Blog

It’s only week two of The Block 2020, but Jasmin is already beginning to regret her decision to enter.

She’s still stung by the criticism from the judges which saw her and husband Luke come last in week one, with a guest bedroom that was pretending to be in a modern home as opposed to the 1910s weatherboard they’re actually renovating.

RELATED: Episode 4 recap: Judges slam room as “a crying shame”

‘So two years ago’: boring Block room slammed

“I’m mourning my Block experience,” she says sobbing. “I wanted to come on this show and do something I love. I didn’t want to come on this show and be pigeonholed into something.”

Guest bathroom week is only compounding her anxiety.

Clutching a photograph of a drab 1910s bathroom, featuring white on white on white, a (oh the horror) shower curtain and no storage, she has to bypass the tiles she really wants for something the judges won’t slam as not in keeping with the era.

Jasmin is mourning her broken Block expectations.

“It’s hard because I can’t really do what I want to do. We thought they would want a nod to the era, but it seems like they want a really vigorous headshake — they want a headbang,” she says.

Still, at least there was indoor plumbing by the 1910s, and they don’t have to install a long-drop.

The pair are raising their ceiling, which will likely get them a tick from the judges, but have chosen a fluted glass shower screen, despite knowing it isn’t reflective of the 1910s, which could see them right back where they started in week one.

Father and daughter team Harry and Tash, who have the smallest bathroom, are in worse trouble. Tash’s inability to make a final decision on tiles is bad, but it’s Harry’s inability to find a tiler that’s really setting them back.

Sensing blood in the water, Keith and Dan are in like a shot, heckling Harry about how far behind he is and reeling off a terrifying list of all the things he needs to get done.

While the other teams are in hell, Jimmy and Tam are enjoying the “poshest” dinner they’ve ever had.

Jimmy and Tam are in a very different world. A world of fine dining and five star service at the Gaggenau showroom. They’re there to pick the $120,000 worth of appliances they won last week, and with a single fridge costing $16,000 (“that’s worth more than my car,” Tam says), they’ll probably burn through it pretty quickly.

But first, a French chef serves up what Jimmy calls “the most posh dinner I’ve ever been to”.

Even better, their carpenter Jay earns high praise from Keith for his complex sloping sub-floor, and it gets the tick of approval.

Keith and Dan have this year banned screeds (a mix of sand and concrete used to make sloping floors that allow water to drain away), telling contestants they instead have to use angled timber batons instead. And it all has to be signed off by Keith and Dan before sheeting can begin.

Given the number of times this fact is reiterated in this episode I’d be putting money on at least one team going ahead without that crucial tick.

Sarah and George are struggling with their layout. Knowing how much judge Shaynna Blaze hates seeing a toilet in bathrooms, they’re trying to work out a way to tuck it away so the throne isn’t front and centre.

They come up with a nib wall concept “so you can drop a deuce in private” George says.

I suspect Shaynna would have preferred they put the loo in the middle of the room than hear that particular phrase.

George ponder the best place to “drop a deuce”.

SA farmers Daniel and Jade have chosen floor to ceiling large format marble tiles for their bathroom, a nod to the 1930s, but Jade is wracked with self-doubt.

“I’m a hairdresser, I’m a mum, this is not what I do,” she says.

“We’ve never had the luxury of building a bathroom like this,” Daniel confirms.

The pair are mired in debt thanks to the devastating drought which has left their remote outback property a dust bowl, so a little bit of indecision over tiles takes on a little more meaning for them.

But it could be worse. They could be Tam, heading off with a long shopping list written by her plumber husband Jimmy.

“Basin?” she says. “What’s that?”

MISSED AN EPISODE?

Episode 4 recap: Luke and Jasmin’s big stuff up

Episode 3 recap: ‘So two years ago’. Boring room slammed

Episode 2 recap: Which Block team got the best house?

Episode 1 recap: The tears start early on The Block 2020

The post The Block 2020 episode 5 recap: Jasmin breaks down while Jimmy and Tam live the high life appeared first on realestate.com.au.

