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More than half of Australians are looking for help with their real estate goals.

According to a survey conducted by leading mortgage broker Aussie, 54 per cent of us want guidance with property and finance.

In a further indication of the uncertainty resulting from COVID-19, 42 per cent of the 1000 people questioned in Aussies’ survey, Uncertainty around COVID-19, want to take advantage of the current conditions of the real estate market but don’t know how to.

More than half of Australians are uncertain what to do about their property intentions. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

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The survey underlines the intense interest in the property market despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Aussie Chief Customer Officer, David Smith says the result is missed opportunities and unrealised goals for potential home buyers.

“In a market which sees property prices across Australia’s capital cities continuing to fall, interest rates remaining the lowest on record, a range of refinancing options, access to lender cashback incentives, and a range of government initiatives and grants available, there are many opportunities for both first home buyers and homeowners to secure their goals,” he said.

That home hunters are looking for expert advice is illustrated by the fact that 36 per cent of those surveyed, said they were “more receptive to speaking to a broker about their property plans because of COVID-19”.

A good time to buy – David Smith, Aussie chief customer officer says.

On the ground, sales agents and buyers agents say property seekers have more questions about the property market and what is going on, than they ever have.

The research again highlighted the spotlight COVID-19 has put on our home situation and our re-imagining of what we want.

More than one in five (22 per cent) of those surveyed said their property goal is more important now than before COVID-19 restrictions and more than one in four (26 per cent) said their housing plans had accelerated because of COVID-19.

In order to gain more confidence as a home buyer, property expert Andrew Winter, co-host of Love It or List It Australia and Selling Houses Australia on Foxtel’s LifeStyle channel suggests starting at your lender to get the big picture of what you can and can’t afford before you start looking.

He then suggests you spend at least six weeks familiarising yourself with the market and ensuring you have a strategic approach before making your move.

Winter also says buyers are better off avoiding ‘off-market’ purchases and that commissioning a buyer’s agent is an avenue worth exploring.

COVID changing our financial habits

It’s not surprising then that a Finder survey has discovered 63 per cent of Aussies, around 12 million of us, have changed their financial habits since COVID-19 hit Australia in mid-March.

Graham Cooke, insights manager at Finder said homeowners could be looking at new ways to increase their income.

Steel yourself for the road ahead. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

“With such an unpredictable future ahead you should be doing all you can to shore up your finances now to avoid running into trouble later on,” he said.

“Property owners with a spare room or a studio out the back should consider renting it out to make some extra money to put towards their mortgage.

“For shorter term rentals you could consider putting your place up on Airbnb. While travel between states is off the cards for the foreseeable future there are a number of Aussies itching to travel within their own state.”

Auction continue to perform well

Australia’s real estate market as a whole continues to perform well despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to CoreLogic in Sydney this week there are 679 auctions scheduled. This is up on last week’s 668 and well up on the 503 this time last year.

Plenty of buyers are in the market for a new home but don’t know how to turn their dreams into reality.

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Despite level four lockdown restrictions, there are 235 auctions planned for Melbourne this week, an increase on the 191 that went under the hammer last week.

Across the smaller cities, CoreLogic says there are set to be more auctions held this week than last week with the exception of Hobart.

The post More than 50 per cent of Australians unsure how to make their home dreams a reality appeared first on realestate.com.au.

THE state border is closed but it’s not deterring interstate buyers with a Melbourne family splashing almost $4 million on a trophy penthouse on the Gold Coast.

A $3.95 million contract for the two-level trophy penthouse in the Oracle building at Broadbeach went unconditional on Thursday.

24001/21 Elizabeth Ave, Broadbeach has sold to a Melbourne buyer.

The rooftop pool.

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The sale went ahead despite the buyers not even stepping foot inside the residence – all the inspections were done via Facetime.

“This is now the fifth luxury property deal I have done in the past four to six weeks via Facetime,” said marketing agent Tolemy Stevens, of Harcourts Coastal.

“Even though the buyer had multiple Facetime inspections with me and had a personal friend inspect the property for them, the purchasers have not stepped foot into the penthouse.

