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CAIRNS’ central suburbs have been dethroned as the kings of rental returns with a northern beaches suburb yielding double figures, according to the latest realestate.com.au data.

Units at Holloways Beach reported a 10.75 per cent yield in the past 12 months, collecting $310 rent on average.

Grant Doolan and his partner Caitlin Dale outside their McManus St property in Whitfield that they have listed for sale. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN

Usual frontrunners Woree and Manoora, which were among the nation’s best last year, were second and third in Cairns, returning at 9.86 and 9.54 per cent respectively.

Ray White Cairns Beaches business development officer Nicole Barry said the leading suburb offered a beach lifestyle with city proximity, and fell in the Cairns State High School catchment zone.

“Holloways and even Yorkeys Knob are sitting just above 1 per cent vacancy,” she said. “Units are sometimes renting before they even go on the market.”

For owner-occupiers, Earlville recorded the highest capital growth of suburbs that sold a minimum of 30 houses with a 27.7 per cent rise.

Whitfield, a well sought-after suburb, experienced a -5.8 per cent median price change.

But that hasn’t worried McManus Street residents Grant Doolan and Caitlin Dale, who bought their house three years ago in the $300,000 range and have confidently listed for offers in the $500,000s.

Check out today’s real estate liftout

RENTAL YIELDS

Cairns always performed strongly in rental returns. This is how it compared to other cities in the past 12 months.

Cairns…………………………..7.4%

Townsville…………………7.09%

Brisbane……………………..5.14%

The post New king: A surprise suburb has taken top spot for best rent returns in Cairns appeared first on realestate.com.au.

8 Elizabeth St, Flying Fish Point is listed with RE/MAX agent Daniel Arnott

WITH endless and open beach views, this “hidden gem” encapsulates the popular Far Northern expression – where the rainforest meets the Reef.

Through the front door of 8 Elizabeth St, Flying Fish Point, is the edge of the rainforest and at the rear, the backyard turf shares grains of sand with the beach. The three-bedroom beach house is described as a “slice of paradise” by RE/MAX selling agent Daniel Arnott.

“I didn’t even know this place existed – it’s one of Far North Queensland’s best-kept secrets,” he said.

The backyard turf meets the beach at 8 Elizabeth St, Flying Fish Point.

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“It’s got basically its own private beach.

“If you wanted to, you’d be able to fish from your bed, that’s how close you are to the beach.

“From your kitchen it would take you about 10 seconds to have sand on your feet.”

He said the property’s location wasn’t all about the beach, with the short 10-minute drive to Innisfail making it a suitable home for a wide range of buyers.

8 Elizabeth St, Flying Fish Point is only 10 minutes from Innisfail.

“It’s complemented by the art-deco village of Innisfail, which has everything you need just 10 minutes away. But then when you’re back at this house it feels like you’re a million miles away from everything.

“It’s a quiet neighbourhood, the beach is pristine and I saw some dolphins the last morning I was there. It’s probably a location not many have considered and not many have heard of.”

Mr Arnott said when holiday-makers or visitors to the area did stumble across the property, they would begin making offers.

“People have knocked on the door and said would you let us rent it out for the holidays.

“It’s never been holiday let, but they’ve been offered $3000 a week.”

8 Elizabeth St, Flying Fish Point is listed with RE/MAX agent Daniel Arnott

And their reasoning for the generous offers could be due to any number of features this tidy, renovated property packs.

“It’s a well-kept beach home with original features,” Mr Arnott said.

“They’ve just put a large deck out the back, which has water views as far as the eye can see.

“There’s a large main living area which flows on to the deck. It’s also got a separate living area as well, at the front of the property if you wanted to breakaway and just entertain.”

He said the “very open” home enjoyed sea breezes as well as plenty of natural light to highlight the rare black bean timber floors.

The large deck at 8 Elizabeth St, Flying Fish Point has endless beach views.

However, he said, one of the true retreats in the home was the master bedroom.

“They’re all good-sized bedrooms with plenty of natural light but you just get really beautiful views from the master bedroom.”

Nearby is a school, a park and a licensed cafe all within walking distance, but a major drawcard is access to the reefs via the Flying Fish Point boat ramp, just one minute away.

“The property has onsite parking for your boat,” Mr Arnott said.

