theatres being inspired by all the strategies you can use to build wealth through property.
In the process of setting up our portfolio of investment properties, I realised just how much I loved property. I wanted to create a business where I could still do what I loved and have the flexibility to look after my little baby. After developing property for myself, a couple of friends asked me to project manager theirs and so that’s how Property Bloom came about. My little baby is turning 15 soon and so much has happened in this time.
The biggest, most challenging change for me came just two years ago when I became a single mum. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out for my marriage and after 19 years it was the biggest decision of my life to leave it. I had to weigh up many things and the most important being the kids. I have two beautiful sons and they are my priority. With the help of some good counselling and support of my awesome girlfriends, I made it through. The scariest thing was not fully knowing how I would manage financially.
But I needn’t have worried as during the last few years, I worked out how we can create and attract what we want. It’s all about having the right energy or mindset.
I was so unhappy I didn’t realise how much this sadness impacted on my daily life. I used exercise and keeping busy to cope but at the end of the day, I was finding it hard to keep a positive mindset. Then two massive life changing things happened. My elderly father died and then suddenly my younger mother-in-law died in the space of just a few months. These were the first deaths in my family and the harsh perspective they gave me was so powerful it literally kicked me into action.  Life was too short and I knew I had to make a massive change.
When I became happy after making that enormous and very tough decision, it was like the entire universe was on my side. My business was already doing well, possibly as I used it to focus on to get me through the tough times. But as a feeling of peace flowed through me, everything became brighter and it was easy to be positive.
I cherished the time I had with my boys and also the newly found time I had to myself when they were with their father. I’d never had much time to myself. Building a business and raising a family is time consuming and hard work. I used this precious time to recharge my energy levels, rebuild my self-esteem and focus on what I wanted.
In the meantime, my property development project management business that I love so much, was gaining momentum. Lots of clients were coming back to do a second and third project with us and new clients were attracted to the high level of service our boutique business offers. This meant I had no reason to feel financially worried despite taking out a massive mortgage on the family home so the kids and I could still stay there. Thank goodness for low interest rates!
After a while, I started thinking that the only thing missing was a partner to share my happy life with.
This is the fun bit. One New Year’s Eve, over a few glasses of champagne with my girlfriends, I wrote out a list of things I wanted in a new partner. This is much like writing out a list of goals. When you write them down, they become real and the more you go back and review them, the more energy and focus you are putting on them.
Almost a year to the day of writing that list, I met an amazing man. As we got to know each other, I was blown away that he was literally everything on my list, and more – no mean feat considering it was two pages long!
I’m ecstatically happy and very grateful, its amazing how awesome life is.
So how is your mindset right now? Make it positive and not negative, as remember like attracts like. Are there any changes (hopefully not as dramatic as mine) that you can make that will help you achieve your goals and have you written them down yet?  If something cannot be changed, you can still change your attitude about it. Get started on attracting what you want, perhaps it’s to get started on that development project you’ve always wanted to do.
Your mind is the most powerful tool you’ll ever need on a development site. 
Jo Chivers is chief executive officer of property development project managers <a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/about" target="_blank">Property Bloom</a>.
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What’s the most important tool needed to develop property? Jo Chivers 

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Plans are afoot for a 267 apartment residential project in Sydney's north-west. 
Capital Corporation has submitted a development application (DA) with Hills Shire Council for ‘Esplanade’, proposed to be an integrated community comprising 267 apartments across two high-rises, with a host of resident-only facilities, three levels of boutique workspaces, waterfront dining and retail areas.
The DA is the result of a long consultation process with Norwest Association and Council, says Capital Corporation managing director Steve Grant.
“We know and understand Norwest and Bella Vista as a residential area and business park – we were integral in developing that original vision - but what we could see was its future as an integrated lifestyle destination," said Grant.
“We’ve sought input and consulted extensively on our ideas, and overlaid that with what we’ve learnt from our projects in the Fairway Drive area, in terms of understanding the developing family and empty-nester market around Norwest.
The project, designed by architects Turner, will take come up on the waterfront site best known as the location of the Sydney Ice Arena on Solent Circuit, Baulkham Hills.
The Ice Arena is expected to relocate later this year.
“Bella Vista, which sits within Norwest, has always been considered a premium residential area – outperforming beyond anyone’s expectations. People have always looked on it as a high-end neighbourhood," said Grant.
“Esplanade responds to the fact that many families who moved here two and three decades ago are questioning whether the big house and high-maintenance garden is what they want to deal with for the next ten years.
“Moving into a new home, within easy reach of all the things that make daily life more enjoyable is now a real consideration for people living in the suburbs surrounding Norwest,” he says.
The development will have landscaped gardens, a rooftop cinema, a pool and barbecue areas. 
The project also proposes to upgrade the boardwalk on Norwest Lake, expanding the public space at ground level. 
The Norwest station is close and Grant says he is confident that as the M2 and M7 connected Norwest to the rest of Sydney, so too would the Sydney Metro North-West transform the travel experience in the area and link it even more easily to key education, medical and shopping hubs.
“There are some 20,000 people working in Norwest right now with projections that could grow to 35,000. More than 400 companies base themselves here and investors will see the obvious opportunity in locating attainable urban-style living within such a successful employment centre," he said.
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