THE BEE RESCUER OF 6156 SING AUSTRALIA!: FINDING A VOICE MARKET UPDATE:
ACTION OR HIBERNATION? GROUCH & CO: ON THE BORDER MONEY FOR SOMETHING ISSUE SEVEN WINTER 2017
ONE RESIDENTIAL 6156 BY O N E RE S ID E N T IAL 1 Q U A R T E R LY M A G A Z I N E
No formula but quality
A publication of: One Residential Sales and Property Management 329a Canning Highway (faces McKimmie Road), Palmyra WA 6157
At Zeel Kitchens, we’re passionate about designing and building great kitchens, yet we’re not stuck to any formula other than quality.
Phone (08) 9339 8833 Mobile 0404 045 153 michael.jennings@oneresidential.com.au
oneresidential.com.au
We understand that kitchen design comes in many flavours, hues and styles, so we’re committed to transforming your working hub into the kitchen of your dreams, n ot someone else’s!
CONTENTS THE BEE RESCUER of 6156: Saving the world, one hive at a time 3
MARKET UPDATE Melville Market Update 7
Welcome to 6156, Edition Seven! Thanks so much for the feedback you’ve given us from our last edition of 6156. Everyone loves reading stories about the good stuff in our community so our story on all the sweet things happening around Melville Primary School resonated with many. This issue is full of more local goodness. We catch up with a Local Hero: Craig Adair (aka the Bee Rescuer). Craig talks about the importance of protecting our bee population and the joy of a gift that keeps on giving. We review another local Grouch and Co. on McCoy Street, and we talk to Rob Waters about home finance with some handy hints for people shopping for a home loan. We also catch up with Peter Selman to talk about his group, Sing Australia! As usual, you’ll find 6156 a great resource for what’s happening in the Melville property market. Enjoy the read—we’ve loved putting it together for you!
Michael Jennings The ONE in Melville
Call our designer, Stephen McMinn on 0413 977 211, or visit our showroom today at 4/5 Merino Entrance, Cockburn Central.
WE LOVE_______: Grouch & Co. 8
MY CLUB: Peter Selman & Sing Australia 10
ONE ON ONE Pound for pound, head and shoulders 11
SELLING in 6156 Melville 12
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT in 6156 Richard Thurtle 14
6397 5130
zeelkitchens.com.au
TAKE A LOOK AT... Rob Waters and LoanCom 15
KIDS’ CORNER Winter: The funnest season of all 16
CONTRIBUTORS Design: The Globe, Writer: Simon Elliott With thanks to the following: Craig Adair, Peter Selman, Betty McNeil and Melville Primary School, the team at Grouch and Co, Rob Waters from LoanCom, REIWA, realestate.com.au, ratemyagent.com.au and the City of Melville.
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If you’ve seen five minutes of ‘The Bee Movie’ or some of the video clips and articles that fly through your social media feed, you’ll know that bees are a big deal. They help make the food world go around. So when a swarm congregates in someone’s yard, and there’s an inclination to call the pest controller and exterminate, consider a man from Melville with his hand up to save the day. Craig Adair: The Bee Rescuer. It’s been said that bees are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat. In fact, if you look at the plate of food on tonight’s dinner table, bees will likely have played their part either pollinating the veggies or pollinating the food that fed the meat that ended up on the plate. And that’s not all bees do for us - honey and wax are the bread and butter of a bee’s industry! Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.” He probably didn’t say that at all. After all, with 20,000 species of bees out there, wiping out all of them would be more generally disastrous. But this much is true: bees are a big deal, and they do great stuff! The striped-back honey bee has been engineered as the perfect pollinator with the on-board equipment to get the job done - right down to a side-saddled pollen basket to carry their cargo. But honey bees are disappearing globally at an alarming rate due to pesticides, parasites, disease and habitat loss. Craig Adair wants to play a part in making sure that we put a stop to that before the situation becomes any worse.