“It’s fully fenced and gated so if you did use it as a holiday home, you could keep all your toys secured onsite. We’ve fielded a lot of inquiry from Melbourne. People simply wanting a change and they’re wanting to move there. Others have wanted it as holiday house.

“No price on it yet, the owner is seeking expressions of interest for now.”

The post Strangers come knocking at the door when they finally see this hidden gem appeared first on realestate.com.au.

The right brick made all the difference in this house was designed by architect Mark Szczerbicki Picture: Tom Ferguson

There’s not a lot at first glance that makes this house stand out from its neighbours. That’s just how architect Mark Szczerbicki likes it.

When the owners of this house in Russell Lea realised their existing cottage did not have the structural integrity to carry a first floor addition, they were looking for a way to keep the best of the old house but create something new.

The house was approved under Complying Development legislation, which required the upper floor to be setback from the lower floor. Picture: Tom Ferguson

Mark says he wanted to design a house that would still look like it belonged in the neighbourhood.

“Often the brick cottages in this area get demolished and a massive facade goes up,” Mark says. “They look completely alien compared to the cottages on either side.”

With good parks and the Bay Run nearby, the owners were happy to lose much of their backyard to allow for the two-storey, three-bedroom floorplan.

A skylight along the side of the house draws light into the ground floor living space. Picture: Tom Ferguson

“The backyard is smaller than what we would usually do but it was about maximising the area for the alfresco area and the plunge pool as well as the balcony to the front with its views of the city,” Mark says.

The design was approved as a Complying Development, which meant the upper floor had to be set back from the ground level.

The floorplan works well for the family. Picture: Tom Ferguson

Mark used the boundary setback to install a long skylight in the living area to let light in. The back garden faces west, but Mark says the site had a lot going for it.

“We knew from the owners that the house had good breezes from the east so that they barely use the airconditioning,” he says. “The living spaces face north to the side and the windows are double glazed to the south.”

The owner wanted to enjoy his vintage car even when not driving it, so a viewing window was added in the garage. Picture: Tom Ferguson

Mark says the owners were keen to install solar panels for electricity but underfloor hydronic heating keeps the house warm through winter.

“Underfloor heating is so much more efficient because the heat rises gently. These guys walk around barefoot all year,” he says.

Hydronic heating on the ground floor keeps the house comfortable in winter. Picture: Tom Ferguson

To tie it into the street, the house has a similar setback to its neighbours. Mark also chose similar bricks to those used in the neighbouring houses and opted for a similar brick fence.

Landscaping by Melissa Wilson at the back, the front and inside the house beds it into the site.

Landscape architect Melissa Wilson specified planting inside as well as outside the house. Picture: Tom Ferguson

While the house is a ‘good neighbour’ in so many ways, Mark says the owner did have one unusual request. He wanted to be able to enjoy his vintage sports car, even when it was parked in the garage.

The design includes a viewing window into the garage, which reveals a stacked car system, allowing parking for four cars on a two-car footprint.

The layout is simple with clean lines but works well for the family of four. Picture: Tom Ferguson

THE PROJECT

Owners: A couple with two children

Architect: Mark Szczerbicki Design Studio, markszczerbicki.com

The brief: To replace an old cottage with a modern family home that still felt like it belonged in the neighbourhood

The site: A suburban block in Russell Lea with a west-facing backyard

Design solution: To build a two-storey home using similar materials to the rest of the street and maintaining similar setbacks to the neighbouring houses

How long did it take: 10 months

THE SOURCE

Builder Ferrocon, ferrocon.com.au; Landscape architect Melissa Wilson, melisssawilson.com.au; Kitchen joinery New Age Kitchens 0414 244 346; Face brickwork Austral Bricks ‘Bowral 76’ in Renovation Gertrudis Brown colour, australbricks.com.au

The post Why a vintage car was the driving force in this new inner west house design appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Winter could well be the new spring on the Gold Coast as a buzz of buyer activity and a surge in new listings suggest the pandemic has thrown the traditional property seasons out of whack.

A report by CoreLogic shows the number of newly advertised properties for sale across the Gold Coast region increased by 6.4 per cent over the month of June, up 34 per cent from an April low.

