One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

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The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<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/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

First look: Inca eyes Mona Vale with State Significant DA for Dawn apartments

Residential Property

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Developers Abacus Property and Linear Group have introduced a limited number of penthouses, and terrace homes, for final release for the residential development One A Erskineville. 
Richard Crookes Constructions is the builder for One A. The project is now under construction and due for completion in 2017.
For more information, click <a href="https://www.onealiving.com.au%20" target="_blank">here</a>. 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

One A Erskineville set to demolish display suite after success sales campaign

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Developers Neometro are building a new urban village called Jewell Station in Brunswick, Melbourne.
Jewell Station will feature new bike paths, communal gardens, public arts and events programs, a rejuvenated local park, cafés, independent retail and meditation spaces.
The development sits on former VicTrack land surrounding the Upfield Line station.
Neometro has collaborated with community partners, including urban farming group 3000acres, to establish community gardens, Melbourne art consultancy Utopian Slumps to commission a public art piece for the precinct, and speciality coffee trader Phase One Coffee to open a new café onsite.
According to Neometro Director James Tutton, sustainability is central to every aspect of this New Urban Village.
“Sustainable living is about creating infrastructure that supports resilient communities while incorporating environmentally-sustainable design principles into the built form,” he said.
“For us, a home is much more than four walls and a roof. Building spaces that promote creative and connected communities is at the core of our values.
Some 13 one-bedroom and 65 two- bedroom apartments make up the eight-story (plus rooftop residents’ amenities) Barkly building released for sale. Ground floor retail opportunities and apartments within a second building will be offered towards the end of the year.  
Neometro will use law firm Maddocks electronic contract exchange platform ‘eContracts’ for the project.
For more information, <a href="https://neometro.com.au/projects/current/jewell-station" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Neometro's new urban village at Jewell Station

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Some 613 suburbs in Australia have a median value of at least $1 million according to the latest CoreLogic Property Pulse, up 29 percent over the year.
Houses, with 570 suburbs listed (93 percent), dominated the million dollar median group while the remaining 43 (7 percent) were for units said CoreLogic research analyst Cameron Kusher who added the number of suburbs has increased by 125 percent over the past 3 years.
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“The data highlights the bracket creep that has occurred over the housing growth cycle, and how housing affordability in NSW (Sydney) and to a lesser degree Vic (Melbourne) has deteriorated. An increasing number of suburbs in these two states now have a median value of at least $1 million,” he said. 
"The top 25 suburbs achieving the highest median values are those located in prime locations such as Sydney’s waterfront and the inner-city suburbs. Toorak with a number 9 ranking and Peppermint Grove ranked number 17, are the only two suburbs shown that are not located in Sydney. For units, Sydney’s Dawes Point is the only suburb to make into the list of top 25.
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"Outside of NSW, Vic and WA, the most expensive Qld suburb is Tenerife with a median house value of $1,644,643, SA most expensive suburb is Springfield with a median house value of $1,737,499, NT most expensive suburb is Larrakeyah with a median house value of $1,196,987 and ACT most expensive suburb is Forrest with a median value of $2,067,813 for houses. 
“While overall housing demand may be slowing a little, we expect that with historic low interest rates, demand for premium housing is set to remain buoyant over the coming year. Subsequently we would expect in 12 months’ time even more suburbs to have a median value of at least $1 million.
"Tasmania was the only state in Australia where no suburbs reached a median value of at least $1 million. In New South Wales, the proportion of suburbs with a median value of at least $1 million has increased over time from 59.7 percent of national suburbs in 2008 to 68.2 percent in both 2015 and 2016. Victoria also increased its proportion of million dollar suburbs from 13.6% in 2008 to 16.6% in 2016. Queensland and Western Australia experienced a large decline in the proportions of suburbs with a median value of at least $1 million between 2008 and 2016."
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613 suburbs reach million dollar median value: CoreLoigic

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Project Zero received the Award for a House Alteration and Addition over 200 m2 at the Houses Awards last month. 
It also received two awards at the Queensland Architecture Awards. 
According to the Houses Award jury, Project Zero has living areas organised around a central courtyard, which is largely a green space, creating the feeling that you are living within a garden as well as solar-powered energy on the north-facing sections of roof, on-site water treatment, reclaimed building materials and vegetable gardens with chooks and a worm-farm.
According to Mr Brian Donovan, Principal BVN, the house consolidates the research embedded in precedent buildings where central outdoor spaces are used to organise the composition of interior rooms.
 “This is reflected in the way that the building elements have been pushed to the boundaries to create a major landscape area in the centre of the site,” he said.
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Another design award for Project Zero

