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.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

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

Sydney Auctions

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Sydney's cheapest weekend auction was $370,000 for a two bedroom Liverpool unit.
The 35/4 Riverpark Drive offering through McGrath had two good sized bedrooms, each with built-in robes.
It was sold the day before auction by its investor owner who'd had it as a $330 a week rental.
Built in 1993, the home was previously listed for $439,000 unti November 2018 when it saw a series of asking price reductions .
Most recently in May 2019, the vendor listed the home with a price guide of $370,000 to $390,000.
The purchasor of the River Park Estate home was an owner occupier.
It last sold at $220,000 in 2009.
Overall, <a href="/expert-insights/buying/weekend-auction-volumes-rise-with-downward-clearance-rate-pressure">weekend auction volumes</a> were up however ther was downward pressure on clearance rates.
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Liverpool unit was Sydney's cheapest weekend auction

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Selling before auction has been a marked trend this autumn as a consequence of the new listings landscape across Sydney.
In fact, on many Saturdays this year, the number of sold before auction outcomes has exceeded the number of property that have sold under the hammer on the day.
It makes good practice to for both vendors and buyers, and their agents, to give consideration to doing the deal ahead of auction.
The trend is an emerging response to the fact that there are fewer buyers in the market, and the lack of their urgency, but it is not necessarily a reflection of desolate buyer interest.
It also reflects the anxiousness of agents and vendors prepared to take the likely best offer when it's presented rather than the risk of the auction falling flat and facing an extended period on market.
The pre-auction sale trend also turns up in the heat of the boom when long suffering, would-be buyers put in bullish offers that likely exceeded anything from rivals at auction.
But most auctioneers now report that there's typically been one or possibly two registered bidders at auctions. 
As always, it is important for the vendor and agent to monitor and discuss any pre-auction interest to ensure the likely best outcome is achieved.
The agent ought be be in regular contact with the vendor on the depth of buyer interest, and in these tougher credit times, on the state of the buyer financial preparedness.
There's no point giving too much credence to an offer if the buyers hasn't been through the rigours of getting bank approval. 
Of course, the smart buyer is going to try to find out the vendor's motivation for selling and how much competitive interest there is in the property.
It is possible an agent can engineer a Dutch auction in the days before the auction, where potential purchasers end up making blind bids prior to the property going to auction. But these are not that common in the current market.
Time can be another key factor that makes vendors rethink going all the way through to auction.
Some vendors may have already found another property, and will be keen to sell quickly.
A typical four-week auction marketing campaign - and sometimes they are five weeks given the lending landscape - can seem an eternity.
Buyers who demonstrate to the vendor and the agent that they’re interested, i.e. attending several of the open inspections and doing a building and pest inspection report, are signals that set them apart from the rest.
Putting a decent offer in writing then forces the vendor to focus on the offer. It is doubtful buyers are going to accomplish a pre-auction deal with a lowball offer.
And making it more enticing might include offering a short settlement period; a bigger deposit and waiving the cooling-off period that comes with private treaty deals.
Sydney currently has 30,000 listings, according to CoreLogic, although the bumper list reflects more unsold stock than fresh offerings.
Fresh offerings are down 18% on the same time last year.
Private treaty listings are needing to be discounted by around eight percent to secure a sale, with its typically taking 40 days.
This time last year there were 27,000 listings, taking 31 days to find a buyer at a six percent discount.
Auctions therefore remain a viable proposition for many vendors despite the prevailing gloomier than necessary headlines.
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Selling before auction has been a marked Sydney trend

