City Beat April 2025: Sydney developers going above and beyond as house values continue upward trajectory
Sydney’s residential property market continues to tell a story of two very different sectors.
As the market rebounds, house values are pulling further ahead of unit prices—April was no exception.
According to the Home Value Index from Cotality (formerly CoreLogic), house values rose by 0.4 per cent in April, while unit values declined by -0.4 per cent. Over the rolling quarter, houses are up 1.4 per cent, but units have fallen by -0.4 per cent.
Sydney’s median house value now sits at $1,474,000, compared to $854,000 for units—a $620,000 difference.
This widening gap underscores the ongoing affordability advantage of units for buyers priced out of the housing market, particularly in a city where overall property values remain among the highest in the country.
What happened in Sydney’s off-the-plan apartment market in April?
The increasing cost of housing in Sydney is giving developers every opportunity to bring projects to market and secure prices that will allow them to move to the construction phase of the project.
Developers are certainly having to look for new ways to bring something more to their projects above the ordinary, ensuring they're delivering a considerably better place to live than buying into an established building.
No doubt renowned builder-developer DASCO has done so at its recently launched Danks St District in Waterloo. They have a fairly unrepeatable 1.7-hectare block in the middle of the inner-city suburb where they are to create a large mixed-use development with 373 new apartments above a retail and dining precincts.
The first stage that buyers have jumped at is Bourke Street Residences, a sculptural building designed by MHNDU and Fieldwork.
The building will feature rooftop gardens, BBQ areas, an outdoor gym, and a soundproof music room.
DASCO has also taken out the sought-after Latent Defects Insurance from Resilience Insurance. The insurance, which can only be taken out by the developer and not the property owner, protects homeowners from major structural or waterproofing faults for 10 years post-completion.
Read more: DASCO launches game-changing new Waterloo precinct, Danks St District
Another builder-developer who has created something unrepeatable is TOGA, who is selling the final homes at its transformative inner-city development, Surry Hills Village.
Surry Hills Village, or SHV, on the border of Surry Hills and Redfern, just off Crown and Cleveland Streets, has received much fanfare since it completed late last year, namely due to its hospitality precinct, Wunderlich Lane, one of the hottest spots in Sydney.
The final homes for sale in the sought-after development are the Marriott Street Terraces. There are only three, individually-designed terraces left which have three bedrooms, sculptural kitchens with Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances and a wine bar, outdoor spaces primed for entertaining, and a car space, a rarity for terraces in the inner-city.
Read more: Last chance at Surry Hills Village as TOGA launches luxury terrace collection
Masterplanned developer Sekisui House Australia, who is creating communities in previously underutilised areas across Greater Sydney, released the Skyhome Collection at Willow, the latest stage of their $2 billion Sanctuary masterplan at Wentworth Point.
Designed by TURNER, the homes feature floor-to-ceiling glass, expansive balconies, and curved bronze-toned screens that reflect the form of the Parramatta River. Prices range from $810,000 to $4.5 million, with each apartment designed for light, space, and uninterrupted views of the river, CBD, and Blue Mountains.
Sanctuary is evolving into one of Sydney’s most connected waterfront precincts, with buyers drawn by access to ferry services, parklands, and future light rail.
Read more: Sekisui House launches Willow Skyhome Collection in $2 billion Sanctuary masterplan
North of the Bridge, April saw Coronation Property break ground on its $250 million Chatswood project, a 32-level mixed-use development on Archer Street.
The project, designed by Woods Bagot, will deliver over 150 apartments, along with 2,500 sqm of retail and commercial space, wellness amenities, and a restored heritage building.
Recognised as a State Significant Development, the project will generate up to 400 jobs and be a key contributor to Chatswood’s transformation into a vibrant residential and retail hub.
Read more: Coronation Property Group breaks ground at new Chatswood apartment development
In April, another builder-developer, Scion, started welcoming buyers to Sterling, their 50-apartment development in Lane Cove North.
Originally started by a different developer, Scion stepped in mid-build, assured by the project’s Latent Defects Insurance and robust independent inspections.
Sterling includes one, two, and three-bedroom residences, designed to reflect Lane Cove’s natural surrounds.
Read more: Buyers to move into Lane Cove North's first LDI-protected apartment development
