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> 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

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

Seasoned Victorian apartment developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a> has logged more than $400 million in sales in its luxury apartment project Palmera Residences at Northcliffe on the Gold Coast.&nbsp;

Central Equity Director Karl Kutner said the sales result reflected a combination of location, product quality and delivery certainty with the project already under construction by building powerhouse Multiplex.&nbsp;

"Surpassing $400 million in sales since launch is a significant milestone and an outstanding endorsement of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera Residences</a>,” he said.&nbsp;

"We believe one of the key reasons for this strong result is the confidence purchasers have in knowing the project is under construction with Multiplex. Buyers are increasingly looking for certainty. They want to know that the project they commit to today will be delivered by an experienced team with a proven track record."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365782]

Kutner said it was clear there was still high demand for luxury projects that offered certainty of delivery.&nbsp;

“We are in a market where many residential developments have faced delays due to rising construction costs, labour shortages and financing challenges,” said Kutner.&nbsp;

"But having construction underway has provided our buyers with resounding confidence backed by more than 40 years of development delivery by Central Equity combined with construction by one of Australia's most respected construction companies."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365785]

Central Equity is one of Australia's most experienced privately-owned property developers. Over more than four decades, the company has delivered in excess of 85 residential developments including 10,000 apartments and many thousands of stand alone homes.&nbsp;

Located on Garfield Terrace at Northcliffe, between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, Palmera Residences occupies one of the Gold Coast's most sought after beachside locations. The development has been designed to appeal to owner occupiers seeking premium residences that combine generous living spaces and resort style amenities.&nbsp;

Palmera Residences will feature an exceptional collection of resort style amenities, including two swimming pools: a generously sized family pool with safe shallow zones for relaxed recreation, and a 20 metre lap pool positioned to maximise all day sunlight.&nbsp;

Residents will also enjoy exclusive access to wellness and recreational facilities including a magnesium pool, sauna, yoga studio, expansive fitted gymnasium, resident lounge, outdoor BBQ’s&nbsp;and indoor and outdoor dining areas, together with a dedicated concierge and luxurious hotel inspired entrance foyer.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365767]

A unique feature at Palmera Residences has been designed to enhance the Gold Coast lifestyle which includes both indoor and outdoor gymnasium facilities, together with thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor dining and entertaining areas. A corner café has also been incorporated to provide residents with a destination for their everyday needs.&nbsp;

Kutner said buyer demand had been broad based with purchasers attracted from interstate as well as throughout South East Queensland.&nbsp;

"We're seeing strong interest from owner occupiers, lifestyle buyers and people relocating to the Gold Coast. Many purchasers have been searching for a premium beachside residence where quality, design and delivery are equally important."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Kutner said the sales milestone was an important achievement, but the focus remained firmly on delivering an exceptional development.&nbsp;

"While reaching $400 million in sales is an important milestone, our priority remains delivering a project that exceeds purchaser expectations,” he said.&nbsp;

"Palmera Residences has been designed to become one of the Gold Coast's landmark residential addresses, and we look forward to welcoming our purchasers to their new homes."&nbsp;

There are a limited number of residences remaining in selected configurations with pricing from $2,950,000 to $8,950,000. Palmera Residences is also crowned by expansive penthouses with wrap around views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

Construction certainty and strong buyer demand drive major sales result for luxury Gold Coast development

Palmera Residences fly out the door as sales pass $400 million

Tasmania

<html><body>
Buoyant property market conditions do not always mean that all sectors of the property market are performing well according to quarterly rental data released by CoreLogic RP Data research analyst and report author Cameron Kusher.   Kusher said: “With new housing supply increasing and investor purchasing at record highs we have seen a significant slowdown in the rate of rental growth over the past couple of years and we expect this trend to continue over the coming year."   CoreLogic RP Data's Quarterly Rental Review results are showing that over the first quarter of 2015, national house and unit rental rates increased by just 1.3% while advertised weekly house and unit rents have risen 1.2% at a combined capital city level over the three months to the end of March 2015.
Click to open in new window: 
<a href="/images/2015/04/10/hobart-april-13-one.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/04/10/hobart-april-13-one.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="/images/2015/04/10/hobart-april-13-two.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/04/10/hobart-april-13-two.jpg" alt=""></a>
Source: CoreLogic RP Data
</body></html>

