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Penrith assistant coach Trent Barrett during Penrith NRL training.

Trent Barrett is making some big changes – not only is he the incoming Canterbury Bulldogs coach, he has also just sold his luxury family home on the northern beaches in a super-fast deal that took just six days.

Matt Brady and Ryan Spence, of Belle Property Seaforth, had set an auction date of August 29 for the luxury five-bedroom beach house at 45 Robert St, Freshwater but were inundated with buyers on the first open.

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Mr Brady said there was strong competition for the stunning beach house, which had a price guide of $3.2 million.

45 Robert St, Freshwater.

The property is super private.

Perfect beach house.

A local family moved quickly to secure it for $3.65 million, with the deal done within six days of the property hitting the market.

Mr Brady said there were plenty of buyers around, especially families looking to take advantage of low interest rates and upsize their homes.

“It’s the upgraders’ market,” he said. “People are finding they need more space, their want their castle.”

Barrett said the sale process was seamless.

“We were thrilled with result of the sale,” said Trent.

“We weren’t sure what to expect in the current market conditions but we trusted Matt and the team to get the best result and we are very happy, especially selling so quickly when we had originally planned to go to auction in a few weeks.”

August seems to be the month for quick sales – earlier this month Sydney Roosters star Jared Waerea-Hargreaves sold his Mosman family home in just five days.

Barrett said he and wife Kylie and their four children, aged 16, 15, 12 and 10 had relocated back to the Shellharbour seaside suburb of Barrack Point, and had decided to sell their northern beaches home.

They are currently renting in Barrack Point, but Barrett said they would still be regular visitors to the friends they have made on the northern beaches. Their location also suits his new job, he said.

“It’s only a one-hour drive to Belmore,” he said.

The Barrett family moved to Freshwater from Shellharbour in 2015, just before Barrett took up the coaching role at Manly Sea Eagles in 2016.

He resigned from the job in 2018, and most recently has been assistant coach at the Penrith Panthers. He will see out the 2020 season with the club, before joining the Canterbury Bulldogs as head coach next year on a three-year contract.

Street appeal.

All-seasons outdoor living.

The kitchen.

Formal dining.

Barrett said his family had loved living in Freshwater, especially its village-like feel and access to the beach.

“It had that community feel we were used to,” he said.

The children attended school locally and they had been able to live their lives out of the spotlight.

“We are very private and the house was great for that. The design is very private and doesn’t look over any neighbours, it’s like you’re in the middle of nowhere” he said.

“It was just an easy house to live in.”

The main bedroom.

There are multiple living areas.

The view.

Barrett said his wife, who worked with local interior design and property styling company The Styling Project while they lived at Freshwater, had helped style the property for the sale.

Barrett said his favourite room in the house was the large lounge room that opened up to a covered deck overlooking the pool.

The three-level contemporary beach house has a Hamptons-style inside and is designed to make the most of the northerly aspect and views that reach the ocean.

Mr Brady said northern beaches property had been moving quickly, despite some of the more negative reports surrounding Sydney’s property market.

“Buyers are still there, and property is transacting extremely quickly, especially in highly sought-after lifestyle areas like the northern beaches,” he said.

“In the last seven days we have sold two other properties, 16 Daisy Street, and 22 Tottenham Street both in North Balgowlah, both selling well above their reserves.

“Daisy Street actually broke the record for the highest sale price in the area for 2020, being listed for $3.2 million and selling for $3.75 million so we’re seeing some truly fantastic results for vendors.”

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Governments are heeding warnings of an affordable housing crisis in the wake of COVID-19, with New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory announcing more investment in social and public housing.

But social housing advocates say more needs to be done to ensure communities are well equipped to deal with the fallout of the pandemic, with spiralling unemployment casting more Australians into need.

Last week, the Federal and NSW governments struck a deal to fund critical infrastructure that will fast-track 781 new affordable homes.

Under the agreement between the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation and NSW Land and Housing Corporation, $100 million in loans and grants will be provided through the $1 billion National Housing Infrastructure Facility.

New South Wales is the latest state to announce a cash injection for social housing. Picture: Getty

“By delivering the roads, water, sewerage, electricity, and telecommunications these developments need, 781 new social and affordable homes will be built at significant development sites throughout Sydney,” Water, Property and Housing Minister Melinda Pavey said.

“This agreement will expedite new social and affordable housing construction… and will help further stimulate Sydney’s residential construction sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Earlier this month, the ACT Government announced additional funding of $61 million to build at least 260 homes for needy Canberrans.

