Byron Bay articles of interest.

IT’S official. The Northern Rivers now holds the unenviable title of the most expensive regional residential land in the country, surpassing popular areas such as the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast for the first time. The median price for a housing block on the Northern Rivers is $238,250 – almost as much as the country’s minor capital cities such as Hobart and Darwin, according to the new quarterly Housing Industry Association/RP Data report. “It is a surprise,” said Colin Buttenshaw, executive director of HIA’s Gold Coast and Northern Rivers division. “You would have thought the price of land around the Hunter and Newcastle or the Illawarra, which have had massive developments and population growth with people now commuting to Sydney, [...]

Members of the Roundhouse Action Group say they will continue their fight to keep the Roundhouse site at Ocean Shores as a community asset, despite the council’s decision yesterday to have it subdivided and sold. “A BETRAYAL of the community’s hopes” is how Ocean Shores residents have described Byron Shire Council’s decision to subdivide and sell the Roundhouse site. At yesterday’s council meeting, Byron Shire Mayor Jan Barham used her casting vote to go ahead with the sell-off, despite objections from community groups who wanted to see the Orana Rd site used for an arts and cultural centre. The cash-strapped council deemed the centre proposed by the Roundhouse Action Group presented too great a financial risk, instead deciding to spend [...]

Renee Simone was forced to move from Byron Bay to Lismore to live after it became impossible to find a property to rent or buy. IN HER last six years living at Byron Bay, Renee Simone moved house 15 times and was homeless three times. Then things got hard. Ms Simone fronts popular local band Blackbirds and has sung backing vocals for Xavier Rudd, she is a qualified occupational therapist and, during those six years between 2004 and 2010, worked with young people at the Byron Youth Service. But a decent job, solid qualifications and brushes with fame are not enough to put a roof over your head at Byron Bay. At least, not any more. Ms Simone told a [...]

Byron Bay Industrial Unit For Sale. Secure Investment Property. Centennial. 100sq inc mez. Close to BP OZigo and IGA Supermarket, the golf course, the beach and all other business units. Byron Bay Commercial Property For Sale CALL 0412308708 Empty facing the corner from the doorway. View on Google Map

Industrial Property For Rent in the Industrial Estate This unit is situated in a small complex of five within the popular Arts and Industry Estate in Byron Bay. * Great internal clearance of approximately 5m * Easy access with a container height roller door * Internal toilet and shower facilities * Three phase power With approximately 91m2 on the ground and a mezzanine level of 15m2, there is a total working space of 106m2, with a tenant currently in place. NOW AVAILABLE TO RENT THIS PROPERTY. CALL 0412308708 Empty facing the corner from the doorway. View Larger Map

TWO beachfront mansions owned by prominent property industry identities and collectively worth more than $10 million, have been “totally destroyed” by an unexplained fire in the northern NSW resort centre of Byron Bay. Investigators are trying to identify the cause of the blaze, which claimed the prestige holiday homes owned by Gold Coast property marketeer Dudley Quinlivan and Sydney property developer Terry Agnew’s GKI Land Pty Ltd. The houses, which were both unoccupied at the time, are situated in the exclusive Byron Bay enclave of Watego Beach, which is known for its wealthy homeowners and celebrities looking for a discreet place to holiday. Mr Quinlivan, a two-time bankrupt, was once described as the “King Con” of Queensland’s property marketeering scandal, [...]

Byron Bay holiday let hotline service. A new batch of fridge magnets carrying the number of a hotline aimed at dealing with rowdy holidaymakers is being delivered around Byron Bay. This service is administered by the Holiday Letting Organisation (HLO) in partnership with the local real estate sector. It works by receiving complaints through a 24-hour hotline where an incident report is raised. If the address involved in the incident is on the data base of subscribers, which totals more than 400, a private security firm is called. If it is not on the list, the complaint is referred to the police. The next day the security hotline administrator calls the complainant, whose details are treated confidentially, to verify the [...]

A beach shack for $15 million? That’s pocket money for some of the millionaires vying for property at Byron Bay. THEY came in their 20s, toting surfboards in Kombis, in search of the perfect wave. Now in their 50s, they’re returning to Byron Bay, but this time they come by private jet or sports car, in search of the ultimate beachside mansion. Mega-wealthy executives from Sydney and Melbourne are splashing out millions of dollars on Byron property, keen to live the surfies’ dream while broadband internet and frequent flights south ensure they don’t miss out on making a buck. Much of this money is flooding into the exclusive enclave of Wategos Beach, nestled beneath Cape Byron Lighthouse away from the [...]