po-LsXgBTHBmX

Launceston house and units rents going backwards: Corelogic RP Data

<html><body>
A Tasmanian real estate agency has fronted up to the Hobart Magistrates Court over allegations it falsely advertised properties as being on the ‘waterfront’, including one home that was separated from the water by a highway and two other pieces of land.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-09/tasmanian-realtor-accused-of-falsely-advertising-properties/6381194">The ABC reports</a> Tasmanian Private Realty yesterday pleaded not guilty to three counts of false or misleading representations about the location of land.
The legal action was launched after Consumer Affairs Tasmania received a number of complaints about three properties in the Huon Valley in southern Tasmania, which were allegedly advertised as being “waterfront” or “riverside”.
The court heard one property in the township of Franklin was advertised as “riverside” when it was actually set back behind Huon Highway and two other properties.
Another two properties in the town of Dover were allegedly falsely advertised as “waterfront” homes, including one house where any access to the water would have only been through crown land and a fish factory.
Tasmanian Private Realty’s defence lawyer Roger Baker argued the properties met the general public's understanding of the term waterfront.
"They don't abut the water directly but you see they are in the waterfront district," Baker told the court, according to the ABC.
"It's a descriptor of a general location rather than a specific point in space."
But Andrew Parlour, principal at Russell Kennedy Lawyers, said there is a significant difference between claiming a property is “waterfront” or “riverside” and claiming it is found in a “waterfront district”.
“Most normal, reasonable people are likely to think ‘waterfront’ is on the water, where ‘waterfront district’ can be within an area close to water,” says Parlour.
Parlour says consumer law makes it very clear a business cannot make false or misleading representations about the sale or grant of an interest in land, including price, location and characteristics.
“The question is if it is likely to mislead or deceive,” he says.
“I would have thought in this instance it is just untrue to say it’s a waterfront property. If it’s set back behind a couple of blocks, it is clearly not riverside and any reasonable person would see that,” he adds.
Parlour says Tasmanian Private Realty could face penalties of up to $220,000 for an individual director and $1.1 million for a body corporate, which could potentially include a real estate agency. The company could also face injunctions and damages.
“I would think they would be hit with penalties and an injunction to stop them from making similar representations in the future,” he says.
The court will hear closing submissions next Tuesday.
SmartCompany contacted Tasmanian Private Realty but the company declined to comment. 
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">SmartCompany</a>.
</body></html>

krobb-aCrRNnPq6D

Tasmanian real estate agency in court over misleading ad for ‘waterfront’ property located behind a highway

<html><body>
The Hobart housing market will consolidate its performance of 2014 with moderate prices growth expected through 2015, according to the Domain Group senior economist, Andrew Wilson.
Hobart has recorded prices growth over the last two years following a subdued period of buyer activity. The impact of lower interest rates since 2012 has been offset by an underperforming local economy that remains the worst performer of all the capitals. Recent signs, however, are positive with the local housing market recording strong growth over the December quarter.
<img src="/images/2015/03/12/hobart-mar-12-one.jpg" alt="">
Source: Domain Group
Hobart recorded moderate price growth of just 2.1% over 2014 following the previous year’s 5% result.
This years lower interest rates will feed into buyer confidence and add to the prospects of rising buyer activity. Hobart’s median house price is set to increase by between 3 and 5% through 2015.
<img src="/images/2015/03/12/hobart-mar-12-two.jpg" alt="">
Source: Domain Group 
Best performers will be the budget and middle price market sections and regions with value perceptions from subdued prices growth over recent years driving increased changeover buyer activity.
The performance of the local economy will as usual be the key ingredient for rising housing market activity with recent encouraging signs of improvement this year. 
<img src="/images/2015/03/12/hobart-mar-12-three.jpg" alt="">
Source: Domain Group
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Budget Hobart houses will be the city's best 2015 performers: Domain Group

