Enough of the doom and gloom! Of course, the state and federal governments aren’t going to reach their housing targets. Of course, property prices and rents are going to go up … or down. Either way, some of us will be happy and rest less so.

So in an attempt to put more smiles on more faces, this week we have mined our feed from LeftField Communications for the quirkier property news from the media.

Feeling like escaping the rat race? You could buy a “love island’ all of your own in England, or a lighthouse in Shetland (where the real-life murder rate is much lower than the TV series), or Holly Golightly’s New York townhouse from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Also overseas, the interweb is going nuts about a rude note left for new tenants on a rented apartment’s door – welcome to strata, folks! – and an indoor swimming pool with a major decor problem.

There’s the UK friends who came to Sydney and found out what $240 a week rent gets you: some TikTok clips and not much sympathy, it seems.

Apart from all that, we still have our bucketload of apartment news from all the free news websites in the past week. To find out how to get even more property news for free in your email inbox every day, scroll down to the end of the story.

NOT SO HOT PROPERTIES

King Edward VIII’s private island with ‘love nest’ cottage asking millions
A private island once used by a British Monarch as a lovers’ retreat has floated onto the market in England. King Edward VIII is said to have met up with his future wife, Wallis Simpson, in a secret cottage on the small isle of Hollyhock Island.

Tiny house eviction notice for Bega Valley couple amid dispute on moveable dwellings
Josh Heins and Manu Bohn have been issued an eviction notice for their tiny home on wheels in the Bega Valley. It comes as the local council calls on the NSW government to clarify definitions and approval pathways for moveable dwellings.

Rogue traffic act that sums up Aussie housing divide
A bizarre act of roadside rebellion has exposed simmering tensions in a popular Aussie town, where a booming property market fuelled by relentless tourism is putting the squeeze on long-term residents and exacerbating instances of bad neighbour behaviour.

Council bin-shames resident in cold slab twist
In a bizarre twist on a beloved Aussie Christmas tradition, one resident’s take on slabs ‘gifted’ to garbos has landed them in hot water with council.

Bizarre pool choice sparks heated debate
A home for sale in the US is raising eyebrows after househunters spotted an unusual detail near the pool.

Sick of people? A remote Scottish lighthouse could be yours for a song
If neighbours are getting you down, pack your bags and escape to Scotland where one of the world’s most isolated properties awaits. A Victorian lighthouse is for sale in the Shetland Islands – the most remote region in the UK.

Couple confronted by rude note eight hours after picking up apartment keys
A couple in Canada had a rude welcome to their new apartment after a neighbour taped a tersely worded note to their front door.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s townhouse listed for sale
For decades, 169 East 71st Street in Manhattan has been more than just a townhouse – it has been a character in its own right. Immortalised as the on‑screen home of Holly Golightly, Audrey Hepburn’s character in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the townhouse’s elegant facade, wrought‑iron railing and stately stoop served as the backdrop for some of the film’s most memorable scenes.

‘We got scammed’: British traveller’s shock introduction to Sydney’s rental market
A British tourist has had a shock introduction to Sydney’s rental market after claiming she was scammed into living in a shipping container in the backyard of a terrace home.

THURSDAY’S NEWS

Domain – Free

We’re building 1.2m new homes, but we’re not using the homes we have
More people are moving in with housemates and family to save money in the cost-of-living crisis, and experts say if more older households moved, too, it could help alleviate the housing affordability challenge.
Elizabeth Redman

ABC Online

Call for stricter regulations for buyer’s agents after couple’s costly interstate blunder
After relying on a buyer’s agent for expert advice, a “blindsided” Sydney couple has discovered their Wodonga investment property has costly hidden problems. The Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia has warned that inexperienced buyer’s agents are causing headaches for customers.
Sarah Lawrence
 
Productivity summit turns to building homes, with warnings housing targets will not be met
Productivity roundtable attendees will discuss measures to clear a backlog of 30,000 projects waiting for environmental approval. Leaked Treasury advice has warned the government’s goal of building 1.2 million homes in five years is not on track to be met.
Olivia Caisley

Realestate.com.au 

‘Selling in a heartbeat’: Surging buyer confidence fuels housing FOMO
Households are feeling more confident about the year ahead following a third interest rate cut by the Reserve Bank, setting the scene for a new wave of FOMO to hit the property market.
JP Pelosi
 
The suburbs bracing for major price growth as buyer demand explodes
Demand has surged in housing hotspots around the country, with both investors and homebuyers chasing rapid price growth as interest rates fall.
Daniel Butkovich
 
