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Rural properties are in short supply in the Tablelands

FAR Northern farms have become a sought-after commodity during the COVID-19 crisis with rural properties rapidly snapped up across the Tablelands.

Tablelands.com and Malanda Real Estate principal Darren Hithersay said his office was so busy it was “running out of rural land” and searching for new listings to satisfy requests from buyers prompted by the pandemic to make a lifestyle change.

“We have always been busy when it comes to rural land, but it has been a little overwhelming since C19,” he said.

“We currently have properties under contract – including one by people from Western Australia – and are getting inquiries from Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane with many people deciding life is too short and it’s time to make a change.

“Buyers are motivated by the climate up here, they want to know if the property has water on it, and most don’t worry if the house is a bit old as they can fix it up.”

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Mr Hithersay said the value of rural properties on the Tablelands had risen with a lack of farms for sale coming onto the market driving the current boom.

“Prices are going up for sure and that’s mainly because of supply and demand,” he said.

“I try not to do the sales pitch, but am telling buyers they need to act if they don’t want to miss out.”

A recent Rural Bank report revealed the median price of farmland in north Queensland increased by 3.5 per cent in 2019 with a 13.5 per cent rise across Australia.

WHAT IT’S WORTH

The median price for farmland in north Queensland was $8947/ha, compared to $4650 across the state. That increased “notably” on the Tablelands and Cassowary Coast while slipping in Douglas and Charters Towers.

The post Real estate: Why rural land is hot across Far North appeared first on realestate.com.au.

PRESTIGE buyers are trading the beach for the bush as the demand for luxury acreage estates hots up in the Gold Coast hinterland.

The COVID-19 crisis has seen a surge in inquiry for rural real estate and cashed up high end buyers are joining the queue for well-appointed homes in the hills.

The Bluestone estate at 128 Guanaba Creek Road, Guanaba.

A first-class rural sanctuary in Guanaba, 30 minutes north west of Surfers Paradise, has drawn instant interest since it hit the market for $3.5 million this week.

“In less than 48 hours the property had around 1000 views online,” said Kollosche’s Kara Evatt who is leading the Bluestone campaign with Eddie Wardale.

“We’ve been hearing from people who are looking to sell their waterfront properties and upsize on more land.”

Honey, I’m home! Bluestone has its own helicopter pad and hanger.

Spread out over 4.32ha, 128 Guanaba Creek Road boasts a helicopter pad and hanger for easy access along with a cobblestone driveway that’s custom-made for prestige wheels.

The six-bedroom residence has been upgraded and extended by the current owners to include an airconditioned gym with martial arts mat, sauna, bar and a showroom style eight-car garage.

Champagne at twilight overlooking the estate.

The extensive grounds include a championship size tennis court, heated swimming pool and spa, stables, two lakes, organic vegetables gardens and an established orchard.

“There’s nothing else like this in the area,” Ms Evatt said.

“This property is six-star with all of the luxuries you could need. It has a real celebrity feel about it.”

Bluestone’s features include gardens, lakes, a tennis court and pool.

While agents on the northern end report strong interest out of Brisbane for acreage retreats in and around Tamborine Mountain, interstate buyers are focused on southern parcels.

“From Burleigh to Bilinga, we’re finding the level of inquiry is crazy, particularly for acreage properties,” said Ed Cherry of Sophie Carter Exclusive Properties.

“That interest for retreat-style properties is mainly coming from Sydney and Brisbane, where buyers are looking for a weekender or to relocate.”

795 Tomewin Mountain Road, Currumbin Valley sold for $1.55 million.

Late last month, buyers from Batemans Bay paid $1.55 million for a designer five-bedroom home on almost five acres at 795 Tomewin Mountain Road, Currumbin Valley.

Here’s a selection of amazing acreage properties on the market right now.

475 Tallebudgera Connection Road, Tallebudgera

475 Tallebudgera Connection Road, Tallebudgera

475 Tallebudgera Connection Road, Tallebudgera

Surrounded by landscaped gardens, this resort-style sanctuary offers three acres of land on which to relax in peace and privacy.

Inspired by Colorado mountain chalets, the four-bedroom residence features high ceilings, exposed timber beams and natural stone finishes.