<html><body>
Almost a third of Hobart house sales came in under the $300,000 mark in the December quarter, according to the Real Estate Institute of Tasmania.
An even greater proportion of house sales were sub-$300,000 in Launceston: <a href="/news/tas/31-of-hobart-house-sales-below-300-000-is-the-apple-isle-ripe-for-investor-harvesting">58% against Hobart's 31%</a>.
Hobart was also the surprise standout for December, with CoreLogic RP Data recording 1.6% price growth for the month - the second highest result of any capital city.
But does Australia's cheapest capital city actually offer strong prospects for investors?
Property Observer looks at three Hobart rental properties which cost less than $300,000. All were purchased in the past two years.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-blackmans+bay-414817411" target="_blank">34 Tingira Road in Blackmans Bay</a> is an investment property currently available to rent at $335 per week. The owners paid $290,000 in March 2013, with the vendors paying $87,000 in 1992  – meaning the home's value increased more than threefold in their 20 years of ownership.
<img src="/images/2015/02/09/1.jpg" alt="">
34 Tingira Road
If the renovated two bedroom house is rented at $335, it will reflect a rental yield of 6%. The house has built in robes in both of the bedrooms, open plan living and kitchen area, a separate bungalow and water views from the front deck.
Further out – roughly 45 minutes from Hobart's centre – is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-cygnet-414968919" target="_blank">5 Solly Court in Cygnet</a>. The western red cedar has three bedrooms over its two storeys, and cost its investor owners $220,000 in 2014.
<img src="/images/2015/02/09/2.jpg" alt="">
5 Solly Court It's available now for $270 per week – offering a rental yield of 6.4% if secured.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-kingston-118814267" target="_blank">14 Alfreds Garden in Kingston</a> cost buyers $260,000 in January. The two bedroom house, built in 2003, was rented out by the vendors in 2013, with an advertised rent of $310 per week. At that same rental rate and its current price, 14 Alfreds Garden would yield 6.2%.
<img src="/images/2015/02/09/3.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.1599998474121px; line-height: 1.3em;">
14 Alfreds Garden
The previous investors paid $220,000 for the house in 2005.
</body></html>

jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

How cheap is Hobart? Three investor picks under $300,000

<html><body>
The Real Estate Institute of Tasmania (REIT) has released its December Quarter Property Report revealing both an increase in house sales volume and the median house prices for the quarter.
REIT president Tony Collidge said the median house price for Tasmania saw a 4.5% increase for the quarter to $315,000, the highest median house price recorded since December 2010 when the state’s median house price peaked at $320,000.
The report also revealed a slight increase in house sales volume across the state up 3.1% on the previous quarter.
Hobart’s median remained steady for the quarter at $360,00. Launceston’s median house price rose 7.2% for the quarter, a 3.3% increase on December 2013.
Click to open in new window:
<a href="/images/2015/02/05/hobart-feb-5-one.png" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/02/05/hobart-feb-5-one.png" alt=""></a>
Source: REIT
Nine municipalities had a median price higher than the state median. These were Clarence ($370,000), Hobart ($475,000), Huon Valley ($349,000), Kentish ($333,500), Kingborough ($395,000), Latrobe ($344,500), Meander Valley ($320,000), Sorell ($325,000) and the Southern Midlands ($340,000).
“Breaking these figures down into regions, we can report that house sales in Hobart increased for both the quarter and the year, up 11.2% and 2.4% respectively," said Collidge.
“Launceston house sales were also up, recording a 5.1% increase for the quarter, while the North-West centres bucked the trend, reporting an 11.5 decrease for the quarter.”
Click to open in new window:
<a href="/images/2015/02/05/hobart-feb-5-two.png" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/02/05/hobart-feb-5-two.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="/images/2015/02/05/hobart-feb-5-three.png" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/02/05/hobart-feb-5-three.png" alt=""></a>
<a href="/images/2015/02/05/hobart-feb-5-four.png" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/02/05/hobart-feb-5-four.png" alt=""></a>
Source: REIT
Collidge said whilst increases in median house prices were observed across most of the state, the price distribution of sales differed significantly.
“Hobart saw 31% of all house sales occur below the $300,000 price point, while 59% occurred between the $300,001 and $600,000 bracket, and 10% of sales came in above that price, which included 10 sales up to and above $1 million dollars,” he said.
“While in Launceston, 58% of the quarter’s sales were recorded below $300,000, 40% between $300,001 and $600,000, while only 2 two% of all houses sold were above this price point.
“In contrast, the North West Centres saw 76% of all house sales occur below $300,000 and the remaining 24% fell into the bracket of $300,001 - $600,000."
“It’s interesting to note the appearance of a wide range of regional areas in Tasmania making it onto the list of locations with higher median house prices compared to the state average.
“The removal of the First Home Owners Grant on 1 July for purchasers buying established dwellings, resulted in a marked decrease in house purchases from first home buyers, with sales from this market segment dropping from 17%, to now sit at 13% of all house sales.
“Second home buyers picked up the 4% loss in first home buyers and continue to hold over half the market, accounting for 57% of house sales and a median house purchase price of $330,000.
“The report also revealed that 10 percent of sales occurred to overseas purchases while interstate buyers remained steady at 15% for the quarter.”
Click to open in new window:
<a href="/images/2015/02/05/hobart-feb-5-five.png" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/02/05/hobart-feb-5-five.png" alt=""></a>
Source: REIT
</body></html>

