The Sun Herald published a map of the rankings of Sydney's secondary schools, by area, showing the scores of the top ten schools in each area. The Central Northern Sydney region which includes Beecroft and Cheltenham had the best average score of all the areas. James Ruse Agricultural school of Carlingford came top in all of Sydney, Arden Anglican School of Beecroft was 40th overall, and tenth in the Central Northern region.
The average score of our top ten schools was 24.
The average for Lower Northern Sydney was 31, Inner Sydney averaged 34, and the Eastern Suburbs 50!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Introducing Binzi
Lydia Merrill of Ray White Beecroft is pleased to introduce the new addition to her household, a loveable young mutt called Binzi.
Binzi went missing last Tuesday while Lydia and friends were out on a yacht on the Pittwater, and after a short panic she was found enjoying the Australia Day party across the road, lying on a rug they had put down for her and eating sausages. After finishing the sausage she came home perfectly happily. Definitely a party girl!
Binzi went missing last Tuesday while Lydia and friends were out on a yacht on the Pittwater, and after a short panic she was found enjoying the Australia Day party across the road, lying on a rug they had put down for her and eating sausages. After finishing the sausage she came home perfectly happily. Definitely a party girl!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Hornsby Shire Housing Strategy
My last post commented on letters in the latest Monthly Chronicle relating to the recently amended Hornsby Shire Housing Strategy.
A letter from Nick Berman, Hornsby Mayor, argues that further residential development is essential, in view of Treasurer Wayne Swan's prediction that Australia's population would grow by 13 million to 35 million by 2049.
It is not clear how heaping more people onto Sydney's straining traffic nightmare can be deemed a viable solution to the flood of immigrants. If Mr Swan wants to make Sydney absorb much of this huge increase, then surely the Federal government needs to ensure that the Sydney infrastructure can cope - one desalination plant and a CBD Metro don't seem sufficient, somehow!
Mr Berman points out that the amended Housing Strategy will be exhibited to the public in early 2010, to enable local residents to provide feedback. It seems we need to consider our position carefully and, if appropriate, to be ready to defend it.
The plan to concentrate new housing along the rail corridor is fine if, in fact, the occupants of these new houses are somehow constrained to use the train to get to the city.
But since the opening of the Lane Cove Tunnel, road access to the city has improved enormously for Beecroft and Cheltenham residents, and there is absolutely no reason to believe that all the cars parked under these new residential developments will stay in the garage each morning, rather than fighting to get out onto Beecroft Road to join the crowd coming in from further afield.
To that extent, it's not just Beecroft and Cheltenham residents who should be objecting to this proposal, but all the commuters who flood down Beecroft Road every weekday morning.
A letter from Nick Berman, Hornsby Mayor, argues that further residential development is essential, in view of Treasurer Wayne Swan's prediction that Australia's population would grow by 13 million to 35 million by 2049.
It is not clear how heaping more people onto Sydney's straining traffic nightmare can be deemed a viable solution to the flood of immigrants. If Mr Swan wants to make Sydney absorb much of this huge increase, then surely the Federal government needs to ensure that the Sydney infrastructure can cope - one desalination plant and a CBD Metro don't seem sufficient, somehow!
Mr Berman points out that the amended Housing Strategy will be exhibited to the public in early 2010, to enable local residents to provide feedback. It seems we need to consider our position carefully and, if appropriate, to be ready to defend it.
The plan to concentrate new housing along the rail corridor is fine if, in fact, the occupants of these new houses are somehow constrained to use the train to get to the city.
But since the opening of the Lane Cove Tunnel, road access to the city has improved enormously for Beecroft and Cheltenham residents, and there is absolutely no reason to believe that all the cars parked under these new residential developments will stay in the garage each morning, rather than fighting to get out onto Beecroft Road to join the crowd coming in from further afield.
To that extent, it's not just Beecroft and Cheltenham residents who should be objecting to this proposal, but all the commuters who flood down Beecroft Road every weekday morning.