Byron Bay Hinterland Property For Sale – this is a luxury property in mullumbimby. main residence After turning into the property and crossing the bridge over Wilson ’s Creek one follows the manicured drive to the electronically controlled gate. The two-storey, double brick rendered home has views down the valley capturing daylong winter sun and summer breezes. The ground floor is open-plan except for the large second bedroom with en-suite. The top of the line kitchen overlooks the comfortable lounge and formal dining area. Hardwood decks look out onto the gardens and pool area. The house has been architecturally designed under the strict guidance of a Feng Shui Master and Taoist geomancy principles. pool area The kidney shaped pool is [...]

Rous Water Regional Water Supply (Property currently connected to the twin water supply in the Ballina, Byron, Lismore and Richmond Valley Local government areas) Phone: (02) 6621 8055 Water Saving Device: Rainwater Tank: 2,000- 4,499 litres Rebate: $100 Notes: Tanks purchased on or after 1 July 2005 are eligible for the current rebate. + $120 if all toilets connected and + $50 if washing machine connected to Rainwater Tank. Water Saving Device: Rainwater Tank: 4,500 – 8,999 litresRebate: $400 Notes: Tanks purchased on or after 1 July 2005 are eligible for the current rebate. + $120 if all toilets connected and + $50 if washing machine connected to Rainwater Tank. Water Saving Device: Rainwater Tank: 9,000 or more litres Rebate: [...]

Youth Activities Centre – The YAC shuts down!! While waiting for the second last live gig on Tuesday night, young YAC enthusiasts consider a future without the venue. A petition was handed around, collecting over 200 signatures. It called for Council to commit to renovating the YAC so that it can gain its Place of Public Entertainment Licence (POPE) and continue providing a drug and alcohol free venue for Byron Shire’s young people. For many years now it has been clear to Byron Shire Council inspectors and to staff at the Byron Bay Youth Activities Centre (YAC) that the YAC facilities require a considerable overhaul to make it a safe place for youth entertainment. So clear in fact, that nine [...]

Tabulam farmer Keith Cameron raises more than soybeans and cattle on his property. Large steel sculptures and massive stone structures have been cropping up over the years, as he turns into art whatever he can lay his hands on. He has transformed obsolete machinery and discarded junk into objects of fascination, and from 400 tons of dumped stones built circular walls near his viewing tower, which is a converted grain silo. The Thursday Plantation East Coast Sculpture Show is organising a field day at the Keith Cameron Sculpture Park and studio, on Saturday, 11 November. Join the bus at Thursday Plantation, Ballina, at 8.30am or at Lismore Regional Gallery at 9.15am: $40 includes bus, morning tea and sausage sizzle. Or [...]

Interested in the concept of turning farm-based and nature tourism proposals into working businesses? Southern Cross University and the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre are set to launch a major initiative for the first time in Australia. The project begins this month, with Byron Shire Council to host a Tourism on your Property Field Day. This will be held on a local working agri-tourism property, on Monday, October 23. Each year, the Northern Rivers attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists seeking a diverse range of tourism experiences. For more information about the program contact Rose Wright, Australian Regional Tourism Research Centre on 0427 232 246 or email rose.wright@scu.edu.au or visit www.regionaltourism.com.au.

Following the NSW Government approval of the $50 million Becton tourism development at Belongil Beach, the Broken Head Beach Resort redevelopment — estimated to be worth $4.5 million — has also been approved by Planning Minister Frank Sartor. But apparently Byron Shire Council has been kept in the dark about the decision. Byron Shire Mayor Jan Barham said the council had not been formally notified of the Broken Head approval, although small advertisements have been placed in local media announcing the decision. Cr Barham estimates the local community will wear the cost of lost developer contributions following the State’s decision.

The company behind a controversial luxury resort development at Byron Bay has recorded a bumper profit. The Becton Property Group declared a $24.9 million profit for the 2005-06 financial year, which exceeded its prospectus forecast by 26 per cent. The Melbourne-based company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in July 2005. It is behind a proposed 290-home resort on 92ha at Belongil Beach, and after more than a decade of public debate, legal action, and protests, it recently got ministerial blessing for its development plans. The first stage of the development will see the construction of 117 units.

BYRON BAY entrepreneurs Tom Misner and Eddie Phillips have announced they are teaming up for a bid on the town’s Beach Hotel. Mr Misner confirmed the partnership yesterday, saying they were waiting to see financial details before making an offer. The move comes after owner John Cornell announced last month that while the hotel was ‘not for sale’, he had had the property valued and would probably decide to sell it before the end of the year due to ill health. Mr Cornell is reported to want more than $65 million for the watering hole, which would make it the most expensive in the country. Source: Northern Star Byron tycoons to bid on Beach Hotel By WILL JACKSON > will.jackson@northernstar.com.au

Battle over Byron Bay planning laws: To New South Wales, and the north coast now, and a battle is underway for the future of one of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations. For most of the last decade, Byron Bay has been off limits to developers, until last month that is, when the Byron Shire Council abruptly lifted a ban on property development. Now environmentalists are worried that a rash of new development will see Byron Bay lose the natural beauty that’s made it so popular in the first place. But others fear even tougher new planning laws are about to be imposed, cutting the number of holiday beds available in Byron Bay and eroding the tourist income that the town relies [...]

