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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Local Little Bay residents, along with buyers from premium postcodes across Sydney’s affluent Eastern Suburbs, have dominated purchases in developer-builder Urban Property Group’s first Eastern Suburbs apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a>.

The $250 million coastal project, one of the first new developments in the area in several years, has proven particularly popular with downsizers, especially those from Coogee and Bondi. One Double Bay downsizer paid $4.7 million for a four-bedroom penthouse, setting a new local apartment price record in the process.

Buyers have been attracted to the combination of coastal tranquillity, premium design and amenity-rich neighbourhood living. The walkable village setting, along with proximity to three of Sydney’s leading golf courses, New South Wales Golf Club, St Michael’s Golf Club and The Coast Golf Club, has also been a key drawcard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352689]

Built across two low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis</a> and set along a lush, landscaped green spine, designed by leading landscape architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, ESTE Little Bay offers a collection of one, two, three and four-bedroom residences with interiors by Richards Stanisich.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> Sales Director, Tom McIvor said the response to ESTE has been "nothing short of extraordinary."

“Buyers have been quick to recognise ESTE as a rare opportunity to invest in a coastal sanctuary that offers both seclusion and connectivity to the heart of Sydney,” McIvor said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352687]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">SRM Residential</a> Senior Director, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">Clayton Ross</a> said the local market has responded incredibly well, driven by ESTE’s exceptional location and the rarity it offers.

“We’ve seen strong interest from a variety of buyer groups, all of whom are drawn to the exclusivity and quality of the build and construction by the 4.5-star iCIRT-rated builder / developer, Urban Property Group. There’s truly nothing else like it along Sydney’s coastline.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352690]

The project also includes robust buyer protections, including Resilience Insurance’s Latent Defects Insurance, providing 10 years of structural cover, and an independent iCIRT-rating of the developer.

“The iCIRT-rating adds another layer of confidence,” Ross added. “Buyers see it as a safeguard for their investment and their lifestyle.” A highlight of ESTE’s offering is its exclusive wellness amenities, including a heated rooftop infinity pool and outdoor heated spa, a state-of-the-art Technogym fitness centre, and a sauna.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a> is topped out and is on track to complete towards the end of 2026, with residents moving in before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112343]