“The ACT Government believes every Canberran, no matter their circumstances, should have access to safe and affordable housing that suits their needs,” Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.  “This new investment will ensure that Canberra’s public housing stock can meet demand as this city grows.”

The Federal Government needs to follow suit 

National Shelter executive officer, Adrian Pisarski, welcomed the announcements, but called on the Federal Government to come to the party with more affordable housing.

“We need a major stimulus investment in social housing to deal with the significant backlog,” Mr Pisarski said.

“We know that the construction industry is looking really thin going forward, so building social housing creates work for construction as well as providing much-needed affordable housing in the community.”

Mr Pisarski said pre-COVID projections had shown a need for at least 500,000 additional dwellings and expected that number to increase considerably given rising unemployment and the second wave of the pandemic in Victoria.

“There is a strong case to start rebuilding via a social housing stimulus package of at least 30,000 new builds,” he said.

“But that would only be a start to a major program of building both social and affordable housing, acquiring distressed properties, upgrading existing ones and head-leasing from the private market for social and affordable housing, especially to house the more than 7000 people who are now in hotels and were formerly rough sleeping.”

Mr Pisarski said social and community housing providers should also be seeking alternative opportunities to secure more housing, including purchasing distressed properties and investments that the owners can no longer afford to maintain.

“We should be looking to acquire those, bring them into the community housing sector and use them for social and affordable housing.

“We could even be considering a shared equity program, similar to the Keystart program [a low deposit home loan scheme] in WA. We could be acquiring a share of that equity and people could maintain their own housing but not be in that negative equity position where banks want to foreclose.

“Those sorts of initiatives ought to be possible.”

Modelling conducted by National Shelter and the Community Housing Industry Association in June showed that investing in a four-year social house-building program to deliver 30,000 homes would create up to 18,000 full-time jobs a year.

New modelling shows investing in a four-year social house-building program would create up to 18,000 full-time jobs a year. Picture: Getty.

The Social Housing Acceleration and Renovation Program (SHARP) comprises four phases, including social housing maintenance and upgrades, acquisition of sites and properties requiring renovation, shovel ready developments and longer-term new developments.

“The construction industry employs around 1.2 million people, which is over 9% of Australia’s 13 million jobs,” Mr Pisarski said.

“Because of COVID-19, there has been a 40% reduction in forward contracts and SHARP is exactly the medicine the sector needs that will start to correct our social housing shortfall.”

COVID-19 has shone a light on homelessness in Australia

Australian Council of Social Services chief executive Cassandra Goldie said the COVID lockdowns had exposed the scale of homelessness and rough sleeping in Australia, both as a social problem and a health risk.

In the last census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated at least 116,000 people were homeless, sleeping rough or in overcrowded and insecure accommodation.

“Research indicates there is a national shortage of just over 400,000 homes that are affordable for people who are homeless or living on the lowest incomes,” Dr Goldie said.

“More public and community housing is the most cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness.

“The affordable rents, security of tenure, and other supports available to financially vulnerable people in social housing reduces their risk of homelessness by more than half.”

Dr Goldie said ACOSS advocated a $7 billion public investment to construct 30,000 social housing dwellings, which would have additional benefits for the construction sector.

“For every dollar invested, it is estimated to boost GDP by $1.30,” she said. “Importantly, housing construction can be undertaken quickly and can be undertaken safely while maintaining degrees of social distancing.”

It’s estimated that every dollar invested in social housing could boost GDP by $1.30. Picture: Getty

It comes as research by the University of New South Wales City Futures Research Centre earlier this year found Australia’s social housing stocks were dwindling.

The report found the social and affordable housing shortfall in 2019 was 600,000 units and was projected to reach more than 1 million by 2036.

Anglicare Australia’s 2020 Rental Affordability Snapshot, published in April, showed just 1,040 rentals of almost 70,000 properties surveyed – 1.5% – were affordable for a recipient of the JobSeeker payment, which was doubled in the wake of COVID-19.

The snapshot surveyed almost 70,000 rental listings from across Australia and found there continued to be a chronic shortage of affordable rentals, even despite increases in welfare payments to support those affected by the pandemic.

Without the payment increase, just nine rentals of the 69,997 surveyed would have been affordable for jobseekers.

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There’s not much to the front of 28 Keith Avenue, Edithvale, but wait until you see the rear.

The old adage never judge a book by its cover rings true in real estate, too.

Two surprise packages on the market are proving a home shouldn’t be prejudged on its unassuming facade, as it could do little to reveal what’s beyond the front door.

An Edithvale pad’s bland front might fool some, but it’s the rest of the 28 Keith Avenue property that holds the real wow factor.

