Mathew Quinn, MD of home builder Stockland, says governments and consumers were demanding houses that are too big, cost too much, and take too long to build. This is locking middle and lower income families out of the market.
New Australian houses are averaging 83 sqm per person, compared to 78 in USA, 33 in Japan, and 32 in Britain. No wonder then that our houses are so much more expensive than those in other countries!
Mr Quinn expressed concern about the difficulty of getting planning permission to build on lots of under 450 sqm. Of 17 sites his company was developing in Queensland, only three had approval for lot sizes under 300 sqm. He feels this is a deliberate policy to prevent those on lower incomes from being able to buy houses.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Reverse Cycle or Gas Heating?
With summer on us, we are being asked about fitting central heating systems to several of our houses. One of them already has a gas heating system, and someone suggested removing the gas heater and replacing it with a reverse cycle system, claiming running costs would be less.
However Murray Keller of Combined Heating and Cooling said, absolutely not! He recommended fitting an electic cooling system to the present gas heater, which would be a more expensive solution in the short term but much more effective and cheaper to run.
I asked him to explain and what he said made a lot of sense. Reverse cycle systems are heat pumps. When it's hot inside your house, they suck heat from your house and blow it outside. When it's cold inside your house, they suck heat from outside, and blow it into your house.
When it's hot there is lots of heat to pump, so the system is very effective. When the temperature outside is, say, 15 degrees C, the pump can work efficiently either way.
But when the outside temperature falls below, say, 10 degrees there just is not enough energy available for the heat pump to suck heat out from the atmosphere to blow into your house. In the ultimate the system goes into Defrost Mode and shuts down.
Running costs of the reverse cycle system in cooling mode are admittedly lower when it's warm, but the cost rises rapidly as the outside air temperature falls, at the same time as the system becomes increasingly ineffective.
Food for thought. After reflection, I will be advising the owner to go for the added cooling unit!
However Murray Keller of Combined Heating and Cooling said, absolutely not! He recommended fitting an electic cooling system to the present gas heater, which would be a more expensive solution in the short term but much more effective and cheaper to run.
I asked him to explain and what he said made a lot of sense. Reverse cycle systems are heat pumps. When it's hot inside your house, they suck heat from your house and blow it outside. When it's cold inside your house, they suck heat from outside, and blow it into your house.
When it's hot there is lots of heat to pump, so the system is very effective. When the temperature outside is, say, 15 degrees C, the pump can work efficiently either way.
But when the outside temperature falls below, say, 10 degrees there just is not enough energy available for the heat pump to suck heat out from the atmosphere to blow into your house. In the ultimate the system goes into Defrost Mode and shuts down.
Running costs of the reverse cycle system in cooling mode are admittedly lower when it's warm, but the cost rises rapidly as the outside air temperature falls, at the same time as the system becomes increasingly ineffective.
Food for thought. After reflection, I will be advising the owner to go for the added cooling unit!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
M2 Upgrade Project Report
Ray White Beecroft alerted local residents to the 5-storey rezoning plan for the Beecroft Shopping Village. Despite overwhelming local opposition (see my blog of 21 July), Hornsby Shire kept the Village in their rezoning plan which will be gazetted soon.
A 2 year $550 Million dollar project is about to start to widen the M2 as it passes through Beecroft and Cheltenham. The M2 Upgrade Submissions and Preferred Project Report is available at http://www.hillsm2upgrade.com.au/. It's a 277 page document. If you don't want to read it all, here are some excerpts of special interest to Beecroft residents:
Pages 82: "Hornsby Shire Council noted that access to some bush walking tracks would be restricted in areas where the walking tracks pass below the M2 Motorway bridge structure, including under Terrys Creek and Devlins Creek. Provision of alternative paths would not be possible as work sites under these bridges would cover the entire area."
Page 85: "As per recent correspondence (dated 13 November 2009) between the RTA and Hornsby Shire Council, the Kirkham Street overbridge road approaches were constructed by Hills M2 and handed over to Hornsby Shire Council in 1997 in accordance with the requirements of the original Project Deed. Maintenance and repair of the road surface is currently the responsibility of Hornsby Shire Council. Repairs to Kirkham Road bridge are not part of the project."
