201st EDITION
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER 2021
200th EDITION
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021
Good afternoon fellow members,
Only 37 days before Christmas ... GULP!!!
BIG CELEBRATIONS FOR OUR 200TH MONTHLY EDITION MILESTONE - (PARTY TIME :)
And aren’t things changing so quickly. It was only a couple of weeks ago and so much of Australia was in lockdowns but as the surge of vaccinations has occurred, we are now getting undertakings from the Premiers of VIC, NSW and QLD that there will be no more lockdowns ever again.
It’s quite amazing how quickly we have gone from so many restrictions to almost none.
Borders are starting to open both domestically and internationally and by Christmas and you get a sense that we will pretty much be functioning the same as we did pre COVID. We have been warned that COVID will be with us and that those who haven’t been vaccinated will be the ones at risk and the rest will be able to function with great freedom and safety.
So how is this going to affect the investment real estate market? Andrew Bell, Ray White Surfers Paradise explains
Well, we certainly are expecting a surge of activity here on the Gold Coast. So many people who have been wanting to buy and not quite had the same comfort levels as many other interstate buyers who have bought sight unseen or with Facetime inspections or just a video of the property than those who needed to see the properties first hand from 17 December on will be able to come here personally and inspect.
Our local Gold Coast tourism operators have confirmed that the minute the announcement was made that the borders were open to the vaccinated from 17 December, the bookings have gone through the roof. It’s amazing every year we can accommodate more people than the year before as all the new buildings built-in one year provide additional accommodation space. There is little doubt we are going to have a record number of people visiting the Gold Coast and so many of those will be the people who want to buy here on the Gold Coast. It should be an amazing period of time.
There we have it, so we know what we need to do, stay tuned until next time.
Chat soon!
199th EDITION
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2021
"25 Years to be an Instant Success"
Good morning Fellow Members,
What a beautiful Spring season we are all blessed to see as gardens around Australia are all in bloom. Wandering through Bunnings Garden Nursery asking questions to the staff frequently certainly makes it a very easy task in creating a showpiece :)
The FIRM has been operating now since 10th June 2000 when we created the property Investment Division. Our very first investor was Colin & Lynette Prigg from Campbelltown NSW.
Now grown over the years meeting every single member explaining the many advantages and disadvantages of property investment, providing very detailed Property Investment Analysis and budget to their personal financial situation. Exploring the property opportunities that performed best on paper before inspection of the best performers.
Isolating the chosen property then it was time to celebrate with the champagne sunset cruise on our boat and dinner at home. Remember those days when you were very nervous making that decision. Now we look back to paying off the home mortgage in a fraction of the time and with multiple properties under our belt with little to no debt.
Now we are all retired living off our superannuation and the enormous value of our assets we are all very proud to own.
Remember, as I said to you that these properties are never to be sold until the right time to sell.
Now, is the right to consider selling your oldest assets that are over 20 years old as they are going past their 'used by date' and consider other alternatives.
Recently, we have sold 18 x 3 bedroom apartments in Labrador to owner-occupiers and developers for crazy money as they were one street back from the water and we paid $45K to $60K each back 20 years ago now sold for $550K to $600K.
So, if you are interested to know more then call me for more details as we have a number of other exciting projects The FIRM is working on.
Stay safe and chat with you all soon!
CORPORATE ONE the Private Airline
Good afternoon fellow members,
Corporate One the Private Airline is back on the drawing board which we have commenced due diligence over the past couple of weeks to acquire 777-300ER aircraft
Stay tuned as we explore the opportunities!
198th EDITION
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
AUGUST 2021
Good afternoon members,
These lock-downs are becoming more and more frustrating however there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Andrew Bell, Ray White Surfers Paradise and friend wrote a great report for this months sales records for the residential market here on the Gold Coast.
What only six months ago seemed like a major talking point is today just how it is, everyday life. I am referring to sales of over $5 million.
It was a rare event on the Gold Coast to hear of a property selling for over $5 million. They occurred, but with great in frequency to the point that such a sale would make headline news. Today, sales of $5 million is a daily event and it is not until a sale is getting up around the $20 million brackets that it is getting significant media attention in isolation. What we will more commonly see written about these days is the pool of sales in the $5 million, $10 million, and $15 million price ranges.