“It’s a continuing testament that shows how strong the appetite from Sydney and Melbourne buyers is to secure luxury homes on the Gold Coast.”

Soak up the view.

Enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Gold Coast.

The penthouse takes up the entire northern side of levels 40 and 41 in the Oracle Tower 2.

“The new owner plans to do a few minor renovations to the property so by the time the borders open it’s ready to go,” he said.

It is the first time the property has been on the market since it was built 10 years ago.

“The Oracle is one of the most sought-after and well-known luxury apartment buildings on the Gold Coast,” Mr Stevens said.

“This penthouse is extremely sought-after not only due to its size and views but due to its location being in the middle of everything – the trendy shops, cafes and restaurants in Broadbeach.”

The penthouse features high-end interiors throughout.

The property, first put on the market in December, 2019, has its own private lift, a rooftop heated pool, home cinema area, wraparound balconies and floor to ceiling windows.

Property records reveal the overseas-based sellers paid $3.9 million for the residence in 2008.

Mr Stevens said the Gold Coast was fast becoming a “beacon of hope and safety” for interstate buyers.

“People seem to just want to get out of Sydney and Melbourne ASAP and people are seeing the Gold Coast as a safe place to permanently live or have a holiday home with its open space, the sun, beach, sand and lifestyle,” Mr Stevens said.

“This unfortunate pandemic has put a light on how good the Gold Coast really is.”

Luxury at every turn

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First-home buyers have fallen from 60 per cent of the land market to 50 per cent.

Melbourne’s stage four lockdown has put the brakes on first-home buyers at housing estates within the space of two weeks.

Despite many continuing to work and purchase during earlier lockdowns, they have taken a “step back” from buying house and land packages this month, new data shows.

The figures from Oliver Hume show a three-month surge in first-home buyers, going from about half of the market for housing estate sales in the first four months of 2020 to about 60 per cent in May, June and July.

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However, preliminary figures for the first two weeks of August show they have dropped back to half the market again.

Oliver Hume national head of research George Bougias said while the $25,000 HomeBuilder grants had stimulated a lot of activity in June and July, younger buyers now appeared more reluctant to make property moves.

“A number have worked through COVID-19, and the first-home buyers came back strongly in June and July,” Mr Bougias said.

“But this lockdown has put everything on pause. First-home buyers took a step back in the first weeks of August, though that is just from the first 10 days.”

First-home buyers have retreated from new estates since stage four lockdown hit Melbourne.

Despite the subsequent reduction in activity, the initial 10 per cent uptick in response to HomeBuilder and rumours of government stimulus during May was important, Mr Bougias said.

“That’s a big rebound,” he said.

“It’s obvious there’s been an impact, it’s very rare to see such a swing.”

Blueways Group development director Andrew Wyatt said inquiry quadrupled at their Melbourne estates following the announcement of HomeBuilder.

While it still remained at double normal levels, less were proceeding to a purchase.

Mr Wyatt said since the stage four lockdown, developers had begun more proactive searches for prospective buyers, including reconnecting those who pulled back from a purchase last year, in hope additional federal money would bring them back into the market.

Blueways Group are behind the Pavilion estate in Melbourne’s southeast.

TJ White’s Finance Services lending manager Matthew White said the correlation between the $25,000 grants being announced and demand from homebuyers had been “uncanny”.

“First-home buyers, if their income isn’t affected, are happy to get involved,” Mr White said.

Despite this, 90 per cent of those contacting his firm at the moment were refinancing, with only those who had already been in the process of buying a home continuing to seek new housing finance at the moment.

Banks had also implemented more stringent checks to confirm prospective borrowers were working as they were pre-lockdown and not just being paid JobKeeper to remain on standby.

“If the cafe you work for is shut down, regardless of whether you are being paid, then you have been affected and that will affect some loan applications,” Mr White said.

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The post First-home buyers ‘step back’ for stage four: Oliver Hume figures appeared first on realestate.com.au.

The Block 2020 will deliver five renovated period homes in illustrious Bayside suburb, Brighton.

Blockheads will take a step back in time with the return of The Block this Sunday.

Five dilapidated houses dating back to the 1910s-1950s have been transported to blue-chip Brighton for the 16th season of the hit renovation show.

