Inman chatted with the president of the estates division at Compass about the pandemic, celebrity homebuyers and why agent self-care is more important than ever.
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Day: <span>September 12, 2020</span>
THE once-quiet Hinterland suburb of Bonogin has catapulted on to the radar of property hunters, recording the biggest jump in demand on the Gold Coast over the past 12 months.
A report provided to the Bulletin by realestate.com.au reveals a 79.2 per cent surge of interest in Bonogin in the past year.
25 Kamala Court, Bonogin recently sold for $910,000 through Kahlee Townsend of Ray White Robina.
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Research is based on high intent buyer activity on property listings site realestate.com.au.
Families searching for a treechange and small acreage lots are drawn to the Hinterland suburb, according to agents.
“A lot of people are after space for their kids to run around,” said Ray White Robina agent Kahlee Townsend, who predominantly sells at Bonogin.
“I definitely think COVID has had an impact on that (buyers wanting a lifestyle change).
“Buyers are realising that Bonogin offers value for money and you can get a really good lifestyle change to raise a family in a great community.”
39 Whiteash Road, Bonogin is on the market through Ray White Robina agent Kahlee Townsend at $895,000+.
Ms Townsend said there was not enough supply to meet demand in the Hinterland suburb from local and interstate buyers.
“I would say most if not all of the properties I have sold recently have had multiple offers,” Ms Townsend said.
Amir Prestige agent Colleen Brunt, who also lists at Bonogin, shared a similar view.
“In the past four months we’ve seen a lot more buyer interest focusing on that area,” Ms Brunt said.
“It’s so central to everything – you’re 25 minutes to the Gold Coast Airport, you’re just down the road from schools and shopping centres, and you’re not even that far from the beaches.
Colleen Brunt of Amir Prestige is marketing 204 Carrington Road, Bonogin at $1.060 million.
“Bonogin allows homeowners to be close to the city and have access to anything within a few minutes while still feeling like they’re out of the hustle and bustle.”
Bonogin is 21km southwest from Surfers Paradise and nestled between Austinville and Tallebudgera Valley.
The median house price is $860,000, up 8 per cent over 12 months, according to realestate.com.au.
The post Interest in Gold Coast suburb Bonogin soaring as buyers look for treechange appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Tom Gray on the balcony of his new beach house at Middleton. Picture: Keryn Stevens
TRAVEL bans and low interest rates are driving homebuyers to the Fleurieu Peninsula, as local real estate agents report strong sales and massive demand.
Harcourts South Coast principal Mark Forde said coronavirus had done little to deter buyers from seeking coastal homes and, if anything, had fuelled their hunger.
“We’ve had our best winter in years by a big margin,” Mr Forde said.
“It started the week before Mother’s Day, when we couldn’t do opens, and that weekend I had seven private appointments with cashed-up buyers wanting to buy waterfront property.
“Since that time, we’ve had good numbers at opens.”
Mr Forde said that demand had continued to grow, with strong inquiries from local buyers and expats overseas and interstate, particularly Victoria. That had driven down the average days on market from last year’s 102 to just 68 over July and August.
“People can’t travel and can’t go overseas for the next few years, so they think ‘let’s buy a beach house and get down the coast’,” he said.
According to realestate.com.au data, Victor Harbor’s median house price has increased by 11 per cent over the past three months to $365,000.
McLaren Vale houses are up by 11.5 per cent over the same period to $480,000, while houses at Goolwa, with a median of $360,000, are up 16.1 per cent.
Mr Forde said the area’s affordability and historic low interest rates were also a strong factor.
“Winter was great, this month has continued like the past three and it’s looking like that will continue throughout summer as well,” Mr Forde said.
Tom Gray on the balcony of his new beach house at Middleton. Picture: Keryn Stevens
LJ Hooker Fleurieu principal John McGarry said buyers were hungry for properties. “It would be very rare over the past three months to have been dealing with just the one hopeful purchaser,” he said.
