The last thing agents want is to work with prospects for weeks before realizing it was a complete waste of time. This can be avoided, however, by having the proper prescreening process in place for vetting clients. Here are a few tips.
The last thing agents want is to work with prospects for weeks before realizing it was a complete waste of time. This can be avoided, however, by having the proper prescreening process in place for vetting clients. Here are a few tips.
Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas has announced a full waiver to the vacant residential land tax for 2020.
He has also raised hopes a property and construction industry stimulus package could be announced before the state budget and private real estate inspections could recommence sooner than currently outlined in the state government’s road map to recovery.
However, he said the government might have less need for office space in Melbourne’s CBD after COVID-19, in what is more concerning news for the city’s post-virus recovery.
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Speaking at an online Property Council of Australia event today, Mr Pallas noted many properties “would never have been empty if not for coronavirus” as he waived the tax, which covers 1 per cent of the capital improved value of inner and middle-ring Melbourne homes left vacant for six months.
The government is also waiving 25 per cent of this year’s congestion levy.
Asked when property industry stimulus he flagged in June would be announced, the Treasurer said the government remained “very much focused on the vitality and health of the construction industry” and expected to release word at or before the state budget.
“We will be having something more to say about what we can do to support the industry, but now is not the appropriate time,” Mr Pallas said.
The budget is expected to be released in late October or November.
Mr Pallas also said the state’s road map was not “set in granite” and there may be scope for real estate inspections and display suites to recommence sooner than initially outlined.
“I was watching the chief health officer the other day and he made the point that what we will seek to do is populate our projections with hard data,” Mr Pallas said.
“As we get a greater degree of certainty we can start to assess if the road map settings are as we would like them … there will be a capacity to adjust at the margins.”
This would depend on proof that Melbourne was moving towards its COVID-19 case number targets, as well as the advice of the public health office, he said.
But in a move that has concerned property industry members, Mr Pallas noted working from home arrangements would be a factor when deciding plans for CBD office leases due to expire in 2023.
“We will see for some time a lesser requirement for office spaces right across the CBD, and I think you will find that in the commercial and in the government sector,” Mr Pallas said.
Property Council of Australia Victorian executive director Cressida Wall welcomed the government’s tax relief announcements, but said “there is still more to do” and urged the state to maintain its full presence in the CBD.
“If anything, the government should consider its lease holdings as an economic stimulus lever,” Ms Wall said.
“Now is not the time for government reduction in lease holdings in the CBD.”
Property investment firm Charter Hall’s Simon Stockfeld said while many commercial office leases were being evaluated at present, the government’s addition to the list made sense but was for now a matter of “watching this space”.
“We would be surprised if the requirement for government as an occupant in the CBD changed materially,” Mr Stockfeld said.
A stimulus plan proposed by the Property Council including tax breaks and grants could generate an estimated $24.4b in economic activity.
“We will continue to work with the government to bring forward additional economic stimulus measures as soon as possible,” Ms Wall said.
“The state government has listened to our industry’s feedback along the way. We are working closely with the government and are hopeful property inspections can safely return ahead of the timeline currently proposed.”
A property industry survey by the Property Council found 30 per cent of respondents see a need for industry stimulus packages to include stamp duty concessions for investors buying off the plan. Just under a quarter called for downsizer and first-home buyer grants, one in five are hoping to see a build-to-rent package announced and a similar number are seeking relief for commercial landlords.
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This single-fronted Edwardian home in Kew — one in a row of similar-looking houses — has a classic storybook charm that allows it to blend into the streetscape with unassuming style.
But first impressions aren’t always what they seem.
A glimpse of two charcoal grey gables peeking from the back is a hint this home is full of surprises.
Architect Rebecca Naughtin, who owners Mark and Suzette Dawson engaged to renovate the property, said the gables on the newly built second storey made people curious.
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“There is nothing that gets me more excited than seeing those two little gables at the back when I am standing out front. It just makes me want to see more,” Ms Naughtin said.
The gables on the first floor sit atop two new bedrooms and an ensuite. Another gabled ceiling forms part of the ground-floor extension, which includes an open-plan living and dining zone overlooked by the kitchen.
Mr Dawson felt the angled ceilings gave the home a “quiet confidence” by accentuating the sense of space.
“It has also stopped the rooms from feeling too boxlike,” he added.