This is a reflection of the significant change in the Gold Coast's real estate market. So much real wealth has arrived here on the Gold Coast through that interstate migration that is being well publicised. As I reflect over the past 30-years, so many of our then record sale prices were to people who so often were massively leveraged in their real estate purchases and as soon as business conditions toughened they were often the properties that came back to the market either as mortgagee sales or on the brink of being so. Today, so many of the purchasers are from a strong wealth basis and so many of the purchases are with cash.
The Gold Coast prestige market now is rock-solid and we can safely say it has been completely revalued. Most of us knew it was always undervalued, but now the catch-up to other major markets in Australia has well and truly occurred and only those who have not understood or appreciated how undervalued we were being surprised by the current volume of sales at significantly higher levels.
Those of us who are passionate believers in the wonderful lifestyle the Gold Coast offers and the incredible community that we have become has not been surprised by the events of the past 12-months. The only issue for those wanting to join our market is a lack of available properties for sale, but as the Gold Coast prestige market has now opened up to all corners, and almost in every suburb, redefining the areas and property types you are seeking may well be the answer to finding a property in this current market.
As the Gold Coast's most experienced agency in the prestige market for over 30-years we are here to assist and give you the trusted guidance that you may seek without any self-interest or commercial decisions weighing into that advice. With Spring upon us, let us help you with your real estate decisions, whether buying or selling, by reaching out via return email.
Well he sums it up perfectly, as we continue to sell our aged property port-folio which continue to amaze everyone.
197th EDITION
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
JULY 2021
"Going On An Over-50's Cruise"
Good morning Fellow members,
I was intrigued to hear from experts in the Cruise Line Industry about Cruise Lines who focus on the "Over-50's" guest onboard.
Gary Brembridge - Tips for Travellers hadthese comments -
I went on a cruise where you had to be over-50. This over-50s only cruise taught me three big lessons about cruising that I had not thought about before. Theses three tips are things every cruise passenger should do before they switch or try and new cruise lines, especially if from a cruise line that you really enjoy. If I had done these three things I may have made a very different decision before going on this Saga Cruise.
I paid for this cruise myself. I mention this as people, ask if I don't say it!
ABOUT TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS: If you want to get cruising right, Tips For Travellers makes it easy to plan and have the incredible cruise experiences you dream of every time. All my Tips For Travellers advice, tips and tricks tips draw on everything that I have learnt on the 77 cruises I have done to date.
Try and enjoy the continual lockdowns and stay safe until next time.
OLYMPIC GAMES confirmed BRISBANE
Good afternoon fellow members,
Firstly, Congratulations to Brisbane and our Gold Coast on securing the 2032 Olympics. What an exciting time we have ahead with incredible opportunity for community and aspiring young athletes.
It's no secret that the property market in Queensland is delivering major growth. The Sunshine State alone has showed continued growth in the past 12 months, steadily catching up to the numbers seen in the southern states.
With the average annual price growth now at 7.4%, house prices are rising at their fastest rate since 2007, and with demand for property reaching extreme levels, property prices have responded accordingly and sellers are experiencing a market that is skewed in their favour. Street and suburb price records are being repeatedly broken, with properties snapped-up in their volumes via off market sales, before auction offers and often above asking price.
The question on many owner's minds is "do I sell now or do I wait?" The short answer is yes! The combination of increasingly high buyer demand, the return of investors to the market, interstate migration and record low Interest Rates offer sellers a never-before-seen opportunity to capitalise on the market - and the booming house prices are providing the results!
CoreLogic analysis suggests servicing a mortgage is now cheaper than paying rent on 36.3% of Australian properties, which is higher than the pre-COVID proportion of 33.9% reported in February last year.
The analysis was undertaken at the individual property level, using a set of mortgage assumptions and valuation estimates, to approximate mortgage repayments. These were then compared with rental estimates at the individual property level. Using these estimates of mortgage and rent, the data reveals striking differences in housing costs across different parts of Australia.
The proportions of properties cheaper to rent or buy by region are outlined in Figure 1. The data is also broken down by SA4 sub-regions in figure 2. The highest proportion of properties where mortgage serviceability is cheaper than rent is across Regional NT (96.4%) followed by Darwin (86.5%).
JUNE 2021
Good morning Fellow members,
From knockdowns to renovators, anything priced under one million dollars is now considered a bargain in many Gold Coast markets. Even the city's premium beachside strip - Hedges Avenue, Mermaid Beach - long ago dubbed Millionaires' Row has been recoined Multi-Millionaires' Row.