Financial adviser Tom Gray bought a Middleton beach house for his family last month after struggling to find the right beach house to rent in recent years.
“I think with COVID, it’s going to get even harder,” Mr Gray said.
“So we bit the bullet and bought a place where we can holiday together and I’ll work down here part-time.
“The plan is to keep it for the next 20 years or so, so it should see some good value growth in that time.”
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The post Big wave of seaside sales make Fleurieu Peninsula a hit appeared first on realestate.com.au.
A PALM Beach penthouse touted as having the best rooftop pool on the Gold Coast is on the market with a $3.995 million price tag.
The two-level 450sq m apartment is in new development 77 Jefferson, which was completed last month.
The luxury penthouse at 9/77 Jefferson Lane, Palm Beach is on the market.
Entertain in style.
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“It’s got such a point of difference compared to other penthouses on the Coast,” said Olindah Property Group’s James Meredith, who is marketing the property alongside Nicole Riley.
“Exclusive to the penthouse is a large pool, kitchenette, undercover barbecue, 5.4m stone bench, sunrise and sunset lounges, dining area and bathroom facilities.
“It’s an entertainer’s dream.”
The penthouse offers views south to Coolangatta.
Find a better spot to relax on the Gold Coast.
He said the outlook from the penthouse stretched as far south as Coolangatta and back to the Surfers Paradise skyline and beyond.
“As far as the view goes, you’ve got everything you could ever want,” he said.
The four-bedroom penthouse also features timber floors, glass stacker doors and a butler’s pantry.
Inside the luxury abode.
Views from every room.
Developer BluePoint Property is behind the 10-level apartment building, which features eight full floor apartments.
The project was designed by Bureau Proberts and built by Hutchinson Builders.
“The penthouse is the only apartment still available as all the others sold off-the-plan early on,” Mr Meredith said.
“It was under contract for a while but has recently come back on the market.”
Make a splash in the rooftop pool.
Mr Meredith expected strong interest in the penthouse as the spring selling season kicked up a gear.
“Palm Beach is obviously a hot suburb at the moment,” he said.
“To assist with the demand of interstate and foreign inquiry, the online listing includes an interactive virtual tour, along with a fly-through video to showcase the property.
“Some inquiries requested an inspection via Facetime and were comfortable purchasing a property at this level site unseen.”
The post Is this the best rooftop pool on the Gold Coast? appeared first on realestate.com.au.
70 Cricklewood Road, Heathfield. Supplied by Williams Real Estate
A Heathfield home offers the ultimate Hills lifestyle and is ideal for entertaining and perfect for animal lovers, its owners say.
Michelle and Andy Madgwick bought the Cricklewood Rd home in 2008 and say it was a case of ‘love at first sight’.
70 Cricklewood Road, Heathfield. Supplied by Williams Real Estate
“It’s a beautiful home and we just felt such a strong emotional pull to the property,” she says.
The couple bought it as a four bedroom cottage, and have since renovated it throughout – adding a spacious rear extension, a parents retreat for the master suite, a study, a side veranda, transforming a bedroom into a teenage retreat, opening up a dining room and lounge room, upgrading the gardens and fencing throughout the 1.7ha property.
70 Cricklewood Road, Heathfield. Supplied by Williams Real Estate
The home has a formal living room towards the front and a covered terrace with a spa at the side, as well as an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area at the rear.
“We’ve kept the original part of the house and modernised the back and, given how well it flows from indoors to out, it’s absolutely amazing for entertaining,” Mrs Madgwick says.
70 Cricklewood Road, Heathfield. Supplied by Williams Real Estate
“What really captures you when you visit the home is that amazing area out under the oak tree,” Mrs Madgwick says. “Sitting down in there, you could be sitting anywhere in Europe. And that breakfast bar in the kitchen – we made that double width so you can sit about 10 people around it. In the past 12 months we’ve added the deck at the side and then we’ve got the spa deck as well, so it’s a great entertaining house.”