Page 153 "The comments about the walkway to Beecroft station appear to relate to the path under the M2 Motorway linking Allerton Road to Chilworth Recreation Reserve. Wherever possible the M2 Upgrade project would maintain existing pedestrian access arrangements during construction. However, the path under the motorway viaduct over Devlins Creek near Chilworth Reserve may need to temporarily close during construction for safety reasons. Due to topography, limited space and physical work requirements it may not be possible to maintain safe pedestrian access through this area during construction."
Page 196 "Community consultation and submissions received in response to the public exhibition of the environmental assessment have highlighted concerns over the need for vegetation clearing near the Murray Farm Road overbridge, along the southern side of the M2 Motorway. In response to these concerns, and issues raised in relation to noise wall locations during construction, the design of the M2 Upgrade project at this location was reviewed and amended. The amended design generally shifts upgrade works to the north of the M2 Motorway, and removes the need for vegetation clearing to the south."
Page 233 "The design of the M2 Motorway Upgrade project around the Kirkham Street/Murray Farm Road overbridge has been reviewed, and an alternative design developed to shift carriageway widening works from the south to the north of the M2 Motorway. Compared with the original design presented in the environmental assessment, the alternative design would result in a significant reduction in vegetation clearing, a reduction in the length of noise walls affected during construction works, and would remove the need for works to be undertaken within Devlins Creek and surrounding riparian areas."
Page 239: "Construction areas for the amended design can, in most cases, be accessed directly from the M2 Motorway. The key exception is widening of Kirkham Street/Murray Farm Road overbridge, which would require access off Murray Farm Road/Kirkham Street. Final access routes would be established based on detailed design and construction methodologies, and while some limited access to local roads may be required, heavy vehicle movements along local roads would be significantly less than envisaged for the original design. As a consequence, the potential for traffic noise impacts associated with construction vehicles using local roads would be significantly reduced."
The plan to use Allerton Road for construction access into Chilworth Reserve has been dropped, they will instead use the northern access as proposed by Michael Stove in the submission by the Beecroft / Cheltenham Civic Trust.
A 2 year $550 Million dollar project is about to start to widen the M2 as it passes through Beecroft and Cheltenham. The M2 Upgrade Submissions and Preferred Project Report is available at http://www.hillsm2upgrade.com.au/. It's a 277 page document. If you don't want to read it all, here are some excerpts of special interest to Beecroft residents:
Pages 82: "Hornsby Shire Council noted that access to some bush walking tracks would be restricted in areas where the walking tracks pass below the M2 Motorway bridge structure, including under Terrys Creek and Devlins Creek. Provision of alternative paths would not be possible as work sites under these bridges would cover the entire area."
Page 85: "As per recent correspondence (dated 13 November 2009) between the RTA and Hornsby Shire Council, the Kirkham Street overbridge road approaches were constructed by Hills M2 and handed over to Hornsby Shire Council in 1997 in accordance with the requirements of the original Project Deed. Maintenance and repair of the road surface is currently the responsibility of Hornsby Shire Council. Repairs to Kirkham Road bridge are not part of the project."
Page 153 "The comments about the walkway to Beecroft station appear to relate to the path under the M2 Motorway linking Allerton Road to Chilworth Recreation Reserve. Wherever possible the M2 Upgrade project would maintain existing pedestrian access arrangements during construction. However, the path under the motorway viaduct over Devlins Creek near Chilworth Reserve may need to temporarily close during construction for safety reasons. Due to topography, limited space and physical work requirements it may not be possible to maintain safe pedestrian access through this area during construction."
Page 196 "Community consultation and submissions received in response to the public exhibition of the environmental assessment have highlighted concerns over the need for vegetation clearing near the Murray Farm Road overbridge, along the southern side of the M2 Motorway. In response to these concerns, and issues raised in relation to noise wall locations during construction, the design of the M2 Upgrade project at this location was reviewed and amended. The amended design generally shifts upgrade works to the north of the M2 Motorway, and removes the need for vegetation clearing to the south."
Page 233 "The design of the M2 Motorway Upgrade project around the Kirkham Street/Murray Farm Road overbridge has been reviewed, and an alternative design developed to shift carriageway widening works from the south to the north of the M2 Motorway. Compared with the original design presented in the environmental assessment, the alternative design would result in a significant reduction in vegetation clearing, a reduction in the length of noise walls affected during construction works, and would remove the need for works to be undertaken within Devlins Creek and surrounding riparian areas."
