Amid national discussions on race, Keller Williams agent leaders have also added diversity, equity and inclusion committees to local leadership councils.
Blog
REPORTS of site unseen sales continue to flood in on the Gold Coast where agents and vendors are going above and beyond to build confidence among interstate buyers.
Two luxury waterfront villas in Broadbeach Waters have sold to southern buyers who are yet to step inside their new properties.
Last month, a Melbourne buyer paid $2 million for Villa 1/19 Havana Key while a Sydney buyer paid $2.1 million for Villa 2.
A pair of luxury villas at 19 Havana Key, Broadbeach Waters have sold sight unseen.
Kollosche agent Jamie Harrison, who handled the marketing campaign alongside Corey Bedford, said neither buyer had inspected the properties in person before making unconditional cash offers.
“Both of those buyers purchased site unseen,” he said.
“They each plan to use the villas as a holiday home initially, with a view to relocating in years to come.”
RELATED: Iconic mansion sold to FaceTime buyer
Expert tips: How to buy in a hot market
Tallebudgera new build is Qld’s most popular house
1&2 / 19 Havana Key, Broadbeach Waters.
Mr Harrison said providing all of the key information from the outset empowered remote buyers to make confident decisions.
“If you do all of the due diligence upfront and make everything you can possible get available, buyers can transact with confidence. We’re making it as easy as possible and not holding anything back.”
That due diligence now includes providing remote buyers with an independent pre-sale building and pest report and an independent valuation.
The three level lock and leave villas overlook the water.
As well as having access to promotional videos, high quality photography and FaceTime tours, remote buyers are taking virtual tours with the help of 3D scanning technology.
“Buyers can walk into every room and look at everything as if they were in the property,” Mr Harrison said. “We’ve all pivoted in this market to really embrace the technology that’s available.”
With borders closed and parts of the country still in lockdown, agents report buyers securing Gold Coast holiday homes with a view to relocating down the track.
“Many interstate buyers are quite emotional and looking to get liveability back,” Mr Harrison said.
“They are planting the first seed by spending more time on the Gold Coast.”
The post Extra due diligence boosts sight unseen sales appeared first on realestate.com.au.
The lavish home where Rihanna has been living is up for sale, complete with all her furniture. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Stance)
Fans of Rihanna can now buy the London mansion where the singer has been living for the past two-and-a-half years – as long as they’ve got very deep pockets.
The eight-bedroom property in St John’s Wood has gone on the market for a staggering $56.2 million (£32 million) after the A-lister rented it for a whopping $31,600 (£18,000) per week.
RELATED: Inside JLo and A-Rod’s new $45 million island home
Rapper Travis Scott drops $33.97 million on curved LA mansion
The Weeknd’s $36.3 million LA mansion features disco garage
Inside Drake’s jaw-dropping $100 million Toronto mansion
The view of from the street of the home Rihanna has been living in London. Picture: Beauchamp
The home spans across five levels. Picture: Beauchamp
Inside one of the home’s many living spaces. Picture: Beauchamp
And it’s a dream buy for those who have followed Rihanna’s career since the beginning – as the furniture she used during her stay is included, according to The Sun.
The gated home comes with a carriage driveway with parking for up to ten cars, a gym, an infra-red sauna, and two whole floors for entertaining.
The five-storey property, which features landscaped grounds, also boasts underfloor heating and even a lift for guests.
Rihanna, 32, employed security guards, a private chef and a housekeeper during her stay, The Times reports.
One of the homes eight bedrooms. Picture: Beauchamp
The huge kitchen. Picture: Beauchamp
Rihanna attends the ‘Ocean’s 8’ Premiere on June 13, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
The lucky buyer will have easy access to local shops, as well as the underground station.
Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park lie nearby.
The house was originally built in 1844 by builder William Holme Twentyman, and had been designed by architect John Shaw Junior, a favourite of the royal family.