WORDS + PICTURES | SIMON ELLIOTT
Honey in the blood Bees, hives, honey, and rescues have been in Craig Adair’s blood since he was a boy. “My Grandad got me started with bees,” says Craig. “I started with him when I was a kid. He passed away a few years ago but he always had bees, and I would work the hives with him. “He lived in Mandurah while I was living in Northam. He’d come to our place, and we’d look after our hives together. It was just one of those things that Grandad and I always did together. “He had about four hives going by the end. Quite the production! He was 90-something by the time he died, and if we were ever a bit late arriving to get started, he’d get going on his own. It was mayhem. “He didn’t have much of a suit, it was all a bit agricultural, but Grandad kept the whole family in honey, and I think he liked it that way,” said Craig. “He saw the medicinal benefits of honey as well, so it was the failsafe treatment for pretty much anything,” added Craig’s wife, Tammy. In many ways, Craig is continuing Grandad’s legacy with an altruistic emphasis. “We rescue bees. We relocate them from wherever they’re proving to be a nuisance and relocate them to wherever they can thrive. Whether they’re up a tree, in a letterbox, under a flower pot, or stuck in the back of a shed, we’ll do our best to get them out of there,” says Craig. “Wall cavities may be the one exception,” he adds, “they’re pretty pesky once they get in there.” “The size is irrelevant, though. If it’s a swarm, it’s worth saving,” Craig says. Come summer, the bees are at their most active. It’s when the Bee Rescuer activates the full range of his super powers. “We’ll often have thirty enquiries a week through summer. With some people carrying strong allergic reactions to bee stings, the inclination is to poison and eradicate them. I’d far rather save and relocate,” says Craig. “Some of those people are keen on having a hive, so we help re-settle them in a controlled way. Others just want them gone, so we get busy to remove them, usually moving them to country areas or hobbyists.” Councils allow for one hive per household so long as it’s located according to the regulated distances laid down. “I help them establish their hive and then it’s up to them,” Craig offers. It’s the suburban habitats that are most at risk, and dwindling bee populations often result in lower yields from fruit trees and garden vegetables so anyone keeping a hive is doing the whole neighbourhood a favour.
Many times bitten, never shy Craig understands the fear that some have for bees while also suggesting that some of this is based on the imagined rather than reality. “Bees only become territorial once they have established their hive. When they’re swarming, they have nothing to protect and they rarely sting,” Craig says. “I understand the concern that those with allergies would have, but for the rest of us, the risk is low. “Bees sting to defend themselves. They have to be provoked first. If you tread on one or shoo them away violently, they’ll likely react. Otherwise, they’re quite benign,” says Craig.
“You have to remember, if they sting you, they die. It’s a high price to pay!” Later, in the front garden and surrounded by hundreds of bees, we put Craig’s theory to the test quite safely. “Sure, I’ve been stung hundreds of times, given I’m often moving established, aggressive hives, it’s hardly surprising. Part of the territory, really,” he adds, laconically.
Making the rescue Beekeepers and bee rescuers alike smoke the hives or swarms to calm bees down. The smoke is from lighting pine bark and using a smoking wand. “We smoke the hives to calm them down. It works as a gentle anaesthetic, making them placid but also masking the scent of the human who’s present so they can get on and do their thing. “They don’t mind at all; it just makes them a little dopey for a little while we work on relocating them,” Craig says. Bees return to their swarm or hives at nightfall making this the best time to perform the rescue. “Securing the queen is key,” says Craig, “We have rescue boxes. Once the queen is in the box, the job becomes far easier. “Sometimes you’ll see the queen fly into the box, other times you’ll know the queen must be in there because you can see all the others following suit. “Wearing my protective gear, I’ll grab a clump of a hive and relocate it to the rescue box. If the others start heading in the same direction I’ll know I’ve got my queen,” says Craig. “From there, I’ll leave it overnight or for a couple of days while they all come back together. Then we’re ready to roll,” he adds. Once they’re safely in the rescue box, they’re on the road for their new home.
Fish-man by day, bee-rescuer by night The Bee Rescuer is Craig’s alter-ego. By day, he’s mild-mannered husband to Tammy, and father to two daughters, Charlie and Georgia, living in Melville. His day job is managing the fish tanks at Cicerellos in Fremantle. Craig has worked there for twenty years and also manages their educational tours. With 15,000 students coming through Cicerellos each year for educational tours (and a little food), there’s always plenty of action, while the fish tanks can also be enjoyed by the 500,000 visitors to Cicerellos each year. Beyond this, he commissions and services fish tanks large and small. “I used to charge for bee rescues. There were no shortage of them to be done. These days I do it for free. Part hobby, part saving the world,” he jokes. A little while back, Craig had a cancer scare and was operated on to remove two lesions. It acted as a wake-up call for Craig causing him to question the ways in which he was giving back to those around him. “I have a good job; Tammy is a commercial pilot, bees are my opportunity to meet a whole lot of great people and to give back a little,” Craig reflects. “The way I see it, if we all helped each other out just a little bit, the whole world would get a whole lot better pretty quickly,” he adds. While Craig doesn’t charge anything for his bee rescuing service (much to the chagrin of some family and friends), there are real costs to rescuing the bees. “The cost of making rescue boxes and the purchase of wax frames for the boxes is significant - particularly at the height of summer. “I do have a ‘Go Fund Me’ page where people can donate for the real costs of the rescues.