Outdoor rustic recreation is covered by a pool, vegetable garden and tree hut for the kids.

Price: $2.2 million

Agent: Ryan Ward, Kollosche

76-82 Main Western Road, Tamborine Mountain

76-82 Main Western Rd, Tamborine Mountain

76-82 Main Western Rd, Tamborine Mountain

The Mediterranean-style residence known as Laurel Lane is secluded on 1.2ha of lush lawns, country garden and ponds in the heart of Tamborine Mountain.

Tasmanian Oak and Jarrah ceilings feature inside the main residence while travertine and red marble lines the floors in the open plan design.

You can grow your own food in the vegetable gardens and orchard where automated irrigation keeps the maintenance to a minimum.

Price: Contact agent

Agent: Colleen Brunt and Nick Zhang, Amir Prestige – Paradise Point

186 Guanaba Creek Road, Guanaba

186 Guanaba Creek Road, Guanaba.

186 Guanaba Creek Road, Guanaba.

This hinterland manor may feel like it’s a world away, but in 10 minutes you’re on the M1 and in 30 minutes you’ll hit the sand.

The five-bedroom Rembrae Downs homestead is set back from the road on 8ha where rolling hills give way to 150m of Coomera River frontage.

Luxury appointments include a pool, heated spa, gazebo and bar, while a stable block on a separate title caters for four-legged friends with three large stables, tac room, office, feed shed and store room and wash bay.

Price: Contact agent

Agent: Emma Gregory and Amir Mian, Amir Prestige – Mermaid Beach

Wildlife drop by for a feed at 186 Guanaba Creek Road, Guanaba.

49 Bramley Dr, Tallebudgera Valley

49 Bramley Dr, Tallebudgera Valley.

The nine-bedroom residence is one of the largest in Tallebudgera Valley.

This grand nine-bedroom chateau is surrounded by virgin rainforest, waterfalls and wildlife.

“This is one of the biggest homes available in Tallebudgera Valley,” said agent Ed Cherry.

“Every bedroom has a courtyard coming off it.”

The estate lends itself to income opportunities such as a boutique hotel, weddings, health retreat or a high-end bed and breakfast.

With all the charm of a bygone era, the estate features a 4000-book library, wine cellar, open log fireplace and a pool looking out to the forest.

There are two self-contained staff quarters, a separate guesthouse and provision for another house to be built on the property.

Price: On application

Agent: Ed Cherry, Sophie Carter Exclusive Properties

300 Monaro Road, Mudgeeraba

300 Monaro Road, Mudgeeraba

300 Monaro Road, Mudgeeraba

Marketed as a Federation eco retreat, this two-storey Queenslander on 4.79ha has panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and Springbrook hinterland.

Located within eight kilometres of the Mudgeeraba township, the accommodation includes two self-contained guest suites, a master suite and a separate self-contained three-room studio, ideal for working from home.

Inclusions list a pool, spa, steam room and gym, while the grounds encompass an enclosed organic vegie garden, free range chook run and fruit trees.

Existing approval for a health retreat also allow for future business opportunities.

Price: Tender by September 4

Agent: Lyn Newcomb and Jodi Russell, Harcourts Mudgeeraba

61 Gibsonville Street, Tallebudgera Valley

61 Gibsonville Street, Tallebudgera Valley

61 Gibsonville Street, Tallebudgera Valley

This near-new house is located on one of Tallebudgera Valley’s most sought after streets.

A tree-lined driveway sets the scene for a prestige acreage lifestyle in a relaxed rural setting.

The four-bedroom house on 2.25ha is designed for seamless indoor-outdoor living with bi-fold doors connecting the living areas to the entertainment deck, gardens and dam.

There’s ample parking for cars, boats, caravans, trailers and more with a double shed and a double garage.

Auction: August 25, 6pm

Agent: Matt Micallef and Erika Zatyko, Ray White

The post Prestige buyers trade the beach for the bush appeared first on realestate.com.au.

2a Playford St, Glen Osmond. Woodley House. Picture: Jonathan Kissock

Breathing new life into one of SA’s oldest homesteads has been “a labour of love” for Ian and Fiona Traill.