The spacious outdoor deck is great for entertaining. Picture: Beauchamp
The bar is built into the wall. Picture: Beauchamp
The large downstairs gym. Picture: Beauchamp
It is the only one of Twentyman and Shaw’s original villas on St John’s Wood Park which has survived into the 21st century.
All of the others have since been demolished or adapted.
The first owner of the house was Daniel Francis, a diamond tycoon who was a director and shareholder of De Beers Jewellers.
Chill on the furry seat before your bath. Picture: Beauchamp
Its most recent occupant was dating Saudi billionaire Hassan Jameel during her stay, but the pair ended their relationship in January.
Rihanna told the New York Times during an interview that she loves living in London as she could keep her private life under wraps.
“I enjoy walking around the block. When I go walking, I try to keep a little incognito,” she said.
MORE: Ariana Grande splashes nearly $30 million on two huge mansions
Inside Justin Bieber’s spectacular holiday homes around the world
Aussie property market turns from smashed avo to scrambled eggs
Luxury features everywhere. Picture: Beauchamp
The large dining room opens onto the living area. Picture: Beauchamp
Her fans were sent into a frenzy last year after the singer revealed she’d been living in the capital for 12 months.
Before confirming the news, she shared a selfie, taken inside the house, with a Sainsbury’s bag.
Rihanna promoting her Savage X Fenty lingerie in 2020. Picture: Savage X Fenty
“This magnificent house on St John’s Wood Park is perfect for a music, business or political mogul,” Dounding director of Beauchamp Estates Gary Hersham said.
“It is one of the most important houses to come onto the market in the local area in recent years.
“It is an exceptional property with the garden floor and large garden superb for relaxation while the reception room on the raised ground floor is wonderful for big parties.”
Five levels of luxury. Picture: Beauchamp
MORE: Will Smith’s daughter Willow Smith buys her first house for $4.3 million
Kobe Bryant’s childhood home with original hoop is up for sale
Parts of this article originally appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission
The post Rihanna’s eight-bed London mansion is on sale for $56 million with 10-car garage and infra-red sauna appeared first on realestate.com.au.
A LUXURY Gold Coast penthouse bigger than most houses in the city has hit the market for the spring selling season.
The three-level 914 sqm sky home in Southport’s Rivage Royale is for sale through an expressions of interest campaign targeting buyers with more than $5 million to spend.
B27-2/75 Brighton Pde, Southport is on the market through expressions of interest.
What a pool!
House Rules architect raises the renovation bar
“The sheer size of this penthouse puts it into a category on its very own,” marketing agent Tolemy Stevens of Harcourts Coastal said.
“There aren’t many penthouses that are approaching 1000sq m.
“It’s bigger than 90 per cent of homes on the Coast.”
The rooftop entertaining area.
B27-2/75 Brighton Parade Southport. Rivage Royale penthouse.
What a view!
As well as ocean, city, Broadwater and mountain views, the four-bedroom apartment has a long list of features including a rooftop pool and entertaining area, glass lift, wet bar, opulent master bedroom and two marina births.
“This is for someone who wants the very best of everything – the luxurious lifestyle ticks all the boxes,” Mr Stevens said.
The listing follows a run of multimillion-dollar penthouse deals in recent months.
The Rivage Royale penthouse has its own glass lift.
Style at every turn in the Rivage Royale penthouse.
Last month, a penthouse in the Oracle building sold sight unseen for $4 million while another penthouse at 19 Broadbeach Blvd changed hands for $5.05 million in July.
Mr Stevens marketed both properties.
“There is absolutely no doubt the penthouse market seems to be one of the hottest markets at the moment,” Mr Stevens said.
“The continuing demand from interstate buyers to secure opulent holiday homes hasn’t wavered.
Rivage Royale at Southport
“We are also seeing an increase of couples and families who are looking to move to the Gold Coast permanently and pack up from Sydney and Melbourne.”
In an off-the-plan sale, entertainment entrepreneur Billy Cross is understood to have splashed between $6 and $7 million on the White penthouse, to be built in Main Beach.