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There were a total of 11,000 Sydney auctions over the three autumn months, with volumes down around 7% on last year's offerings during March, April and May.
Before we move too far into the winter listings slowdown that emerges from the Queens Birthday weekend onwards, it is timely to review just where Sydney stands after the autumn auction selling season.
The city wide clearance rate fell from 75% last Autumn to 61% of homes selling at auction this autumn. And it seems winter has kicked off even weaker.
No region escaped the downturn, but Blacktown emerged the hardest hit when the CoreLogic results are broken down. There was a 36% success rate around the Blacktown region, with CoreLogic pinpointing the actual suburb's 70 offerings ranked as the 20th busiest suburb.
The outer West, Parramatta and South West all saw clearance rates in the low or mid-40s.
With 1500 offerings, Sydney's eastern suburbs emerged the strongest region with 72% selling, but this was down from 80% on Autumn 2017. The busiest region was North Sydney and Hornsby where 69% of the 1700 offerings were sold.
Randwick was the busiest suburb with 81% of its 170 auctions finding buyers, with Mosman second busiest with 83% of the 146 offerings finding buyers.
Northbridge at 90% was the best selling auction hotspot during autumn, though with just 34 auctions.
Bronte, Dover Heights, Mosman and Fairlight made up the best performing five suburbs.
The CoreLogic data indicates the truism that Sydney is not one market, but rather hundreds across the suburbs. 
There is no doubt boom fatigue impacted most markets as Sydney did go through an amazing five year run which saw the median price up 75%.
Buyer enthusiasm certainly sapped towards the end of last year, and this escalated in Autumn. 
The average number of bidders at auction fell from five or more to three or less.
Vendors likewise have begun to drop off too. CoreLogic put fresh offerings as now down 11% on last June.
I still think there is buyer enthusiasm there, but lenders are not prepared to lend to prior levels.
Noting there were buyers waiting in the wings, Tim Lawless, the head of research at CoreLogic, agreed this week that credit restrictions was the key driver of the softness.
Commentator Martin North from Digital Finance Analytics has noted credit is harder to get. His surveys show that up to 40% of applications for mortgages are being turned down, compared with 5% a year ago, as lenders apply more forensic analysis of applications received. 
Just two years ago an online calculator advised borrowers could secure $825,000 on a $100,000 salary.
The same calculator advised $625,000 was the limit.
So buyers need to stay in touch with their lenders and to keep auction bidding at a level that matches their budget and knowledge of the recent local pricing.
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph. 
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Sydney auction market weakened in autumn, but some suburbs are bucking the trend

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Dean Semler, the Oscar-winning cinematographer, and Annie, his actor wife, were among the many vendors who pulled properties from scheduled weekend auctions across Sydney. Buyers are testing the patience of vendors, who are mostly sticking to their initial price hopes.
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<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-mosman-126855954" target="_blank">The Semlers’ Balmoral Santa Fe-style home</a> (above) has unchanged price guidance of $3 million to $3.3 million through Adam Vernon at Vernon Partners. </div>
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<div>Semler, who has worked on more than 70 films, including his 1990 Oscar-winning Dances With Wolves, bought the home for $140,000 in 1980.</div>
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<div>Across town, South Sydney Rabbitoh George Burgess has $1.8 million to $1.85 million price hopes on his <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-chifley-126771326" target="_blank">Chifley home</a> (below).</div>
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<div>NG Farah Real Estate agent, and Burgess’ former team mate, Beau Champion withdrew it from its weekend auction.</div>
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<div><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/11/29/burgess.jpg" alt=""></div>
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<div>
Burgess and wife Joanna King have called it home for the past two years. Designed by architects Pinnacle Plus, the two-level home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms. This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Oscar winner and NRL star opt against weekend auctions