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SPONSORED POST
Rental properties make money for investors through income and capital gains, both of which are taxable.
Depending on your annual income from investments, wages and other sources, tax can eat up a sizable chunk of your returns.
One way to minimise your tax bill is to ensure you’re claiming all of the deductions you can on your investment property.
Expenses you incur due to owning a rental property can be o set against the income the investment brings in.
If the deductions add up to more than the income, you can offset set the tax loss against earnings from other sources. If the income is higher than the total value of deductions, you must pay tax on the excess. 
Most of the income you’ll receive from your investment property will be rent paid by tenants. Other property-related income is also taxable, such as insurance payouts for damage to the property or lost rent, and rental bond you’ve retained to pay for damage caused by tenants.
The Australian Taxation Office has strict rules about what costs and expenses you can and can’t use to reduce your tax bill. For example, you can only claim expenses for the period that your property was rented or available for rent.
You can claim some expenses in full in the tax year in which you incurred them but others must be claimed over a number of years.
CLAIM IN FULL NOW
The long list of expenses you can claim straight away includes:
• Interest on your mortgage
• Strata fees
• Council rates
• Water bills
• Repairs and maintenance
• Pest control
• Property management costs
• Advertising for tenants
• Land tax
• Legal expenses
• Bank charges
• Administration costs such as phone bills, stationery and postage.
You can claim a tax deduction this year on expenses you’ve prepaid such as insurance and interest on your mortgage for the coming nancial year.
CLAIM OVER TIME
Some costs must be claimed over several years. Charges for establishing a mortgage are usually claimed over five years, for instance. Assets that wear out and need to be replaced periodically – such as carpets and hot water systems – need to be depreciated with the cost claimed over their useful lifespan. 
You may also be able to claim capital works deductions, which cover the property’s construction costs, including the home itself, carports, sealed driveways and fences, and items that are fixed in the building such as kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
DON’T CLAIM AS EXPENSES
You can’t claim the cost of buying and selling the property or any initial repairs that are needed before you can rent it out. These costs are factored into the profit, or capital gain, you make when you sell.
These lists are not exhaustive. If in doubt, check with a tax professional. 
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To download a free ebook on new financial year taxation tips for property investors,<a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/tools/ebooks-and-webinars/55208-new-financial-year-tax-planning-tips-for-property-investors" target="_blank"> click here</a>.
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New financial year tax tips for property investors

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Houses in Melbourne, the NSW Central Coast, Dubbo and QLD's Gold Coast are at market peak according to the July property clock from Herron Todd White.
Melbourne's, the NSW Central Coast's and Dubbo's apartments were at the peak in HTW's Property Clock for June.
Gold Coast are the only change to June's peak of the market localities.
Sydney's markets have gone from starting to decline to rising, according to the valuation firm.
Bundaberg and Townsville remain at the bottom of the market.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2016/07/05/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-05%20at%2012.28.26%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2016/07/05/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-05%20at%2012.28.26%20PM.png" alt="" width="734" height="471">
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Melbourne houses at market peak: HTW July 2016 property clock

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The first half of the 2016 calendar year in the Canberra residential property market has seen linear growth and a further shift in demand towards detached established dwellings, says the July residential market report from valuation firm Herron Todd White in its discussion on properties around or below $500,000.
While modern and centrally located unit stock is available in abundance in the sub-$500,000 bracket, numerous changes in lending criteria for investors, poor rental performance and product oversaturation in particular segments are the main drivers leading this shift. When coupled with less than desirable capital growth, the market has been responding accordingly. 
“The lazy half million can still achieve reasonably good value in both the north and south of Canberra,” says the report. 
Two suburbs which highlight this are Ngunnawal (Gungahlin region) and Wanniassa (Tuggeranong region). 
“$500,000 will secure a 1990s, four-bedroom, two-bathroom, two-garage home on a 600 square metre block in Ngunnawal and a similar home in Wanniassa albeit 18 years older and on a larger parcel of land.
“With the median house price in the ACT hovering around the $560,000 mark, the lazy half million doesn’t stretch as far as it used to when chasing solid capital growth. Gone are the days of being able to crack the inner south or even the Woden Valley region, both desired for solid capital performance.” 
This is evidenced by several recent sales of vacant land (remunerated loose fill asbestos blocks) for well over $500,000. 
With the aforementioned regions being prohibitively expensive, focus has transferred to the Weston region (specifically suburbs geographically close to Woden, Waramanga and Weston) with strong growth observed in the past 18 months. The market has realised this potential and sales of three-bedroom, one-bathroom ex-government stock has increased, with new owners electing to renovate and play the waiting game.
As an example, Property Observer found a three-bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-act-wanniassa-122450138" target="_blank">4/35 Lansell Circuit, Wanniassa, ACT 2903</a> which recently sold for $410,000.
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Canberra's north and south offer property value for $500,000: HTW