CoreLogic's inaugural Million Dollar Markets report, released this month, has identified 218 suburbs Australia-wide where median house values reached the million-dollar-mark in the year to May 2021.
Queensland is the only state where the combined regionals have a similar number of million dollar suburbs to its capital city. There are 51 suburbs across Brisbane with a median house value of at least $1 million, compared to 46 house and unit markets across regional Queensland, driven by the popularity of the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.
Mermaid Beach remains the most expensive house market on the Gold Coast, with a current median value of $1,660,207, up from $1,468,355 a year ago. As a point of comparison, Teneriffe in Brisbane has the state's highest median house price at $2,063,937 followed by Sunshine Beach, Sunshine Coast where a house will set you back $1,924,577 on average.
A surge in house price growth across the Gold Coast in the past 12 months has heralded a string of newcomers to the million-dollar house price club, including:
Suburb May 2021 May 2020
Palm Beach
$1,269,413
$933,979
Burleigh Heads
$1,246,953
$895,519
Tallebudgera
$1,239,581
$989,282
Burleigh Waters
$1,176,607
$900,441
Miami
$1,140,520
$835,691
Tallai
$1,130,863
$905,918
Coolangatta
$1,126,088
$841,316
Benowa
$1,078,248
$892,731
Bonogin
$1,064,603
$878,660
Currumbin Waters
$1,019,576
$744,210
Mount Nathan
$1,007,851
$804,956
*Source: CoreLogic
This list reflects insatiable demand for beachside and inner-city acreage real estate in the months since COVID, with so-called bridesmaid suburbs such as Burleigh Waters and Currumbin Waters also achieving impressive price growth.
Over the border in NSW, regional house prices are highest in Byron Bay where the median now sits at a stunning $2,343,546 (up from $1,326,378 a year ago), followed by Myocum $2,150,045; Federal $1,999,737; and Suffolk Park $1,951,204.
New additions to the Northern NSW million-dollar-club include:
Suburb May 2021 May 2020
Lennox Head
$1,402,024
$990,798
Skennars Head
$1,380,988
$920,552
Brunswick Heads
$1,210,418
$883,694
Ocean Shores
$1,194,945
$822,370
Mullumbimby
$1,122,870
$726,392
Pottsville
$1,074,978
$819,880
Bogangar
$1,047,300
$753,817
East Ballina
$1,012,304
$692,908
*Source: CoreLogic
The trend towards regional lifestyle real estate is set to continue as we move through winter and navigate the ever-present threat of COVID outbreaks and restrictions.
196th EDITION
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
MAY 2021
Good morning fellow members,
Great to connect with you over our special project AQUA QUEST.
It's been a while since our last newsletter now currently 196th MONTHLY EDITION... Yes hasn't it gone fast!
Firstly, I wish to thank all the team behind the scenes for their painstaking dedication in creating a dream into a reality for all our members over the past 2 years. The timing they say is everything, and COVID 19 certainly worked to our advantage to accelerate the corporate structures to deliver a smooth transition period while we finalise the settlements of 3 x R Class Cruise ships to our fleet.
These small 700 passenger luxury cruise ships were designed and developed to be the highest 6 Star rating in the world, and we are privileged to call this home. Welcome aboard and look forward to seeing you all again very soon for the maiden voyage, hopefully when COVID restrictions are lifted in December.
Meanwhile, to reserve your cabin onboard AQUA QUEST will require a $1,000 fully refundable deposit to secure one of these affordable cabins with low body corporate fees. (NOTE; This is not time-share)
Prices from $450,000 Ocean View + very LOW BODY CORPORATE FEE. $100 p.w. CALL OR EMAIL ME NOW your Interest so I can forward to you all the details.
https://www.the-firm.com.au/international-cruise-lines.html
Thank you, Neil McLean, for putting this interview together for us. Most of you know of Neil who interviewed me when we had Bartinon Manor, now retired from Channel 7 a few years ago and decided to see Europe creating nearly 40 lovely lifestyle programs on Village to Villa, thank you Neil & Gai! https://www.villagetovilla.com/
Have a great week ahead and look forward to further discussions!
195th EDITION
APRIL 2021
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
How Much does it Cost to Live on a Cruise Ship for a Year?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hl-H3ygx_I
How Much It Costs to Live on a Cruise Ship For a Year?