70 Cricklewood Road, Heathfield. Supplied by Williams Real Estate
Mrs Madgwick says guests are surprised to find just how much land they have, given they are just eight minutes from the tollgate.
“To able to have horses here this close to the city is great,” she says. “We’ve got the full-size sand arena which is floodlit and we’ve got beautiful stables and hot water wash bays, so whether it’s just for pleasure or whether you’re seriously competing, it’s got the facilities here.”
70 Cricklewood Road, Heathfield. Supplied by Williams Real Estate
With the couple’s children now having moved on, the time has come to downsize, with the Madgwicks saying they have absolutely no intention of leaving the Adelaide Hills.
70 Cricklewood Road, Heathfield. Supplied by Williams Real Estate
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70 Cricklewood Road, Heathfield. Supplied by Williams Real Estate
70 Cricklewood Rd, Heathfield
Contact agent for price
Agent: Williams Real Estate in conjunction with Hunt Lifestyle, Dee-Anne Hunt 0411 555 774.
Land size: 1.7ha.
Expressions of interest: Close Tuesday, September 29 at noon.
The post 70 Cricklewood Rd, Heathfield: Heathfield haven perfect for both human and horse appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Opendoor is in talks to go public with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. II, a blank-check company that acquires other companies and takes them public.
Homebuyers Don and Dulani Wijesundara and son Movi, 7 with Ashbury sales consultant Sharee Hase. Picture: Peter Ristevski
The emerging Geelong suburb renowned for its Game of Thrones themed streets is rising in the ratings with homebuyers.
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic is obvious, with Charlemont, Armstrong Creek and Mount Duneed experiencing some of the best year on year growth in buyer demand, realestate.com.au data shows.
Charlemont, where the median house price is $516,000, topped the list with demand rising 146 per cent.
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Big fans of Game of Thrones Bryce and Lisa Torney and son William were pictured in Winterfell Rd, Charlemont in 2019. Picture: Glenn Ferguson
It’s part of the Armstrong Creek growth area that will add 60,000 residents to Geelong’s population when completed.
The main Charlemont Rise estate features Game of Thrones street names like Winterfell Road, Sandor Terrace and Snow Street.
The growth area’s population hit 17,000 this year, City of Greater Geelong chief executive officer Martin Cutter told a UDIA conference last week.
This four-bedroom house at 5 Sandor Terrace, Charlemont, is selling for $515,000 to $545,000.
Biggest year-on-year growth in demand
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Source: realestate.com.au. Change in demand over 12 months to August, 2020
Metricon Homes regional west manager Simon Taylor said first-home buyers were fuelling the robust growth, with incentives like the HomeBuilder scheme.
“Metricon new home sales across Geelong and the Surf Coast are incredibly strong, as is buyer’s confidence, particularly given we are in a recession and seeing rising unemployment,” he said.
“In Geelong and the Surf Coast we are experiencing record activity as savvy buyers seize the opportunity to secure a new home away from Melbourne, with evidence that location is something customers are now looking at differently.
New Armstrong Creek Town Centre shopping centre located in the fastest growing area in Victoria seven kilometres south-west of Geelong
“With many organisations looking to embrace working from home beyond COVID-19 restrictions, a home in our communities are now being viewed more favourably — particularly if you are only commuting a few days per week as opposed to the full 5 days or can work entirely from home.”
Coastal communities are also rising with activity St Leonards and Torquay up more than 50 per cent, and more interest in Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Anglesea, Curlewis and Point Lonsdale.
Metricon display homes in Armstrong Creek.
There’s a mix of Geelong suburbs also finding more favour.
Buyer demand has risen 36 per cent in Newtown, and 34 per cent in Manifold Heights and Belmont.
More affordable areas like Newcomb and Hamlyn Heights are also drawing more buyers.