Eastern Suburbs buyers snap up ESTE Little Bay apartments

Residential Sales

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In our Purchase or Pass segment this week we are joined by Anthony Bell from Bell Partners, Nathan O'Brien from Century 21 and Tom Panos from News Corp we take a look at an investment property based that’s recently been on the market and we discuss the pros and cons and whether we would buy it personally.
Location: 8.2kms from CBD
Beds: 2
Bath: 1
Parking: 1 (2)
SQM: 90m
Price: $1.411m
Rent: $1,000-1,100/wk 
<img src="/images/2016/06/30/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-30%20at%202.01.51%20PM.png" alt="">
It’s a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment/nsw/eastern-suburbs/coogee/299216" target="_blank">2 bed, 1 bath unit with lock up garage</a>, 8.4kms from the CBD and just 130m to put your toes on the sand of the local beach. It’s in a very small, boutique Art Deco, security block of 6 units, with no lifts, gyms or pools. There’s 2 large double bedrooms, a deluxe gallery kitchen and a designer bathroom with separate shower and bath. Whilst it is not on title and hasn’t been advertised as such, it is possible to park a second car outside your garage.
Chris: So, talking to you Nathan, what are your initial thoughts on it?
Nathan: Generally speaking Chris, I think it looks to be a well maintained property. It is looking a little bit old, but I think it presents well. 
Chris: Yep, sounds good. Now, Antony, it’s probably good for an estate agent to be honest and to not have advertised it as two spaces when it’s only one
Antony: Yeah, I think if you’re getting it for free, you know, it’s an excellent proposition, but if you’re paying for it I’d be obviously checking the contract and checking what the real rights to that property actually are. Look, I think that property ticks a lot of the boxes, I wouldn’t say all of them, the age of the building (that) was just mentioned is a very poignant piece to take into control and so the body corporate and where that’s all up to, to me, would be high on the examination list.
Chris: Look, that’s probably one of the things, having a small block. People say ‘why should I have a small block rather than 100 people in there?’ If you’ve got six people to convince, I’m sure you guys get to deal with these strata issues, how easy is it to deal with the six people to make a decision versus the 100?
Nathan: Absolutely, it’s a lot easier when there are less people involved, however, I think at the same time, I think overall just coming back to your questions, it’s an appealing block, but I think also that can be a bit of a challenge at times with strata costs as well. So, you’ve got to weight up the pros and cons.
Chris: And also give them the right kinds of things for the suburbs, because some people love the lifts, gyms and pools, but it could be argued, well, if the beach is around your doorstep why do you need all that kind of stuff.
Antony: I think that’s important, I do like units that have outdoor space attached to them, meaning a balcony, or some opportunity to… actually just while you’re inside your living space you get a shot at just walking out… but it’s still ticking all the boxes.
Chris: Again with the second parking, whether you’ve got it on title or not… if you can use it, how many renters and owners die for something like that?
Antony: Look, on a beachside place you can only imagine parking on a Sat or Sunday is going to be an absolute difficult thing to pull. So, if it’s through the body corporate records, it’s not on title but it’s actually awarded to the owner of the strata, then I’m a like for it and I think that becomes a really important part of the second spot in today’s sort of living- very rarely do you have a family of one car and it gives you the opportunity of bringing other tenants in or share apartments and that will push the rent up.
Chris: I mentioned that the agent, we don’t mention which agents are selling these properties or the addresses or anything, but this agent, he’s done the right thing, he’s advertising it as one rather than two. I guess from your perspective being an estate manager, there must be a lot of pressure on agents now, you’ve got to do the right thing and you’ve got to advertise legally what it is.
Nathan: Absolutely, you’ve got to not misrepresent the property in any way shape or form but the fact that you’ve got the space there for a second car, it’s a huge selling point. Especially for when you’re looking for the right tenant, you really want to maximise your rent there. It’s definitely a great value add to that property.
Chris: Again, probably going back to the clearance rates our conversation right at the start of the show, these kind of things are so unique the clearance rates on those are nearly 100 percent no matter what the market, aren’t they?
Antony: Yeah, hot demand on both sides Chris. Hot demand on clearance rates, which means that there would always be an upward pressure on pricing.
If you’re an investor and survive the negative gearing onslaught … if you lose a tenant, your speed to acquiring a new tenant is going to be very very fast in areas like that so your days off market, rent wise, are going to be very very few.
Chris: Purchase or pass for you
Antony: I would buy
Chris: and how about yourself
Nathan: Yeah, same with me, purchase 
Chris: I think this is a cracking unit if you’ve got the funds to buy it as it really does tick every single box. The rent in winter in a more expensive property might drop down below 4 per cent at times but I think the capital growth will more than compensate so I would buy.
To watch the episode in full, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VvouEoiSw4" target="_blank">click here</a>.
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Chris Gray's Purchase or Pass: To buy or not to buy

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A six bedroom Potts Point family home leads the top sales for the week after its $5,850,000 sale.
The property, 18 Rockwall Crescent, Potts Point sold through Richardson &amp; Wrench Elizabeth Bay/Potts Point. 
TOP TEN SALES
18 Rockwall Crescent, Potts Point, NSW 6 bed, 4 bath, 2 car house $5,850,000 Richardson &amp; Wrench Elizabeth Bay/Potts Point 
3/36 Macleay Street, Potts Point, NSW 3 bed, 3 bath, 2 car unit $5,400,000 Richardson &amp; Wrench Elizabeth Bay/Potts Point 
12 Havilah Street, Chatswood, NSW 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house $4,500,000 Shead Property Chatswood 
1/3 Oyama Avenue, Manly, NSW 3 bed, 2 bath, 1 car unit $4,400,000 Belle Property Manly 
15 Weetawaa Road, Northbridge, NSW 5 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house $3,975,000 Ray White Northbridge 
9 Wirra Close, St Ives, NSW 5 bed, 4 bath, 4 car house $3,800,000 McGrath Estate Agents 
91 Cutler Road, Clontarf, NSW 6 bed, 4 bath, 2 car house $3,700,000 Sotheby’s International reality Sydney 
75 Mowbray Place, Willoughby, NSW 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 car house $3,120,000 Ray White Lower North Shore 
45 Highgate Street, Strathfield, NSW 5 bed, 3 bath, 3 car house $3,070,000 McGrath Estate Agents 
34 Bowman Street, Aspendale, Vic 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car house $3,065,000 RT Edgar Brighton 
 