Page 239: "Construction areas for the amended design can, in most cases, be accessed directly from the M2 Motorway. The key exception is widening of Kirkham Street/Murray Farm Road overbridge, which would require access off Murray Farm Road/Kirkham Street. Final access routes would be established based on detailed design and construction methodologies, and while some limited access to local roads may be required, heavy vehicle movements along local roads would be significantly less than envisaged for the original design. As a consequence, the potential for traffic noise impacts associated with construction vehicles using local roads would be significantly reduced."
The plan to use Allerton Road for construction access into Chilworth Reserve has been dropped, they will instead use the northern access as proposed by Michael Stove in the submission by the Beecroft / Cheltenham Civic Trust.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Great cocktail party, great art show!
On Friday 24 Sep, Ray White Beecroft sponsored a cocktail party and art show on behalf of the Lions Club of Beecroft / Cheltenham. There was a tremendous turnout from the local populace.
Here Douglas Macarthur is seen serving champagne to Greg Smith, our local MP.
This is just one corner of the art show, in two rooms of the Module, organised and curated by Sharon Aldrick, Ray White Beecroft's talented marketing manager. Sharon is a professional photographer and featured some of her works.
Here Douglas Macarthur is seen serving champagne to Greg Smith, our local MP.This is just one corner of the art show, in two rooms of the Module, organised and curated by Sharon Aldrick, Ray White Beecroft's talented marketing manager. Sharon is a professional photographer and featured some of her works.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
NDT write-up of new property
Ray White Beecroft's new listing "Glanis Gerraween" had a front cover photograph and a full page editorial in the Northern District Times. Not surprisingly, as the house hasa great history and a great character. Built in 1936 in Art Deco style, the double brick house is on about 850 sqm of land.
The house is scheduled for auction on Saturday 9 October, if not sold prior.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sold on the Day of the Auction
Another happy Ray White Beecroft customer! The brand new house didn't reach reserve during the actual auction, but after some negotiation with the highest bidder after the auction an agreement was reached that delighted the vendor.
Peter Raco had a personal interest in the property, because for a long time we had managed the
Peter Raco had a personal interest in the property, because for a long time we had managed thelittle old cottage that was on the land before this beautiful new house was built.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Business is Blooming!
Spring auction clearance rates in Sydney are 65%, down from last year but higher than the average for the last four months.
On 9 September our website, raywhitebeecroft.com.au, clocked up its highest number of daily visitors since we started the website in June last year.
From information received recently we can confirm that Douglas Macarthur is the top selling individual real estate salesperson based in Beecroft/Cheltenham for the period 1 Jan to 31 August.
On 9 September our website, raywhitebeecroft.com.au, clocked up its highest number of daily visitors since we started the website in June last year.
From information received recently we can confirm that Douglas Macarthur is the top selling individual real estate salesperson based in Beecroft/Cheltenham for the period 1 Jan to 31 August.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Back from Holiday
Lydia Merrill has been on holiday for the last three weeks in France, including a week driving a 45ft boat up the Canal du Midi.
As a welcome home present, Douglas presented her with the current list of properties available for sale, showing that Ray White Beecroft now has more listings than Raine & Horne.
As a welcome home present, Douglas presented her with the current list of properties available for sale, showing that Ray White Beecroft now has more listings than Raine & Horne.
Successful Property Investment Seminar
In an earlier blog I mentioned that Ray White Beecroft had organised a free Property Investment Seminar for our clients.
That seminar took place last night, and the Investment division of Ray White Corporate gave a very informative presentation to a group of Ray White Beecroft clients, with thoughts on how to use property investment to build personal wealth. The key to their recommendations was that if you can't afford to buy the house of your dreams to live in, you should rent whatever you can afford, and buy a property to rent out. And don't go for a cheap investment property with low rent, you should buy well and get a good rent from the investment, with all the associated tax breaks.
We will hold a repeat of the seminar in three months or so. It's free, but is restricted to people who are on our database. If you want to learn more, contact Douglas Macarthur on 0408 817 239.
That seminar took place last night, and the Investment division of Ray White Corporate gave a very informative presentation to a group of Ray White Beecroft clients, with thoughts on how to use property investment to build personal wealth. The key to their recommendations was that if you can't afford to buy the house of your dreams to live in, you should rent whatever you can afford, and buy a property to rent out. And don't go for a cheap investment property with low rent, you should buy well and get a good rent from the investment, with all the associated tax breaks.
We will hold a repeat of the seminar in three months or so. It's free, but is restricted to people who are on our database. If you want to learn more, contact Douglas Macarthur on 0408 817 239.
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