“I also sell some of the honey we produce on our farms (see Page 13) and use the proceeds as donations to fund the rescues. “I’m hoping to make the whole operation self-sufficient by Christmas. A litre of honey raises $12 - enough for two wax frames. If we keep on raising money from honey, we should be fine,” Craig says. Tammy chimes in at this point. “While bees might be his hobby and a bit of his mission, it becomes allconsuming as well,” she says. At the height of summer, that’s not difficult to imagine. Even for a superhero. “People say I should charge but I meet a lot of people who have no capacity to pay anything and I can’t bring myself to charge at all,” Craig counters. We all agree around the table that while it’s a brilliant gesture, if it makes the operation more viable and sustainable, that perhaps a nominal fee is worth considering. One that can be waived if need be. It seems more than reasonable when the ‘opposition’ is charging $200-300 to exterminate the bees which Craig is seeking to rescue!
Liquid Gold We take a walk into Craig’s front yard and, moments later, we’re extracting honey from his Flow hive. It’s clean, easy, and pretty special to see the bee’s industry producing something so brilliantly tasty. “Liquid gold, that stuff,” Craig gushes as it begins to pour. This is the good gear. No heating, just a metal sieve to remove solids. It qualifies to be called ‘medical honey’ with that sort of purity. To bees, honey is food. They produce more and more when there’s plenty of flowers around and work to be done. They’re not labelled ‘busy’ for no reason! “Taking honey in reasonable amounts helps them do their thing, taking it all would make life really tough for them. Never take it all!” Craig adds. “Hives divide because space gets too tight. Whether it’s in the bush or for the hobbyist, a hive will give rise to a swarm if the honey isn’t extracted. It gets too crowded. The solution is for the honey to be used so they can get back to doing their thing without needing to divide from overcrowding.” “If you don’t keep moving them around and taking honey from them, they’ll eventually split and make new queens. But they’ll stay there if you give them the capacity to thrive.”
Don’t forget to dance As we’re watching the bees flying about and doing their thing, Craig lets me in on another of the bees curious community behaviours. They dance out directions to one another. “Yes, they communicate directions to the best pollen in town with specific, intricate directions,” he said. “I watch them sometimes, and I can almost hear them dancing ‘up there, left, right, right, left, straight ahead - that’s your tree!’. It’s that specific. They dance it out,” Craig says. No dancing. No directions. And you miss out on the best pollen on offer. Moral of the story? Never forget to dance! There’s no end of life lessons when it comes to the bee and the ways they exist within a community. Among their practical, life-sustaining work, in nature, they teach us plenty about serving one another and cooperating to achieve something far bigger together. Craig’s learned a few of those lessons first hand. You sense there are still plenty more ahead.
6156: MELVILLE
MELVILLE: MARKET UPDATE
Michael Jennings is the clear market leader in the Melville area. In the last twelve months , he has sold over 50% more properties in Melville than his nearest competitor and has a similar margin when it comes to total sales volume. In this market update, Michael provides some qualitative thoughts on selling in the current Melville market and some thoughts on the stability and potential fluctuations in Melville’s median house price.
When it comes to Melville, this may well be the winter of our content. While there are brilliant opportunities to move into areas where the median price is a touch higher (riverside suburbs for example), no one seems to want to leave! You’ve likely heard it said before, but the market is ripe right now for those upsizing; young families needing something larger as their family grows, or people whose lifestyle or income facilitates (or necessitates) something a little larger. The differential between what this slice of the market can realise for their homes and what they are paying for a larger home has never been smaller. The gap is historically low. While I can see why no-one would want to leave Melville (neither does our family!), it’s certainly an ideal time to move if you’ve had your heart set on a riverside location or a larger home (or envisage you may in the medium term). A prohibitive gap in the past is conceivable right now. That said, the volume of listings in the area is slim and shrinking. Some of this is a seasonal tightening - people bunkering down for the winter and only selling out of a need to move rather than wanting to move. When homes do come on the market, particularly wellpresented, 4x2 family homes on larger blocks, they don’t last long. They move quickly because supply is low and
highly sought. You might expect this to have an upwards pressure on the median price in the area, but movement is minimal. It squeaked upwards 0.1% in the last quarter but there are some interesting twists in that tale. With the increasing diversity of property types in the Melville area caused by rezoning and the subdivision of blocks, there’s an increase in smaller, 3x2 homes that are becoming more commonplace. Not villas and multiple dwellings necessarily, but separate homes on existing blocks. Given their lower price points, this will have some downwards pressure on the median price of the area without that fluctuation being necessarily symptomatic of a depressed market. In fact, as the market continues to recover and general metropolitan median prices increase again, don’t be surprised if Melville lags behind a little for this reason. In other news, Ross North Homes has continued a recent trend of building a display home in a well-established area rather than in distant greenfield lands. This makes it more convenient for people closer to the city, but also reflects a desire of residents to build in Melville or take advantage of their generous block size. If you haven’t seen the site yet, you’ll notice it on the corner of Marmion Street and Challenger Place (opposite Blend Café).
As we head into winter and beyond, stay content. But, if you’ve thought that a move could be on the cards at some point, don’t be shy either. That time could be now!
