Picturesque parklands, scenic city views, convenient transportation, countless places to eat, exhilarating nightlife… when you purchase an inner-city property these are the just some of the many lifestyle benefits you expect to come as part of the package.

While the city’s urban landscape offers a very attractive way of life for many property buyers, there is one more thing that can make sealing that ever-so-lucrative-deal even sweeter… car parking!  

Car spaces are considered a giant tick-in-the-box for many CBD residents. They’re such a major drawcard when it comes to the sale of city housing, that for example a recent real estate auction in Sydney sold a car space at auction for an astonishing $210,000.

In Brisbane, an inner-city property with a car space included can expect to sell approximately for $80-$100,000 more.

For people living in the city without a car spot and car parking becoming more expensive for all Brisbane CBD visitors, workers and residents alike, it is great to see the Lord Mayor Graham Quirk launching an online parking portal to provide cheaper parking options.  The Council is working with retailers to ensure that visitors and residents can access accessable and cost effective off-street parking.

Visit www.brisbaneparkingguide.com.au to view special deals, offers and information about where to park.

There are many good reasons for choosing an apartment with or without a car space. For young professionals who are wanting to break into the market and who desire the easy city lifestyle and inner city living, buying an apartment without a car park is more affordable.

Here at HSBP, we have a wide selection of Brisbane CBD apartments for sale. For more information on any of these properties, please contact Hannah on 0419 782 133.

Brisbane is one of Australia’s fasting growing cities so it’s imperative that it remains energy efficient and sustainable. What better way to advocate energy efficiency than with its latest proposed smart energy system - district cooling.

If you’re unfamiliar with district cooling, it’s basically an energy cooling system. It centrally produces and distributes cold water via an insulated underground pipeline to domestic, commercial and industrial spaces - altogether cooling the air of buildings within (as the name suggests) a certain district. Think of it like a giant underground air conditioner for the masses.

While district cooling is not a new method, Brisbane CBD’s new proposed smart energy system will definitely be an Australian first. Expecting to be the largest of its kind on record in Australian history, Brisbane’s proposed cooling system will potentially create between 10 and 30 per cent in energy savings for individual buildings and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 24,000 tonnes per annum. These staggering figures make it an integral component to the overall energy efficiency of the CBD.

“We recognise the importance of smart energy solutions in the long-term development of the CBD and have been working towards this goal with CitySmart – our sustainability agency – and industry partners including Energex, who have provided significant financial and resource support for this project.”

Brisbane City Council have appointed the Cofely Australia and Thiess Services group to undertake the design and planning phase of this innovative energy efficiency project. The pivotal infrastructure will replace air conditioner chillers and cooling towers throughout the CBD, alternatively using a central plant room to supply chilled water to CBD buildings via a series of underground pipes.

“When combined with Thermal Energy Storage, the district cooling system will chill water during off-peak periods and then supply it to CBD buildings during the day, resulting in significant energy savings and helping to deliver on Council’s vision for a clean, green city,” said acting Lord Mayor Cr Adrian Schrinner.

Leading the way in energy advancement is, yet again, just another massive tick in the box when it comes to Brisbane’s CBD real estate. Generating more than just efficient energy, the district cooling infrastructure will be a huge advantage for home and business properties within the Brisbane CBD area. As CBD properties become more energy efficient, they also become more economical and cheaper to maintain… thus means more valuable and consequently their dollar value increases.

This is really exciting news for property investors and another massive step in the right direction for Brisbane’s inner-city real estate market.

Interested in potential CBD real estate opportunities? Want to sell your CBD property? For all Brisbane CBD real estate enquiries, please contact Hannah on 0419 782 133.

Over the past few articles we have been looking at some of Brisbane’s latest inner-city projects – from the BaT project to the Riverwalk (which reopened over the weekend) - just a couple of the many exciting new developments which showcase why Brisbane has all the necessary frameworks in place for solid and sustainable expansion. Meaning only one thing for the future of our city’s real estate market… growth!