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GUEST OBSERVER
The departure of Britain from the Eurozone took most pundits by surprise. 
Reviewing past events, we know that markets do not like surprises. The bookmakers expected the occurrence of this event to be rare and global markets are now feeling the immediate aftermath of the result. 
The local property market will not be immune to this. BREXIT has been resisted by the wealthy and educated as these graphs from The Guardian show.
<a href="/images/2016/07/08/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-08%20at%204.24.59%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/07/08/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-08%20at%204.24.59%20PM.png" alt="">
 
Secret Agent feels that BREXIT could create a bigger hit to the high end property market in Australia than other sections of the market in the short term. 
While auction results after BREXIT were generally robust, we are likely to witness: 
Subdued auction results at the higher end of the property market as participants sit on their hands to see what happens. * The commercial market tighten as sophisticated investors try to interpret how this might impact their investments. 
Tighter credit conditions (lending) could result if major banks see an increase in offshore funding costs. The major banks each experienced a 3 - 5% decline on the day of BREXIT. 
A further rate cut by the RTBA will become more likely. The yield curve, which is perhaps the best predictor of interest rates indicates further cuts in the short term (see Figure 1). 
One counterintuitive aspect could be an increase in foreign capital to Australia's property market as Australia retains its safe haven status. This could be a medium term by-product, especially if our federal election delivers a clear outcome. 
<a href="/images/2016/07/08/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-08%20at%204.26.18%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/07/08/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-08%20at%204.26.18%20PM.png" alt="">
PAUL OSBORNE is managing director of buyers' advocate <a href="https://secretagent.com.au/" target="_blank">Secret Agent</a>.
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Brexit impact on Australian property: Paul Osborne

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Annual rental rates are 0.6 percent lower over the past year with weekly rents across the combined capital cities falling 0.4 percent in June 2016 according to the CoreLogic June Rent Review. CoreLogic research analyst Cameron Kusher said the large rental falls in Perth (8.6 percent) and Darwin (16.2 percent) have pulled the combined capital average lower, with rents in Brisbane (0.3 percent) and Adelaide (0.4 percent) also lower over the year. 
<a href="/images/2016/07/08/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-08%20at%2010.14.21%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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“It is anticipated that the weakness in the rental market will persist and where on an annual basis, we will see rents fall even further over coming months,” he said. 
"At a combined capital city level, gross rental yields were recorded at 3.2 percent for houses in June 2016 and at 4.1 percent for units, each of which are sitting at record low levels.
“A year ago, gross rental yields were recorded at 3.5 percent for houses and 4.4 percent for units across the combined capitals, indicating a fairly sharp compression of yields over the year.
<a href="/images/2016/07/08/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-08%20at%2010.18.00%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/07/08/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-08%20at%2010.18.00%20AM.png" alt="">
“It’s also likely that we’ll see yields compress further over the coming months. However, this will be dependent on growth in home values as well as the direction of rental rates."
CoreLogic found combined capital city rental rates are $487/week for houses and $469/week for units.
<a href="/images/2016/07/08/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-08%20at%2010.14.33%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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Weekly rents fall by 0.6 percent over the past year: CoreLogic 