The post Gold Coast property: epic sky house hits the market appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Two million more college-age Americans are living with their parents or grandparents instead of renting, according to new data from Zillow released Thursday.
According to Redfin’s latest report, booming buyer demand caused by low interest rates and continuing inventory shortages are responsible for the climb.
For the first time since the Great Depression, the majority of young adults are living with their parents, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
Tania Tan and Robert Hosker with their children Amber and Ollie Hosker.
When Tania Tan and Robert Hosker listed their Neutral Bay family home for sale in May, Sydney was in the thick of the COVID-19 crisis.
Social distancing rules were well entrenched after the Federal Government introduced them in March, but by May 15, the first easing of restrictions imposed in the nationwide lockdown had arrived.
MORE: Hollywood heart-throb buys in Byron hinterland
Epic mansion comes with 14-car garage
Ms Tan and Mr Hosker were keen to upsize to a larger home in the area, having lived at 20 Bent St, otherwise known as The Corner House, for 13 years.
The couple wanted more space for their growing family, but wanted to sell before they committed to a new property.
20 Bent St, Neutral Bay.
20 Bent St, Neutral Bay.
Ms Tan, former art director for Pacific Magazines and at the BBC, who now works in the financial sector, said the home had been wonderful for raising their young family.
Claudia Portale, of McGrath Mosman, launched the property in May, ahead of a June 6 auction, however it didn’t sell.
“We had such a tough time during the COVID lockdown and afterwards – there was a lot of negativity about the market,” Ms Portale said.
“But come spring and it’s like everyone has sprung seriously into action. The buyers are back.”
Last week Ms Portale relaunched the couple’s property in the hope of a spring sale, setting a September 26 auction.
And what a difference it was this time around.
The kitchen.
The view.
A young couple, originally from Melbourne who had been looking for their dream home for the past year, inspected The Corner House last week.
By 5pm they had signed off on a $3.275 million deal to buy the c1910 home.
It was a great result, considering the price guide was $2.8 million to $3 million – and set a new street sales record.
It blitzed the record set in 2018 with the $2.82 million sale of 64 Bent St, CoreLogic records show.
Ms Tan said it all happened very quickly.
“I was so surprised at how quickly it sold this time ‘round,” she said. “I really had no idea what would happen.”
Meanwhile, the family is still looking for the right new home.
“In this environment we really didn’t want to end up with owning two houses at once,” Ms Tan said. “We definitely plan to stay in the area.”
A TASTE OF BALI
Who needs international travel when you can have a Balinese-style courtyard complete with water feature, towering bamboo and electric rain-sensing louvre roof in the heart of Neutral Bay?
The two-bedroom townhouse at 3/3 Hardie St, is due to go to auction on October 3, with Matthew Smythe and Mark Ryan, of Belle Property Neutral Bay.
Holiday at home – 3/3 Hardie St, Neutral Bay.
They have set an auction guide of $1.4 million price guide for the pet-friendly home, which has 168sqm on title.
Owners Garry and Jacqui Brook have been renting the property out since moving to the Central Coast a year ago.
Ms Brook said the property had been a massive hit on Airbnb, with the couple achieving ‘super host’ status within three months.
“Unfortunately, since COVID-19 hit, we have lost bookings as they were all from overseas,” she said.
So they have decided to sell the townhouse.
“We think our property is a hidden gem,” Ms Brook said. “It caters to the needs of a young couple/family upsizing from an apartment or a couple who are downsizing.”
RARE OPPORTUNITY
A 1930s home set high on the Balmoral ridge, and a level walk from the Mosman village has come to market.
The three-bedroom home at 16 Moruben Rd, is ripe for a renovation, extension, or even a knockdown/rebuild, says Jacqui Rowland-Smith, of Di Jones Mosman.
“The (harbour) views are phenomenal,” she said. “This is a rare find, there is so much opportunity with this property.”
16 Moruben Rd, Mosman.
The view.
The rear view.