Beecroft 5 Storey Development "Unwanted"
Letters in the latest Monthly Chronicle discuss the addition of Beecroft Village to the list of proposed 5 storey mixed commercial and residential developments in the latest version of the Hornsby Shire Housing Strategy.
One letter, from a Beecroft resident, strongly opposes the proposal on the basis of peak hour congestion and other aspects, including the parking issue.
So there seems to be increasing public dissatisfaction with this late inclusion of our lovely village into this list, apparently only because there had been such unanimous objections to some of the other proposed precincts as displayed to the community last winter.
One letter, from a Beecroft resident, strongly opposes the proposal on the basis of peak hour congestion and other aspects, including the parking issue.
So there seems to be increasing public dissatisfaction with this late inclusion of our lovely village into this list, apparently only because there had been such unanimous objections to some of the other proposed precincts as displayed to the community last winter.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Beecroft Village to become 5 storey Development?
Way down in the depths of the minutes of the December 6 Hornsby Shire planning meeting is an update to the proposed Housing Strategy Plan.
When last presented in July 2009, there were some 26 precincts listed to be rezoned for 5 storey mixed residential and commercial development, including Thomson's Corner in West Pennant Hills and the block of commercial and housing south of Carlingford Road opposite Carlingford Court.
The Shire received over 1000 submissions, 85% of which objected to the original version. 63% of those objecting proposed alternative areas, and Beecroft was one of those proposed by those objecting.
In the latest version, responding to all those submissions, many of those original precincts have been removed but Beecroft Village has been added - the whole area inside Beecroft Road, Chapman Avenue, and Bingala Crescent.
When last presented in July 2009, there were some 26 precincts listed to be rezoned for 5 storey mixed residential and commercial development, including Thomson's Corner in West Pennant Hills and the block of commercial and housing south of Carlingford Road opposite Carlingford Court.
The Shire received over 1000 submissions, 85% of which objected to the original version. 63% of those objecting proposed alternative areas, and Beecroft was one of those proposed by those objecting.
In the latest version, responding to all those submissions, many of those original precincts have been removed but Beecroft Village has been added - the whole area inside Beecroft Road, Chapman Avenue, and Bingala Crescent.
So the people of Beecroft and Cheltenham need to decide whether they like our quaint village shopping centre, or whether we want it replaced with a multistory parking lot, commercial developments (ie Woolworths), and high density residential units.
The Shire responded to the original objections, removing many of the originally proposed areas. Presumably they will respond to public opinion over the incusion of Beecroft.
I would like to know your opinion on this issue. Email me at peter.hewitt@raywhite.com.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Rents ARE going up!
It's not just that rents on individual houses are increasing, Ray White Beecroft is also finding that the median value of new properties being given to us to manage is going up. There are some lovely houses coming onto the rental market.
We competed for a property management some four months ago telling the owner we could get $950 for it, but the owner gave the management to another company who promised to get $1200. Well guess what, after three wasted months without a tenant the owner has given his property to us. Lydia Merrill is pretty confident she can rent it quickly at the agreed price of $950. But that delay has cost the owner some $12,000 in lost rent! Shows why you need to evaluate the quality of the property manager's advice before giving someone your property to manage. Wild promises do not necessarily lead to paying tenants!
We competed for a property management some four months ago telling the owner we could get $950 for it, but the owner gave the management to another company who promised to get $1200. Well guess what, after three wasted months without a tenant the owner has given his property to us. Lydia Merrill is pretty confident she can rent it quickly at the agreed price of $950. But that delay has cost the owner some $12,000 in lost rent! Shows why you need to evaluate the quality of the property manager's advice before giving someone your property to manage. Wild promises do not necessarily lead to paying tenants!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Typical Property Management Tasks
Over Christmas, the top half of a huge tree fell off and crashed down into the garden of the next door house, demolishing a length of expensive brush fencing and damaging the neighbour's roof.
Do you know your legal obligations in this situation? We do. The owner lives locally, but has given Ray White Beecroft authority to act on his behalf with his home insurance company, removing the debris on his side of the fence (which is already well under way) and sharing the cost of the fence with the neighbour.