Remote access
When the Dawsons bought the house in 1994, it was rundown but had plenty of period appeal and eye-catching features. These included original skirting boards, architraves, leadlight windows and beautiful old fireplaces, which they chose to keep and restore.
What they did get rid of was a poky kitchen tacked on the rear.
“We wanted to retain the architectural integrity and show the history of the house, but didn’t want the place to feel like a museum,” Mr Dawson said.
They did a mini makeover to help modernise the home before renting the property out while they lived and worked overseas for 20 years.
Before returning to Australia, the couple decided to renovate on a bigger scale so the house had more connection with the outdoors, and to create spaces that reflected how they liked to spend time at home.
“We are both retired now and our needs have changed quite a bit,” Mr Dawson said.
While overseas, they started researching renovating ideas through Houzz, an online renovation and design ideas platform that connects people with home experts. This was how they met Ms Naughtin.
After a series of video conferences, phone calls and emails, they nutted out a renovation plan together.
New benchmark
The kitchen was particularly important for Ms Dawson, who loved to cook. But given it was in a south-facing part of the home, creative ways to bring in extra natural light needed to be considered.
Large sliding stacker doors now connect the kitchen and living room to an outdoor entertaining area and garden. A long skylight near the island bench also means the pair rarely need to switch on a light during the day.
“It has really transformed the space,” Ms Dawson said.
The kitchen’s tailored storage and big island bench also get her tick of approval.
“I fell in love with the look of the textured benchtop, but was a little worried it may not be that practical when I was cooking,” Ms Dawson explained.
After taking a sample of the bench surface home, she discovered it was easy to clean and work on. Together with the custom timber shelving unit at the front, it has turned the bench into a real feature of the space.
Bathing beauties
The ground-floor bathroom was designed around one of the home’s old fireplaces, and is a perfect example of how old and new have been successfully mixed.
“Having the fireplace there really warms the space up visually,” Ms Naughtin said. “It is a bit of artwork in a way and a beautiful backdrop to the freestanding bath.”
An oversized dual shower with access to a very private balcony is a highlight of the ensuite upstairs. The balcony is also attached to the main bedroom and is another clever design aspect that allows additional natural light to stream inside.
Talking points
Part of Mr Dawson’s wish list, apart from the study off the front entry, was a wine room. Adjoining the dining space, it features a fully glazed wall and LED lighting.
“The lighting really brings the room to life and even though the fireplace isn’t in use, it adds to the look and feel,” Mr Dawson said.
A recessed handrail next to the staircase is one of Ms Naughtin’s favourite design features. Having it set into the wall has made a tight stairwell feel more open.
“We also recessed some LED strip lighting which makes the staircase easier to navigate at night and look amazing,” she said.
“It’s features like this that give the home longevity and a level of interest that ensures it stands out.”
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Yearning for a change of scenery but can’t decide whether to head for the hills or the coast?
Deciding can be a daunting task but weighing up the pros and cons of each will help take the panic out of making the biggest purchase of your life.
Belle Property Adelaide Hills principal Chris Robson said most people tended to head to the Adelaide Hills for a quieter lifestyle.
“It’s the peace and tranquillity, and perhaps a little more land,” he said.
“Especially for young families, they can let their hair down a bit and have a bit more recreation space.”
When it comes to the coast, Harcourts Christies Beach sales manager Jayne Baily said househunters wanted the relaxed beachside lifestyle without the hefty price tag.
“The benefits being our beautiful beaches, of course, and the summer sea breezes,” she said.
“You’re never too far away from a winery (like the hills) too and also it’s value for money.”
Both regions have a wide range of properties of varying sizes and prices to cater to every buyer.
So to help make the decision easier, we’ve found a few options that have a similar price tag and are roughly the same distance from the city to show just what you can get.
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Asking price: starting at $400,000
They are on the market for roughly the same price, in suburbs between 35km and 40km from the city and have three bedrooms – but that’s where the similarities between these two houses end.
The Port Noarlunga South home at 10 Fremantle Rd is on a 737sqm block that’s a short stroll from the beach.
Further inland, the Nairne property at 56 Megan Circuit is on a 654sqm block and overlooks an adjacent park.
While the hills home is more modern with an open floor plan, the coastal haven has a larger outdoor entertainment area and a spa room.
Asking price: starting at $700,000
A character home surrounded by picturesque greenery or a modern residence in a beachside suburb?