Who hasn't gone on a cruise and thought, ... I could do this forever?
Interesting article by Tanner Callais I wish to share with you as a comparision living onboard a cruise ship for a year as a tenant compared to owning your own cabin forever and receive a strong return on your investment of 5%.
The idea of retiring from the rat race and living out your days on a cruise has great appeal for some people.
There's no cleaning, no cooking, and no lawn to mow. You don't have to worry about doing the dishes or paying an electric bill. There's always something going on, new people to meet, and every day you wake up to some of the most beautiful views in the world.
Add to that the fact that Internet access allows many to work remotely from anywhere in the world, and wi-fi is widely available on any major cruise ship. That means even if you don't want to completely retire, but instead work from the cruise ship, it's technically possible.
Of course, not everyone can run off and live on a cruise ship, but that doesn't mean you can't dream.
And the first question that comes to mind when you think about escaping is how much it would cost to live aboard a cruise ship.
So how much would you have to pay?
We recently priced out the cost of a sailing for an entire year. Just know that you'll definitely need to open your wallet to live full-time in paradise.
See more details https://www.the-firm.com.au/travel-club.html
194th EDITION
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
MARCH 2021
OFFICIAL OPENING INVITATION
Good afternoon fellow members,
It's been a while since our last neweletter now currently 194th MONTHLY EDITION... Yes hasn't it gone fast!
Firstly, I wish to thank all the team behind the scenes for their painstaking dedication in creating a dream into a reality for all our members over the past 2 years. The timing they say is everything, and COVID 19 certainly worked to our advantage to accelerate the corporate structures to deliver a smooth transition period while we finalise the settlements of 4 x R Class Cruise ships to our fleet.
These small 700 passenger luxury cruise ships were designed and developed to be the highest 6 Star rating in the world, and we are privileged to call this home. Welcome aboard and look forward to seeing you all again very soon for the maiden voyage, hopefully when COVID restrictions are lifted in December.
Meanwhile, to reserve your cabin onboard AQUA QUEST will require a $1,000 fully refundable deposit to secure one of these affordable cabins with low body corporate fees.
Prices from $450,000 Ocean View + very LOW BODY CORPORATE FEE. $100 p.w.
NOTE: This is NOT timeshare!
CALL OR EMAIL ME NOW your Interest so I can forward to you all the details.
https://www.the-firm.com.au/international-cruise-lines.html
Thank you, Neil McLean, for putting this interview together for us. Most of you know of Neil who interviewed me when we had Bartinon Manor, now retired from Channel 7 a few years ago and decided to see Europe creating nearly 40 lovely lifestyle programs on Village to Villa, thank you Neil & Gai! https://www.villagetovilla.com/
Have a great week ahead and chat soon!
Prestige Market Update
from Andrew Bell, CEO, Ray White Surfers Paradise Group
Anyone in the marketplace today would be constantly hearing from all agents about record sale prices. This is nothing new and is a reflection not only of the real estate market around Australia but in particular the real estate market here on the Gold Coast.
As the leader in prestige sales across the Gold Coast for the past 30-years, it is wonderful to see how the Gold Coast has now built a strong platform that supports our real estate market through the development of our city to become the 'go to' place of Australia. Beyond question the pandemic triggered a re-evaluation of where people want to live in Australia and whilst many places are on a list of options for buyers, the Gold Coast as the sixth largest city in Australia offers the very best choice given that it doesn't have all the disadvantages of a big urban city with high density living but is still a city large enough that provides outstanding lifestyle choices from bare essentials such as medical, schooling, and so on, to lifestyle choices such as the theatre, restaurants, sporting activities, and so on.
There is a limit to just how many people we can accommodate and so at the moment we are enjoying unprecedented demand for our region, but unless we can keep offering more housing opportunities we will drive interest to other locations on the list of lifestyle choices. There is a limit to how many jobs are available, how many school positions are available etc. etc.
For those thinking of selling it should be remembered that opportunities should be seized upon. At the moment, the market is as good as it gets. With such strong buyer demand it would be absolutely foolish for anyone thinking of selling not to ensure that every conceivable buyer was aware of their property. Off market sales will cost sellers dearly. Every property should be well marketed so not only are active buyers aware of the property, but so all passive buyers are aware the property is for sale, and in a market such as this the only way to sell your property is via auction. It is where competition is allowed to express itself. It is where people are continuously surprised by the prices that people are prepared to pay. It also offers buyers the benefit of openly being able to offer their highest price in order to secure the property.