“The rise in new listing numbers is an indication that homeowner confidence has improved enough that more vendors are willing to test the market,” the report states.

Sydney resident Gary Hahn is selling his Benowa Waters holiday home. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Sydney resients Gary and Julie Hahn, who are preparing to put their beloved Benowa Waters holiday home to auction next month after 18 years, felt confident going to market.

“I’ve bought a few properties over the years and I don’t think there’s a good or bad time to sell,” Mr Hahn said.

“If you’ve got something presentable and somebody wants it, it doesn’t matter when you’re selling.”

108 Cabana Boulevard, Benowa Waters has been with the Hahn family for 18 years.

Harcourts Coastal director Dane Atherton said the high level of buyer activity made winter an even better time to sell this year.

“The pandemic has certainly thrown the traditional seasonal periods out of whack,” he said.

“Winter on the Gold Coast is always the best time to sell because the contrast in weather is the greatest for our southern buyers which makes it even more attractive.

“Our sales volumes in April, May and June have been at spring levels — we finished $30 million up in June on written business.”

While new listing numbers have surged, total listings have held reasonably firm, implying a strong rate of absorption as buyer demand picks up more quickly than fresh stock being added to the market.

The strong rate of absorption is likely one of the factors supporting housing values across the Gold Coast. According to the CoreLogic home value index, Gold Coast dwelling values were steady in June and rose by 0.7 per cent over the quarter.

With the border now open to NSW buyers and locked down Victorians make plans to relocate, sellers are in a good position, added Mr Atherton.

“What’s happening in Victoria has further fuelled inquiry in our market as people have had enough and just want to get out there,” he said.

The post Is winter the best season to list on the Gold Coast this year? appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Hot property – 16 Harnett Ave, Mosman.

When the owner of this stunning Mosman home first saw it a was on the market a few years ago up he was intrigued enough to want to take a look.

And who better than to show him through 16 Harnett Ave, than its original owner, long-term Mosman local and well-known architect David Boddam-Whetham.

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Other owners had added their touches to the grand triple brick and concrete home over the years, and Mr Boddam-Whetham was only too delighted to show the prospective buyer through.

“We (his wife, also an architect) and I built it ourselves in the 1980s,” Mr Boddam-Whetham said

“It was a labour of love and it’s lovely to see it’s still being appreciated.”

Photographs alone don’t do the home justice – especially come dusk when you are sitting on the rooftop terrace looking out over the treetops views above Mosman Bay.

This substantial home is so tucked into the trees, and with neighbours on only one side, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in the middle of nowhere.

The rooftop terrace.

Timeless beauty.

The current owner has invested in a spectacular series of lights that are neatly nestled into the trees, adding to the night time spectacle.

In reality you are in secluded privacy, only metres from shores of Mosman Bay, adjacent to Reid Park and a short walk from the Mosman Bay ferry. The Avenue Road shops and cafes are close by, and Mosman Village is within easy reach.

Inside, the home is a contemporary work of art with a vast floorplan that offers a range of formal and casual living and dining spaces, inside and out.

The wine cellar.

Formal dining.

Light and fresh air are in abundance thanks to the two rows of glass that run across the length of the house on two sides of the rooftop.

The private rooftop terrace has a wet bar and barbecue area – a perfect place for relaxing or entertaining.

Easy living.

Formal living.

Other features include an integrated wine cellar, full alarm system, double garage with internal access and separate lower level self-contained suite.

The property is due to go to auction on August 6, with a price guide of $3,700,000 to $3,900,000.

For more information contact Bernard Ryan, or Benoit Guittoneau, Ray White Lower North Shore.

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The post Architect’s beloved former Mosman home restored to glory appeared first on realestate.com.au.

365 Angas St, Adelaide. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly

A city townhouse offers the sense of space and scope that you would usually only expect to find in grand villas. Barrie and Debra McBryde built their Angas St home between 1998 and 2000 and combined elements of their former home with the sort of grandeur you usually find in five star holiday accommodation.

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“We came from Unley and wanted something at least the size of our villa in Unley, if not bigger, and when we came home we wanted the feeling of being in a five-star resort – and that’s why we built such a big bedroom and such a big ensuite.