Or you could do nothing at all. From the street, the home has plenty of appeal in keeping in line with its Federation history, and there are plenty of classic touches still evident.
The versatile floorplan allows for a range of uses within the living spaces, that open to multiple terraces.
Other features include a skylit kitchen with stainless steel appliances and gas cooktop, fully tiled heated pool and spa surrounded by tropical gardens, massive main bedroom with ensuite, terrace, built-ins and a dressing room, rumpus room and airconditioning.
The home will be privately auctioned on October 3, with a price guide of $5.25 million to $5.75 million. It is open for inspection today and Saturday, from 1-1.30pm.
SIGN UP HERE FOR THE NSW REAL ESTATE NEWSLETTER
The post New season brings fresh optimism to the lower north shore market appeared first on realestate.com.au.
12990 Tasman Highway, Swansea. Picture: SUPPLIED
HOW often does the chance come along to grab a slice of the lauded Freycinet Coast?
Starting at about $500,000, single, double and triple-bedroom residences will be built at the luxurious Piermont Retreat property south of Swansea.
Knight Frank property consultant Adele Plunkett says investors will be able to enjoy the best of both worlds.
She says as well as owning an impressive coastal holiday home — and being able to vacation there themselves — there will be opportunity for Piermont to lease and manage the holiday rental home for the owner.
“A management agreement, specs for furniture and projected income returns are available on request,” she said.
“At present there are a two-bedroom and a three-bedroom property completed and sold.”
Life would be a dream.
Luxurious.
Enticingly, Piermont Retreat’s facilities will be available to the owner, too, including its award-winning restaurant, swimming pool, tennis court, walking trails, private beaches and equestrian parkland.
The accommodation at Piermont has been described as “ecologically sustainable luxury” with a lack of superfluous decorations and glitzy polishes. Its creators prefer lovingly finished details, handcrafted from natural materials.
Adele said the strata titled villas would be built to the high standard that Piermont was renowned for.
“At this stage the vendor is offering a couple of single bedroom villas on Lot 252 and 264.
“These will be constructed of vertical timber and will be single storey; only slightly different from the larger properties.
“There will be a two-bedroom villa on Lot 248 from $895,000, a three-bedroom villa on Lot 266 from $945,000 and a waterfront home with three bedrooms on Lot 244, priced from $1,175,000.”
Raw materials.
Natural beauty.
Prices include building completion and all fixtures, fittings and furniture.
These chic contemporary properties were designed by JCB Architects to blend with the natural landscape and provide luxury accommodation that accentuates an indoor/outdoor seaside lifestyle.
The interiors were designed and styled by Hecker Guthrie with a natural palate and European influence.
The strata allotments have been strategically placed to provide privacy and beautiful vistas over Great Oyster Bay and the iconic Freycinet Peninsula.
The secluded waterfront position at Piermont affords a delightful setting with a serene environment for holiday living.
“These captivating villas will encompass all this with the benefit of a good return for your investment,” Adele said.
Prices for No.12990 Tasman Hwy, Swansea range from $495,000+ to $1,175,000+. Contact Knight Frank for details.
The post Coast with the most a holiday maker’s paradise appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Ray White Werribee director Michelle Chick says the real estate industry just needs to be able to run private inspections to function. Picture: Jay Town
More than 1600 people have signed a petition that calls for Melbourne’s real estate sector to be able to reopen, arguing waiting several more weeks as the government plans will “cripple people financially”.
The petition on the Parliament of Victoria website states the “requirement to find a home is unquestionably essential”, and that both agents and consumers are desperate for physical one-on-one inspections to be allowed again.
It urges the state government to work with the Real Estate Institute of Victoria to “create and implement a COVID-19 Safe Plan” for reopening the sector and running private inspections.
RELATED: Homeowners plea for Melbourne inspections ban to end
Melbourne lockdown real estate restrictions leave homeowners in limbo
Billions to be wiped from Victorian economy as spring market ban extends
This could include checking the temperatures of prospective buyers and tenants upon arrival at homes, sanitising door handles and surfaces, enforcing social distancing, and recording attendees’ contact details to lodge with the Department of Health and Human Services.
