INSIDE AUSTRALIA’S MOST EXCLUSIVE REAL ESTATE CLUB
Off-market real estate is the gold standard in luxury, where privacy, prestige and exclusivity come first.
3 min
In a world saturated with luxury listings, glossy marketing campaigns and high-profile property sales, there remains a quietly powerful corner of the real estate market—one that thrives on trust, privacy, and exclusivity.
At the centre of this discreet world is Monika Tu, Founder and Director of the Black Diamondz Group, widely recognised for leading the revolution of global buyers into Australia’s ultra-prestige property market.
Tu, whose clients include billionaires, celebrities, and political leaders, operates in a rarefied space where the most desirable homes are never advertised, and deals are often done before the broader market even knows a property is for sale.
Off-market real estate isn’t a niche for her—it’s the gold standard.
“In the ultra-high-net-worth space, discretion is not a luxury — it’s a necessity,” Tu explains. “My clients are often celebrities, global business leaders, and influential investors who value privacy above all else. Off-market deals provide that veil of exclusivity.”
But for Tu, the allure of off-market transactions isn’t just about secrecy — it’s about substance.
A growing appetite for luxury
These clients, she says, aren’t merely buying houses. “They are acquiring legacies, generational wealth, and status symbols — and that level of prestige is rarely found on public portals,” she says,
As Australia’s luxury market tightens amid limited premium stock and global volatility, the appetite for private, bespoke deals is rising.
“In 2025, especially with ongoing market volatility and limited premium stock, off-market opportunities have become even more appealing,” she says. “They offer a sense of control in an otherwise competitive market.”
So how do these deals begin?
“It always starts with trust,” says Tu. “I often say that luxury real estate isn’t just about property — it’s about people. The best off-market transactions begin through curated relationships: long-standing connections, private referrals, and personal introductions.”
Privacy, Exclusivity & Power
The advantages of transacting away from the public eye are threefold, Tu says: “privacy, exclusivity, and negotiating power.”
Privacy, of course, is paramount. “It ensures they can transact without media speculation or market noise — especially important for politically exposed persons or high-profile figures.”
Exclusivity, meanwhile, creates cachet. “They’re accessing real estate most will never know is available — these are trophy assets, often passed quietly between elite hands.”
And for sellers, it’s an elegant way to test the market — discreetly. “Avoiding public listings protects them from over exposure and allows them to test the market without commitment,” she says.
“It also creates a sense of prestige. Some of our most successful sales have been whisper listings — sold to the right buyer, at the right time, for the right price.”
Although identities remain confidential, one such sale involved a waterfront estate in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs valued at more than $60 million.
“The property had never been formally listed — it belonged to an ultra-private family who only wanted it shown to a ‘handpicked few.
“The buyer was an international billionaire relocating to Australia under the Significant Investor Visa program,” Tu says.
The deal, Tu recalls, was incredibly complex. “We negotiated over midnight calls, coordinated legal teams across three time zones, and even sourced a bespoke designer to help the buyer envision the home’s potential. We had it sold — quietly and cleanly — within three weeks.”
The Invisible Market
Tu says the off-market trend has only gained momentum in recent years. “In 2024 and 2025, we’ve seen record levels of wealth transfer, tighter stock levels at the top end of the market, and an increased appetite from overseas buyers — particularly from Asia and the Middle East — who want access to Australia’s safest, most prestigious homes.”
But there’s also a cultural shift driving this appetite for discretion. “The rise of social media, digital surveillance, and a 24/7 news cycle has made UHNWIs more protective of their privacy than ever,” Tu says. “Off-market is no longer niche — it’s the gold standard for how the elite transact.”
So what advice does she give those considering a step into this rarefied world?
“My number one piece of advice: choose your agent carefully,” Tu says. “Off-market success doesn’t come from slick marketing — it comes from relationships, insight, and discretion.”
“For buyers, be clear on what you want, be patient, and align yourself with someone truly embedded in the luxury space. This is not the world of open inspections and price reductions — it’s about timing and precision.”
And for sellers? “Understand that pricing power is maintained through exclusivity. Don’t feel pressured to go public unless it’s strategic. With the right network, your buyer is already out there — and they’ll pay a premium for privacy.”