31% of Hobart house sales below $300,000: Is the Apple Isle ripe for investor harvesting?

<html><body>
A Tamanian buyer outbid national and international contenders to secure The Sebel Launceston.
It is a 4.5-star CBD apartment hotel sold for close to $10 million, the first time since opening in 2005.
It was listed through national specialist accommodation and hospitality property agency, Resort Brokers Australia by its original developer, Tasmanian Boutique Hotels Pty Ltd.
Resort Brokers Australia national sales manager Trudy Crooks says there were 30 genuine enquiries.
The sale of the freehold land and buildings component showed a 9% return while the leasehold sold on a 26% return, she said.
The Sebel Launceston, on the corner of St John and Williams streets, features 49 self-contained one and two bedroom suites, the popular Market Square Restaurant, two dedicated conference venues, a gymnasium, courtyard and large reception and lounge with open fire.
Designed by Launceston’s Artas architects, it features Tasmanian stone and timbers, showcases locally-commissioned art, and promotes local growers, producers and vineyards through its menus.
The buyer, a local investment company, has a background in tourism and hospitality, having previously owned motels and hotels in NSW and the ACT, Crooks said.
The hotel will continue to operate as part of the growing Sebel portfolio, Accor’s upscale apartment hotel brand.
Latest trading figures show The Sebel Launceston achieved a very healthy occupancy rate of 79.3% for 2013-14, compared to the Tasmanian average of 58.5% for the year (ABS, Hotels Motels &amp; Serviced Apartments 15+ rooms).
Occupying a 3,651 square metre site, the eight-storey mixed-use building also incorporates 35 strata titled residential apartments on the upper three levels, which are individually owned and were not part of the sale.
</body></html>

The Sebel Launceston sold for nearly $10 million

<html><body>
Ninth Island, an island in Bass Strait off Tasmania, has been listed for sale, with the marketing aimed at Chinese buyers. Its price estimate is about $500,000.
<a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/ninth-island-bridport/Property-Details-buy-residential-8291940" target="_blank">Harrison Humphreys agent Rob Harrison</a> has the <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Ninth+Island,+Tasmania/@-40.830145,147.270699,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m5!1e2!3m3!1s95479431!2e1!3e10!4m2!3m1!1s0xaa79b849b976557f:0xf03c94eb451b470" target="_blank">Ninth Island</a> offering. It is not the vineyard that looks towards the island, but has been listed by the same owners, Kreglinger Australia.
The vineyard and label are not for sale.
About 1.3 kilometres long, 550 metres wide, the 16 hectare island is part of the Waterhouse Island Group, lying 11.7 kilometres from the north-eastern coast of Tasmania. 
It is partly privately owned and has been badly affected in the past by grazing and frequent fires, but home to a large mutton bird rookery.
In July 1995 the MV Iron Baron oil spill killed between 2,000 and 6,000 little penguins. 
An earlier maritime incident was <a href="https://oceans1.customer.netspace.net.au/tas-main" target="_blank">Sheerwater</a>, captained by the grandfather of the Crown Princess of Denmark, and native Tasmanian, Mary Donaldson. 
It was 1962 when Captain Peter Donaldson was on voyage from Bass Strait Islands, Tasmania with a cargo of livestock and a crew of five, when she was lost off Ninth Island, Bass Strait. From Whitemark for Launceston via Badger Island with sheep, it was wrecked on a reef just off Ninth Island on 23 August 1962. The crew were saved, but sheep were not so fortunate.  
"This picturesque island is eponymous to Tasmania's leading quality pinot noir brand as the Ninth Island brand take their name from this island as it is viewed from the vineyards," the ad says.
The marketing says it is just a short helicopter flight from mainland Tasmania.
<img src="/images/2015/02/02/island-feb-2-two.png" alt="">
Source: Australian Financial Review
Feature photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://ssl.panoramio.com/user/2656548?with_photo_id=95479431" target="_blank">Jeff Jennings</a>.
</body></html>