The First Home Loan Depost Scheme has opened up the suburbs to buyers. Picture: Darren England.

First-home buyers are riding into the property market on a wave of government incentives, according to figures just released.

One in eight first-home buyers this year have dipped into the Morrison Government’s First Home Loan Depost Scheme says the federal body charged with implementing the incentive.

The demand from first-home buyers for the scheme, which was an election promise of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, had come despite significant challenges.

MORE: Auction that proves regions are booming

Homebuyers rocked by lack of confidence

Arianna Merewether, her wife Annette Merewether, and dog Henry say the First Home Loan Depost Scheme allowed them to save for a home much sooner. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) said interest in the FHLDS came from across the board.

“Demand for the scheme in the six months to 30 June continued despite the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” NHFIC CEO Nathan Dal Bon said.

“First-time buyers across age and income spectrums around the country accessed the scheme, and we saw strong interest from buyers in outer metropolitan and regional areas.”

The scheme was introduced on January 1 and was capped at 10,000 eligible buyers. That quota was quickly filled, with it re-set on July 1.

First-home buyers have embraced PM Scott Morrison’s scheme. Picture Gary Ramage

The FHLDS Trends and Insights report, discovered a number of interesting statistics about the first-home buyer. These included:

– the scheme allowed buyers on average to bring forward their purchase by four years

– almost 70 per cent of buyers purchased a detached house, with 25 per cent opting for an apartment and five per cent a townhouse

– more than 50 per cent of homes bought in capital cities were 15 – 30km from the CBD, with couples willing to buy further out than singles

– major cities attracted 62.3 per cent of buyers, with the remainder buying in regional areas

– teachers were the main cohort of key workers who accessed the scheme (37 per cent) following by nurses, who made up 25 per cent.

– the median price for houses was $385,000 compared with the $475,000 median cost of apartments, as most units were bought in capital cities.

– those accessing the scheme were concentrated in the 25-34 age bracket.

First-home buyers in Toowoomba accessed the FHLDS in the greatest numbers.

Under the scheme, buyers can purchase their first home with as little as five per cent deposit with the federal government guaranteeing the remaining 15 per cent usually required by costly insurance.

MORE: Byron Bay’s popularity with seachangers ‘peaking’

Australia’s most wanted streets revealed

Demand for the scheme was strongest in Toowoomba in regional Queensland, followed by Campbelltown in south west Sydney and the outer Melbourne suburbs of Cragieburn and Frankston.

Phillip Meyers, director of sales and marketing at Toplace, one of Sydney’s biggest and most respected developers said he was seeing this demand on the ground.

Apartments within reach of Sydney’s CBD such as Toplace’s Skyview, are proving popular with first-home buyers.

“Provided they have secure employment, we are getting a lot of interest from first-home buyers wanting to make a purchase because they see now as a great opportunity to take that first step,” he said.

“We are getting a lot of inquiries from individuals, couples and families alike who want to realise that dream of owning their first home.”

The lack of affordability of homes close to the CBD in Sydney was again highlighted by the report, with the majority of those who purchased in the Harbour City doing so at least 30km from the city centre. In all the other major cities, buyers made their purchase within 30km of the CBD.

Act now to avoid disappointment

The report also found almost two-thirds of the 10,000 capped places in the scheme were taken up within the first two months. Given the two-month period has now expired since the second allotment of places was released on July 1, first-home buyers intending to access the FHLDS in the second half of this year should do so ASAP.

NSW buyers had the most loans guaranteed, making up almost 23 per cent of the 10,000 successful applicants, Qld made up 18 per cent and Victoria made up 16 per cent.

The lower level of interest from South Australia and Western Australia was put down to the “longstanding Keystart and HomeStart low home loan deposit initiatives currently active in WA and SA respectively,” the report said.

A home close to Sydney’s CBD remains out of reach for most first-home buyers.

