Apartment Building Approvals Fall 40 Per Cent
The lowest non-house building approval rate since January 2012.
By Terry Christodoulou
Wed, Mar 3, 2021 5:26am
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Building approvals for apartments and townhouses were down 40 per cent at the end of January, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, signalling a significant slowing of the high-density sector.
The data indicated the lowest non-house building approval rate since January 2012, with the number of dwellings approved falling 19.4% in January. Private house dwelling approval rates were down 12 per cent.
“Despite the fall, private house approvals remain 38 per cent higher than in January 2020,” said Daniel Rossi, Director of Construction Statistics at the ABS.
“The surge in Homebuilder applications at the end of 2020, as well as the extension of the program to March, will continue to provide support for private house approvals in the coming months.”
Total dwelling approvals fell across all states in January; Queensland (33.3 per cent), Tasmania (24.8 per cent), New South Wales (23.2 per cent), Victoria (13.0 per cent), Western Australia (4.1 per cent) and South Australia (0.5 per cent).
Approvals for private sector houses also fell across all states in January; New South Wales (19.0 per cent), Queensland (19.0 per cent), Victoria (8.4 per cent), South Australia (3.7 per cent) and Western Australia (0.9 per cent).
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The desert residence belonged to the singer, who also served as mayor of the California city, for more than a decade.
By Liz Lucking
Wed, Dec 17, 2025 < 1 min
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Sonny Bono’s former estate, a piece of local history in Palm Springs, California, has come up for sale.
The desert residence, on the market for $7.49 million, was home to the singer, songwriter, congressman and Palm Springs mayor from 1986 until his death in 1998, records show.
“Opportunities like this simply do not come around often,” said listing agent Louise Hampton with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California, who brought the home to the market last month.
“A hillside estate of this size, with this level of privacy and this historical connection stands among the most compelling offerings in today’s desert market.”
Bono was perhaps most famously the other half of singing duo Sonny & Cher, but also served as the mayor of Palm Springs from 1988 to 1992, and as the U.S. representative for California’s 44th district from 1995 until he died in a skiing accident in 1998 at the age of 62.
Located in the city’s Mesa neighbourhood on a hillside parcel, the colourful seven-bedroom property combines Mid-Century Modern design with Italian influences across its almost 9,000 square feet and multiple structures.
The house last changed hands in 2021 for $4.35 million. The sellers couldn’t be reached for comment.
There’s a great room, a formal dining area with a rock fireplace, a chef’s kitchen with two wine fridges.
The seven bedrooms include a primary suite with a walk-in closet and a “spa-style” bathroom with a soaking tub and steam shower, according to the listing. Several of the home’s guest suites include private patios or separate entrances.
Outside, there are lawns, olive trees, date palms and cacti alongside terraces, a new travertine pool deck, a pool, a tennis court and an oversize motor court with space for more than a dozen vehicles.