However, a note of warning. Like in any industry, you must deal with people who know what they are doing and who have a long track record of proven success in the space of auctions. Someone with a history and the expertise of the auction process.
There is a long held saying, 'make hay while the sun shines'. No market stays the same forever and so for those thinking of selling there is more than enough reason to explore now as that perfect time.
Having set more record sale prices on the Gold Coast over the past 30 years than any other real estate company, we are here at your disposal and we will bring to you all the strengths that the largest real estate company in Australasia has to achieve that outstanding and undoubtedly record sale for your property. If you are thinking of selling please contact us for all the strength and expertise you deserve.
So, for those members who wish to move some of the old property poert-folio then - BRING OUT YOUR DEAD and convert old stock into a Lifestyle invesment in AQUA QUEST :)
193rd EDITION
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 2021
"Cruise Line's Six Months Cruise Sells Out In One Day"
An epic cruise that will travel around the world for 180 days sold out in a single day after bookings opened to the general public on January 27, 2021 says Cruise Fever.
Oceania Cruises' 2023 Around the World in 180 Days voyage is the most extensive and in-depth of any world cruise available. Calling on 96 ports in 33 countries across four continents, the cruise also includes three full days cruising in Antarctica and affords guests access to more than 60 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
"The response to our epic 2023 around the world voyage clearly illustrates the enthusiasm that experienced travelers have for immersive and memorable travel experiences," stated Bob Binder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Oceania Cruises. "Despite the challenges the world faces today, travelers are clearly bullish on the future and are embracing these new opportunities to travel the world and create lifelong memories."
While world cruises typically attract legions of loyal repeat guests, Oceania Cruises' 2023 world cruise saw more than one-third of all bookings come from first time, new-to-brand guests.
This furthers a booking trend the cruise line has seen steadily emerging during the past year with some booking periods and promotions recording new-to-brand booking levels of close to 50%. Additionally, a full 20% of world cruise guests opted to extend their voyage up to a total of 218 days.
The cruise line has seen exceptionally strong demand for its 2022 Europe and North America collection of voyages with bookings on longer, grand voyages that span multiple weeks or months going from strength to strength.
To satisfy demand from consumers and travel advisors who are booking farther out, the cruise line will be opening the full 2022-23 winter collection of itineraries in March and will open the spring, summer and fall 2023 Europe and North America voyages beginning in September.
For additional information on Oceania Cruises' small-ship luxury product, exquisitely crafted cuisine, and expertly curated travel experiences, visit OceaniaCruises.com, call 855-OCEANIA, or speak with a professional travel advisor.
192nd EDITION MONTHLY
NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2021
"Time to consider selling your old port-folio"
Good afternoon fellow members,
Massive year for 2020 as many companies have struggled through the pandemic of COVID 19, yet with the latest announcement we are certainly have many other countries focused on what we are doing right. Speaking to colleagues in the UK and the USA they are certainly have a long way to go before they can see a positive return to normality.
For The FIRM, well, very proud to announce that our iInternational legal team Piper Alderman announced around Christmas that we can now commence proceeding to sell cabin on board our cruise ship.
Democratically, I decided not to do a email blast to everyone as I wanted the opportunity to call every member and explain how this all works with all the benefits and the risks. So far I have made 72 calls with remarkable interest of support with 61 members expressing interest to know more.
So, if you are remotely interested, then I suggest you call before they all go! as there are 350 cabins.
Also, Andrew Bell, Ray White, Surfers Paradise has offered to sell any of the old investment properties that are older than 10 years of age through his ultimate Auction at the end of January. He assures me that currently due to the overwhelming frenzy that these properties are hot on the list as they are still very affordable. Remember when you purchased back 25 years ago we were paying $50K to $80K for prime position investment properties now achieving returns of $450K to $500K.
The experts are suggesting after the Australian Government Jobkeeper finishes in March this year we will see a lull in the market place for future sales.
So, BRING OUT YOUR DEAD so we can recycle your old property port-folio towards cabins on board AQUA QUEST where we can comfortably offer a 5% nett return after all costs are covered for the 60 days that you are onboard during the year.
Looking forward to see you onboard very soon.
In the meantime stay HEALTHY, WEALTHY & WISE
Kindest regards,
John