Speaking of growth, did you know Brisbane is currently ranked as Australia’s third largest in Australia with a population of 2,143,121 (and still rising!)? Not content to rest on its laurels, our vibrant capital is continually embracing change and encouraging progression. So, it’s no wonder it’s expected to grow by a further massive 11.2% over the next five years. This equates to 215,000 new residents, which is great news for our real estate market!

Sure, the Brisbane region has always proved a massive drawcard for investors but with so much potential growth on the horizon, the city is now looking even more alluring to future property buyers. With the number of investors set to rapidly increase over the next few years, we can also expect to see a considerable shift in the local real estate market, especially when it comes to apartments.

While, the CBD apartment market will continually evolve, different lifestyles appeal to different people. Sure apartment prices come into play prior to making a purchase, but this is just one piece of the puzzle. In addition to the cost factor, buyers and developers will take a combination of other factors into consideration, including lifestyle, local infrastructure and affordability.

In addition to these new real estate developments, to further enforce its plans for the future, the Queensland government has also announced a four pillars policy to foster economic development and employment across tourism, agriculture, resources and construction. Simultaneously, the state government is working hard to deliver critical infrastructure and encourage growth amongst local communities.

Brisbane’s forward-thinking approach to city-planning, realty developments and local infrastructures (like BaT and Riverwalk) are all responsible for playing a vital role in the city’s healthy economy.   If the current marketplace and expected growth is anything to go by, the future of Brisbane’s real estate market is in very good hands.

For more information on Brisbane development projects or to find out how you can benefit from the city’s growing real estate opportunities, please contact Hannah on 0419 782 133. 

Faster, more frequent and much more reliable transport… more inner city stations and interchange choices… less crowds and reduced congestion… what’s not to love about Brisbane’s proposed BaT project? (And no we’re not talking about the nocturnal mammals that hang upside down!)

The BaT project is a world first design – a proposed new five kilometre north-south tunnel that is set to deliver rail and bus together. It combines a railway and busway in a single, double-decked, 15-metre-wide tunnel beneath the Brisbane River and Brisbane’s central business district (CBD).

Running from Dutton Park in the south to Victoria Park at Spring Hill in the north, the new BaT project will also see the introduction of three new underground stations at Woolloongabba, George Street and Roma Street, plus an upgrade of the existing Dutton Park Station.

Located at 63 George Street, the George Street Station will have two entry points; the main one being off Mary Street and another one via George Street. The George Street Station is the perfect location for customers and workers of the government precinct, Queen’s Wharf Brisbane and students of the QUT Gardens Point Campus.

The five-year project is expected to have a 100-year lifespan, during which time it plans to tackle many of Brisbane’s major public transport capacity challenges head on. Extensive studies show that the BaT project is essential for the region, further indicating that the long-term benefits to the region and city will significantly outweigh any short-term construction impacts.

During construction, the practical measures outlined to help minimise temporary disruption include:

• restricting the hours of noisy work where possible
• erecting acoustic enclosures or noise screens to manage potential noise, dust and lighting
• ongoing monitoring to ensure achievement of environmental outcomes
• designating heavy vehicle routes to ensure trucks are kept off local streets
• early and ongoing consultation with people living and working near worksites
• 24-hour free-call hotline to efficiently resolve complaints during construction. 

What does BaT mean for Brisbane real estate? Did you know that inner Brisbane’s residential population is set to double by 2031? This is huge! With such a strong growth forecast for the region, sufficient public transport is a massive necessity in order to support the expected development of inner-city employment, retail and residential activity.

More importantly for Brisbane, the BaT project is set to be a catalyst for regeneration and growth. It is expected to support a massive increase in local jobs and housing redevelopment opportunities. In fact, the project alone is anticipated to create multiple redevelopment opportunities throughout inner-Brisbane.

More housing and jobs… more real estate and investment… more opportunities and more to gain… with so many potential new housing opportunities, the BaT project is a really exciting endeavour for the future of real estate in Brisbane. While obviously the project is no relation to the night-loving nocturnal mammals, it does have one thing in common with them, and that is the opportunity for inner-Brisbane to really spread its wings and soar.

Interested in staying up-to-date with real estate opportunities as they arise via the BaT project? Want to know how the project could possibly affect your property? We’d love to have a chat! For more information, please contact Hannah on 0419 782 133.