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The back of the property sits under a huge pitched roof.

There’s plenty of wow factor.

The property has a $1.35-$1.45m asking price.

The front of the home is dedicated to four bedrooms and quiet zones for relaxation and study — these areas a stylish and practical.

And the remainder of the floorplan features an expansive open-plan kitchen, living and dining area under a pitched roof that adds plenty of visual appeal.

The four-bedroom home is on the market with a $1.35-$1.45m price guide.

O’Brien Chelsea agent Kimberley Ferguson said the home offered plenty of “wow factor” at the back.

“This property is in the golden square of Edithvale, in one of the most highly desired spots,” she said.

“It is very unassuming from the front, then you walk through and see the full impact of the home.”

A cosy lounge room at the front of the home.

A deck at the rear is perfect for entertaining.

Ms Ferguson said the property had hit the market in the early days of the stage four lockdown as a “sneak peek”, and was ready for viewing as soon as restrictions eased.

She encouraged buyers to get their finances in order and review the Section 32 during lockdown.

“You’re surrounded by other homes of the same calibre,” Ms Ferguson said.

“If you’re looking to enter into a safe, family friendly beachside community, you want a house like this one.”

161 Grand Boulevard, Montmorency is another surprise package.

It’s on the market with a $1.14-$1.22m price guide.

There are treetop views from every room.

A mud brick studio is a quirky inclusion.

Another stylish home concealed behind an unassuming facade has been described as “one of Montmorency’s best-kept secrets”.

The four-bedroom pad at 161 Grand Boulevard has a simple square-look rendered facade.

The house features soaring ceilings, treetop views, spacious rooms and modern amenities — not what you’d pick from the first look.

Adding to the appeal is a mud brick studio in the backyard which was made from reclaimed timber and features quirky glass bottle embellishments.

It’s on the market with a $1.15-$1.22m price guide through Jellis Craig Eltham director Scott Nugent.

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Artist’s impression of the relocation of the Stephen Walker artwork proposed for Nexus Hospitals development in New Town.

A $55 million private hospital development proposed for a site in greater Hobart has been recommended for refusal by council planning staff for a second time.

Nexus Hospitals and the Tasmanian construction firm Contact Group want to build a boutique short-stay hospital at the former WIN TV studios at New Town.The project was originally knocked back by the Hobart City Council in December, on grounds including that it did not contribute positively to the streetscape and would have an unreasonable impact on residential amenity.

In June, a second application with “substantial alterations and improvements in line with feedback received” was submitted, Nexus CEO Andrew Petering said.

If built, the Tasman Private Hospital would feature an acute surgical hospital with six operating theatres and a 24-bed overnight ward.

Co-located health services such as general practice, pharmacy, radiology, pathology and health support services, as well as conference and research facilities have also been mooted.

Site of the new proposed private hospital at the former WIN Television building on New Town Road. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Council officers have recommended the second application also be refused by the planning committee which will meet on Monday (August 17) night.

The council received 161 public representations on the application, of which 68 were against and 93 were in support.

The council’s Urban Design Advisory Panel found overall the proposal failed to show a building of this proposed floor area, height and bulk “can positively contribute to the streetscape, be compatible with scale of nearby buildings and not result in unreasonable impact on residential amenity.”

The proponents hope to include a dramatic artwork by one of Tasmania’s most celebrated artists if the development was to receive the council tick of approval.

A 4.6m x 5.7m concrete sculpture at the main entry of the site by the late Stephen Walker would be incorporated into the new hospital foyer.

Adam Walker in front of his fathers untitled sculpture that will be incorporated into a hospital development at New Town. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Best known for the Abel Tasman fountain in Salamanca Square, Heading South at Victoria Dock and Tidal Pools at Sandy Bay, Mr Walker’s pieces were predominating bronze sculptures, which makes the concrete artwork at New Town quite unique.

Son Adam Walker said it was important to the family that his father’s legacy was recognised.

“It is important his work is treated with respect,” he said.

“With the right mounting, the results can be quite striking and dramatic.

“Dad would be happy with this proposal – his attitude was art is a living and evolving creature.”

Mr Walker said while his focus was on his dad’s work, he was aware of concerns about the development.

“I have faith the institutions that are around the development and planning process will look after the residents,” he said.

A telephone survey by EMRS found without providing details of the proposal, 67 per cent of respondents were in support of the development, 25 per cent were unsure and eight per cent were opposed.

“The medical-hub has been designed with input from doctors and nurses who will use

the facility and is in line with current medical best practice,” Mr Petering said.