THE CURRENT MELVILLE MARKET
0.5% SUBURB GROWTH, CURRENT QUARTER
0.1%
SUBURB GROWTH, YEAR TO DATE
Median sale price:
$799,000
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ONE LOVES :
GROUCH & CO.
WHERE: 45 McCoy Street Myaree WA 6154 WHEN: MON-FRI 6:30AM-3PM SAT 8AM-12PM REVIEW: 3.5 on ZOMATO PRICE POINT:
$$$
PROFILING ‘SPARKY’: ONE OF THE CURRENT BLENDS ON THE GO AT G&CO. The roasted blends at Grouch & Co. change from time to time, but here’s the profile of the one we took a shine to when we dropped by. You can enjoy it served in-store, takeaway or take home for use in your own machine! Sparky is a blend of the best of the current season’s crop designed to be used in milk based coffee, it has notes of nougat, toffee, chocolate with a finish of red apple acidity. Sparky is great as an espresso but best with a dash (or healthy dash) of milk.
WHEN THE BARISTA DELIVERS YOUR SHORT MACCHIATO ACCOMPANIED BY A GENEROUS, DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE BLEND YOU’RE ABOUT TO ENJOY, AND THE ORIGINS AND PROFILE OF THE BEANS, EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH. The coffee at Grouch & Co. was superb. A blend of Colombian, Rwandan and Panamanian beans, the assurance of rich, deep chocolatey notes delivered in spades. The ‘Sparky’ blend, in short mac form, was delivered on a neat platter in a sweet glazed pottery bowl, with notes of nougat, toffee, chocolate and a finish of red apple acidity. Ok, we didn’t glean all of that from one cup, but we were reliably informed! Grouch & Co. is a curious addition to the 6156 landscape. While technically a couple of hundred metres ‘out of postcode’ we made an exception for the sake of adventure. Grouch & Co. have branded strong. Bold design values and a varied, eclectic use of illustration play the hero in their packaging but also dominate the interior in the cafe area. One wall is adorned by a giant, extremely lean fellow crafting his latte art, but illustration overflows throughout their ‘concept store’. Oh yeah, at G&Co, it’s not a cafe; it’s a concept store. We figure this is partly to showcase their wares in the best possible light without seeming to go head to head with the cafes they may supply with roasted beans. Located on McCoy Street (just off Rome Road), the cafe is at the commercial end of McCoy. Flanked by light industrial units, motor vehicle service centres, and mining operations centres, Grouch & Co. hardly screams ‘culinary heart and soul’, yet its location is driven primarily by their primary function in the industrial-type space: roasting beans.
As a specialty coffee roaster and supplier to cafés across the metropolitan area, Grouch & Co. required a roasting facility and warehouse space and found it on the doorstep of 6156. A kiosk-style serving area at the front of the building, Grouch & Co. is ideal for the cheeky ‘on the way to work’ whistle stop, while the space inside is conducive to a lingering afternoon coffee or light, fresh and healthy breakfasts or lunches. Open from early morning, Monday to Friday (and Saturday mornings), their hours line up nicely with the commute to work. Grouch also offers the Grouch Cold Brew made from certified organic Ethiopia Guji beans, as well as cold-brew iced coffees in Dairy and Almond milk varieties. The space is sparse and industrial in its appointment - it makes sense given its primary function. It’s not pretending to be what it’s not, rather, it embraces all that it is. A bevvy of coffee awards is inconspicuously tucked away on a back shelf, gently testify to the roaster’s legitimacy. There’s no shortage of raw finishes here. The exposed concrete, tilt-up walls, polished concrete floors, and upcycled timber tables all speak loudly of an authentic passion for artisan coffee that’s high on devotion to craft and low on pretense. The result? Legitimately good gear. For those keen to enjoy a steady stream of the staples and varietals of Grouch & Co. to the doorstep, the good gear can be ordered online at grouchandco.com easily enough. There’s plenty of opportunities to pick up some coffee (or a range of their merchandise and coffee paraphernalia) instore as well. Grouch & Co - get it on your coffee roster quick, smart, and in a hurry!
Origin: Colombian, Rwandan, Panamanian
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PoundAre for agents pound, head running and shoulders scared?
WITH PETER SELMAN
Sing Australia is a non-professional singing group encouraging people of all ages and abilities to get singing. While the first group began in the eastern states over thirty years ago, the group that meets in Melville, which Peter Selman calls home, formed ten years ago. We caught up with Peter, to talk about the joy of singing and the group that helped him find his voice again!