The Bridgewater home at 4 Second Avenue has a price guide of $770,000 to $840,000, while the Hallett Cove residence at 76 Ragamuffin Drive is listed with an asking price of $720,000 to $750,000.
If price doesn’t help you decide, it will come down to style preferences.
The Hallett Cove home has more open living areas and a pool, while the Bridgewater property has charming character features, including ornate fireplaces and a cellar.
Asking price: $1 million plus
Househunters will be paying for the position of this Christies Beach home.
The three-bedroom residence at 54 Esplanade, which is listed for $1.2 million, is on a 836sqm block that overlooks the ocean and is within walking distance of cafes on Beach Rd.
Meanwhile, prospective buyers could snap up a Hahndorf character home on a sprawling 0.81ha block for less.
The four-bedroom residence at 133 Mount Barker Road, which has a $1 million price guide, is much further from the beach but it’s surrounded by lush gardens and is close to the township’s main street.
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A Carlton hotel at the centre of the state government’s botched quarantine program has been snapped up by a prominent private developer in a multimillion-dollar deal.
The Rydges on Swanston is set to shed its infamous past as a source of Melbourne’s crippling second coronavirus wave, with buyer Pelligra planning an “extensive refurbishment and repositioning” of the property as a high-end hotel and conference facility.
The aim would be to reopen next year.
The 107-room hotel at 701 Swanston Street fetched about $35m, after hitting the market in July with price expectations in the vicinity of $40m.
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Despite prospective buyers being unable to physically inspect the property due to its use as a quarantine site for returned overseas travellers, it attracted more than 200 inquiries and a dozen bids from developers, hoteliers and investors, Jones Real Estate’s Paul Jones said.
Fellow listing agent Colliers International director Guy Wells said the hotel’s city-fringe location adjoining Lincoln Square, and the opportunity it offered “for various groups to redevelop or reposition” were major drawcards.
Mr Wells previously told the Herald Sun: “Regardless of what it’s been used for, land is the key. It’s scarce around these parts.
“Ultimately you’re buying 1762sq m of land within 600m of the CBD, … adjacent to the best university in Australia (the University of Melbourne) and within 250m of a new train station. You can’t get much better than these sorts of sites.”
The owner of two decades, Adelaide-based hotel owner David Horbelt, offered the five-level property with vacant possession.
He attempted to sell it last year, generating offers in excess of $50m during that ultimately unsuccessful campaign.
Mr Wells said while it was “good to see there’s still activity” on the Melbourne commercial property market in the depths of a stage four lockdown, the sector was operating in a “very constrained environment” due to the ban on physical inspections.
“It should be very easy for us to be able to undertake inspections in a one-on-one environment,” he said.
“I understand the (government’s) desire to restrict people’s movements. But we would only be working with qualified parties.”
The Victorian Government’s road map to reopening revealed physical inspections would not be permitted again until at least October 26, and only if the state recorded fewer than five daily cases over the two weeks prior to that date.
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SUBURB records are being smashed all over the city as the pandemic fuels a flight to premium property.
The latest is a contemporary riverfront home in the sleepy suburb of Graceville in Brisbane’s west, which has just changed hands for $6.3 million — beating the previous biggest home sale in the suburb by $2.3 million.
Designed by the multi-award-winning group Base Architecture, the property at 59 Molonga Terrace was owned by Chris and Letitia Vitale of residential property developer, Point Corp, fame.
The sale, to a local buyer, was negotiated by Heath Williams and Ann-Karyn Fraser of Place – New Farm.
The house has five bedrooms and three bathrooms and sits on a 1369 sqm riverfront block.
Think luxury industrial living, featuring raw and polished concrete, natural timbers, and large expanses of glass for overlooking the Brisbane River.
The three-level property has a lift to take you between floors, which are open plan.
A gas fireplace and soaring void on the middle level seamlessly connects the indoors to the outdoors, where there is a built-in barbecue, pool, landscaped gardens and a timber deck.
The new owners can party the night away in a soundproofed bar area, with large wine fridge.
There’s also a fully integrated sound system and feature lighting.
CoreLogic records show the previous record residential home sale in Graceville was held by 95 Bank Road, which sold for $3.9 million in 2018.
Last month, Raby Bay’s sale price record was beaten when Joseph Lordi of McGrath Estate Agents sold a waterfront home for $8.5 million.