365 Angas St, Adelaide. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly

The living area downstairs is equally as big as what we had in Unley, and the kitchen’s actually bigger,” Mr McBryde says.

“We also wanted security, so that we could lock it up and leave it and travel, and we also wanted it to be as low-maintenance as possible. That’s why we’ve got natural render finishes all around the outside.”

365 Angas St, Adelaide. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly

Quality was paramount to the McBrydes, who have fitted out the amazing property with high calibre fixtures and finishes throughout.

“We put in a concrete floor on the upper level because I hate the thought of timber first floors, so it’s a solid construction,” says Mr McBryde. “The high ceilings give it an amazing feeling throughout – on the lower floor they’re 3.3m high and upstairs is 3m high – not many of these newer apartments offer that sort of height, not even the penthouses.

365 Angas St, Adelaide. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly

We’ve stayed in places around the world with good sized bedrooms and bathrooms and we wanted that – that ensuite is about 18sqm and is bigger than most people’s bedrooms. It sounds a little bit ostentatious, but when you’ve lived in something with space, and you’ve got the capability to create what you want, you don’t really want to go back to something smaller. Everybody who’s ever seen it says “this is unbelievable” – it’s just so good, we love it. It’s a beautifully proportioned room, that bedroom, it really is.”

365 Angas St, Adelaide. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly

Designed by award-winning architect Angelo Ali, the home has three bedrooms, all on the upper level. An open-plan kitchen, family and dining area flows out to a courtyard garden at the front, and the home also has a spacious laundry, a bathroom and a double garage with ample storage at the rear. Quality fixtures and finishes abound, including Caesarstone benchtops, European Birch cabinetry, LED lighting, an alarm system and a 19-panel solar system.

365 Angas St, Adelaide. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly

Mr McBryde says the home’s design and luxe fit-out make it ideal for entertaining.

“We had about 20 people in here in January celebrating my birthday and it was fantastic, and there was plenty of room. We’re not huge entertainers but we’d often have a handful of people over,” Mr McBryde says. “You could have 40 people here without any problem – you can open up the doors and spill out into the courtyard and have the kids upstairs.”

365 Angas St, Adelaide. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly

The couple is moving on to its next building project and while they will recreate many aspects of this home in their next one, they won’t be able to replicate its incredible location.

“The location is fabulous,” Mr McBryde says. “Because we’re off of East Tce, we actually don’t get any traffic noise – that’s the surprising thing for most people, they didn’t think it would be so quiet. You don’t realise you’re living in the city.

365 Angas St, Adelaide. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly

“It’s been a great house – very few people stay in the one house for 20 years, but we’ve absolutely loved it. It would be perfect for someone wanting to live in the city and be close to everything – we can walk into the East End, go to the cinema, and I walk the dog in the Parklands twice a day. It’s just fantastic.”

365 Angas St, Adelaide

$1.9 million to $2.05 million.

Agent: Ouwens Casserly Real Estate, Cynthia Sajkunovic 0418 856 334.

Land size: 235sqm. Offers: Close Thursday, August 13 at noon.

The post Space and luxury blend perfectly on the edge of the city appeared first on realestate.com.au.

This “smart home on steroids” is under construction in Kedron. This is a render of the home supplied by Base Architecture and Electronic Living.

FACE recognition in front doors, sunroofs in bathrooms, voice controlled lighting — even retractable pool diving boards.

No longer just for the rich and famous, smart technology is becoming as integral to a home as plumbing and electricity, with the potential to add hundreds of thousands of dollars in value.

Home buyers and builders are now demanding the latest ‘must-have’ smart features in their abodes as security, safety and spending more time at home become a priority.

In-ceiling television dropper (controlled by smart touch panel, smart remote or app). Image supplied by Electronic Living.

Electronic Living founder Damian Cavanagh said smart homes were becoming as common as smart phones, with people realising the value of features like keyless entry, remote access to security cameras and voice activation.

“We are literally at ‘The Jetsons’ age now — the future is here now,” Mr Cavanagh said.

This smart home at Belmont by Romark Design Constructions won ‘House of the Year’ at the 2020 Master Builders’ Awards. Image supplied.

“It ties into this whole contactless thing. We want to do things, but we don’t want to touch them.

“One of the biggest drivers for modern families now is safety and security, with people spending more time at home and with the economy the way it’s going.”