The period homes in a “dire state” will each be transformed into four-bedroom, three-bathroom pads with a pool – a first for the show.

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Victorian contestants Harry and Tash are the first father-daughter duo to compete.

A father-daughter duo will also be competing for the first time, representing Victoria.

IT manager Harry, 57, and social media and production manager Tash, 32, hope to use their home-ground advantage to take out the season, despite having little renovation experience.

“We moved to the bayside area 11 years ago and I moved out of home (to Richmond) a year or two ago, so we are definitely quite familiar with the area,” Tash said.

“The hometown advantage doing The Block … for us is about knowing how to get to places quite quickly. And local knowledge on the area: we have lived in the area, know the people and what they are looking for.”

Viewers can expect to see plenty of laughter, crying and disagreements from the team, and will watch Tash learn “Dad is always right”.

“It’s a different dynamic and hopefully a relatable one,” Tash said.

“As a challenge the two of us have faced together, it’s the biggest … and the most rewarding one.”

“We have gone in very close and finished The Block very close,” Harry added.
“The advantage of having a father-daughter combo is you can’t divorce your daughter – she is there for life.

“It was a great experience and I couldn’t have done it with anyone else.”

The pair are up against Sarah and George, a married couple from Sydney; South Australian farmers Daniel and Jade; chippy and teacher duo Luke and Jasmin from Perth; and Queensland’s Jimmy and Tam.

The Block contestants were sent home for a 40-day stint this season due to COVID-19.

Executive producer Julian Cress said the biggest challenge of the 2020 series was working through a global health pandemic, which shutdown production for 40 days.

Filming came to a halt to allow contestants to go home, with fears coronavirus-driven state border closures would leave them stranded in Melbourne.

Local tradespeople were able to continue working during the shutdown.

“It was an incredibly tough decision, but I firmly believe it was the right thing to do,” Mr Cress said.

“At the time it was kind of heartbreaking, but we were able to get our contestants back to their kids and loved ones, which was the most important thing.”

Harry said the weight of the pandemic didn’t hit until they were kicked off the site.

“We were in this bubble and so focused on delivering a room,” he said. “You haven’t got time to read the news … the outside world tends to stop while we are in production.”

The Victorian duo said apart from the obvious challenges that came with the pandemic, shifting to buying most products online and limited stock availability added to the pressure.

The series contenders out the front of the rundown period homes.

This season’s completed dream homes, on New Street, are expected to sell for more than $3.5m at auction later this year, despite the coronavirus-hit market.

Architect Julian Brenchley designed the renovations and said they will maintain the heritage homes at the front and feature new two-storey extensions at the rear.

“This time around we looked at preserving some of the period aspects of each house,” he said.

“It’s been really interesting to explore five different renovations of five houses, because in the past they were all roughly the same design.”

Another season has already been confirmed for next year, with Mr Cress hinting it could follow a similar formula of producing family homes

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345-365 Barwon Heads Rd, Charlemont.

Mixed use development options that could be open to buyers are driving interest in a Charlemont property.

The 1.49ha property at 345-365 Barwon Heads Road is part of the Marshall precinct in the Armstrong Creek Growth Area on the southeast outskirts of Geelong.

The precinct is subject to an ongoing structure planning process through Geelong’s council that won’t be completed until the end of next year.

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Darcy Jarman, Geelong West agent Tim Darcy said it was likely most of the land would be designated for residential or mixed use.

The latter is proving a winner with buyers, keen to unlock the 200m frontage to the arterial road at the intersection with Horseshoe Bend and Tannery roads.

345-365 Barwon Heads Rd, Charlemont.

“We think this particular parcel of land is going to have far more attributes for mixed use development rather than residential,” Mr Darcy said.

“It’s got a 200m frontage to Barwon Heads Road, it’s serviced by a further frontage to Horseshoe Bend Road and basically sits on that corner of Tannery Road.”

Price hopes were between $1.5m and $1.6m, he said.

345-365 Barwon Heads Rd, Charlemont.

An existing four-bedroom house, in-ground solar heated swimming pool and metal deck garage is on the property.