A record-breaking $11 million sale at The Centennial Collection has set a new benchmark for luxury apartment living in Bondi Junction.
As interest rates, inflation and market sentiment fluctuate, investors are being urged to focus on data, not panic.
Australia’s housing affordability crisis is being fuelled by chronic undersupply, planning delays and rising development costs, as politicians continue to focus on the wrong solutions.
3 min
Australia’s housing crisis will not be solved by first-home buyer incentives or tax changes alone, with leading property figures warning governments must tackle supply constraints if affordability is to improve.
Speaking at the Kanebridge Quarterly Property Leadership Summit in Sydney last week, expert project marketing specialist Sam Elbanna, property investor and fund manager Paul Miron and property consultant Karla McNeice said that a lack of housing supply remained the central issue facing the market.
Elbanna, Director of CPM Realty with more than 30 years’ experience in project sales, argued that successive governments had focused too heavily on stimulating demand rather than addressing the barriers preventing new housing from being delivered.
“The misconception is that politicians think the way to solve the housing crisis is to drive demand,” he said.
“The reality is that’s not the way. This is a supply-side problem, and it needs to be solved on the supply side.”
Drawing on his experience in project sales, Elbanna said policies designed to help first-home buyers often had unintended consequences, pointing to previous grants that ultimately flowed through to higher property prices.
Instead, he said developers were facing increasing red tape, approval delays and rising costs, which were discouraging new housing supply.
“In the absence of stock, demand exceeds supply,” he said.
Miron, a Co-Founder and Fund Manager of Msquared Capital, said the housing debate had become overly focused on tax policy while overlooking broader structural issues.
He argued that affordability challenges stemmed from a combination of factors, including planning constraints, supply shortages, migration levels and interest rates.
“No-one can be 100 per cent certain on the real reason for property prices is going up,” he said.
“The reason why property prices are higher is a combination of interest rates, lack of supply, migration, vacancy rates and maybe taxes play a role.”
Miron was critical of recent federal housing policy changes, warning they could reduce the number of new homes being built and further constrain supply that was even highlighted in the budget.
He also highlighted the importance of the property sector to the broader economy, noting that residential real estate and related industries employed more than one million Australians.
McNeice, who advises developers on sales strategy and market intelligence, said understanding buyers had become increasingly important as affordability pressures intensified.
While affordability remained a major consideration, she said today’s buyers were focused on value rather than simply price.
“People are looking for value for money,” she said.
She said buyers were increasingly evaluating factors such as transport connections, walkability, nearby amenities and flexible living spaces that could accommodate changing family needs.
“What infrastructure is going on? Can I walk to the shops? Can I meet people at the local cafe?” she said.
The panel also discussed the mounting pressures facing developers, with Elbanna arguing that many projects become financially unviable from the moment a site is purchased.
“The viability of a development happens at the moment the site is bought,” he said.
He said rising construction costs, higher interest rates and overly optimistic feasibility assumptions had left some developers exposed as market conditions changed.
While acknowledging the growing number of smaller and first-time developers entering the market, Elbanna said property development required expertise across finance, construction, marketing and legal disciplines.
“It is actually a business that requires a level of expertise,” he said.
Looking ahead, the panel agreed opportunities remained in the market despite current challenges.
Miron said property should continue to be viewed as a long-term investment and cautioned against trying to time short-term market movements.
McNeice said success would increasingly depend on identifying projects that genuinely met changing buyer expectations.
Elbanna said affordable housing remained achievable, but developers needed to deliver more than just homes.
“We can provide affordable housing in this country,” he said.
“But we’ve got to wrap that affordable housing with the things that people want.”
As Australia’s housing affordability debate intensifies, the panellists agreed on one point: without a meaningful increase in housing supply, demand-side measures alone are unlikely to solve the nation’s property challenges.
Chinese carmaker GAC will expand its Australian electric vehicle line-up with the city-focused AION UT hatchback.
Brickworks has enlisted acclaimed architecture studio Kennedy Nolan to explore how homes could become more adaptable, energy-efficient and connected to community.