Almost 83 per cent of buyers borrowed between 90 and 95 per cent of the value of their home. Those buying in the greater Sydney area had the highest debt-to-taxable income ratio (4.7) in the country.

MORE: The suburbs we all want to live in

Radical way COVID-19 is changing our homes

Nationally prices have been slipping slightly in recent months but over the past year, they are well up.

Adrian Kelly, president of the Real Estate Institute of Australia, said first-home buyers shouldn’t over worry about committed to making a purchase for fear of plumetting prices as a result of COVID-19.

“If we have values falling one, two and three per cent during a global pandemic that is probably a good outcome,” he said.

“That might as well be zero. And if prices are flatlining, that is a good outcome too because that hasn’t been the case in other countries.”

The post First home buyers: How to get your home 4 years sooner appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Actor Matthew Perry has put his Malibu beach house on the market. Picture: Realtor

Could this mansion be any more perfect?

Actor Matthew Perry has put his Malibu beach house on the market for $20.6 million (US$14.95 million).

The four-bedroom oceanfront property is where the Friends’ star has sheltered in place during the coronavirus, cracking jokes about the beachgoers below.

RELATED: Inside Matthew Perry’s jaw dropping $35m LA apartment

Rock star Gene Simmons kisses his LA home goodbye

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle secretly buy California mansion

Jennifer Lawrence loses millions selling ‘secret’ NY penthouse

Literally living on the beach. Picture: Realtor

Exposed ceiling beams dominate the main living space. Picture: Realtor

A steel-and-wood floating staircase connects the two stories. Picture: Realtor

“This is the scene from my patio,” Perry captioned a picture he posted to Instagram in May. “No masks, one foot apart. This is the thing that makes want to scream. Until I remember that I have a kickass Malibu house.”

Now he’s giving the opportunity to let someone else like the ‘kickass’ Malibu lifestyle.

Take a little dip in the hot tub in privacy. Picture: Realtor

The kitchen eating area. Picture: Realtor

Actor Matthew Perry in 2016. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

The 510 sqm home in an enclave west of Los Angeles boasts a secured front gate and covered entry corridor.

A loft-like, open-format house has a steel-and-wood floating staircase, exposed ceiling beams and floor-to-ceiling windows.

The two-storey Pacific Ocean-facing property has four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, custom wardrobes, a galley kitchen with commercial-style appliances and a private sitting room, which is where, in April, Perry baked cookies while nude (which he also posted about on Instagram).

There’s a designated ping pong area. Picture: Realtor

And a luxe home theatre area. Picture: Realtor

Another area to lounge and enjoy the sun. Picture: Realtor

The luxe kitchen. Picture: Realtor

The beachfront pad also boasts some cool celebrity-style amenities: a designer ping-pong table, two balconies (one with a fire pit), a home theatre and a hot tub in a wood-decked courtyard shielded for privacy by opaque screens.

MORE: Ariana Grande splashes $9.7m on Ellen’s former mansion

Aussie’ tycoon sells $150m superyacht

Why Clive Palmer quietly buying out his neighbours

Cast of the TV show ‘Friends’: Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer. Picture: File

One of the homes four bedrooms. Picture: Realtor

A bathroom. Picture: Realtor

The spread boasts four bedrooms and 3½ bathrooms. Picture: Realtor

Perry, 51, quietly purchased the property from LA developer Scott Gillen — who had rebuilt the beach mansion roughly 10 years prior — in an off-market deal in 2011, when it was valued at $US12 million, according to Mansion Global.

The actor is also trying to offload his 865 sqm decadently decorated Los Angeles penthouse. It listed last August for US$35 million, a price tag that made it the city’s most expensive condo for sale.

The price has since been chopped to US$27 million, according to Realtor.com.

The house has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Picture: Realtor

Watch beachgoers come and go from your balcony. Picture: Realtor

That freshly renovated property also has a home theatre, as well as four bedrooms and four terraces. Perry bought the property, touted in the listing a “mansion in the sky,” for $20 million in 2017.