“It could also be suitable as a lifestyle block,” he said.

“But given it sits on the southern boundary of Geelong and that area has become a major hub of development towards Armstrong Creek, there is going to be some pretty serious development upside for something of a mixed use nature.

345-365 Barwon Heads Rd, Charlemont.

345-365 Barwon Heads Rd, Charlemont.

“We’ve had a positive response to it. There had been some overture about it being suitable to a petroleum site, which some say has serious merit.

“We understand there is some application (from the dispossessed mortgagor) before council at the moment, but they haven’t disclosed any information because it hasn’t been processed.

The mortgagees expressions of interest campaign closes on August 27.

The post Barwon Heads Rd: Development options open eyes to Charlemont property appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Conor Canning and Mary Viturino. Picture: NETWORK TEN

JARRAD BEVAN: COVID-19 has impacted everything this year; how do you think the Hobart market is travelling at this point?

CONOR CANNING: I don’t think we could ask for better market conditions given the circumstances. There is noticeably less stock hitting the market so we have a surplus of homebuyers, which I think has contributed to house prices stabilising and not declining.

Hobart couple Conor Canning and Mary Viturino.

JB: What concerns do you have going forward? And what do you hope might happen?

CC: I think Hobart will be insulated from the drop in the national property prices as I still don’t think we have seen enough development to satisfy local demand.

JB: Have you learned anything about our market that was a surprise during this unprecedented time? Or has something solidified in your mind?

CC: It has been a trying time for everyone across Australia, but property owners in Hobart can take comfort in how well the local property market has performed. I’m suggesting to anyone who has considered selling to be doing it now as stock levels are so low and that will see a greater number of buyers inspecting your property.

Jessie Mills (left) and Conor Canning get ready for a Grand Final themed open home at Rosetta.

JB: What has been your workplace highlight from the past year?

CC: PRD Hobart recently celebrated 12 months since our merger with Elders Brown and Banks and it coincided with a record sales and leasing month in June. We are over the moon with how the offices have worked together successfully and the amazing culture we have created. We believe our success comes from the PRD values of honesty, hard work and working as a team.

JB: Turning to the TV show, where did the idea come from to apply for Bachelor in Paradise?

CC: I got the idea to apply from my previous assistant Jessie Mills, who is a fan of the show. I had never watched the series previously and it was a crazy experience as from the time I applied it was only a couple of weeks before I was on the plane to Fiji.

Keep your gavel close by, just in case.

JB: Who was the most likely to spill the beans about you becoming a cast member? A friend? Maybe a family member?

CC: It was Hobart’s worst-kept secret despite my best efforts. I think family, friends and colleagues were excited and the word spread quickly.

JB: Was it easy or hard to sidestep the drama and just focus on what was happening with Mary Viturino?

CC: I found it very easy to avoid the drama on the show. I was there for a genuine reason and I’m so glad I ended up falling in love.

JB: How do you feel about the experience now that it is over?

CC: It was incredible. I had a rollercoaster of a time and ended up meeting Mary, so I couldn’t ask for more. Mary and her daughter Chanel are settled in Hobart now and loving life. It has been touching to see how invested so many people were with the relationship.

The post It’s Q&A time with Hobart’s most recognisable real estate agent appeared first on realestate.com.au.

7 Ashley St, Tamarama, sold for a strong price in post-auction negotiations.

Sydney’s most prolific and renowned tailor, Patrick Johnson, and his interior designer wife, Tamsin, have sold their Tamarama semi for a strong price post-auction.

Ray White TRG principal Gavin Rubinstein and Oliver Lavers had a guide of $5.5m-$6m for the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home with two car spaces and impressive views at 7 Ashley St ahead of last night’s auction.

But it’s sold for well in excess of its base price, which was a strong outcome given the home is attached but no surprise given the expansive views and complete remodel by Tamsin Johnson Interiors.

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The home was renovated by Tamsin Johnson Interiors.

The couple had bought the unrenovated home for $3.85m in 2016.

The uber stylish Tamsin and Patrick Johnson.

With two registered parties and a third waiting in the wings, the property passed in at $5,525,000.