Why you may have to wait to benefit from the interest rate cut
Millions of homeowners will benefit from the Reserve Bank of Australia’s latest rate cut but it may be a bit too early to start celebrating.
Samantha Healy
 
Winter wonderlands: The top 5 homes for snow-sport lovers
From a multi-million dollar penthouse to a one bedroom apartment, property hunters who enjoy a winter getaway hitting the slopes at some of Australia’s most well-known snow sports resorts are spoiled for choice.
Lisa Calautti
 
Illegal tree removal sparks outrage – and big fines
A viral social post detailing a neighbourly feud over the alleged destruction of mature trees has ignited a wider conversation about the value of urban canopies and the consequences of illegal tree removal.
Lydia Kellner
 
From Disney to mega-mansions: Jonas Brothers’ wild real estate ride
They may be celebrating 20 years of chart-topping hits with their new anniversary tour, but behind the music, the Jonas Brothers have also been quietly building a property empire.
Lydia Kellner
 
Brisbane’s 5 new blue-chip suburbs revealed
Move over Ascot and Bulimba – there is a new wave of Brisbane suburbs shaping up as the latest blue-chip locales.
Samantha Healy – Brisbane
  
Tradie trowels $1.2m of microcement into dream reno
A renderer’s home transformed with $1.2 million of microcement covering walls, floors, ceilings and even custom-built furniture will go under the hammer in Robina.
Viva Hyde – Gold Coast
 
Revealed: $7.7m super-sized penthouse sale
A Queensland couple has dropped $7.7m on a “super-sized” penthouse under construction on the northern Gold Coast.
Aleisha Dawson – Gold Coast
 
Restored Babinda Quarters listed for $2.2m
A heritage guesthouse that has hosted everyone from scientists and musicians to the occasional NRL legend and Hollywood visitor has been listed for sale after being saved from the scrap heap.
Samantha Healy – Cairns
 
Elizabeth Downs home with backyard clubhouse snapped up in two weeks
An Elizabeth Downs home that has its very own clubhouse has been snapped up within two weeks of hitting the market.
News Corp Australia – South Australia

Apartments.com.au 

$1 billion Toowong Central to deliver 1,100 apartments to undersupplied Brisbane market
Verso Development Group is seeking to bring over 1,100 apartments to the heart of Brisbane’s Toowong, with plans filed for a $1 billion, triple tower development known as Toowong Central.
Joel Robinson
 
Sovereign Island standards come to Runaway Bay with Ocean Suites on Jennifer
In Runaway Bay, new townhouse-scale waterfront residences are rare – but ones built to the standards found on Sovereign Island are almost unheard of.
Joel Robinson

WEDNESDAY

Melbourne to Brisbane? Why moving cities isn’t the property win it once was
The lure of a new life in a different capital city is especially tempting for those fed up with financially treading water just to pay the bills.
Sarah Dowling
 
Parramatta road shouldn’t just take us somewhere. It should be somewhere
Parramatta Road isn’t just stuck in traffic, it’s stuck in time. For decades, it’s been the corridor everyone talks about fixing but no one commits to. Grand plans have come and gone, leaving behind a six-lane scar of stalled ambition.
Tom Oliver Payne, Hoyne
  
The best properties for sale across Canberra right now
Get your inspection planner ready because we’ve rounded up the best properties for sale across Canberra right now to help you choose.
Danielle Meddemmen

Gold Coast council trials closing part of Surfers Paradise esplanade to traffic
The Esplanade in Surfers Paradise will be closed to traffic for a three-month trial from next Monday despite concerns over congestion.Council is attempting to revitalise the precinct into a “boulevard that invites strolling, gathering, and relaxation”.
Gemma Sapwell and Dominic Cansdale
  
Thousands of new homes set to be built near Queen Victoria Market after federal approval granted
Queen Victoria Market is set to be revitalised after a major development was granted federal approval. Under the plans, thousands of homes will be built in new residential towers, including student accommodation and affordable housing.
ABC.net.au

Realestate.com.au 

Aus mortgage switch surge hits 1084 loans a day
Aussie homeowners are fleeing their lenders in droves with new data revealing almost 100,000 mortgages were switched in the June quarter. That’s the highest level of mortgage refinancing since September 2023, with an estimated 1084 loans switched every single day.
Lydia Kellner
 
Money guru’s $612k offer for Aussie homebuyers
It’s mixed news for homeowners and house hunters after the RBA’s 2025 rate cut hat-trick. Interest rates have fallen significantly for Aussies this year on the back of Tuesday’s third interest rate cut for this year. But finance guru Mark Bouris believes that is the end of good news for mortgage holders in the foreseeable future.
James MacSmith

