Property Focus
Property
Panama plan's impact
CAROLYN CUMMINS An increase in container ship traffic as a result of the widening of the Panama Canal could have an impact on the local industrial and warehouse sector.
Hot Property
Planning overhaul shapes up
Winston Sammut NSW is expected to undergo the biggest overhaul of its planning system in more than 30 years, with the release of a planning white paper that promises to make the state more competitive.
Property
Hitting the sweet spot for private investors
CHRIS VEDELAGO A East Melbourne office tower at the centre of a long-running dispute has hit the market.
Capital Gains
Site that gave sore eyes to get a salve
Marc Pallisco Reading Cinemas has listed for sale the former Moonee Ponds market site which it bought 15 years ago.
Rare city Bunker exudes old-world charm
Simon Johanson There are only seven houses - as opposed to apartments - in the CBD and one of the largest, at 680 square metres with a rooftop patio, is for sale.
Property
Buildplan creditors hurting
CHRIS VEDELAGO Debts to tradespeople and suppliers by National Buildplan Group have blown out to $58 million.
'The Bunker' goes on the market for $3m
SIMON JOHANSON There are only seven houses – as opposed to apartments – in the CBD and one of the largest, at 680 square metres with a rooftop patio, is for sale.
Property
Stockland in $400m cash call
CAROLYN CUMMINS Stockland is looking to raise $400 million through an institutional placement to reduce debt and expand its retail development program.
Buyers say it is time for auction action
Nicole Lindsay Melbourne turned in a strong auction clearance rate of 73 per cent on the weekend.
Property
Marina Bay offices open
CAROLYN CUMMINS The $4 billion Marina Bay Financial Centre was officially opened on Wednesday in Singapore, with three office towers finished on schedule and close to 100 per cent occupied, defying the slowness of the country's economy.
Hot Property
Steps to avoid lease failure
Lee Trevena Over a period in commercial and corporate real estate, I have often seen businesses with the misguided view that once they've signed a commercial or retail lease, it can simply be shoved into a drawer and they can wait another five years before looking at it.
History pared back to tower facades
MARIKA DOBBIN Trend of using only the frontage of historical buildings makes a return to CBD.
Property
Permit for 35 storeys lifts return to $3.1m
CHRIS VEDELAGO Melbourne City Council's stamp of planning approval has added more than $3.1million to the sale price of a development site on the northern edge of the CBD.
Property
Places Victoria in sale hope
CHRIS VEDELAGO Troubled developer Places Victoria will be hoping a pending development application can help stem the multimillion-dollar loss it faces on a forthcoming land sale in Footscray.
Capital Gains
Telstra disconnects suburban properties
Marc Pallisco Telstra is offloading redundant suburban sites, recently used as telephone exchange points.
Riverside townhouses fail to pass tribunal test
SIMON JOHANSON A luxury townhouse development that sparked a state government crackdown on building near the Yarra River's edge has been knocked back.
Up-front option fees 'oppressive but necessary'
ALEISHA ORR Some West Australian renters are currently coming up with thousands of dollars in order to secure a property but changes being introduced in July should reduce the financial burden on them.
Women cave in to need for own space
ALEISHA ORR Women are claiming space in their homes and adding on an extra room to create the female version of the 'man cave.'
Property
Stockland confirms management reshuffle
CAROLYN CUMMINS Stockland has confirmed a management restructure that will see the departure of the chief financial officer Tim Foster and head of residential, Mark Hunter.
Norseman property looking for a whole lotta love, and hot water
Aleisha Orr It may need a bit of work and may not have any hot water but this run down house in a small WA town is already attracting serious offers according to the woman who is trying to sell it via a tongue-in-cheek online advertisement.
Long-vacant city 'scab' set for facelift
ADRIAN LOWE It has been described by the lord mayor as a "scab" on the city, but the scab might be about to heal.
Building
Stockland sack CFO and head of residential
CAROLYN CUMMINS With only days before Stockland’s highly-anticipated strategic update, the group has let go its chief financial officer Tim Foster and the chief executive of residential development, Mark Hunter.
Interest rates
Agents welcome surprise rate cut
STEPHEN NICHOLLS Agents and analysts have welcomed Tuesday's interest rate cut, with LJ Hooker describing the move as "historic".
Developers offer top-end freebies
MARIKA DOBBIN Melbourne apartment developers are resorting to giveaways of free marina berths.
Exclusive
Grocon 'had little regard for safety'
Ben Schneiders, Clay Lucas Builder's safety record attacked by senior executive of one of Australia's biggest developers.
GPT plans big for tough times
CAROLYN CUMMINS A $200 million upgrade of the Wollongong Central shopping centre is part of an active retail development program at GPT Group.
Trust sector gets on a roll
CAROLYN CUMMINS The search for higher-yielding investments by cashed-up super funds and overseas buyers has led to strong gains for the real estate investment trusts sector in the past month.
Cab site is next off rank
CAROLYN CUMMINS A key development site in the city fringe, the Legion Cabs vehicle rank and headquarters on Foveaux Street, Surry Hills, has been put on the market with investors said to be circling for residential and commercial office specifications.
Hot Property
Hopeful first-time buyers dominate CBD office space
Vince Kernahan An analysis by Colliers International of all Sydney CBD office buildings sold since 2012 (above $20 million) has revealed that 93 per cent went to first-time buyers. The Australian buyers included Altis, Centuria, IOOF and Corvalz. Offshore buyers included the Chinese Bright Ruby and Maville groups and the South African Shankman Group.
Hotel's $20m revamp
CAROLYN CUMMINS Sydney's biggest hotel, the Four Points by Sheraton, is preparing for its first major revamp since its construction, the $20 million stage one redevelopment of the south tower.