Rubinstein negotiated with all parties up until 10pm without a successful sale, but finally exchanged at 1pm today for “well in excess” of the passed-in figure.

He was tight-lipped on the final result citing a confidentiality agreement, but other sources put the result at a commendable $5.65m.

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McGrath agent Simon Exleton, who made the opening bid of $4.8m on behalf of the purchasers, is now handling the sale of the couple’s Tamarama penthouse.

The Johnsons had bought the unrenovated home for $3.85m in May, 2016 and lodged a DA that November for a new veranda and decking, with a swimming pool and spa.

$5.71M BUYER NAMED

Sotheby’s managing director Michael Pallier with auctioneer Stuart Davies at Saturday’s auction. Picture: David Swift

12 Harkness Street, Woollahra sold for $5.71m. The price guide had been $4.5m.

The buyer of the longtime Woollahra home of Colorbond roof man John Lysaght that sold for a whopping $5.71m on Saturday is Indonesian businessman Jaya Kusuma.

The five-bedroom Victorian residence on a double block (630 sqm) at 12 Harkness Street had been hugely popular, with Sotheby’s managing director Michael Pallier issuing 35 contracts and 11 registering to bid on Saturday. Auctioneer Stuart Davies presided.

The guide had been $4.5m.

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Pallier was keeping mum about the buyer’s identity, but Insider’s contacts spotted a highly visible Kusuma in the crowd.

The man who was doing the bidding was Simon Hanson, the architect who did a renovation of Kusuma’s Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill mansion, purchased for $7m in 2016. He won’t be selling — the Harkness Street home is an investment.

Some speculate that Hanson, who also reworked the Bellevue Hill mansion Rona for Terry Agnew, will design a second residence for the block, as has already occurred across the road.

Lysaght, 91, ran the now BHP subsidiary that makes Colorbond roofs and Zincalume steel in the 1980s.

FRENCH CHARMER

10 East St, Redfern. NSW Real Estate.

10 East St, Redfern. NSW Real Estate.

10 East St, Redfern. NSW Real Estate.

The strong auction results should give confidence to the young French family selling their charming worker’s cottage, tucked in a laneway close by my favourite French eatery, Bistro St Jacques.

The two-bedder at 10 East Street is my pick of those on offer in the increasingly trendy neighbourhood. It’s all style, with spacious updated interiors, a stone kitchen, polished floorboards, full bathroom with tub and a hidden integrated laundry.

And the prospect of spring barbecues in the north-facing backyard will be of appeal to the young professional couples wanting a convenient inner-city home.

With two young kids, the word is this family is bursting at the seams but are apparently not intending to move too far away. They’re on the lookout for something slightly bigger.

Amber Riethmuller and Brigitte Blackman have a $1.3m price guide ahead of a scheduled September 5 auction.

The post Tailor Patrick Johnson and interior designer wife Tamsin sell ‘one-of-a-kind’ Tamarama semi post auction appeared first on realestate.com.au.

The Byron Bay home of Eddie Phillips has sold.

Byron Bay’s longest listing, Villa Gabrielle homes, has finally been sold by the spa king Eddie Phillips.

It has regularly been on and off the market since 2004, with price hopes ranging from $4.5m to as high at $9.5m, its last known asking price.

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Views from property are stunning.

It last sold in 2002 for $2.36m.

There was a beach shack on the 734sqm Lighthouse Road block when it last sold for $2.36m in 2002.

Phillips commissioned architect Alan Mitchell to design the three-storey house with four bedrooms, five bathrooms and a pool.

Luxury living.

The home is spread across three levels.

The popular $1400 a night rental offering sold through Jeremy Bennett at Byron Bay Property Sales.

Phillips sold the neighbouring Villa Natasha Bonita for $6.3m in 2015.

Phillips made his fortune developing a spa business in Hong Kong.

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Originally home to a Presbyterian minister, this Peppermint Grove manse was saved from demolition by three sisters who remarkably brokered a house swap to own the historic property.

Meredith Goodlet said her mother, Ilma Steel, instigated the deal almost three decades ago after seeing preliminary works to the property at 12 Venn Street that she feared would lead to its demise.