 Why this tropical city has the hottest property market in the country
An unsuspecting regional hub located 1300 kilometres from the closest capital city has become the fastest growing property market in Australia.
Sarah Dowling
 
How much can my landlord increase my rent by?
When can my landlord increase my rent? This is one of the most common questions that our advice hotline and I receive from tenants (and landlords) and yet the answer is very simple.
News Corp Australia – Adelaide
 
House builds start at 430-home St. James estate in Kidman Park
Construction of the first homes in one of Adelaide’s largest infill housing projects has commenced. Developer Fairland’s St. James housing estate at the former Metcash distribution centre in Kidman Park will feature more than 430 homes including a mix of detached houses, townhouses and apartments.

Boutique Build-to-Rent Pitched for Stones Corner
SP Development has put forward plans for a boutique build-to-rent development in an emerging development hotspot 5.7km south-east of Brisbane’s CBD.
Taryn Paris
 
Salvation at Hand: Why Ex-MP is Championing Faith-Based Land Development
Australia is sitting on thousands of prime housing sites—and they’re hiding in plain sight. In the Sydney metro region alone there is the potential to build more than 20,000 homes on 747 sites, all within 800m of a train station.
Renee McKeown
 
Social BtR Project Rising on Site of Abandoned WA Tower
Ground has been turned on a build-to-rent project that replaces a notorious public housing tower in Perth’s north-west. Construction of the Smith Street build-to-rent development at Highgate began this week to deliver social and affordable housing close to the CBD, according to the WA government.
Lindsay Saunders
 
Why ‘Best Practice’ Fails in Construction Finance
When a commercial builder enters administration, headlines naturally gravitate towards what they might owe, before attention turns to why they failed. And while the specific circumstances may vary, each collapse is inevitably chalked up to a version of “difficult market conditions beyond the builder’s control.”
Sponsored Content
 
Seniors Village Approved for Blue-Ribbon Melb Suburb
A 58-apartment seniors living proposal for a blue-ribbon suburb in Melbourne has been greenlit. Villa Maria Catholic Homes (VMCH) has received ministerial planning approval for its St Francis on the Park project at Ivanhoe East.
Leon Della Bosca

TUESDAY

Domain

Girraween: The closest suburb to Sydney’s CBD for under $1 million is 24km away
The closest suburb to Sydney’s CBD with a median house price under $1 million is Girraween, located 24 kilometres west of the city.
Maria Gil
    
Australia’s best houses of the week with Domain property editor Alice Stolz
Quite luxury seems to be dead. Much of the latest drop of listings are full-scale glam and ultra-luxe. Love it or loathe it, there’s more architectural flourish than you can poke a stick at.
Alice Stolz
 
Canberra auctions: Interest rate drop sparks solid sales
The recent interest rate cut has helped push some strong sales this weekend, with buyers active across the board.
Olwyn Conrau
 
Beautiful Paddington terrace finds a new owner after 37 years
There’s a much-loved terrace in Sydney’s eastern suburbs where glimpses of the past hide in plain sight.
Kate Kachor
 
Canberra auction clearance rates jump to highest level in two years
Canberra’s property market ignited in July, as auction clearance rates jumped to their highest level in two years – the largest monthly improvement of any capital city, according to Domain analysis.
Olwyn Conrau
 
Balmain: Sydney’s most dog-friendly inner west suburb
The locals love their peninsula paradise, but it’s certainly a different demographic from that which populated Balmain’s working-class cottages back in the 1980s and 1990s.
Kate Farrelly
 
Albert Park: Bayside charm, top schools and village life
Is it fair that one of bayside Melbourne’s ritziest suburbs also has one of the city’s most sought-after government high schools? Possibly not, but the residents of Albert Park are familiar with the abundance of blessings heaped upon them.
Larissa Dubecki
 
Glasshouse Burleigh Heads showcases the evolution of coastal living
Standards of luxury living on the Gold Coast continue to elevate with jaw-dropping properties like Glasshouse added to Burleigh Heads’ pristine coastline.
Emily Hutchinson
 
The best properties on the market in Sydney and surrounds right now
Sweeping ocean views and perfectly preserved heritage details are the hallmarks of this week’s best properties for sale in Sydney.
Pauline Morrissey and Lou Sweeney
 
The best properties for sale across Melbourne and Victoria right now
We’ve rounded up the best properties on the market right now to help you choose.
Mary O’Brien and Lou Sweeney
 