But with work drawing them back to Sydney, the couple are now reluctantly saying goodbye to historic Woodley House, which has been a feature of the Glen Osmond landscape since being built by Osmond Gilles – the colony’s first treasurer – in 1843.

2a Playford St, Glen Osmond. Woodley House. Picture: Jonathan Kissock

The couple purchased the sprawling 5884sqm property in 2017, attracted by the grand Victorian style villa’s grandeur, location – and car parking space.

“We were living in Sydney in a terrace in Paddington … we wanted to have a car park and that turned out to be an extra million dollars,” Mr Traill, an architect, says. “And we saw this home advertised for about the same price as the value of our terrace in Paddington – and this one had about 15 carparks and was a beautiful property.

2a Playford St, Glen Osmond. Woodley House. Picture: Jonathan Kissock

“So we flew down and basically purchased it on the spot, without thinking too much about its existing condition,” Mr Traill says.

The couple have since taken on major interior renovations – bringing the six-bedroom mansion into line with contemporary living expectations – as well as replanning and replanting the expansive garden area.

2a Playford St, Glen Osmond. Woodley House. Picture: Jonathan Kissock

New works included a replanned kitchen and pantry, three ensuites and two powder rooms and new plumbing. The home has also been completely rewired – allowing for excellent internet coverage throughout – while roof attic space has been converted into two bedrooms with ensuites.

Mr Traill says it was important to respect the building’s heritage. “We wanted to change things as we went, and we got heritage approval and started peeling it back, trying to get the true character of the property,” he says.

2a Playford St, Glen Osmond. Woodley House. Picture: Jonathan Kissock

“We stripped off a lot of the plasterwork internally and exposed a lot of the old stonework, which is lovely. The house had some good bones and there was the opportunity to express that more. It’s been good – it’s come together and it’s full of nice finishes. It’s still got a very strong character and we’ve kept all the original features where we could.”

2a Playford St, Glen Osmond. Woodley House. Picture: Jonathan Kissock

Some of these features include high ceilings with ornamental cornices and ceiling roses, high skirting boards, imported solid French Oak panelled windows, double hung and casement windows and french doors.

Interior highlights include the chef’s kitchen, a 1000-bottle wine cellar, library and gymnasium – while the LED-lit tennis court, beautiful gardens and wood-fired pizza oven help make entertaining a breeze.

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Another standout feature is the property’s peaceful location – complete with plenty of birdlife and its own resident koalas – and its stunning views of the city and beyond.

“People come here and are shocked by the closeness of the city,” he says. “There are some places higher up that have got a drone view, whereas this gives you a fantastic panorama of the city and the gulf.

2a Playford St, Glen Osmond. Woodley House. Picture: Jonathan Kissock

“And it’s very nicely located at the base of the foothills – it’s close to Burnside Village and only 15 minutes drive into the city.”

Mr Traill says he and Fiona had had second thoughts about moving. “Everyone says ‘why are you selling it, how could you give it up’,” he says. “It’s been a labour of love but it’s got 16 rooms and there’s only two of us so realistically, what are we going to do?

“As we’ve got to this point, we’re kind of thinking ‘do we really want to sell it?” but it’s more of a logistics thing with work going on in Sydney.”

2A Playford Street, Glen Osmond

Contact agent for price

Agent: Booth and Booth Real Estate, Jamie Brown 0413 000 887. Land size: 5884sqm. Expressions of interest: Close Tuesday, September 15 at noon. Open: By appointment.

The post Set in stone: Glen Osmond’s Woodley House is built to last appeared first on realestate.com.au.

79 Camelot Pl, Bridgeman Downs, has its own lake crowned with a wooden bridge.

Picture it. It’s a lazy Sunday morning on what is set to be another hot summer’s day. You’re stretched out by the pool catching up on the day’s news, when the sound of laughter draws your attention to the nearby lake. You see your children jump in a boat and row themselves across the water, setting off on their next big adventure.

It sounds like a memory formed on an unforgettable family holiday, right?

The house sits beside its own private lake in a tightly held street in Bridgeman Downs.