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The Sydney auction clearance rate was now approaching levels associated with prior price declines, AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver has suggested.
<a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneOliverAMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Oliver tweeted</a> the Domain weekend's result of 66 percent for Sydney, and its prior weekend result being revised after late results to 56 percent, was at levels similar to when there were price declines in 2008-09 and 2011-12.
But Gaby Kennard, the first Australian woman to fly around the globe by airplane, scored the nation's top auction result when her Woolloomooloo Wharf apartment sold for $5.55 million.
The three bedroom, two bathroom harbour front apartment was snapped up pre-auction having had $5 million to $5.5 million price guiduance <a href="https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/buy/10-lincoln-crescent-woolloomooloo-17205" target="_blank">through BresicWhitney Darlinghurst agent Nic Krasnostein</a>.
Kennard, who had renovated after paying $3.31 million in 2013, is remembered for her accomplishment taking 99 days to complete a journey circling the world in the late 1980s.
She covered 29,000 nautical miles (54,000 kilometres) and followed Amelia Earhart's route as much as possible.
Adelaide had the cheapest weekend sale when $222,500 was paid for a one bedroom house.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-ethelton-126646282" target="_blank">340 sq m</a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-ethelton-126646282" target="_blank"> Waite Street, Ethelton</a> offering was marketed as set for demolition.
There were significantly fewer homes taken to auction across the combined capital cities on the weekend, after last weekend's year-to-date high of 3,713.
There were a total of 2,019 auctions held returning a preliminary auction clearance rate of 66.8 per cent, a tad up on last week’s final clearance rate of 64.5 per cent, CoreLogic advised.
Over the corresponding weekend last year, 73.6 per cent of the 2,517 auction held were successful.
Melbourne saw a notable decrease in volumes given the spring racing festivities, with only 309 auctions.
CoreLogic calculated 77.3 per cent sold across Melbourne with its dearest result unusually in Wheelers Hill at $2.82 million. The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-wheelers+hill-126554658" target="_blank">2 Latrobe Court home</a> was a modern rendered 60 square residence.
Sydney’s preliminary auction clearance rate sat at 67.4 per cent, according to Coreogic, who put last week’s final auction clearance rate at 58.3 percent, its lowest recorded since early 2016.
There were 1,217 homes taken to auction across Sydney last week, including 900 plus on Saturday, virtually unchanged from prior week.
Performances across Sydney’s sub-regions were mixed, with Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury recording a 78.8 percent success rate across 41 auctions, while the outer South West region of Sydney recorded a much lower clearance rate of 33.3 per cent across 18 auctions.
The south west results included Sydney's cheapest notified sale when $470,000 was paid at Rosemeadow. The three bedroom <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-rosemeadow-126715950" target="_blank">Tamora Street offering</a> was a 1960s brick veneer home on its 442 sqm Campelltown district block.
The preliminary auction clearance rate in Brisbane was 53.5 per cent, increasing from 44.8 per cent over the weekend prior.
Auction volumes were lower this week across Brisbane with 169 auctions held, down from 190 last week. 
Brisbane's top price was a modern three level riverfront that fetched $4,125,000. The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-east+brisbane-126565402" target="_blank">29 Laidlaw Pde, East Brisbane</a> offering was five bedroom, three bathroom house, which Ray White agent Dean Yesberg said was "one of only 25 homes that enjoys this irreplaceable position."
Brisbane's cheapest result was a loss taker near Goodna. The sale of the three bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-collingwood+park-126637458" target="_blank">5 Drysdale Avenue, Collingwood Park</a> at $240,000 was down on its prior $293,000 sale in 2009, and just above its $232,000 sale in 2005. 
Adelaide saw an auction clearance rate of 65.5 per cent, across a total of 125 auctions, increasing from the previous week’s 62.5 per cent, and similar to the 65.6 per cent one year ago.
Adelaide's dearest sale was $1.32 million when a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-unley+park-126615874" target="_blank">21 Northgate Street, Unley Park</a> was sold. The sandstone house on 890 sqm had $1,295,000 price guidance through Scarce Real Estate. 
Canberra’s preliminary auction clearance rate of 68.2 per cent was down on the weekend prior when the final auction clearance rate was 72.6 per cent. 
Its top sale was a Forrest house designed in 1927 by Oakley &amp; Parkes, who had previously designed The Lodge. The home on <a href="https://www.luton.com.au/6467164/6-barkly-crescent-forrest" target="_blank">its 1500 sqm Barkly Crescent block</a> last sold in 1997 at $525,000.
There were 48 Perth auctions this week with only 30 per cent clearing.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Sydney's auction clearance rate suggests price decline possibility: Shane Oliver

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A childcare centre in Coffs Harbour leased to Petit Early Learning is up for sale at a Burgess Rawson portfolio auction on September 13.
The <a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/buying/NSW/Mid-North-Coast/Coffs-Harbour/MedicalorConsulting/3P1368#.V7pTx2XwxPM" target="_blank">1 Kiddell Place</a> property is on a long-term 15 year lease to Petit Early Learning with two possible five-year extensions to 2040.
Petit Early Learning is owned by Australia Childcare Projects and is an experienced childcare provider with 15 centres across Australia. 
The 696 sqm modern facility is licensed for 84 places and comes with annual rent increases of 3.5 percent, with the tenant paying all outgoings.
The net income from the property was $202,343 pa. 
The location is close to shops, medical facilities and even a service station. 
The selling agents are Adam Thomas and Natalie Couper.
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Coffs Harbour childcare centre on sale at Burgess Rawson auction