“We believe this is vital for Hobart to keep up with national health trends.”

jessica.howard@news.com.au

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Nicholas Lynch hosting a “warts and all” video tour of 49a Colstan Court, Mount Eliza.

Putting homes on the market during Melbourne’s stage four lockdown will almost be mission impossible, with real estate agents, photographers, videographers, stylists and prospective buyers all banned from visiting homes.

But savvy agents are still finding ways to get deals done, with vendors playing a key role.
Real Estate Institute of Victoria president Leah Calnan said the restrictions on key parties attending properties — which the Victorian Government confirmed to the Herald Sun this week — meant Melbourne homeowners “won’t really be able to list”.

“I don’t anticipate we’ll see many new properties go to market in the six-week lockdown,” she said.

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But Zoom property inspections — in which sellers virtually walk prospective buyers through their homes via the conferencing app while agents narrate — have emerged as a solution to one of the Melbourne market’s biggest ever challenges.

Nicholas Lynch Real Estate managing director Nicholas Lynch said his Mornington Peninsula-based agency had sold a handful of homes sight-unseen following “warts and all” video inspections.

During stage three lockdown, agents filmed them. But in stage four, vendors were stepping up, joining an agent, buyer and Nicholas Lynch’s marketing manager on a four-way Zoom call.

“We give the vendor some coaching on where they should walk. (They should) start at the letter box and finish in the best spot in the property, whether it’s the (place offering) the best view, the new kitchen or the pool,” Mr Lynch said.

“The vendor also has his partner’s phone in his hand and I’m texting him things like, ‘go back to the kitchen, show the laundry chute’.

“And if anything isn’t working in the property, we point that out. There’s no flash, it’s real. You show the property warts and all, and people think, ‘I could buy off this’.”

49a Colstan Court, Mount Eliza sold after attracting interest with the video walk-through.

For new listings, the agency was asking vendors to take a “hero photo” of their property, whether it be the facade or the pool, and film a video tour, he said.

The material would be posted on the company’s social media platforms and distributed among its buyer network. Any interested parties would then get a private Zoom tour.

“In this lockdown, we’re going to list and sell properties without even going there,” Mr Lynch said.

“We’ve sold three properties from (video tours). The buyers still haven’t seen them (in person).”

These included a San Francisco-based Aussie expat, who worked for Netflix, buying a Mount Eliza property after watching the video tour more than “50 times”.

Video walk-throughs also helped sell 10 Franklin Place, Mornington, for $1.625m to interstate buyers and 49A Colstan Court, Mount Eliza, for about $1m to “retirees who were nervous about going out” amid the pandemic.

Interstate buyers snapped up 10 Franklin Place, Mornington sight-unseen after watching a video inspection.

Ray White managing director Dan White said his company was also using vendor-run Zoom inspections to “keep buyers engaged” during what would be a quiet period for the market.

“There has been no objection from vendors to do their own inspections,” he said.

“Most buyers will want to inspect physically before committing. But we’re using the lockdown period to keep in touch with them.

“As soon as the restrictions come off and buyers can inspect physically, they’ll be ready to purchase.”

Mr White agreed transparency was key to successful online inspections, noting there was a “scepticism” associated with “glossy” videos.

“We’re showing full versions of homes with no filter, and buyers are appreciating it,” he said.

Real Estate Buyers Agents Association president Cate Bakos has warned against purchasing a property sight-unseen, noting a home “might look good in the video and photographs, but properties can feel very different in the flesh”.

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samantha.landy@news.com.au

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The future home of Albert Fields, Brunswick, which will be designed with input from locals. Picture: Google Street View.

Do you wish developers would pay more respect to a site’s history?

Maybe they should engage more with local sports clubs? Or prioritise pet friendly homes?

A 500-home, 1ha Brunswick development is canvassing locals with these questions in a bid to let them lead its design.

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The tenants-only Albert Fields project by Milieu Property and Mirvac is offering locals the chance to put their thoughts in via an online survey, helping to guide the design and features for the project.

Ranking the importance of indoor exercise areas and even lodgings for family and friends are also part of the survey.

Local input is also expected to shape how the Clifton Park adjacent project will address environmental concerns, from water and light use to vegetable patches and car share facilities.

Milieu Property have previously invited buyers to provide input on their Breese Street project.

Milieu director Michael McCormack said it was the third time they had used surveys to help design a project, but the first time they’d opened the process to the public as opposed to buyers.

The Albert Street development will replace a mostly industrial precinct.

The developer’s nearby Breese Street project ended up including rooftop beehives and vegetable gardens after substantial buyer feedback.