This heritage home has all the period details you’d expect. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

“My mother and two aunties were walking past one day and saw that it was going to be demolished so they did a deal with the minister who bought their house in McNeil Street, and mum and my aunties got the house in Venn Street,” Mrs Goodlet said.

“The church was planning to build a spec home for the minister because they wanted something a bit more modern, so she told them she had a lovely house they could have.”

The home was painstakingly brought back to its former glory. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

The purchase of the heritage-listed, four-bedroom limestone cottage for $300,000 in 1992 soon became a “labour of love” to nurture the charming Federation Queen Anne-style residence in Perth’s Peppermint Grove.

“Mum was always interested in old houses,” Mrs Goodlet said.

“She fixed the leadlight down the side and went to leadlight classes to learn how to do it, so it was really a labour of love. She also got the garden back to a cottage garden.”

Built in 1905, the old manse is deemed culturally significant because of its connection to the first Christian ministry in the suburb.

Set on a 702sqm lot, it has four bedrooms, a quaint veranda and has retained hallmarks of its vintage, including decorative stained glass doors, original pine timber flooring in the hallway, ceiling roses and a feature fireplace.

Heritage Council of Western Australia documents said the manse’s construction was significant because it indicated a need for a full time minister to serve the area.

The home’s details speak to days gone by. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

“The manse has some historical significance in its own right, however its historical significance is greater as part of a cultural group,” the heritage listing states.

The property, which is being marketed by Deborah Brady, from Ray White Cottesloe-Mosman Park, will go to auction on Saturday, 22 August at 11 am.

The post Peppermint Grove manse saved from the wrecking ball seeks new custodian appeared first on realestate.com.au.

COVID-19 will affect Melbourne’s new homes market in a variety of ways, but could be good news for those still looking to buy.

Victorian builders face a more than 16,000 home shortfall this financial year and a decade long headache caused by COVID-19.

But those looking to buy a new home could be thousands of dollars better off by 2021.

New figures released yesterday by the Housing Industry Association show Australia’s new homes pipeline will be 28,000 starts behind pre-virus expectations by 2030.

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Melbourne will be the nation’s hardest hit city in the short term, with almost 13,000 apartments to be wiped off builders’ books by July next year.

HIA chief economist Tim Reardon said while this would see some builders relocate from Melbourne to Perth, it would also see builders offer lower prices to compete for fewer buyers.

It should also mean homes were built faster, Mr Reardon said.

More competition between builders should benefit Victorian homebuyers.

Separate figures from Research4, which specialises in land sales, forecast the city’s $320,000 median block of land will fall $4000 by the end of the year and a further $2000 by March 2021.

Speaking at an Urban Development Institute of Australia Victorian chapter event yesterday, Research4 director Colin Keane said developers would need to match falls in the wider real estate market.

While this would be a “distant second prize” for buyers who missed out on $25,000 HomeBuilder grants on offer this year, he warned hundreds hoping to get the cash would miss out due to time constraints.

Mr Keane forecast Melbourne developers working through the lockdown could produce up to 3700 lots that would be titled for building to commence within the scheme’s timeline. This includes several hundred that had been rejected by buyers for months already due to issues with their shape or location.

He estimated up to 4400 potential customers seeking HomeBuilder eligible blocks could emerge in October after waiting out the current stage four lockdown, but any left behind would not return until at least March next year.

“There’s likely to be insufficient land or builders won’t be able to start work in time,” Mr Keane said.

“So that demand will either walk away or buy without the grant. And I think most will take their time.”

Victoria’s land developers will work to title as much land as possible before HomeBuilder grants are removed from the market at the end of December.

Urban Development Institute of Australia Victorian chief executive Danni Hunter said the new figures highlighted the need for government and industry to have “all the cogs in the wheel working to get as much titled land to market as possible”.

“This will help as many Victorians have the opportunity to get their hands on that money as possible,” Ms Hunter said.

She added that for those unable to do so, the aftermath of COVID-19 would provide ideal buying conditions.

“It will be a really fantastic time for buyers to get into their new home, mostly because of the competition we think there will be,” Ms Hunter said.

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