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Potts Point terrace leads top ten sales

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Meredith Kirton, a former presenter on Gardening Australia, has secured the pre-auction sale of her Putney home.
It has been the family home of the horticulturalist, author and broadcaster and her husband Michael Bradfield since they paid $345,000 in 1997.
The Frances Rd home, positioned on the high side of the street with <a href="https://www.firstnationalnorth.com.au/buy-residential-real-estate/house-36-frances-road-putney-nsw-11364100494" target="_blank">views across Morrison Bay</a>, is a three-bedroom cottage.
It was built entirely of termite-proof white cedar sourced from the Walgett farm owned by the original owners 100 years old.
It sold through First National agent Benjamin Mulae and Angie Wong who were giving $1.8 million plus price guidance seemingly secured close to $2 million.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

Former presenter on Gardening Australia sells Putney home

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With so many people thinking that property is getting too expensive for everyone to afford, in our Purchase or Pass segment this week with Century 21's Charles Tarbey I thought we would see if $500k can still get you into a blue chip suburb close to the city. And to make it as hard as possible I chose our most famous beach, Bondi Beach.
Location: 6.5 kms from CBD
Beds: Studio
Bath: 1
SQM: 31m
Parking: 1
Price: $435k
Rent: $400/wk
It’s a studio unit with lock up garage, 6.5kms from the CBD and just 1.3km to the sand. It’s located on the first floor of a small security block of 15 units and is half way in between the shops and transport hub of Bondi Junction and the lifestyle and leisure of Bondi Beach. The property is currently in good condition, but judging from the photos could do with an upgrade. The property sold 2 months ago for $435k and the expected rent is around $400/wk, the size is 31sm.
Charles: 31sm and $400 per week, let’s just assume for a moment you’ve borrowed the entire $435k, how often can you find a property where your rental return is not much lower than the repayments in a suburb like Bondi, it’s almost a steal. You might even buy it just for the car parking space because that’s pretty hard to get. The only thing that concerns me is 31sm is below the value of where most banks will look at, so it has to be specialised lending. You might end up having to pay a little bit more in interest to get it, but 31sm Bondi beach, one carpark, $400 per week rent, $435k that’s a pretty good price.
Chris: I mean, we’ll start on the negatives because it’s by no means perfect. So from those photos, it’s on the main road and there were traffic lights there. So traffic lights, I mean Bondi road is buses, cabs all the hoons on Saturday and Friday night. Traffic lights is obviously a nightmare because people are constantly stopping and starting and it’s small, so it’s limited funding. It isn’t perfect but for $435k what do expect? Because you’re paying for what you get.
Charles: If you were a businessman and you’re travelling to that area a lot it would cost you more in hotels. So, you could probably get it spruced up a little bit and you could have an investment property. 
Chris: That was the other positive. Obviously the pictures are not perfect and anything you did to it would be an improvement and, again, there’s double glazing these days, it’s pretty good stuff. You spend some good money on that and you probably aren’t going to hear the traffic.
Charles: I would be a purchaser at that price, given that I know it’s incredibly hard to find something.
Chris: Probably the debate I’ll quickly give you is if you had a chance in this time of the market your only other chance of $435k is probably to go to regional NSW or QLD or something like that. If you’re say like me and you’ve got no idea because you’ve never been outside the city walls, would you take a punt on going somewhere regional, which may be a 50 50 punt, or would you go for something say in the city that’s not perfect but… 
Charles: I would go with something like this, and I must say, and I mean no disrespect to you Chris, but I’ve heard that you think the western suburbs start at Centennial Park but I think it’s a little bit further ahead than that.
Chris: So purchase or pass on that?
Charles: Purchase for sure.
Chris: I don’t think it’s the best unit in the world but you get what you pay for. As an armchair investor, I would much rather a small unit in the heart of one of the best suburbs in the country, than to play the roulette wheel and take a punt on something bigger in the middle of nowhere where I probably don’t have any local knowledge. So, I’m going to go for a purchase as well.
 