Whitford, Newtown agent Dale Whitford said the appeal of traditional suburbs like Newtown was strongest for families with children, but as values rose, people started to look further afield.
11 Chesterfield Court, Newtown, is a renovation or redevelopment prospect scheduled for auction on September 26, with price hopes of $780,000 to $840,000.
“Belmont has been stunningly successful,” he said.
“It’s that ripple effect? How important is it to have a quality of life in your house, or is it the mortgage.”
Buxton, Geelong agent Ben Riddle said it was clear people were prioritising lifestyle, but the strongest growth were in areas that were really affordable.
“The beauty of Geelong is its always supplied a diverse range of property for different budgets,” he said.
19 Claremont Ave, Newtown, is listed at the top end of the suburb’s market with price hopes of $2.1 million to $2.25 million.
“One thing that we all enjoy, regardless of the suburb, is great schooling, great lifestyle, got access to those beach pockets and treechange areas.”
Realestate.com.au measures demand according to the number of visits to property listings and buyer interactions, including saving and sharing properties and contacting agents.
Suburbs with more than 30 sales and 30 listings over 12 months to August are included.
Most in-demand suburbs
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Source: realestate.com.au
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The post Why homebuyers are chasing these Geelong hotspots appeared first on realestate.com.au.
The planning process is key to a smooth renovation. Picture: Tom Ferguson
Any renovator — from an experienced flipper to a novice with one project under their belt — will agree, the key to a successful transformation is all in the planning.
A clear vision, good budget and know-how on what trades are needed are the vital first steps before the hard work begins.
Charles Bros Building Contractors owner and builder Jason Charles said engaging a draftsman or architect early in the process for large renovations was a good start.
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He said establishing a quote with one builder, who had access to all trades, would also take some of the stress out of the process.
“They will manage everyone on site, making it easier for you,” Mr Charles said.
He suggested comparing costs, experience and timing requirements from three different companies before recruiting a trades team.
Interior designer Monique Sartor’s terrace is unrecognisable after its renovation Photo: Aaron Busch
Hipages chief customer officer Stuart Tucker said sourcing individual tradies could be a daunting task.
“When you’re working with tradies on any renovation project, it’s important to ensure you engage someone who has the appropriate qualifications for the task at hand, as these can vary from state to state,” Mr Tucker said.
“Before you start a project, always request to see your tradie’s licence, ask to see examples of their previous work and read their online recommendations.”
Mr Tucker said Hipages had tradie profiles with all the relevant information, which took guesswork out of the process.
He also recommended knowing when to call in expert advice.
“Budgets can be tough when you’re renovating and some homeowners may be looking for ways to cut costs with some DIY,” he said.
“While it may look easy on TV, our research has found homeowners spend an average of $1500 fixing the damage caused by a DIY job gone wrong.
“Home extensions and renovations should never be attempted as a DIY project, along with plumbing and electrical works.”
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The post How to plan and nail a renovation appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Street appeal – 64 Catherine St, St Ives.
You won’t be doing yourself any favours if you don’t at least take a peek inside this near new home.
Set in a leafy, peaceful cul-de-sac close to Surgeon White Reserve ant the St Ives shopping village, it ticks all the boxes for families of all ages.
And with a bedroom and ensuite on the ground floor, 64 Catherine St, St Ives, is also ideal for multi-generational family living.
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The full height foyer leads past the bedroom, media room and laundry to the L-shaped open plan living and dining space that wraps around the kitchen with an impressive island bench and butler’s pantry.
Sliding doors off both the living and dining area lead to a covered outdoor dining space with Travertine tiled floor, which overlooks the gas-heated pool and child-friendly rear lawn, framed by easy-care gardens.
Bring on summer.
There are multiple living spaces.
The private north-to-rear aspect offers peaceful views over Garigal National Park.