How long have you been a part of Sing Australia and what encouraged you to become involved? I’m coming up to five and a half years - time flies when you’re having fun! They’re such a fun group to be a part of so while we regularly perform together, we spend time eating and talking together as well. It’s great to belong to a group like this- like a second family for me. Quite simply, a great thing to do. Why did you join Sing Australia? A friend invited me and I have enjoyed it so much. I didn’t even realise that I could sing, but it turns out I’m a baritone and I can hold a tune just fine! What kinds of songs do you sing? We’re really diverse and our repertoire is huge. From old traditional songs and hymns, to contemporary pop songs - we’ll give anything a go! We’re singing songs like “Love is the Air” (John Paul Young), “Island Home” (Christine Anu) on one hand, while we recently sang a whole bunch of war-time tunes for a recent Anzac Day parade in Fremantle. Where do you rehearse and how often do you practise? I’m part of the Fremantle group and we sing each Monday at the Anglican Church in Melville (corner of Coleman Crescent and McLean Street). The vibe is social and relaxed...with plenty of singing! There’s five Sing Australia groups in the Perth area and plenty more dotted across the rest of Australia. Where would we hear you sing? Wherever you’ll let us! We sing Carols at Christmas time, at Parades on Anzac Day, in Aged Care Homes lots of different events through the year. There’s also a national get together each year with up to 1000 people coming together.
To find out more about Sing Australia, visit singaustralia.com.au
What would you say to someone who was considering joining a singing group like yours? Singing makes you feel great! From a health and social point of view it’s a perfect medicine. It also gets me out of the house with a purpose each Monday night. Singing is a great way to process and release emotion. It’s hard to have a bad day when you’re singing - I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to feel great and get involved in something really good. Just do it!
In thisOne issue of 6156, When Residential Michael launched backJennings in 2010 ittalks was about trend in the with a desire toahave market market forarea someinagents leaders in each which to conceal the price or they operated. Not to be the of afor property biggest address but, pound pound, from the market - a the strongest team going strategy that quickly around. We caught up with turns potential buyers Michael Jennings to chat about away and is often driven the vision for One Residential. by fear. A vision that’s come to life in the most emphatic way.
ONE ONE
w wiitthh M MIICCHHAAEELL JFEONRNZIAT N GTSI
“My Club”
There are many measures of success in real estate but just a few when it comes to profitability. A team that sells a thousand properties may seem good on paper until you discover it took 500 agents to realise the result. Then it’s not nearly as impressive. In fact, that business is probably sinking with crippling overheads. When One Residential launched in January 2010, it was with a clear vision: a team of champions becoming a champion team. That can sound like an excuse for ‘staying small’ when there are no runs on the board, but as One is growing and maturing, the vision is coming to fruition. “From the beginning, it’s been a business built on results, “ said Michael Jennings, “No passengers, all heavy lifters. We’ve always figured that a strong team is better than a big team.”
224 sales/5 agents 407/21
J M H T I W A + Q
HARCOURTS MANDURAH
442/25
SUMMIT REALTY SOUTH WEST
259/13
O’NEIL REAL ESTATE
19.9
234/12
HKY REAL ESTATE
19.5
44.8
25.0
21.0
‘POUND FOR POUND’ the City of Melville in a couple of directions, but it remains home turf.
Top 5 Agencies in Western Australia by number of sales per agent over the past 12 months
Size may not matter but relative volume certainly does because it’s not only profitable, it continues to build a culture of success
“Michael Forzatti (One’s Principal) always wanted to grow a quality team Objective success statewide would be of absolute superstars. People who more incidental; the guiding passion is dominate their markets by delivering achieving consistently dominant results month after month. Salespeople that in the City of Melville. lead not only with results but with ethics, service, conduct, branding and marketing, “The City of Melville has always been “Every salesperson at One came here home turf for us, and in most ways, we’ve and with a support team that sits in a with real estate experience and an different league. never compared what we’re doing to understanding of how they thought the what someone is doing in the northern “A great team of agents is only great industry works,” Michael said. suburbs other than from curiosity. if they’re part of a champion team. “We’ve challenged that philosophy. We Achieving market leadership in the City Administrators, property managers, said: ‘there’s a big difference from an of Melville, though, that’s relevant. It’s personal assistants, a great General agent that has an occasional purple where we want relative strength,” Michael Manager - good stuff happens when said. they’re all committed to one great result,” patch to one that is an absolute gun in their patch. A patch where, if people are Michael said. These days, One has specialists beyond thinking of selling, they can’t help but Every business is driven by results so it’s think of you because you’re the clear no big news flash that One should also, market leader and have been for a while’,” but it’s the dominance with which they’re said Michael. delivering that has put them pound-forIt’s become a continual drive and pound, head and shoulders above all motivation over the long term. The comers. When it comes to comparative business will only ever add agents who results of individual agents across a are coming to accelerate, not stagnate. team, One knows no peer. After all, that’s what everyone else around “We’re not talking about what we want to them is doing. do anymore; we’re talking about what It’s a culture that feeds off itself. The we’ve done and what we are doing. dynamic in the office becomes fed by “I don’t think we’ve arrived, but I think that buzz and expectation of success. we’re heading in the right direction,” Everyone operates on that same page. Michael said. When each agent is averaging 45 sales By growing a team of market leaders each year, something is going very right. in their respective areas, there’s no The pound for pound claim is no longer ambiguity. an aspiration but a emphatic reality.
