In the news 1 Working from home sends office vacancy rates to 30 year high With many Aussies still happily working from home, office landlords in major capitals are suffering stubbornly high vacancy rates. But the flight to quality is seeing the top end of the market pick up. 2 Flood-devastated families left in limbo A Queensland woman is homeless, and another woman’s investment property is uninhabitable, after a builder was paid more than $200,000 in taxpayer funds to raise their flood-impacted homes. 3 Adgemis’ $1.5bn bankruptcy on hold after dramatic intervention Jon Adgemis’ financial fate was set to be decided on Friday before a late intervention from the tax office and bankruptcy regulators. AFSA said in a letter bankruptcy trustees may have not satisfactorily investigated Mr Adgemis’ financial affairs. 4 National home prices hit record in July despite winter lull National home prices are expected to get a further boost if interest rates are cut next week, as new data from PropTrack shows that home prices hit a new peak in July. 5 Property developers need to catch up with modern life Whether we’re shacking up or splitting up, Australians need somewhere to live and the property market needs to catch up to fulfil our needs.

Market movers Star must repay $41m as talks with HK partners collapse The casino company has been left reeling after the deal which would have extracted it from the troubled Queen’s Wharf precinct collapsed, leaving it to deal with hefty debts. Bob Ell strikes Australia’s biggest land deal with $620m exit The billionaire tycoon has followed his mate John Boyd, selling the huge Kings Forest development parcel to Stockland. Investors eye North Sydney skyscrapers as city tightens A Hong Kong magnate best known for his toy factories in China is getting out of the local office sector as a sector heavyweight considers selling in North Sydney. ‘Enough is enough’: Billionaire Lederer’s play for Elanor The Western Sydney Wanderers co-owner has taken the gloves off as he bids to take control of the office fund he helped rescue last year.

Prestige property Iconic Subiaco home opens doors after grand makeover The Fairview heritage home in the inner Perth suburb is home to a gallery of ornate glass panels and female artists’ work. Southern Highlands set for luxury home influx Sydney’s answer to the Hamptons is about to see a fresh wave of multimillion-dollar properties hit the market as one of Bowral’s most sought-after rentals lists for $4.7m.

Commercial property