To watch the episode in full, <a href="https://youtu.be/I6--hAAg7VE" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Chris Gray's Purchase or Pass: Can $500k get you into a blue chip suburb close to the city?

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A new conveyancing tool is set to change the way lawyers, conveyancers and financiers across the South Australia exchange property.
The national online conveyancing platform, PEXA, is changing the need for physical attendance at settlement, and facilitating the secure, electronic exchange of documentation and funds online.
The platform is designed to reduce reduction in delays and failed settlements, as well as the risk of fraudulent property transactions.
GlobalX Legal Solutions is integrating access to the PEXA platform through its software.
According to GlobalX CEO Peter Maloney, South Australian home buyers and sellers will be the major beneficiaries of the new technology. 
“Lawyers and conveyancers will experience considerably shorter settlement timeframes, and will enjoy cost savings, increased productivity and real time access to data,” he said.
“This in turn will dramatically improve the homebuyer or seller’s experience.
“The introduction of electronic conveyancing will change South Australia’s property market forever, offering greater certainty and efficiency in the settlement process for legal practitioners and consumers alike”.
A mobile application, SettleMe,  tracks their electronic settlement in real time.
Mike Cameron, PEXA’s group executive of operations said for the first time conveyancers, lawyers, banks and land registries can now collaborate online over a full business day span rather than spending additional time travelling to the Grenfell St settlement room at 11:30am to finalise transactions.
The PEXA platform is currently live in Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australian and Queensland, with South Australia expected to go live in early July of this year. 
For more information, <a href="https://www.globalx.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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$288 billion property market set for digital transformation

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The youngest of the NRL's Burgess brothers, Tom has bought a Sydney property.
His recent Coogee purchase complete's the property ownership of all the young lads within the popular family.
Tom, the last to arrive in Sydney and the last to buy, secured a 167 sqm two bedroom courtyard apartment (above) for around $1.3 million through NG Farah agent Theo Karangis.
He's been busy shopping for furniture ever since - spotted at the Mosman homeware store, Pond.
Taking advantage of the beaches they don't get in England, the four brothers have collectively spent around $11 million since they started on the property ladder in coastal eastern Sydney and there's whispers their mum, Julie could be looking for a pad too.
Sam was the first  buyer of the four, buying a Darlinghurst apartment in 2011 for $1.075 million following a successful first season at South Sydney Rabbitoh's.
The two bedroom apartment in the Advanx building has full alfresco dining terrace.
Sam quietly bought another off-the-plan apartment in Bondi in 2012, but he didn't emerge as a buyer until settlement in late last year.
He paid $2.065 million for the two bedroom garden apartment in the new Bondi Pacific building.
It was up for sale at $2.95 million but recently leased out at around $1950 a week.
Instead Sam has spent $3.8 million on a mansion in Maroubra at the start of the year.
His newest acquisition where he and wife Phoebe Hooke reside is a four bedroom French provincial inspired home with swimming pool and home theatre.
Luke, who arrived in Sydney a year after Sam in 2011 and now plays for the Manly Sea Eagles, has owned in Chifley since 2014.
Ditto George who recently spent $2.1 million for an off-the-plan Randwick apartment in the new MHND-Union designed Epoque boutique apartment block through Laing &amp; Simmons Double Bay agent D'Leanne Lewis.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Burgess brothers hunting for Sydney property