“A great team of agents is only great if they’re part of a champion team. Administrators, property managers, personal assistants, a great General Manager good stuff happens when they’re all committed to one great result,” Michael said.
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FOR SALE
For professional attention to the settlement of your property, contact Shelly Staddon.
0428 336 878 info@jacarandasettlements.com REAL ESTATE SETTLEMENT LICENCE : 59440
SOME OF THE ONES IN
MELVILLE
19A LATHAM ST, ALFRED COVE High $700,000s DECEPTIVELY SPACIOUS FAMILY HOME This private and secure rear property sits on 560sqm and has been immaculately maintained and looked after by the owners who are sad to be saying goodbye! The home is positioned just a stone’s throw from lovely parklands, public transport and schools
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SOLD
18 COLEMAN CRESCENT PICTURE PERFECT!
This lovely STREET FRONT classic Melville home is spacious and light filled and offers a nice blend of OPEN PLAN LIVING. This home sits on its own block of 510sqm and simply OOZES street appeal.. With its soft pastel colours combined with ornate character features, homes like this are hard to come by.
Rob Waters 0410 034 090 rob@loancom.com.au loancom.com.au Project1.qxp_Layout 1 2/10/2015 8:12 am Page 1
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9431 8125 rossnorthdevelopments.com.au
9431 8125
FOR SALES DATA, ADVICE AND EXPERTISE IN MELVILLE, CALL THE MARKET LEADER, MICHAEL JENNINGS ON 0404 045 153
Suite 2, 28 Ruse Street, Osborne Park WA 6017 Office: (08) 9386 9211 Fax: (08) 9386 9622
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14A YOUNG STREET LOVELY YOUNG STREET
Located on desirable Young Street on an elevated NORTH FACING 530SQM BLOCK, this modified original 1950’s BRICK & TILE home has been extended to offer 4 bedrooms and versatile outdoor entertaining spaces.
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FOR SALE
FOR SALE
307 MARMION STREET GREEN TITLE BLOCK
$395,000
Affordable street front land in Melville is hard to find. This stand-alone R40 green title 385sqm lot has no common property or shared driveway. A fantastic entry into this growing suburb, the site has a north facing frontage and wide rear boundary giving the option to create a light filled rear alfresco area.
385 m2
66A ROME ROAD RENOVATED CHARACTER GEM!
Fr $669,000
A lovely street appeal set behind a white picket fence, this home comprises three bedrooms, one bathroom, formal lounge room, open plan kitchen and dining space. An impressive recent rear addition gives a massive lounge/ games room. Perfect for young families or those that love to entertain!
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UNDER OFFER
G E T T IN G YO U R H A N D S O N L IQ U ID G O L D If you’d like to support the work of Craig Adair (aka “The Bee Rescuer”), there are two ways you can help. First, you can donate $12 and take home some honey!
140 LEACH HIGHWAY SOLID HOME ON BIG R40 BLOCK!
31 KITCHENER ROAD TICKS ALL THE BOXES
This 879sqm GREEN TITLE BLOCK offers myriad options. The property has fantastic subdivision potential, with recent revitalization changes within the suburb of Melville ensuring that this lot holds a R40 ZONING, meaning it could be converted into 3 or 4 blocks.
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This exceptionally maintained home offers a wealth of classic character features including high ornate ceilings and stunning original floor boards, and has been tastefully extended over time to provide very spacious accommodation for growing families.
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Craig’s liquid gold is in fair supply and helps allay the costs for frames and rescue boxes required for bee rescues. To get your hands on some good honey, SMS or call Craig on 0418 798 592. Second, you can visit his page on gofundme.com! Craig’s page on gofundme can be found by searching ‘Save the bees of Australia’. Or go direct to: gofundme.com/ save-the-bees-of-australia2w3qhp5k
UNDER OFFER
Any amount helps the work continue into the busy summer!
38A JOINER STREET CUSTOM BUILT LIFESTYLE RETREAT
SOLD
50 DRURY STREET, WILLAGEE OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS!
Presented superbly by the owners, the inspiring facade and exclusivity of this private, quiet and secure home will tempt the most fastidious buyers and provide the ultimate in lifestyle entertaining with minimal upkeep!
This lovely character cottage sits on a FULL 764sqm GREEN TITLE block, zoned R40/60 in a convenient Willagee pocket opposite Caralee Community School. The property offers a fantastic corner location and presents buyers with myriad development opportunities.