The Control4 NEEO remote is a new product to market that controls everything in the home, similar to the app or touch panel, but giving the option for tactile buttons. Image supplied by Electronic Living.

Mr Cavanagh’s home automation company is working on what is being dubbed a ‘smart home on steroids’ in Brisbane’s inner north.

The custom-designed house will have out-of-this-world features such as a retractable, voice activated skylight in the ensuite, in-ceiling televisions, motorised custom paintings to conceal storage areas and smart lighting with custom programmed scenes such as: ‘Good morning’ and ‘Party time’.

A render of the ‘smart home on steroids’ under construction in Kedron by Thallon Mole Group. Image supplied by Base Architecture and Electronic Living.

The Kedron property has been designed by Base Architecture and is being built by Thallon Mole Group for a private client.

The three-level house will also include a glass-encased lift, a pool on the second level with a circular viewing window and a waterfall infinity edge, and a balcony bath weighing two tonnes.

A render of the kitchen and living area inside the smart home being built in Kedron by Thallon Mole Group. Image supplied by Base Architecture and Electronic Living.

Mr Cavanagh said smart home technology could add tens of thousands of dollars in value to a home at a minimum, and even potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“We firmly believe the worst case scenario is whatever you spend (on smart home automation), you’ll get back,” he said.

“There’s now an expectation that if you’re spending $1.5 million or more on a home, you want it to be equipped with smart technology.”

A render of the smart home under construction in Kedron by Thallon Mole Group. Image supplied by Base Architecture and Electronic Living.

Another smart home at 44 Reading St, Paddington, built by Graya Construction, recently sold for an eyewatering $4 million.

Rob Gray of Graya Construction said one of the main reasons the buyer paid bought the property was because he loved the integrated smart technology.

This smart home, named Laurent, at 44 Reading St, Paddington sold for $4m. Picture: Scott Burrows.

“It’s fast becoming the ‘must-have’ in luxury homes and all our clients are requesting it,” Mr Gray said.

“Not all can afford it, however, we strongly believe it adds the value to the home come resale.”

The kitchen in the smart home, named Laurent, at 44 Reading St, Paddington. Picture: Scott Burrows.

The outdoor entertaining area of the smart home at 44 Reading St, Paddington. Picture: Scott Burrows.

Mr Graya said the top five smart features most requested by clients included security, entry access control, audio visual, lighting and home entertainment systems.

Mr Cavanagh said demand for smart homes had “trickled down to the entry level market”, with project builders now approaching him for smart home solutions because their clients were requesting it.

A smart fireplace controlled by voice activation. Image supplied by Electronic Living.

“A household these days has an average of six or seven wireless devices,” he said.

“The demand for this is not going away anytime soon.

“We’ve had a real shot in the arm from a technology standpoint with COVID-19, particularly with people spending more time at home, now, and into the future.”

Home cinemas and entertainment systems are in demand, according to Electronic Living.

SMART TECHNOLOGY FEATURES THAT CAN ADD VALUE TO YOUR HOME

* Smart intercoms that can be answered remotely via phone and allow access to the home from anywhere in the world

* Unlocking doors and gates remotely via phone

* Entertainment mood settings

* Smart light switches

* In-ceiling television dropper (controlled by smart touch panel, smart remote or app)

* Motorised television slider, so when the client selects “watch tv” the panel moves out of the way to reveal the TV and it automatically turns on

* Voice control of whole home — individual commands such as; “Turn the lounge room lights on” or programmed scenes such as “Hey Google, good morning”, which recalls the scene of your choice.

* Home cinema

* AV equipment rack. Hidden away in a well ventilated cupboard so not to impede the interior styling of the home. Smart cabling runs from this central location, to each point in the house (TV’s, touch panels, ceiling speakers etc.)

* Control4 NEEO remote. This is a new product to market that controls everything in the home, similar to the app or touch panel, but giving the option for tactile buttons.

* Remote viewing of CCTV cameras

* Smart fire place (turn on/off) via voice command or smart control panels.

* Discrete landscape or in-ceiling speakers.

* Smart blind controls

The post Meet Brisbane’s smart home on steroids with a bathroom sunroof appeared first on realestate.com.au.