Inside Middle Park’s Panorama House – an award-winning bayfront masterpiece for sale
Middle Park’s Panorama House is a seaside manor that lives up to its moniker. Occupying a prominent corner block opposite the beach, the building possesses something close to architectural swagger – but from the outside, it doesn’t give much away.
Larissa Dubecki
 
Christine owned a home. Then she separated and can’t buy back in. She’s not alone
When Christine Clark logged onto her neighbourhood Facebook page last March, she was desperate for advice. The single mother-of-two had six months left on her lease and didn’t know what to do.
Caroline Zielinski

 Australia’s cheapest home snapped up sight unseen
A Sydney buyer has snapped up an abandoned, century-old country home with beehives in its walls for one-tenth of the price of a typical Australian home, without ever stepping foot inside.
Lisa Calautti
 
Rate cut-fuelled refinancing spike sparks lender wars
Fierce competition between home loan lenders to lock in borrowers on new deals is set to get another boost after the August rate cut.
Hope Coumbe
 
Hidden fortune: What Aussie cleaners find in home clean-outs
Stressed Aussies are unknowingly tossing tens of thousands of dollars in the bin – with cleaners finding as much as $15,000 in cash hidden in a handbag in a shock new trend.
Sophie Foster
  
Revealed: Sydney’s most overvalued and undervalued suburbs
Explosive property market inflation has created pockets of Sydney where house prices have become “overvalued” and at risk of soon falling as buyers seek out cheaper, comparable homes elsewhere.
Aidan Devine – Sydney
  
Body corporate changes force sellers to reveal hidden costs
Buyers of lots in community title schemes will no longer fear being ambushed by unknown fees and outstanding debts following new seller disclosure requirements from August 1.
Jane Wilson – Brisbane
 
Student couple’s $838k graduation gift
The Brisbane uni students, aged 21 and 19, have bought a two-bedroom apartment in Murarrie for $838,000 off the plan, with completion timed for just after they finish their degrees next year.
Viva Hyde – Queensland
 
Qld mayor lists NQ home with footy, fishing, pubs at doorstep
The Mount Isa Mayor’s ultimate lifestyle property with backyard boat ramp and jetty is going under the hammer, all walking distance Townsville pubs, stadium and CBD.
Courtney Snowden – Queensland
 
First-home buyers race to lock in deals before 2026 shake-up
Savvy first-home buyers are racing to get into the market ahead of a surge in competition tipped for next year, as major reforms to state and federal incentive schemes loom. Agents say demand is rising among first-home buyers targeting Brisbane suburbs where $1m still buys a solid home, with existing government support already shaving tens of thousands off the upfront cost.
Viva Hyde – Queensland

ABC Online
Plan to convert Sydney golf course into cemetery ‘short-sighted’ as consultation set to start
The proposal to convert Carnarvon Golf Course into a cemetery will be formally presented to residents on Tuesday. The local Labor MP has described the plans as “lazy and short-sighted,” claiming the decision has already been made.
Nick Dole
 
PFAS experts answer common questions about ‘forever chemicals’ and the risks to human health
PFAS, it seems, are everywhere. From farmers in Queensland managing contaminated land, to residents north of Perth fighting for tainted pipework to be replaced, Australians are grappling with how to live with so-called “forever chemicals”.
Lucy Sweeney and Nathan Morris
 
Sydney developer gets ‘slap on the wrist’ after illegally clearing hundreds of trees to build $3 million mansion
A property developer of a $3 million mansion has been fined after illegally clearing hundreds of trees in Sydney’s south. A community group says they are “horrified” with the punishment, while a Greens MP dubbed it a “slap on the wrist”.
Ethan Rix
 
Short-term rental advocates say restrictions hurt tourism, not help housing
A study examining the effect of banning short-term rentals overseas finds it fails to increase housing supply and reduce rental prices. A property owner says governments should focus on building new homes over short-stay restrictions.
Sam Bradbrook

 ‘Absolute chaos’: Rate cuts have instant impact on auctions
Following the RBA’s latest cash rate cut, bidders flocked to auctions around Sydney in droves over the weekend.
Owen Raymond
 
Can the economic roundtable help speed up home building?
Australia’s productivity boss has warned there will be no easy fixes to speeding up home building, with housing on the agenda of this week’s economic reform roundtable in Canberra.
Benn Dorrington
 
Rate cuts spark new winners in changing Aussie market
Australia has experienced three major interest rate cutting cycles since 2015, each delivering vastly different impacts across the housing market.
Nerida Conisbee
 
Mayfield unit block sells at auction to Sydney investor
After a month-long auction campaign, a whole unit block in Mayfield has sold to a Sydney-based investor.
Jade Lazarevic

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