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ONE RESIDENTIAL: MANAGEMENT
MANAGING WITH ONE IN
2017
more of the same or every kind of different? PRINCIPAL & DIRECTOR, RICHARD THURTLE ON THE CURRENT RENTAL MARKET
Richard Thurtle, Principal and Director of One Residential Property Management, discusses the current market - a new year with more of the same or a whole lot of different, depending on where you sit at the residential leasing table.
When you operate in the 6156 postcode, and it’s the beginning of a new year, you can be sure things will be busy.
of the reverberations of those conditions are still playing out as people vacate properties or re-sign lease agreements.
The local primary schools in the area have developed such an enviable reputation that people simply want ‘in’, and that reflects in the flurry of activity we’ve had in the area as 2017 has switched into top gear.
Some are only just feeling the sting or the joy of the market’s muted conditions, yet our vacancy rate remains around the metropolitan average, nudging 7%. And it has for some time now.
We saw over twenty properties leased in quick time as new families came into the area coinciding with the new school year. It’s not the only motivation for people coming into the area, but it’s certainly been a large factor.
From a broader market perspective, the median rent is also muted - around $360/week, with the number of properties available for lease on the residential market hovering around 10,000 properties.
Others are taking advantage of the prevailing market conditions and moving to a larger family home for a similar rent to that which they were already paying.
We don’t see market conditions moving significantly through 2017. Supply of product is strong; we have to work harder than ever with our landlords to give incentives to new tenants through home improvements, rent-free periods and rent reductions. As much as we’d love to see those conditions changing for our landlords, it’s highly unlikely in the short term.
Some of the new properties that we’ve acquired have been from new managements, others from existing vacancies being filled. In a relatively stable market, spikes like these are few and far between. Volatility is the domain of the upswings and the downswings, not the flatlands of stability. It’s tempting to think, on the face of it, that little is happening in the current residential leasing market. Depending on which side of the leasing agreement you sit, there’s plenty happening: mostly good or mostly bad! Trust me, as someone in the industry, nothing could be further from the truth. Corrections don’t happen overnight. Even the conditions which are the catalyst for those corrections come over time. It’s tempting to think that the present circumstances have been around for a while, and surely things are about to change. The truer reality is that many
We’re continuing to see an alignment of the expectations of property owners with the reality of the market. It’s no secret, this is tough medicine to swallow, but so is a property that’s on the long-term vacant list! If you’re in the rental market right now then there is no doubt, there are some big wins to be enjoyed for tenants. For owners, though, it’s just a little cloudy with the weather outlook ‘continuing cloudy’. This is not a time to drop the bundle, but to work to lighten the load by aligning with the current market and cutting your cloth accordingly. As always, if you have a property to manage, we’re here - adapted to the current conditions and ready to show you the One way to manage!
MONEY FOR SOMETHING
JUNIOR BLOCK BACK IN ACTION!
When Rob Waters journeyed from the UK nine years ago, it wasn’t with a specific vocational plan. But with a background in finance, it was only a matter of time before becoming a local finance broker was at the top of the list. Having immigrated to Australia with his wife, who had come here as a nurse, Rob’s first foray into the industry was with Aussie Loans back in 2008. These days, he’s an independent broker with LoanCom. We caught up with Rob to talk about mortgage broking, the current financial landscape, and tips for winners. What’s the certification process for a mortgage broker? The certification process, if you already have a finance degree of some sort, is quite smooth. It’s tightened up in the last decade but it used to be ridiculously easy! Really? What was it like before? Well, now you need to have a finance diploma, but a decade back, pretty much anyone could become a mortgage broker! Regulations were tighter in the west but in the east, you could have just been released from prison for fraud, and they would happily give you a license to become a broker! In WA, any record of financial fraud would disqualify you from practising in the industry. What sort of dodgy practices were going on then? Well, unscrupulous practices continue today, but one of the most common is not declaring the extent of an applicant’s financial commitments. There’s a term ‘killing the kids’ which sounds macabre but relates to the practice of not declaring your children or your spouse so that you’ll qualify for a loan. Quite rightly, you can lose your license for that sort of practice, but it hasn’t stopped some. Based on the financial news lately, it’s a tough lending market. Has that been your experience? Absolutely. There have been significant changes in the industry and market, and each of them has served to tighten up the lending framework a little more. First, APRA (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority) has come in and made information far more transparent than it ever has been previously, particularly among the major lenders. While APRA has been around for a while, a task force has systematically worked through the machinations of the lending process and implemented significant changes. The way that brokers are paid has been reviewed. The possibility of incentives for brokers to deal with particular financial institutions for personal gain rather than the benefit of the client has been eliminated. The changes are all in the lender’s favour, and that is a positive thing.