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Childcare centres are hot property, with four to be auctioned off among 19 offerings at Burgess Rawson’s next portfolio auction in Sydney on April 5.
Hubba Bubba childcare at <a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/buying/NSW/North-Shore-~-Lower/Chatswood/Office/2P1153#.Vv2x_GR946U">204 Mowbray Road</a>, Chatswood has over 185 enquiries and 45 contracts issued.
This is a 26-place childcare centre with 100% occupancy.
The freehold 696-sqm site centre earns a net of $94,000 pa plus GST. 
The tenant is on a 15-year lease expiring January 2026 with two further 10-year options to 2046 with annual rent increases. Net lease with tenant paying all outgoings and also responsible for all repairs, maintenance and replacement.
Chatswood is one of Sydney's sought after locations, and is only eight km north of Sydney CBD. Its population is projected to grow by 54% by 2036.
There is strong interest for the Freshwater and Prairewood centres too, with enquiries numbering over 80 and 15 contracts issued respectively.
The centre at <a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/buying/NSW/Northern-Beaches/Freshwater/MedicalorConsulting/2P1163#.Vv2042R946U">10/4-8 Waine Street, Freshwater</a> has 80 places with 100% vacancy and a waiting list.
It is part of a brand new building constructed in circa 2013; approx $1.85 million depreciation available. No land tax due to Childcare Centre exemption.
The 1,241 sqm centre is on a 10-year lease expiring in 2023 plus options to 2038.
It earns a net income of $296,129 pa + GST.
The operator is growing to six locations including Northern Beaches, Inner West, North Shore.
The Prairewood centre is at <a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/buying/NSW/Western-Sydney/Prairiewood/MedicalorConsulting/3P1258#.Vv2222R946U">6 Pierce Close</a> and is a 40-place facility which was upgraded in January 2016.
Dominant centre established in 1995 and at 100% occupancy.
It is on a new 20-year lease to 2036 with two further 10-year options to 2056.
The net income is $110,000 pa plus GST with 3% annual rent increases.
The tenant pays all outgoings.
It is close to schools and transport routes.
Located in the Fairfield LGA which boasts a strong resident population of circa 200,000 and is forecast to grow by over 8% by 2031, gross regional product of $6.77 billion. 
Other offerings at the auction include a pharmacy and Crust Pizza investment in Annandale which has drawn over 160 enquires and 35 contracts issued.
Hungry Jack’s in Griffith NSW and a McDonald’s in Childers QLD are set to record tight yields in “affordable price brackets” of sub-$3million range. 
The Sydney event is Burgess Rawson's 103 portfolio auction.
 
 
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Childcare centres likely to take the spotlight at Burgess Rawson auction

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The headlines around the negative gearing policy uncertainty failed to unnerve Sydney's nascent 2016 auction property revival.
The auction success rate sat well above 70 percent for the third successive weekend as earlybird sellers secured strong buyer interest.
When it came to affordability, there were however just the four reported sales at $500,000 or less across Sydney.
A $488,000 sale of a two bedroom fibro at Bradbury was the cheapest result.
"It sold to an investor," Richardson &amp; Wrench Campbelltown agent Michelle Balabka said.
The biggest weekend sale under the hammer was $3.68 million at Curl Curl.
The five bedroom Curl Curl offering had a $3.5 million to $3.85 million price guide (above).
There was also a $3,675,000 South Coogee six bedroom house sale.
"The Sydney market is back in full swing," the auctioneer Damien Cooley said after the result.
There were private treaty sales of an $8 million plus harbourfront in Northbridge and a $6 million sale in Cammeray.
The weekend had 539 homes scheduled to go under the hammer, which was well up on the 336 auctioned last weekend, CoreLogic RP Data noted but below the same weekend last year.
With 80 auctions the inner west the was busiest district followed by the east, the south and the upper north shore all with 70 or more.
Manly, Mosman and Randwick were the busiest weekend auction suburbs.
The lower auction numbers are securing higher clearance rates with the fewer choices increasing competition for available properties, agents suggest.
There is confidence in Sydney eastern suburbs property, says Bob Guth at BradfieldCleary, following a perfect 10 out of 10 at the agency's first auctions of the year.
Bob Guth suggested the "very best time" to market Eastern Suburbs real estate was February when there is less competition.
After the federal opposition's policy was unveiled last weekend - restricting negative gearing to new properties and reducing capital gains discounts available to investors - the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull warned " this should put concern into the minds of every single house owner".
Home owners would see the value of the family home "smashed" under Labor's "very blunt, very crude" negative gearing policy, Malcolm Turnbull warned.
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