RECORD $16m HOME SALE A LITTLE known Sydney developer has paid nearly $16million for a beach house at Byron Bay, easily doubling the record price for the region. Danny Goldberg shocked real estate watchers with his bold purchase of the luxury Wategos House at the iconic beach. Speculation during the week suggested that billionaire tycoon James Packer had purchased the property, which last sold for $2.09 million in 2000. However, it was revealed yesterday that the buyer was the media shy Mr Goldberg, who shouldn’t be confused with the hubby of bikini model Annalise Braakensiek who shares the same name. Source: The Northern Star: WILL JACKSON

Investing in Real Estate and a Real Estate Course By studying from a real estate course you will learn the cycles, timing and predictable factors in the property market. If you study property with a real estate course you would know that the property cycles could be anticipated with confidence. Inevitably the property cycle will turn and there will be a slowing in the market, just as market trends also boom. From studying a real estate course, you would also learn that the long-term real estate investor would take a strategic position on interest rates. Your real estate course would also point out that low interest rates provides the opportunity for the long term real estate investor to build up [...]

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT AMENDMENT (ILLEGAL BACKPACKER ACCOMMODATION) BILL The Hon. IAN COHEN [8.17 p.m.]: I am also pleased to support this bill. As my colleague Lee Rhiannon has said, there are major problems being experienced with illegal backpackers in many communities, including my home community of Byron Bay—a backpacker’s mecca. I commend Mr David Barr for introducing this bill in the other place. It is important for all areas visited by tourists. I certainly do not wish to stop young people from experiencing the joys of travel. I am sure many members of this House travelled overseas in their youth. I certainly travelled for many years and appreciated the accommodation in other countries that was offered by backpacker hostels. [...]

link: Mullumbimby Property For Sale This is a diverse 50 acre property featuring a 3 bedroom home and separate guest quarters. The main house is situated up high along the Wilson’s Creek valley. It has an open plan design with lots of glass providing plenty of light. There are 3 bedrooms and a fire place, native Aust. teak flooring with warm Pigeonberry Ash timber wall paneling. Contact: Donald Heylan .. Telephone: 02 6684 0126

By Sal – Open Content Australia Southern Cross University held a Community Forum on the Distribution of Digital Property today (11/12/05) in Byron Bay. Speakers were Tony Morris QC and Quentin Cregan, senior and junior Counsel for the defendant in the Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd v Cooper [2005] FCA 972; John Hennessey, junior Counsel for the applicants in the case of Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd v Sharman License Holdings [2005] FCA 1242; and Peter Coroneos, Chief Executive of the Australian Internet Industry Association. Here are some of the highlights from what they had to say: John Hennessey outlined the basis of the Kazaa litigation (authorisation) and made reference to the “minuscule” quantity of legitimate works relied on by [...]

Holiday letting in Byron to continue for now… Property investors have welcomed a decision by Byron Shire Council to hold off on plans to ban holiday letting. At its monthly meeting, the council voted to take no further compliance action against land owners and agents who holiday let until its planning position is resolved. The president of the Byron Bay Holiday Letting Organisation, John Gudgeon, says the decision means the two groups can hold further talks without the threat of legal action. “It eases everyone’s concerns in the short-term,” he said. “It doesn’t actually do anything for the long-term at this particular point in time, there’s still a fair way to go before everyone’s going to be very clear on [...]

Battle for Byron: A LONG battle over tourism in Byron Bay is now pitting property investors against the local council. Some residents have sought legal advice after they were sent a letter by Bryon Bay Council which said that they could face a $1.1 million fine if they continued to holiday let their investment properties. Also, preliminary legal advice for the homeowners had suggested that not only the council but also its councillors could be liable for holiday investors’ financial losses if it was successfully sued for handing out negligent information. In its letters the council had said that under the 1988 Local Environment plan, holiday letting was a “tourist facility” that was prohibited in residential zones. Residents were also [...]

Retirement is usually the time for selling off properties that are too big to maintain. But some people see it as a time for transforming their homes into a livelihood. Australian Barbara Turner bought a run-down bungalow a short walk from Clarks Beach and the town centre in Byron Bay for A$189,000 (£79,000) in a snap decision during a week-long vacation in 1989. She had intended to live there on her own in semi-retirement writing books about muscular dystrophy, which both her children have. But after renovating the property and relocating from Sydney, she found herself playing host to a constant stream of friends and family. There were so many, Turner set up a cooking rota. But soon she came [...]

