2021–2022 Summer ECHO LIVING magazine

P R OPERT Y / HO ME / L IVING

Fun FREE Holiday Activities

LIVING echorealty doing property differently

Having fun doesn’t have to be expensive.

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KEEP YOUR COOL

Stay heat resilient this summer with these cool tips.

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Survey results

Tenant Satisfaction Survey results rate EchoRealty’s services.

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INDUSTRY AWARD

Our affordable housing property in Newcastle wins industry award!

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ECHO LIVING MAGAZINE / ECHOREALTY

a division of Evolve Housing

2021–2022 | SUMMER

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ECHO LIVING

LIVING ECHOREALTY magazine

CONTENT

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Katie’s story How affordable housing helps essential workers.

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Industry award Affordable housing property in Newcastle wins industry award.

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Miranda New property for essential workers.

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How to request a repair Maintenance for your rental property.

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Repair resquest process Support services available if you need to access them.

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Office Closure How to contact us during office closure period and contact numbers.

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Fun FREE Holiday Activities Having fun doesn’t have to be expensive.

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Tenant Satisfaction Survey results See how our tenants rate EchoRealty.

KATIE’S STORY: How affordable housing helps essential workers Nurse Katie, who works at a children’s hospital in Sydney, moved into an EchoRealty essential worker housing property after seeing it advertised online.

Since moving into the property, which is located in a suburb nearby her hospital, Katie has said she has been able to save more money and reduce commuting time.

“I can walk to work each day and don’t use my car much at all so I have saved time and money ... I’m currently saving to build a house alone and living in this property has made that possible,” she said.

Katie, who lives in the property with a friend, said she had been impressed with the service and even recommends the real estate agency to other people now.

“My experience renting with EchoRealty has been fantastic and I have recommended people from work to consider Echo for their next property.”

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PROPERTY LISTINGS A sample of available properties.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT EchoRealty acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land where we deliver our housing and services.

We acknowledge and pay our respects to all Elders past, present and future.

We welcome all First Nations People to our services, as we walk together towards reconciliation

Artwork “Land, River, Home”

by Sal Lavallee.

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INDUSTRY AWARD Our affordable housing property in Newcastle wins industry award!

EchoRealty’s parent company, Evolve Housing, has been recognised for our impact in the social and affordable housing sector, winning the Affordable Housing of the Year award at the 2021 Housing Industry Association’s HIACSR Hunter Housing Awards.

The award was given for Evolve Housing’s Newcastle development, which is managed

by EchoRealty and delivers 30 residential apartments dedicated to affordable housing.

The property is able to accommodate up to

78 people and includes four apartments that are accessible and registered as Specialist Disability Accommodation.

EchoRealty and Evolve Housing were delighted to attend the award ceremony online and acknowledge the wonderful achievements of our colleagues in the housing industry.

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners at the Hunter Housing Awards. #HIAHunterAwards

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ECHO LIVING

Miranda New property launched for essential workers Moving forward, EchoRealty, on behalf of Altis Property Partners and Aware Super, will be managing 51 brand new, high-quality apartments to eligible essential workers at a new building in Miranda.

The development opened in October 2021, and includes studios, 1–bedroom, 2–bedroom and 3–bedroom apartments.

Essential worker tenants will pay only 80% of the market rent, giving them the chance to live near their workplaces in a high-quality property without falling into financial stress.

Features include living spaces with a functional open plan design and seamless integration through to balconies and terraces. The apartments have modern kitchens with Caesarstone benches, Smeg appliances, and stylish Parisi tapware. Timber flooring and wool carpets give an elegant look to the dwellings, which also have built-in wardrobes and internal laundries with dryers.

Ducted air conditioning, secure parking, intercom and lift access complete the list of luxury features that tenants will enjoy. External communal gardens, green spaces, and rooftop entertainment areas allow tenants to relax and mingle.

The apartments are just 450 metres away from Westfield Miranda shopping centre, 900 metres from Miranda train station, and close to natural recreation areas such as Cronulla Beach and Royal National Park.

If you’re interested in this property and think you may be eligible to become a tenant, email: info@echorealty.com.au.

How to request a repair Do you know how to request repairs or maintenance for your rental property?

Please contact your property manager directly, call your state’s EchoRealty contact centre (numbers listed below), or email info@echorealty.com.au with your request.

If you’re in NSW, please call 1800 693 246 If you’re located in Victoria, call 1800 324 684 If you’re in the ACT, please call 1800 324 622

REPAIR REQUEST PROCESS Once received by EchoRealty, your repair request will then be passed along to your landlord or strata manager (if you have one) for their approval. Once approved, the repairs will be arranged.

