Apartment buyers pay premium for boutique builds as priorities shift towards long-term liveability

Inside the penthouse at Highlife Property Group’s Blonde at Bilinga. Size still beats a spa as apartment buyers refuse to sacrifice a well-proportioned layout for even the most lavish communal wellness facilities. It’s a shift developers are increasingly factoring into design briefs, as buyer appetite for “wow factor” amenities gives way to demand for practical, everyday living space. The trend is playing out across the Gold Coast and northern NSW, where a new wave of boutique apartment projects is being built around liveability rather than just luxury extras. Blonde tower at Bilinga. Blonde tower at Bilinga. “Buyers want a well-proportioned home that works for their lifestyle, and we’re not seeing them readily compromise on that in exchange for amenities,” said Highlife Property Group co-founder Elyse George George. “At the same time, there is an expectation that a premium apartment building will offer wellness facilities and inviting communal spaces.” Mrs George and her husband James are the founders of Gold Coast developer-builder Highlife Property Group. Their projects include Ayla in Mermaid Beach and Blonde in Bilinga, with Sabi House in Byron Bay marking their first move int...