A source told Mansion Global that both listings are motivated by Perry’s desire to spend more time in New York City.

RELATED: Inside Justin Bieber’s spectacular holiday homes around the world

Aussie fitness mogul snaps up flash mansion

Where do celebrities stay when they’re in Australia

Perry is filming the “Friends” reunion special for HBO Max in California alongside all of the beloved sitcom’s original cast members.

Parts of this story first appeared in the NYPost and were republished with permission.

The post Actor Matthew Perry is selling his ‘kickass Malibu house’ for $20.6 million appeared first on realestate.com.au.

First-home buyers contested the $492,000 sale of 88A Kitchener Street, Broadmeadows.

Victorians travelled further and took on more debt on average than any other state to take up the government’s First Home Loan Deposit Scheme.

And Broadmeadows was their main destination in Victoria, with half of the nation’s 10 most popular postcodes for the scheme in Melbourne, according to figures released by the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC).

The data covers the scheme from the start of 2020 to June 30 and shows the average Australian first-home buyer travelled 7.6km to get a foot on the property ladder.

RELATED: Coronavirus: Lenders scrutinise buyers in pandemic affected industries

Regional Victoria’s most in-demand suburbs: Geelong in buyers’ sights

First-home buyers are buying years earlier using First Home Loan Deposit Scheme

But Victorians trekked 10.4km. They also took on more debt than any other state, owing a median $456,000 compared to $427,500 in NSW.

Demand was concentrated in Melbourne’s outer suburbs except for postcode 3064, home to Broadmeadows and Tullamarine, which was the most popular in the state and fourth highest nationwide.

YPA Glenroy’s David Taylor said Broadmeadows’ popularity hinged on its affordability and proximity to the CBD.

1/284 Camp Road, Broadmeadows attracted first-home buyers chasing the First Home Owner Grant and the deposit scheme.

“Most of the buyers were coming from other parts of Melbourne, just because of the price point and proximity to the city, particularly from the eastern suburbs,” Mr Taylor said.

“And some were waiting for the second wave (of the scheme) so they will come back soon, hopefully.”

An affordable unit or townhouse in the area might set a buyer back $370,000-$420,000, while houses could be had for $500,000-$570,000, he said.

New builds in affordable suburbs present a particularly tempting target for first timers.

Most who came to the area looked at new townhouses, however, as this allowed them to claim the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant from the state government as well.

Under the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, first-time buyers are able to purchase a home — up to a maximum value $600,000 in Melbourne — with as little as a 5 per cent deposit through one of 25 approved lenders.

The government then guarantees the loan for the difference between the deposit (5 per cent) and 20 per cent of the total value of a qualifying property.

MELBOURNE DEPOSIT SCHEME HOT SPOTS

Tullamarine and Broadmeadows – 52

Cardinia – 49

Casey – 49

Wyndham – 46

Werribee – 45

Source: National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation

NHFIC chief executive Nathan Dal Bon said demand for the scheme had continued despite the COVID-19 pandemic and noted more than half the homes purchased as part of the scheme had been within 30km of Melbourne’s CBD.

“First-time Melbourne buyers pursing their dream of home ownership appear to have been able to buy closer to the CBD than their Sydney counterparts under the scheme,” Mr Dal Bon said.

One in six of the scheme’s applicants around the nation were key workers, with teachers accounting for just over a third of that number and nurses a quarter.

Villawood Properties has sold discounted lots to key workers for a number of years and executive director Rory Costelloe said while there had always been demand from such buyers, they had come to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They are more confident about their job security and maybe the banks are of the same opinion,” Mr Costelloe said.

MORE: Wheelers Hill movie-length auction goes $90k past reserve

Victorians tackle most home renovations, filling footy gap

Bilingual school catchments increase home values: Deakin University study

The post Broadmeadows in demand for first-home buyer deposit scheme appeared first on realestate.com.au.