Tasmania's Ninth Island being marketed to Chinese buyers

<html><body>
Tasmania isn’t exactly known for its expensive rental apartments and looking at the top five priciest rental unit suburbs it’s pretty clear why.
With a list that doesn’t even span above $400 per week, here are Tasmania’s five most costly rental suburbs, based on RP Data’s weekly median advertised rent.
<ol>
<li>
<a href="/news">Hobart</a> - $450 
</li>
<li>
<a href="/news">Battery Point</a> - $375 
</li>
<li>
<a href="/news">Launceston</a> - $328 
</li>
<li>
<a href="/news">Sandy Bay</a> - $310 
</li>
<li>
<a href="/news">North Hobart</a> - $305
</li>
</ol>
There were just two other suburbs that clocked $300 per week for the median weekly advertised figure, and these were <a href="/news">Bellerive</a> and <a href="/news">Kingston</a>.
Of course, this isn’t to say that specific pricey rentals aren’t available. Looking on listings websites reveals that for $1,400 per week <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-binalong+bay-413208891" target="_blank">11 Reserve Street in Binalong Bay</a> can be your new home.
The three bedroom, two bathroom home is a holiday rental, walking distance from the beach and tennis courts.
Holiday accommodation and fully furnished properties are clearly those asking for the big dollars.
Looking for $800 a week is this family home seeking a new tenant. At <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-granton-413422227" target="_blank">10 Christopher Close in Granton</a> it’s a four bedroom, two bathroom beauty with expansive gardens that a gardener attends to weekly.
</body></html>

jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

The five most expensive suburbs to rent a unit in Tasmania

<html><body>
Tasmania has been ranked third on a global listing of leisure islands, or 'getaway' location where ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWIs) purchase second, third or fourth homes.
The new Candy GPS Report with research by Savills explains that most leisure island real estate is at the heart of the additional home market for UHNWIs and that these purchases are “nearly always discretionary” and a result of economic conditions providing excess cash.
This does leave those markets more exposed to economic downturns, the report notes.
The research came from Savills World Research and Wealth X, based on the volume of UHNWI additional home ownership. 
Ranking first and second are the USA’s Hawaiian Islands and Martha’s Vineyard respectively. Australia took out two spots in the top 10, with Tasmania ranking third and the Whitsunday Islands are sixth. Also featuring in the top five were Spain’s Balearics and Greece’s Ionian Islands. The rest of the top 10 was made up by Italy’s Sardinia, Scotland’s Islay, Malaysia’s Pangkor and Thailand’s Koh Samui.
“Leisure islands can be "visible" or "invisible", depending on the nature of amenities and pursuits involved,” the report explains. The USA’s top two rankings are “visible” leisure islands.
The top 10:
<ol>
<li>Hawaiian Islands - USA</li>
<li>Martha’s Vineyard - USA</li>
<li>Tasmania - Australia</li>
<li>Balearic Islands - Spain</li>
<li>Ionian Islands - Greece</li>
<li>Whitsunday Islands - Australia</li>
<li>Sardinia - Italy</li>
<li>Islay - Scotland</li>
<li>Pangkor - Malaysia</li>
<li>Koh Samui - Thailand</li>
</ol>
</body></html>

Tasmania ranks third in global listings of island playgrounds for the ultra-rich

<html><body>
Tasmania isn't exactly well known for being pricey, and for good reason. With just five suburbs recorded with a median house price of above $500,000, according to Australian Property Monitors figures, the top 10 is starkly different from other states and territories.
Here are the 10 most expensive Tasmanian suburbs, by median price.
<ol>
<li>
Battery Point $878,000 
</li>
<li>
Sandy Bay $630,000 
</li>
<li>
Glebe $510,000 
</li>
<li>
Mount Nelson $510,000 
</li>
<li>
West Hobart $510,000 
</li>
<li>
Tranmere $498,000 
</li>
<li>
Coles Bay $483,000 
</li>
<li>
Dynnyrne $460,000 
</li>
<li>
Taroona $456,000 
</li>
<li>
Seven Mile Beach $450,000</li>
</ol>
</body></html>

Tasmania

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Tasmania

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News