And in nearby Wynnum, a property at 97 Petersen Street has just sold offmarket for a new record of $2.85 million through Place – Bulimba.
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Bronnie Roberts wasn’t looking for love when she bought a pretty cottage in North Turramurra about three years go.
But that’s exactly what she found, and tomorrow she will wed the man who sold it to her.
And in a twist you couldn’t make up – she and fiance Mark become Mr and Mrs Husband.
“Of course I will be taking his name,” she told the North Shore Times.
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In fact their entire love story is the stuff of fairytales, with lashings of serendipity.
It began when Ms Roberts started looking for a home for herself and her three children.
The single mum had another property in St Ives, where she planned to do a knockdown/rebuild, but when the opportunity to sell it came up, she decided to buy an established home.
She saw No. 41 Ellalong Rd, North Turramurra on the internet and it was going to auction that weekend.
“I had never set foot in it, but I had looked at the floorplan and the pictures,” she said. “I decided to buy it.”
The day after the auction, agent Matt Bolin, of Ray White Upper North Shore, showed Ms Roberts through the home and introduced her to vendor Mark Husband.
Co-incidentally, a single dad with three children, the builder owns Classic Cottages and built the home himself.
The pair exchanged email addresses in case Ms Roberts had any questions about the house, and they parted ways with a handshake.
“For about the next year I emailed Mark at odd times about the house, and then out of the blue I received an email from him to say he had accidentally ordered a bulk dog food delivery to my house,” she said.
“We chatted for a while, he seemed like a really good person but he really didn’t seem interested in me.”
Then Mr Husband’s mail redirection service to his new home stopped, so she started collecting his mail, and emailed him to let him know she would leave it our for him to collect.
“He came around to get it but I didn’t realise the housekeeper had brought all the mail in, including his,” Ms Roberts said.
By this time they had exchanged phone numbers, and a “few funny texts later”, Mr Husband returned to pick up his mail and have a promised cup of tea. By then there was a spark between the pair.
“I liked him and we had another cup of tea and a bit of chit chat,” she said.
“I had to come out and ask him if we were going to go out – so we set a date and we went out. He’s so lovely and I was flat out so in love with him straight away.”
Ms Roberts, who owns local beauty business Face Studio by Bronnie, said they dated for about eight months before deciding to move in together.
So Mr Husband moved back to North Turramurra, and after two years together they decided to get married.
They will tie the knot tomorrow in a low-key wedding with just them and their six children.
“I am locking this man down,” Ms Roberts joked.
“It’s like the universe was really yelling very loudly at both of us to really get it together.
“We have fun and we’re happy and we have so much joy and laughter in our lives. I’m glad I took that leap and bought the house three years ago.”
Once they have their wedding done and dusted, the couple won’t be settling into married life at 41 Ellalong Rd for very long.
Mr Husband has recently sold his home in the upper north shore, while Ms Roberts has listed her home for sale.
Once again Mr Bolin will be managing the sale, albeit with a different vendor this time.
He has set a guide of $2.55 million for the impressive six-bedroom home, and plans to take it to auction on September 26. Within hours of the property hitting the o market on Monday, Mr Bolin’s phone was running hot with prospective buyers.
“It is a very well known home in that area and it is going to be very popular,” he said
Already tried and tested by a large blended family, the home also has a pool with cabana, covered deck and self-contained studio at the rear of the property.
Other features include high ceilings, spotted gum hardwood floors, ducted airconditioning, double garage with internal access, and kids’ play area with cubby.
The location is highly sought after, close to buses, Turramurra North Public School and local shops.
Mr Bolin said this was the first property sale he had ever managed that had led to a love affair and a wedding.
“I’ve never heard of it before, I think that it’s a once in a lifetime thing,” he said.
However, he revealed he did sense sparks between Ms Roberts and Mr Husband when he introduced them the day after the auction.
“I definitely thought I saw chemistry when they first met,” he said
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NEW residential land estates are opening in two of Geelong’s busiest growth corridors.
A family that’s helped build many of Geelong’s new land estates has turned developer in the Armstrong Creek growth area.
Yaringa Armstrong Creek will offer 210 lots in 10 stages on the 12.23ha site off Surf Coast Highway at Mt Duneed.
Blocks measure in size from 364sq m to 562sq m.