Soon after, while investigating a sewer problem in another Beecroft property, our property manager followed the contractor's invitation to peer down the inspection hole. About two meters down, the sewer pipe is seen to be cracked! It's going to be quite expensive to fix. The owners live out of state, but are confident to rely on Ray White Beecroft's experienced property management team and have authorised us to project manage the issue on their behalf.
A tenant reports excessive pool water loss. Last year we dealt with quite a few leaking pools and are getting pretty good with them, minimising the cost of specialist attendances. Another tenant reported termites, and the owner has tasked us to attend to this. A third tenant reported black spots in the water.
All this is just part of our Property Management department's typical week, showing why you need a competent and ethical team to manage your investment property.
Do you know your legal obligations in this situation? We do. The owner lives locally, but has given Ray White Beecroft authority to act on his behalf with his home insurance company, removing the debris on his side of the fence (which is already well under way) and sharing the cost of the fence with the neighbour.
Soon after, while investigating a sewer problem in another Beecroft property, our property manager followed the contractor's invitation to peer down the inspection hole. About two meters down, the sewer pipe is seen to be cracked! It's going to be quite expensive to fix. The owners live out of state, but are confident to rely on Ray White Beecroft's experienced property management team and have authorised us to project manage the issue on their behalf.
A tenant reports excessive pool water loss. Last year we dealt with quite a few leaking pools and are getting pretty good with them, minimising the cost of specialist attendances. Another tenant reported termites, and the owner has tasked us to attend to this. A third tenant reported black spots in the water.
All this is just part of our Property Management department's typical week, showing why you need a competent and ethical team to manage your investment property.
Rent Increases to Worsen
Today's Sydney Morning Herald forecasts that rising interest rates and land tax increases will combine with an improving economy to force a "steep" rise in rents!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Wires Sunday!
On Sunday Peter had WIRES callouts for two possums and a kookaburra!
And this one
The kookaburra had to be kept overnight, and spent all Sunday evening calling loudly before being delivered next morning to a WIRES carer. Here Nicole and Victoria of Ray White Beecroft property management department learn how to hydrate a kooky.
And this one The kookaburra had to be kept overnight, and spent all Sunday evening calling loudly before being delivered next morning to a WIRES carer. Here Nicole and Victoria of Ray White Beecroft property management department learn how to hydrate a kooky.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Rainbow Rescue!
Peter Hewitt did another WIRES rescue today, a bird needed to be taken from a lady's house to David Croft's West Ryde Vets on Victoria Avenue.
First picture taken through the WIRES transport cage, showing a very suspicious bird, the second picture shows him at the vet's, looking much happier after taking a chunk out of Peter's thumb.
First picture taken through the WIRES transport cage, showing a very suspicious bird, the second picture shows him at the vet's, looking much happier after taking a chunk out of Peter's thumb.
Christmas Break is over!
Unlike some other local real estate agencies, Ray White Beecroft was up and running full speed on Monday 4 January. To show how this matches the public mood, analysis of the Ray White Beecroft website statistics showed a collapse of visits to the site from about 20 December, falling to almost no visits after Christmas to the new year, then a step increase on 4 Jan and a surge on 7 Jan to the highest number of visitors in three months!
At the same time, Nicole has been busy with property rentings since Monday with several new managements already. And of course we had the normal flood of holiday problems like falling trees and leaking houses to deal with.
A busy start to our year! But that's how we like it.
At the same time, Nicole has been busy with property rentings since Monday with several new managements already. And of course we had the normal flood of holiday problems like falling trees and leaking houses to deal with.
A busy start to our year! But that's how we like it.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Happy New Year to all our Clients
This is how Lydia Merrill, proprietor of Ray White Beecroft, and her husband Peter spent Christmas Day - on a houseboat in Kerala, India! We had arranged to meet one of her many Indian landlords while in Mumbai but sadly traffic problems and a plane booking prevented it.
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