The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

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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