Buying property can be a fabulous investment, especially if you do your homework. That said, no one can predict the future or know what tomorrow will bring. While many things remain uncertain, there are ways in which you can make your property more future proof and less of a risk. Here are eight tips we’ve put together to help safeguard your investment and protect everything you’ve worked so hard for.

1. Regular inspections

Like the old saying goes, better the devil you know. When it comes to protecting your property investment these are words to live by. Put simply, recognising small concerns before they erupt into major issues can save you thousands in the long run. According to David Hallett, Victorian Manager of Archicentre (the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects), he agrees, saying that regular property inspections are one of the best ways to manage future risk. Hallett says it is important to detect problems, like termites and roof leaks, before they get worse and effectively reduce the value of your investment. Building and pest inspections are an absolute must prior to purchasing any property and thereafter he recommends having a pest inspection every year and a building inspection every two years.

2. Landlords insurance

While it might seem like an obvious answer, home and contents insurance is another way of helping you to control future risk. For investors, experts recommend landlord insurance in addition to your stock-standard building and contents insurance. Why? Building and contents insurance doesn’t typically cover landlords for things like malicious damage by tenants, accidental damage, legal liability for death or injury, and loss of rental income because of property damage or because a tenant absconds.

3. Scrapping schedules

When it comes to future proofing your investment it’s really important to have a ‘buffer’. Like saving for a rainy day, a buffer is simply spare cash… equity that is there if times get tough. Building your buffer is one of the keys to future-proofing an investment. Partner at accounting firm Chan and Naylor, Ken Raiss, says many investors ignore tax-effective strategies, such as scrapping schedules, which can help to build equity. For example, when you renovate a kitchen you hire a quantity surveyor who creates a scrapping schedule who puts a dollar value on the items which will be thrown away. “The values aren’t zero,” Raiss says. “It’s hard to pick a number, but say for an older-style home – 1960s style – you’d probably get $5000 to $6000 on a scrapping schedule. That’s a $5000 to $6000 write-off in the first year.”

4. Set up a line of credit

A line of credit is an alternative means to fund a property when a bank might otherwise not be interested in lending you the cash. Imagine you bought a house for $400,000 and owe $100,000 on the mortgage - that equals $300,000 in equity. Now, say a bank is happy to lend you 80% of the value, which in this case would be $320,000. You now have the opportunity to increase your debt to $220,000 via a line of credit. You also only pay interest on the $220,000 debt once you start to draw it down (aka use it).

5. Offset accounts

Opening an offset accounts is a great way to reduce the risk of your investment, especially when it comes to tax time. Popular amongst investors, an offset account gives you the best of both worlds; cash for unforseen costs and hard times yet also for deposits when purchase opportunities arise. The benefits are simple! Instead of accruing interest like a normal interest bearing account, they (as the name suggests) offset the interest paid on a loan that is linked to the account.

6. Sustainable properties

Another way to add value to your investment is to ensure your property is sustainable for the future. In turn, this makes day-to-day living costs more affordable, and thus the property more attractive, for the buyers. Insulation, energy-efficient lighting, ceiling fans and water-saving shower heads are just a few ways you can increase the sustainability of your property.

7. Fixed interest rates

One of the most common ways to lower your risk is to fix your interest rates. A fixed rate means you know where you stand, it provides reassurance against nasty surprises should rates suddenly increase.

8. Understand local planning laws

We’re not saying you need to have a law degree but we are saying you need to have a small understanding of local government laws, particularly planning laws. Local governments are constantly changing planning laws in order to improve affordability for buyers. Higher-density living and faster approvals are on the rise, bringing with them continual change, which mean that local planning laws have now become one of the biggest risks for buyers and property investors. By knowing the laws and the changes, when they arise, means you will always be one step ahead of the game, and your level of risk will be substantially lower.

For more information on purchasing a property or to discuss how you can future-proof your investment, please contact Hannah on 0419 782 133.

**This article does no constitute any financial or legal advice.  Speak to your advisor to find out what is best for your circumstances.