Yet for Mick Foley and his two daughters aged 13 and 12, it is a scene they could recreate every weekend.

The family have owned 79 Camelot Place, a sprawling house with six bedrooms in a tightly held street in Bridgeman Downs for the past four years.

The property stretches to more than two acres and is made up of the house, manicured gardens, trees and lawns, where Mr Foley, who owns two helicopter charter companies, among other businesses, is able to land his personal chopper.

The house has mulitple living spaces.

Helicopters aside, the property’s biggest attraction has to be its picturesque lake, crowned with an arched wooden footbridge.

Mr Foley said the family had spent a lot of time on the lake over the years and he would miss it greatly.

The kitchen is the heart of the home.

“It’s a very quiet spot, and there’s the fountain and lights on it at night, and the fire pit on the other side where I used to sit with the girls. It’s a special place,” Mr Foley.

While the sheer enormity of the house may appear overwhelming, Mr Foley said that once you start living in it, you grow into the space and the floor plan has allowed the home to retain a sense of cosiness.

There are plenty of places fro which to take in the lake views.

“When you walk into it, it feels like a normal home, which is what attracted me to it in the first place. It’s northeast facing, perfectly positioned on the block, it just ticked all the boxes for me.”

Three of the home’s six bedrooms reside on the upper level of the three-storey house, including the main which has an ensuite and walk-in robe. From this level you can capture stunning views of the lake.

The remaining three bedrooms can be found on the middle storey, where again, you are hit with lake views.

The bedrooms are generous in size.

All the living areas, including the chef’s kitchen with stone bench tops, which Mr Foley said was the heart of the home, are on the lower level.

An informal eating area and family room adjacent to the kitchen has floor to ceiling glass walls to maximise on the lake views and natural light. Both these areas open out to an outdoor entertaining pavilion and deck, framed with balustrading for lakeside dining and

The house has a cinema room.

entertaining. Descend a set of stairs and follow a meandering path to the infinity edge pool, set on the edge of the lake. There is also a free-standing pavilion, for hosting parties, family and friends.

Built in the late 1990s, the only thing that belies this home’s age is the terracotta tiling throughout, which Mr Foley admits to having become too busy to replace. Elsewhere, the house is timeless in its design and architecture.

The house suits alarge family who want room to move.

Unfortunately Mr Foley said that with the family’s schedule becoming far more busy, he felt the property wasn’t being used to its full potential and so made the difficult decision to

put it on the market.

“I think it suits a large family with early age kids that want the space, and I hope someone enjoys it as much as our family has. It really is a house in which memories can be made.”

And who doesn’t want that?

The property will be auctioned on Saturday, August 29 at 11am.

The post Brisbane home has it’s own private lake appeared first on realestate.com.au.

The HomeBuilder Grant could shave $25,000 off your new home building project.

There’s no question that this year has been a strange one, both socially and economically. Many of us have been spending a lot of time at home in recent months, which has brought the shortcomings of our living arrangements into sharper focus.

In June, the federal government announced a new scheme aimed at helping homeowners renovate or build a new house, providing stimulus for the housing industry as we power up for 2021 and beyond.

The HomeBuilder Grant offers $25,000 towards the cost of building a new home or substantially renovating an existing home, as long the homeowners meet the criteria.

For new-home builders, the value of the house and land cannot exceed $750,000. For those seeking to renovate, the value of the existing property cannot exceed $1.5 million.

The value of the renovation work must also be at least $150,000 to be eligible.

Grant applicants must also meet income criteria, which is capped at $125,000 for an individual applicant and $200,000 for a couple.

Housing Industry Association managing director Graham Wolfe says those interested in applying should get a move on.

“You should be talking to a builder or builders as soon as possible as to their availability to do the work, as well as site contractors and financial lenders,” Graham says. “This is federal government funding distributed by Revenue NSW and you can do the application online.

“But you need to have a contract signed by the end of the year.”

Work needs to start within three months of the contract being signed, with the grant being paid once evidence is submitted that work has begun and the first payment has been made.

HIA managing director Graham Wolfe says you should get a move on if you’re hoping to apply for the HomeBuilder Grant.