How are you remunerated? We receive a commission about six weeks after settlement from the bank if we have been responsible for organising the finance on the lender’s behalf. This is roughly $400 (net) per $100,000 of finance. There are also trailing commissions paid monthly at a rate of around $10 per $100,000. Obviously, it’s success-based, but regardless of your success, it’s a long wait at the start before it begins to pay the bills. Many fall by the wayside in that time. Tell us about LoanCom. Is it a group? Is it just you? No, we’re a small group of six independent mortgage brokers across the city sharing a common administration team and resource base in Osborne Park. Are there more changes ahead? More information, more rigour in the application process, longer winded applications! I must say, it’s curious that while mortgage finance is more highly regulated than ever, more insidious forms of finance like credit cards and personal loans are barely considered for financial authenticity! Anything else? Well, almost needless to say, but the current market is no friend to the local investor sector. They’re getting hit with interest premiums and (in Western Australia) lower rent yields. While it’s driven by the Sydney/Melbourne markets, it’s doing Perth investors no favours at all.
With a whole-ofschool celebration around the flag pole, games on the oval and some high-fives, classes resumed in the Junior Block! It marked the recovery from the fire that caused great damage on the evening of January 6. The celebration reflected the gratitude of the school to parents, students, contractors, and the broader community, as the rebuilding of the Junior Block saw a difficult situation strain resources but bring out the very best in the school community. The library also returned to normal as temporary classrooms returned to their rebuilt homes and parents and staff shifted furniture and resources to return things to normal as swiftly as possible.
What’s your advice for people on the hunt for finance? Shop around and avoid going directly to the banks. Plain and simple. Find a broker and get them to do the work to get you a product best tailored to your needs. Brokers far outnumber the number of lending officers within banks. The discounted rate that a bank may offer you as an incentive to take your loan with them will still be less generous than the rate that a broking conglomerate has already been able to secure. A bank can only offer you their products. Brokers have access to around 30 banks and their products. Obviously, I’d love to help people with their finance, but my greatest advice is to avoid a single lender. You will pay more.
Year 2 June 24-25
Thanks for your time, Rob. A pleasure. Call me sometime. Or any of your readers!
Kindy August 26-27
If you’re looking to finance or re-finance, contact Rob Waters on 0410 034 090.
A great team effort all round!
DA D S ’ & K ID S ’ CAMPS
Year 4 September 16-17
6156 BY O N E RE S ID E N T IAL
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EAT, DRINK, GATHER: ANY MEAL OF THE DAY, ANY DRINK OF THE DAY. (OR NIGHT) Functions bookings now available in the Midnight Fox Room. 356 MARMION ST, MELVILLE
PHONE 9317 4400
eat | drink | gather
NOW FULLY LICENCED
OPEN 7 DAYS, 6:30AM - LATE
blendcafepizza.com
THE FUNNEST SEASON OF ALL! Winter’s not a season to stay inside, it’s a season to dress appropriately and have a whole lot of fun! Here’s 23 things that Nature Play have put together to make winter plenty of fun for kids. 1. Make a mobile mud pit in a wheelbarrow
Your local butcher is a stockist of:
MT BARKER CHICKEN
LUV-A-DUCK
KILLARA OPEN RANGE PORK WA FRESH SEAFOOD
and a range of gourmet condiments
E L L I V AD L E M HER C T BU
2. Wear a raincoat and gumboots and stomp in the biggest,wettest puddles you can find 3. Make a bonfire with an adult and cook damper on a stick 4. Sketch a tree that has lost its leaves and then decorate it 5. Make a dirt or mud track for toy cars 6. Have a fort/cubby building competition with your friends 7. Go on a winter picnic (take a thermos of hot chocolate or soup – yum!) 8. Watch a spider spin its web 9. Hang a birdfeeder in your backyard and watch who visits 10. Pretend you’re a modern-day explorer on a photo-taking expedition 11. Have an outdoor shower by shaking a rain-soaked branch! 12. Use herbs from your garden to make a potion 13. Find some bush and listen with your eyes open, then closed 14. Make leaf boats to float down a stream or in a puddle 15. Grab a garbage bag and slide down a grassy, wet hill
354 MARMION STREET MELVILLE PHONE 9330 3863
16. Get inked with some mud tattoos 17. Make a rain gauge and measure the rain in your backyard 18. Build a mini bridge or stepping stones across a winter creek 19. Put on your gumboots and rain coat and head to the beach to play chicken with the waves 20. Play hide and seek in a forest 21. Collect snails and watch the trails they make 22. Explore the treasures washed up on the beach after a storm 23. Spend an entire day outside, no matter the weather, and see how many things you can do
One Residential Sales and Property Management Mobile 0404 045 153 michael.jennings@oneresidential.com.au
oneresidential.com.au Supporting local producers and suppliers, Marmion Street Fresh stock fresh fruit and vegetables with a gourmet delicatessen, gourmet and day to day grocery needs.
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