Repairs are generally classified into three groups, which will affect how quickly they are actioned: urgent repairs, priority repairs, and non-priority repairs.

Urgent repairs EchoRealty aims to handle all urgent repairs within 4 hours. Examples of urgent repairs include: gas leaks, sewer blockages, hot water not working, complete power failure, electrical danger (such as exposed wires, water leaking through the lights or power points), smashed windows, broken security doors or external locks, roof damage that allows water to get into the property, and waterlogged carpet.

If you have an urgent repair request, please call the EchoRealty call centre number for your state (listed above). This line operates out of hours also. Please

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Fun FREE Holiday Activities Please note that if your repair is arranged out of hours but is not deemed urgent by EchoRealty, you will be charged for the repairs.

For further information about urgent and nonurgent repairs, please visit: www.echorealty.com.au

After a long year, including months of home schooling, many kids will be jumping at the chance to get out and about again.

Having fun doesn’t have to be expensive, so put your wallet away and check out some cool free holiday activities available in Sydney at: https://schoolholidayactivities.com.au/free-schoolholiday-activities-sydney/

Here are our top picks from the list:

note that if your repair is arranged out of hours but is not deemed urgent by EchoRealty, you will be charged for the repairs.

Priority repairs EchoRealty aims to handle all priority repairs within 5 business days. Examples of priority repairs include: minor leaks, dripping taps, toilets not flushing, grab rails loose or falling off, and blocked drains or sinks causing water to back up.

• Fairfield Adventure Playground: This impressive playground has loads to do for teenagers and older kids, including slides, a rope tower, obstacle course, fountains, sports fields, picnic shelters, a kiosk and on-site parking.

• Museum of Contemporary Art: From beautiful

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Non-priority repairs EchoRealty aims to handle all non-priority repairs within 28 days.

• •

Examples of non-priority repairs include: broken clothes lines, damage to walls or internal doors that do not pose a safety risk, loose or broken cupboard hinges, damaged blinds, no TV reception or broken aerials, gutter blocked with overflowing leaves, graffiti on external walls, torn fly screen, mould on walls or ceiling.

paintings to thought-provoking installations, the MCA has it all – perfect for the creative members of your family.

Storytime at your local library: Nurture a love of reading and stories in your little one with a fun storytime session. Most libraries have sessions for ages ranging from babies to primary school students.

National Maritime Museum: The nautical-themed museum located in the heart of Sydney has plenty to offer including interesting exhibits, workshops, crafts and a virtual reality experience.

Children’s WILD PLAY Garden: This fun, wild garden allows kids to get active while enjoying nature.

Cockatoo Island: A world heritage site that’s teeming with fascinating history. Guided tours are available.

• Sydney Sights Free Tour (an easy 2.5-3 hour walking tour) • Powerhouse Museum: Kids aged 16 and under get into the museum free, making this a perfect day trip to learn more about arts and science in an entertaining way.

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ECHO LIVING

HOLIDAY

office closure

KEEP YOUR COOL

Please be aware that EchoRealty will be closed from Friday 24th December 2021 and will reopen on Monday 10th January 2022.

If you have any minor repairs during this period, please send a detailed email with images and your contact details to info@echorealty.com.au and it will be actioned on our return.

For urgent maintenance issues ONLY please contact the EchoRealty call centre for your area: • If you’re located in NSW, please call 1800 693 246 • If you’re located in Victoria, please call 1800 324 684 • If you’re located in the ACT, please call 1800 324 622 Urgent maintenance may include gas leaks, water breaks, electrical sparking, sewage leaks and flooding.

Should we experience any natural disasters during this holiday period please immediately contact State Emergency Service (SES) on 132 500.

For life threatening emergencies, please phone triple zero (000).

EchoRealty wishes you a very happy and safe holiday period and all the best for a successful and prosperous 2022.

Stay heat resilient this sum While it’s been a fairly mild Spring so far, any Australian will know that our Summers really heat up, especially in western Sydney. Anyone who lives in Penrith would find it hard to forget the 48.9 degree day on 4 January 2020, when Penrith was the hottest place on earth!

Save yourself some money on energy bills this year with these tips, courtesy of the Heat Resilience Project, which is a collaboration between the NSW Government and selected community housing providers.

Keep your body cool You can reduce the need to turn on the air con for quite as long if you work to keep your body cool in other ways. See our checklist below.

Cool checklist: • • • • •

Have cool packs in the freezer & rotate them Wear loose and cool clothing Eat cool foods & salads that don’t create heat in the kitchen Drink water & cool drinks to stay hydrated Place a large towel in the freezer and place it on top of your sheet at bedtime • Take a cool shower to lower body temperature • Moisten the skin with a damp cloth or washer

7 BENCHMARK CATEGORY

THIS SUMMER mer with these cool tips • Go to a cool place, like a library or art gallery. If the weather isn’t too hot, you could try visiting a lake or pool. If you can afford to, try going shopping or the movies, which are cooled down spaces. Another option might be popping over to see a friend or family member who has air conditioning or a pool.