The home’s remaining five bedrooms are located on the first floor, including the main bedroom, which stretches the width of the back. A walk-in-robe leads to the ensuite with freestanding bath and glass shower.
The other four bedrooms also have a mix of built-in and walk-in robes, and there is a study nook on this level.
The rear terrace overlooks the pool.
The kitchen.
Other features of the home include ducted airconditioning, automated fittings, solar system, internal access to the double garage, and additional off street parking.
This is a significant property, and a landmark listing for Daniel Cook, of McGrath St Ives.
He and his father Mark have just rebranded under the McGrath banner, and have hit the ground running with eight new listings, including this gem in Catherine St.
Mr Cook said the home was ideal for large and growing families.
“You’ve got the flexibility for the largest of families not to be stepping on each other’s toes,” he said.
“It will also appeal to the young family busting out of a smaller house looking for their forever home.”
The home goes to auction on September 30, with a guide of $3.3 million to $3.5 million. For more details, contact Mr Cook, or Michael Crawshaw, of McGrath St Ives.
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The post St Ives home ticks all the boxes for multi-generational family living appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Graham and Maijia Tyler, with three-month-old baby Elsi, at their apartment in Collaroy. Picture: Christian Gilles
Being cooped up at home during the pandemic has encouraged more Sydney homebuyers to ditch inner city apartment living for a house near the beach or bush.
A review of greater Sydney’s popular suburbs for homebuyers in the past 12 months revealed families were increasingly looking in further-flung locations.
These included houses near beaches, reserves or national parks, according to the realestate.com.au study of “high intent” buyer activity online, which included inquiries on listings.
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The most popular suburbs were beach areas to the far north and south of Sydney spread across the Central Coast, northern beaches and Sutherland Shire.
Families’ embrace of areas further from the CBD was also evident in a recent surge in popularity of suburbs on Sydney’s southwestern fringe.
There was a particularly strong spike in buyer demand in Leppington, Austral and Gledswood Hills, where inquiry levels were double what they were last year. This was largely because these suburbs offered ample opportunities to find properties eligible for government buyer grants.
These included first homebuyer stamp duty exemptions and the federal government’s $25,000 HomeBuilder cashback for purchasers of new properties under $750,000.
Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee said demand for house and land packages on the city outskirts was increasing after having dropped in previous years.
Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee.
“It’s clear that a longer commute doesn’t bother people as much as it might have before, which makes sense if you’re only going into the office once or twice a week,” Ms Conisbee said.
“First homebuyers seem to be more willing to purchase house and land packages in fringe suburbs and more people want space.”
The most in-demand suburb with buyers overall was Wamberal on the Central Coast, about 80km north of the Sydney CBD.
Most of the houses in the suburb are less than a kilometre from a waterway – either Wamberal Lagoon or Wamberal Beach.
For sale at $3.75m: 6 Homestead Ave, Collaroy.
There was a similar coastal lifestyle on offer in the other suburbs most popular with buyers such as Collaroy, Newport, North Narrabeen and Gymea Bay. Many of the most in-demand unit markets were also close to the water, such as Freshwater, Kirribilli and Cammeray.
Ms Conisbee said the greater time families were spending at home may have encouraged more buyers to put a higher priority on lifestyle over accessibility. Inner suburbs were not as popular as they once were because proximity to the CBD was not as prized, she said.
Graham and Maija Tyler recently purchased a house in Collaroy and said it was more competitive than they had hoped.
“We thought it was a good time to buy with all the uncertainty at the moment, which we hoped would mean there was less competition from other buyers,” Mr Tyler said.
A house recently sold in Wamberal for $2m.
“There were a lot of serious buyers … we had to stretch our budget a bit.”
Mr Tyler added that it was worth it to get a house in the area. “We love it up here, it’s a bit more laid back and every day feels like a holiday.”
MOST POPULAR SUBURBS
The post Sydney’s most popular suburbs to buy a home: families look to beach and bush appeared first on realestate.com.au.