The petition said waiting until October 26, as the government planned, to revive the crucial element of the selling and leasing processes would “cripple people financially”.
“Those who have purchased and need to sell, and those who’ve been evicted due to landlords returning to occupy and cannot inspect a new rental home, have been burdened by the COVID-19 restrictions,” it said.
Signatory Frank Valentic, director of Advantage Property Consulting, said his business alone had about 25 would-be vendors “hurting” from being prevented from listing now-vacant investment properties, and 20 buyers ready to pounce but unwilling to purchase without physically inspecting homes.
“I, myself, have sold to downsize, and I can’t get through any properties to buy my next home,” he said.
“There are lots of people in my shoes. It’s pretty traumatic for older people who have sold long-time homes (and) young families.”
Buyer’s advocate Frank Valentic says real estate’s continued closure hurt dozens of associated industries as well.
Those who had already bought new properties but couldn’t sell their old ones were also at risk of being unable to settle on their purchases and losing their deposits, Mr Valentic said: “Daniel Andrews said he wouldn’t stop people from settling, but he is.”
The people working in the many real estate-associated industries were essentially out of work until the sector could reopen, he added, including conveyancers, and photographers and stylists, who were banned from attending properties under stage four restrictions.
“Real estate is an essential service. And we’ve never had any cases of COVID-19 (from real estate activity),” he said.
“The main thing we need is getting one-on-one inspections back, nothing else really needs to happen.
“No one is going to buy without inspecting a property, unless they’re really desperate. People aren’t going to spend hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars and risk buying a lemon they’re not happy with.”
Lyn Davenport and her 12-year-old daughter, Grace, sold their Mornington home in between Melbourne’s two lockdowns but now can’t inspect rentals to move into due to the ban on physical inspections. Picture: Alex Coppel.
Ray White Werribee director Michelle Chick agreed Melbourne’s real estate sector really only needed that one little freedom to save hundreds of homeowners and tenants from financial and mental stress.
“Everything else, we can do virtually — appraisals, listing appointments, signing any documents. We’ve had a lot of success with online auctions,” Ms Chick said.
“We just need that final piece of the puzzle.”
Ms Chick said buyers were embracing online auctions, with Ray White Group running more than 700 of them since COVID-19 restrictions first started in March. But the vast majority were unwilling to commit to homes without “being able to walk through to feel, touch, smell and get to know the property”.
“Some have had to move on for financial reasons, or to get into school zones for their kids,” Ms Chick said.
“People are having to put plans on hold, which is causing a lot of stress, financially and mentally.”
This included clients of hers who needed to move to get their special needs child into a particular school.
“Their house is sitting there on the market. We have 3D virtual walk throughs online, and we’re doing walk throughs with vendors … via Zoom. But buyers are still waiting to go through,” she said.
28 Twin Creek Court, Sunbury sold sight-unseen during lockdown for $999,995.
Ms Chick said her agency would ensure its inspections were COVID-safe by allowing only one agent and one prospective buyer or tenant to attend, providing masks and gloves for both to wear, checking temperatures, carrying out deep cleans on homes, enforcing physical distancing, and record keeping to allow for contact tracing.
The Real Estate Institute of Victoria is campaigning for private inspections to resume as
part of the second step on the state government’s road map to reopening, due to start September 28, rather than the third.
Victoria will need to record fewer than five daily coronavirus cases over the two weeks prior to October 26 to reach the third step, at which point “outdoor auctions subject to gathering limits” will also be allowed.
MORE: ‘Grim day’ as Melbourne’s real estate lockdown extended
Can I start a new lease, move into a new rental during stage four?
Basketball champ Andrew Bogut defends Beaumaris mansion plans
The post Melbourne lockdown: Petition urging real estate to reopen takes off appeared first on realestate.com.au.