• During periods of really high heat, plan your day around the hottest times. For example, exercise or do your weekly shopping early in the morning or in the evening.

Keep your home cool While cooling down your home can be a bit trickier, there are some tips you can use to lower the overall temperature and either avoid or reduce reliance on air conditioning, which can be quite expensive in summer.

• Close the blinds and curtains to help keep the heat out • Use fans as they are a lot cheaper than running an air conditioner • Close off any rooms that aren’t used often, eg spare bedrooms or bathroom • Screen the outside of windows to keep the heat out • Seal doors with a ‘door sausage’ • Turn off unused electrical appliances For more energy saving tips for summer, visit: https://www.energy.gov.au/households

2020–2021

Overall satisfaction

83%

Property condition

85%

Rights as a tenant upheld

85%

Information provision

80%

Communication

78%

Value for money

83%

Tenant Satisfaction Survey results

Earlier in the year, we conducted a Tenant Satisfaction Survey to see how our tenants rate EchoRealty’s services, and get feedback on areas that we can improve in.

Thank you to everyone who submitted responses to the survey earlier this year. We had a response rate of 75% this year, which is higher than usual. We are happy to report that respondents gave an overall satisfaction rate of 83%, and that we received a rating of 75% or over in most categories.

We are happy that our residents are overall satisfied with our services, despite the challenges of operating during the COVID-19 pandemic and all of its impacts on our staff, service processes, and residents themselves.

We truly appreciate all the feedback that we received and will use it to improve our services over the next year.

If you, or a family member or friend, are interested in any of the below properties,

available Properties

please contact us by emailing info@echorealty.com.au. You can find more available properties at: realestate.com.au/agency/echorealty-parramatta-MMYBCP

24/52–54 Eastern Valley Way, Northbridge

215/1–39 Lord Sheffield Circuit, Penrith

19/6–8 Anderson Avenue, Westmead

Unit: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 car space apartment Rent: $376 per week

Unit: 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1 car space unit Rent: $306 per week

Unit: 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 car space unit Rent: $365 per week

Discounted 1 bedroom apartment for essential

Modern 2 bedroom apartment moments

You won’t need a car with this great sized two

workers in Willoughby LGA. This 1 bedroom

from Penrith CBD. This bright, stylish apartment

bedroom apartment, which is walking distance

apartment offers: one bedroom with a built-in

features two bedrooms (both with built-in robes),

to Parramatta CBD and public transport. This

wardrobe, an ultra-modern bathroom, open kitchen

modern bathroom and ensuite to the main

apartment is freshly painted throughout and

with plenty of storage, gas cooking, sunny living/

bedroom, internal laundry with a dryer, modern

includes a built-in wardrobe in one of the two

dining area, balcony, ducted air-conditioning,

kitchen with stone bench tops, stainless steel

bedrooms, a combined lounge and dining area,

dishwasher, dryer, common courtyard and BBQ

appliances including dishwasher, split system air

modern kitchen with stainless steel gas cooking

facilities, lift access, intercom, secured car space

conditioning, balcony, secure parking for 1 car,

and dishwasher, bathroom with separate bath

and storage cage.

security intercom, lift access. The location provides

and shower, split system air-conditioning, internal

easy access to sporting fields and walking paths,

laundry with dryer, carpet throughout unit, balcony

citizenship or permanent residency, and have

Westfield shopping centre, Penrith train station

and parking space.

been working and living in the Willoughby local

and all other amenities within Penrith CBD.

To be eligible, applicants must have Australian

government area within the last 2 years. The applicant (or one of their household members) must be an essential worker, including (but not limited to): health care, education, child care, aged care, emergency services, community services, retail and hospitality within the Willoughby local government area. For full eligibility criteria, please contact us..

739/1 Finch Drive, Eastgardens 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 car space apartment Rent: $561 per week This apartment, located within walking distance to Eastgardens Westfield, is being offered at a 25% discount to the market rent.

Features include: tiled floors in living areas, spacious and modern bathrooms, built in wardrobes to bedrooms, internal laundry,

communal lift access, gas cooking, dishwasher, ducted air conditioning, spacious balcony, indoor communal pool, and one parking space.

To be eligible, applicants must live in the Bayside local government area currently and have done so for at least three years prior to the time of their application. Applicants must be an Australian citizens or permanent residents, be employed, not be living in subsidised housing and not own or part own any property within Australia or overseas.