Some of Brunswick’s more recent innovations include the takeaway lockdown beer in a jar served by the The Union Hotel until stage four restrictions began. Picture: Mark Stewart

“In this case, we are focusing on listening to the surrounding community with respect to the development of the precinct,” Mr McCormack said.

While part of the decision to offer broader consultation was driven by the project being aimed at future tenants, a park next door and another across the road also made them particularly conscious of the importance of the project’s public face.

The Albert Fields Brunswick site is surrounded by parks.

“The project is located in between a number of public open spaces,” Mr McCormack said.

“These spaces are used by many different user groups, including many in the Brunswick community for recreation. We wanted to listen to those user groups and the wider community about what is important to them.”

Mirvac general manager of build to rent Adam Hirst said the development would be “unlike anything we have seen before in Australia”.

The tenant focused model also targets a growing rental market in Melbourne.

Albert Fields is not expected to be built until late 2024, and will provide long-term secure rentals in the popular inner-north suburb.

The survey will run until October 15, 2020.

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Stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions are now in full swing in Melbourne, and while the six-week lockdown will certainly have an impact on the city’s property market, it will be short-lived. 

Over the coming weeks, Melbourne’s property market won’t completely stop but will slow significantly. Search activity data from realestate.com.au shows that property seekers are still active in the city, but under stage 4 restrictions there will likely be fewer property transactions and construction activity won’t proceed at its regular pace.

However, what is critical to note at this stage is that the lockdown period is six weeks only, and given what we have seen following earlier lockdowns, it is likely Melbourne will get back to a more normal environment by the end of September.

The four key restrictions for Melbourne’s property market

While certain rules for Melbourne residents are very black and white, stage 4 restrictions for the city’s real estate sector have become clearer over the past week-and-a-half. These include:

1. Private home inspections banned for buyers and renters until at least mid-September (unless it relates to a final settlement or end of lease arranged prior to the lockdown);
2. Live auctions banned;
3. A five-worker limit on new house construction sites and;
4. A 25% workforce cap for larger sites (above three levels)

Stage 4 restrictions will slow, not stop, Melbourne’s property market. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

Melbourne’s property market will bounce back quickly

Looking at how buyer and seller sentiment is tracking using weekly omnibus surveys and analysis of search activity on realestate.com.au, we can see that property seekers are increasingly worried that it is going to take a lot longer for conditions to get back to normal in Melbourne. But more positively, we haven’t seen a plummeting of search activity in Melbourne like we did in the early stages of the first lockdown in mid-March.

While no-one wants to be in lockdown, it seems that this time around most house hunters realise that it will come to an end at some point.

If we look at what happened after the first lockdown in Melbourne, as well as in countries that have endured similar extreme restrictions, there was a strong bounce back in activity in the property sector once restrictions eased. Even in slow markets, properties are still being bought, sold and rented, and construction activity accelerated in an attempt to catch up with set timelines.

Not everyone will come out unscathed

It would be ignorant to imagine that there won’t be rising levels of financial distress for some Australians post-lockdown, which will force some property owners to sell up. While the Victorian and Federal governments are working to ensure that businesses and individuals can get through the lockdown in one piece, it’s inevitable that some will succumb to financial hardship.

However, if confidence can be maintained and unemployment and business failure is kept to a minimum during the six-week lockdown, it will ensure a much quicker recovery as we come out the other end.

Maintaining consumer confidence and minimising job losses will be key to surviving stage 4 lockdown. and Picture: Getty.

The spring selling season will be different this year

At this stage, the outlook for the spring selling season in Melbourne remains uncertain, but if stage 4 restrictions are lifted as planned in mid-September we will likely to see an extended season. Here are my top four predictions:

1. Buyers will be active

A sharp increase in first-home buyer enquiry on realestate.com.au since the beginning of the year, off the back of government incentives like the 5% deposit scheme, HomeBuilder and record-low interest rates, could be unleashed post-lockdown.

2. Investors will remain subdued

Additionally, investor activity will likely remain quiet with international borders still closed, creating an even more optimal environment for first-home buyers. 

3. Vendors will be keen to take advantage

Vendors will be taking advantage of strong buyer demand. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

While some vendors will be more cautious about market conditions post-lockdown, many others will be taking advantage of the strong demand. There will be an increase in distressed sales in some markets, however the extension of JobKeeper and JobKeeper payments, as well as mortgage holidays means we probably won’t see a sharp increase in these types of home sales.

4. Prices will remain steady

Prices to remain flat but highly variable within capital cities and across states

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