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The first stage — the Kangaroo Grass release — is now selling.
The Draper family, which operates Drapers Civil Contracting, has owned the land that follows the eastern end of Baanip Boulevard since 1989.
Maxwell Collins, Geelong agent Nick Lord said he is expecting high demand for the well-positioned, quality land.
“Yaringa offers the perfect location for first-home buyers, young families, investors and downsizers alike, with its proximity to the Geelong CBD, the Surf Coast as well as an easy commute to Melbourne via direct access to Baanip Boulevard,” he said.
“The community will have access to key infrastructure such as shopping centres, quality schools, parks and other green open spaces, as well as public transport, and all right on its doorstep.”
As land owners and civil contractors, the Drapers have wasted little time in starting construction with an aim to allow buyers to get titles by the second quarter of 2021.
Meanwhile, Villawood Properties has relaunched its Estuary development, with the 225-lot River Cove estate at Leopold.
Located to the east of the existing Bellarine Peninsula estate, River Cove will complete the link between Melaluka Road and Ash Road.
The first stage offering 26 blocks was launched at the weekend.
The original 651-lot Estuary estate busted sales expectations of a nine-year life-cycle, selling out in just four years.
Executive director Rory Costelloe said the business under estimated the local demand for new homes.
“The vast majority of buyers at the original Estuary were local Leopold buyers looking for a quality estate and community within Leopold without having to move into Geelong,” Mr Costelloe said.
“Many families had moved to Leopold as first-home buyers in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.”
Mr Costelloe said a number of people had already lined up to buy at River Cove, all from Leopold bar one from Barwon Heads.
“The new expanded Gateway Plaza shopping centre, with Bunnings and all its other stores, has been a great drawcard as well,” he said.
The post New housing estates launched in Armstrong Creek and Leopold appeared first on realestate.com.au.
An Australian-based buyer has splashed $95m on an incredible Sydney waterfront mansion, in what will be the second-highest house sale ever recorded.
The Wolseley Road, Point Piper property known as Edgewater has a rare 40m harbour frontage and is in one of the most-prized locations in Point Piper, directly in front of the Bridge and Opera House.
Its tennis court on the waterfront is well known and there’s a deepwater jetty — no wonder it’s been snapped up, even during a crisis, by a savvy purchaser.
Multiple sources say the agent behind the deal, which exchanged on Monday, was the Sotheby’s managing director Michael Pallier.
When contacted this morning by the Wentworth Courier, Pallier said he was not able to comment on the sale.
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The property is owned by the co-founders of the Katies women’s retail clothing chain Joseph Brender and the late Sam Moss.
They’d bought the 1800 sqm property for $5m in 1985 from the entertainment promoter Michael Edgley as a concrete shell and engaged the architect Stephen Gergely to convert it into two strata residences to house the two families.
The property is just a few doors along from the Westfield billionaire Frank Lowy, who bought his waterfront for $1.3m in 1991.
The street-level of the Brender-Moss property is the car park — the roof of the residences.
A lift takes you to the two-level Brender residence, then to the two-level Moss apartment.
A shared entertainment level — accommodating a kitchen and an indoor swimming pool — is on the next level. And the tennis court, pavilion and jetty are down on the waterfront.
It’s understood the buyer paid $47.5m for each of the properties with settlement delayed until 2022.
The purchaser will convert it back into one grand residence and live there.
The lower level residence is currently rented out for $6000 per week.
Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes bought the mansion Fairwater nearby for $100m in 2018.
To put it in perspective, that property was on 11,000sqm of land, while this residence is on less than 2000 sqm of land.
Commenting on the sale, valuer Simon Feilich said: “When you buy something for $5m and make $90m, that’s a pretty unbelievable return.
“There’s been a flight to quality … in uncertain times, people want a safe haven and Australia is exactly that both politically and from a COVID-19 perspective.”
Brender and Moss had a special business relationship for about 50 years before Moss died in 2016 aged 90.
They owned the textile group Brenmoss Holdings, which represented 70 per cent of Australia’s bedlinen, fabric and clothing manufacturing industry by the 1990s.
Both men were keen collectors of Australian art. And they both appeared on the rich 200 list in the past.
The post Point Piper waterfront mansion sells for $95m to Australian-based buyer appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Tribus Chat lets real estate professionals break their communication into different channels, which the company believes will improve efficiency.