While some parts of the economy have been sluggish during the pandemic, Graham says the building industry has been more of a mixed bag. Occurrences such as the recent storms on the south coast could mean that trades may not be as readily available as you might have thought.

Finding a suitable block of land to build on or getting a development application through council also takes time.

The HomeBuilder grant allows for an extension of the work starting for up to three months if it is due to “unforeseen circumstances”. This could include delays in getting council approvals, delays due to bad weather and difficulties in obtaining materials or subcontractors.

However, for those who have been putting off building work because of the pandemic but have already done the groundwork, Graham says the grant represents a great opportunity to upgrade or build a new home.

“A lot of people have had the time and the motivation to think about their accommodation and ask themselves if it is sufficient,” Graham says.

“If you have been delaying work on your house in NSW, there is capacity to take on this additional work to get a contract signed.”

Special provisions have been made in the HomeBuilder Grant in areas affected by bushfire. Picture: Toby Zerna

There are also special considerations for those who lost their homes in last year’s devastating bushfires.

For the purposes of the grant, rebuilding in an area ravaged by the fires is deemed a “substantial renovation”, with the option to access the grant and build a house up to the value of $750,000.

More: revenue.nsw.gov.au/grants-schemes/homebuilder

hia.com.au

The post A quick guide on how the $25k HomeBuilder grant can help you renovate or build your home appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Newcastle is one of NSW’s strongest growth regions.

Regional housing values have held firm through the COVID period compared with the capital cities across Australia.

New research from CoreLogic shows dwelling values across the regional areas of Australia slipping by only 0.1 per cent between March and the end of July, while capital city home values are down 2 per cent over the same period.

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It has especially been the case to the immediate south and north of Sydney. The Illawarra region is the standout performer. The Illawarra recorded the largest annual rise in regional housing values across Australia, up 12 per cent. It also saw the biggest jump in home sale volume over the past twelve months, with activity up 14 per cent over the year.

The Hunter Valley region saw values rise 2.8 per cent. Credit: Destination NSW

Newcastle and Lake Macquarie was NSW’s next best performing region. Its house values were up eight per cent, on the back of a seven per cent hike in sales activity.

Elsewhere, the Hunter Valley region, excluding Newcastle, saw values up 2.8 per cent annually. Its sales activity level was up six per cent.

The heightened sales activity was evident in the NSW Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven, where the house sales volume increased by 12.7 per cent. Values in the region grew by 3.2 per cent annually.

The latest quarterly regional report analysed 25 of Australia’s largest non-capital city regions, including 10 from NSW, looking at performance of both house and unit markets. Of the 50 house and unit markets included in the analysis, 37 have seen values rise over the 12 months to July.

Houses were the better performer over the year, with 20 regions recording a rise in the value of houses, while five regional areas saw house values decline over the 12 months, with two in NSW.

They were the Riverina area and the New England and North West region. The latter had the longest days on market over the year, with houses taking close to 100 days to sell, on average.

Across regional unit markets, 17 regions across Australia recorded a rise in values over the year to July.

While the region by region data shows diversity, Tim Lawless, the head of research at CoreLogic, suggests relatively steady conditions in regional markets were partly due to the areas being less affected by stalling overseas migration.

Markets south and north of Sydney are performing the strongest. Picture: John Appleyard

“Close to 85 per cent of Australia’s net overseas migration flows into the capital cities,” Mr Lawless advised.

Mr Lawless also reckons the latest data shows some momentum in the trend towards rising demand for lifestyle properties. “It was prevalent prior to COVID-19,” he added.

Regional areas certainly offer up a variety of advantages and risks compared with their capital city counterparts. Housing prices tend to be lower, providing a more affordable entry point to the market.

For instance, there is a $588,000 median around Newcastle, $590,000 in the Southern Highlands and $704,000 in the Illawarra.

Mr Lawless warns regional economic conditions can be more volatile, especially those areas that are heavily dependent on a single industry for economic prosperity.

There have been signs regional growth rates peaked in late 2019, and could head into negative territory later this year without significant improvement to economic conditions or a demonstrated shift in demand side factors like population growth.

The post Regional cities have performed stronger than capitals throughout COVID-19 crisis appeared first on realestate.com.au.