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Median prices and price indexes are very blunt instruments for measuring real estate markets.
When it comes to charting what’s happening in property markets, price data is a long way behind the game and prone to all kinds of statistical absurdities.
Price statistics are part of a chain reaction which means most investors get into markets too late to buy well. After something fundamental changes in a market, causing activity to start rising, it can be six months before it starts to be reflected in prices and even longer before it comes to attention of consumers via the media.
If you’re reading there’s a price boom somewhere, you’ve already missed the best time to purchase by at least 12 months. But that’s the signal that sparks most investors into action.
Fortunately, there’s a better way.
It’s one of clear patterns of real estate that changes in sales activity translates into price reactions, all other things being equal. It’s sounds simplistic but it’s not - it’s merely simple. There’s a correlation between sales volumes and prices rises/falls. But the change in activity comes first and the price reaction follows later.
So there are plenty of lessons to be seen in what’s happening to sales activity in major markets around the country.
Our latest edition of The Price Predictor Index shows quite starkly how much the Sydney and Melbourne markets have declined in terms of activity. 
Boom markets seldom extend beyond three years and Sydney’s cycle has inevitably passed its peak and turned south. The vast Sydney metropolitan area, with over 700 suburbs, is bereft of suburbs with forward momentum. Many suburbs now display patterns of sharply declining sales levels – and many of those areas are now experiencing price stagnation or decline.
Melbourne has followed Sydney into the post-boom phase of the property cycle. There has been a marked downturn in the number of growth suburbs in the Greater Melbourne area, down from 105 in our previous quarterly survey to 28. Most of the ranked suburbs now have Plateau markets (sales tapering off at levels below their peak).
While Melbourne generally is fading, one region that continues to pump is the Mornington Peninsula LGA. Bayside suburbs at opposite ends of the price spectrum - Rosebud West (median house price $425,000) and Sorrento ($900,000), and several others in between - have markets where sales activity is rising steadily.
Meanwhile, the City of Greater Geelong is the No.1 market in Victoria. It has plenty of upwardly-mobile suburbs, more than any other LGA in the state and fourth best in the nation (behind three municipalities in South-East Queensland). A standout feature is the growing sales activity in cheaper suburbs such as Norlane, Corio, Belmont and Clifton Springs. This doesn’t surprise, as Geelong thrives on being an affordable alternative to Melbourne.
Torquay on the Surf Coast south of Geelong and the towns of the Bass Coast LGA - including Inverloch, Wonthaggi and Cowes – are also travelling well.
Meanwhile, and this will surprise many people, Adelaide ranks as the leading capital city market now. It has more suburbs with rising sales activity (47) than all other cities. Brisbane is the only serious challenger, with 41 growth suburbs. 
Adelaide’s No.1 municipality is the Port Adelaide Enfield LGA. This is one of the largest municipalities in Adelaide, covering the inner north and north-west of the city. Eight suburbs in this LGA have forward momentum, mostly suburbs with median house prices in the range from $380,000 to $510,000. They include Broadview, Northgate, Windsor Gardens and Largs Bay. 
Also chugging along nicely is the City of Charles Sturt, one of those solid middle-market areas that have strong property markets amid the steady rise of Adelaide.
The Charles Sturt LGA includes bayside suburbs west of the Adelaide CBD, including rising markets such as Henley Beach (median house price $690,000) and Henley Beach South ($830,000), as well as some more affordable locations such as Findon ($475,000), Kidman Park ($555,000), Semaphore Park ($480,000) and Seaton ($455,000).
Brisbane and South-East Queensland still have good activity happening. The Gold Coast remains the No.1 municipality in the nation in terms of the number of suburbs with growing sales activitity and the No.2 and No.2 LGAs in that regard are found in the Brisbane metropolitan area. 
The Greater Brisbane area has a smaller number of growth markets than three months ago, but remains considerably stronger than Sydney and Melbourne. Its leading precincts are two fringe areas on the periphery of the metropolitan area – the Moreton Bay Region in the far north and Logan City in the far south. This suggests the Brisbane cycle is at or close to its peak. But, for now, it remains one of the strongest cities.
The other standout city is Hobart. The last time Hobart captured the national imagination for property investment was in 2003/2004. Most the intervening period has been characterised by economic and population stagnation and an enduring status as the basket case of the national economy.
But all that has changed. Tasmania is a contender again and this has translated into rising performance in the Hobart property market. Sales numbers are up, prices and rents are responding, and investors are starting to take action.
It helps that Hobart has the lowest prices, high rental yields and lowest vacancies among the eight capital cities.
 
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a>
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