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Australia's richest man, Meriton boss Harry Triguboff, has slammed the NSW government for its plans to impose higher taxes on foreign buyers of residential property.
"It is very bad. Without the Chinese nothing would ever get built," Mr Triguboff told The Australian Financial Review.
"Never mind the bullsh-- stories, sales volumes have already dropped and prices are coming down steadily.
"The Chinese buyers are already disappearing.
"This is not a joke. Chinese real estate agents are already sacking staff," he advised. 
When asked how the surcharge might impact on Meriton's own sales – the group has been reported as selling about one in five apartments to Asian buyers – Mr Triguboff said he was not yet sure, but he might have to drop his prices.
The NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian announced that from June 21, when she hands down the state budget, foreign buyers of apartments, houses and residential land in NSW will have to pay a 4 per cent stamp duty surcharge.
They will also be hit by a 0.75 per cent land tax surcharge commencing in the 2017 land tax year.
Mr Triguboff labelled the new taxes "very dangerous", coming as they did on top of moves by the banks to tighten up lending to foreign buyers.
He also urged caution in light of the decline of the mining sector.
"We have nothing else except real estate. We have to be very careful," Mr Triguboff told the AFR.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

The Chinese are already disappearing: Harry Triguboff

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Foreign property investors in NSW will be hit with a 4 percent stamp duty surcharge when buying homes and apartments in next week's state budget.
The NSW State Government has forecast the move would raise more than $1 billion over four years, the Daily Telegraph reported today.
And it is tipped, despite suggestions to contrary, that overseas investors would also cop an extra 0.75 per cent land tax surcharge on residential property.
Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian said she was confident the extra costs would not deter foreign buyers given other states had similiar measure.
"It's been proven successful in Victoria, we also know that Queensland is moving in this direction and we also know that most foreign investors are likely to absorb this cost and proceed with their transaction anyway," she said.
"We do not feel that this will in any way compromise the property market at all.
“If you asked most economists, they would say people who are going to invest in these houses who are foreign investors are going to do it anyway,” News Ltd reported.
“We assume they’re going to invest anyway; we (want to) ensure (they are) paying tax revenue for our services. This is one way for us to ensure a strong revenue (stream) into the future,” she said.
“These new measures will ensure NSW’s property market continues to be an attractive destination for international investors while making sure that we are able to fund vital services into the future.
“The Victorian experience has demonstrated the measures have not had an adverse impact the property market,’’ she said.
The Government also said foreign investors would no longer be entitled to a 12-month deferral for the payment of stamp duty for off-the-plan purchases of residential property.
Also overseas buyers would not be given a tax-free threshold for the land tax surcharge in the 2017 tax year.
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NSW foreign property buyers to pay higher stamp duty and stamp duty

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The Melbourne suburb of Craigieburn has auction volumes up 45 percent and sales up 88 percent from 2015 year to date figures, according to new research from the REIV.
The REIV state so far this year some 126 homes have sold at auction, up from 67 for the same period last year. The median house price has also increased, up 10 percent over March 2015 to $417,000.
REIV chief executive officer, Geoff White, said up-and-coming suburbs in the city’s north are relatively affordable and offer buyers great value for money.
“While Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs saw some of the strongest auction volumes and price growth last year, buyers are now looking at alternative areas of Melbourne,” he said.
"Growth has also been recorded in South Morang, with auction volumes up 62 percent and annual house price growth of 7.4 percent to a median of $458,500.
"Higher auction volumes delivered strong results for vendors in the suburb, with 56 homes selling at auction this year – a 93 percent increase over 2015."
Other areas performing well according to the REIV include Epping and Thomastown, along with Roxburgh Park. 
<a href="/images/2016/06/06/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-06%20at%2010.46.52%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/06/06/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-06%20at%2010.46.52%20AM.png" alt="">
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Auction volumes, sales up in Melbourne's Craigieburn 

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Total property listings are 10 percent higher than a year ago across the combined capital cities, according to CoreLogic. And national new listings are up by around five percent.
But there are key differences. 
Melbourne's 28,800 offerings leads the listings' supply, but Sydney's 21,300 reflects the biggest jump over volumes from this time last year.
Perth would appear to remain in oversupply, with strong fresh listing volume.
Fresh listings as we enter early winter are low in Sydney and Melbourne, and especially Darwin.
<a href="/images/2016/06/07/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-07%20at%2010.20.22%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/06/07/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-07%20at%2010.20.22%20AM.png" alt="">
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