Accommodation Spacious and Tranquil Accommodation in Bangalow, Byron Bay Hinterland This beautiful home abounds with light and space. It features a large modern kitchen which opens onto a very spacious open-plan living and dining room.

Byron Bay is one of the most beautiful places on earth. It is also a grisly reminder of the folly of letting green ideologists run anything. In the name of conservation and affordable housing the Greens-dominated, cheesecloth-swathed council’s idea of managing development is to make the town as unappealing as possible to the tourists who are its lifeblood. Popularly elected Greens mayor Jan Barham once even proposed a toll on visitors entering town. The council’s latest crackpot scheme is to ban short-term rentals in residential areas, the bread and butter for every coastal holiday village. As local author and former journalist Ian Evans says: “Tourism is the only industry in town. We can’t revive the dairy co-op or the whaling [...]

Byron council to consider holiday letting A meeting limited to 25 people will decide how the Byron Shire Council is to proceed on the issue of holiday letting. The current local environmental plan states that holiday letting is illegal in residential areas. The council is trying to balance the concerns of Byron Bay residents with the economic ambitions of the real estate sector and property investors. A facilitator from Sydney will chair a meeting of stakeholder groups at a meeting in October. The council’s director of planning, Ray Darney, says he wants the group to put forward options for managing holiday letting. “We’re going to see if there’s anything that comes forward that is more practicable that may suit the [...]

$3,500,000.00 Byron Bay This property is situated at the high end of a cul-de-sac, in a sought after area in Byron Bay, assuring quiet and privacy that you could only expect from a country acreage. The back of the property is bound by larger acreage with a variety of mature gum trees which insure the privacy forever and also protect both houses from the winter winds.

$950,000.00 Byron Bay The property has development approval for an owner’s residence and four luxurious guest rooms. It is 1011.58 square metres and a four minute walk to the CBD of Byron Bay. A 2 bedroom (plus sleepout) aluminium house is on the site at present.

Eagle Realty Ocean Shores Property Marketing includes strategies that will provide for the exclusive sale of your property: window card displays signage on site advertisements in the byron shire news/northern star editorials in the byron shire news just listed section of the byron shire news display on our internet site together with apa.com.au (please note that any input from yourself will be most welcome) advertisement in the bi-monthly magazine

Natural Disaster Assistance Following the June 30 flood, the NSW Premier Bob Carr declared Byron Shire Local Government Area as a “Natural Disaster Area. This declaration made available a range of Government assistance measures for families, community groups, small businesses and primary producers affected by the flood waters. Personal Hardship and Distress Assistance The Department of Community Services provides assistance to people in distressed financial circumstances due to the damage to houses and property Inquiries may be made to the Department of Community Services on 1800 018 444 Primary Producers Loans of up to $130000 are available (subject to certain eligibility criteria), at a concessional interest rate of 2.5 per cent, for those in urgent need. These loans may be [...]

Old farm house that has undergone a contemporary conversion on 5 private acres in the Byron Bay Hinterland. Main house contains 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms. Separate character filled old shed. Separate studio with it’s own bathroom, which are the only areas in need of renovation. Swimming pool. Byron Bay Property with Income For Sale

Byron Bay Beach Property For Sale The Belongil at Byron Bay offers the ultimate in beachside living. The Belongil is a quiet highly sought after Byron Bay beachside cul-de-sac. The ‘Nautilus Dell’ features, timber construction, polished floors and cathedral ceilings. It has three large double bedrooms, two living rooms, two bathrooms and a kitchen plus a separate kitchenette. A large central deck allows quality outdoor/BBQ living while the front deck with its private courtyard offers a sunny retreat.

Byron Bay tops nation with baby boomers Byron Bay boasts the highest proportion of baby boomers in the country. A population growth report completed by KPMG says 27 per cent of Byron Bay’s residents are baby booomers. The national average is 21 per cent. The Member for Ballina, Don Page, says a property boom has made it possible for people to live their ideal lifestyle. “They’re in the happy siutation, probably the first generation ever to be the beneficiaries of a property boom, in Sydney in particular, which gives them the where-with-all to relocate into an area where they can actually continue to maintain a good economic base, but enjoy the quality of life they would now seek as they [...]

Byron Bay Property Skinners Shoot Road “TE MARAE” is a 5 acre north facing property situated 3.5ks from the town centre and beaches of Byron Bay, a 5 minute drive or 10 minutes by bicycle, with no traffic access problems due to the location past the famous Byron Bay Arts Factory and Buddha Bar.

Byron Bay Holiday Makers “Seagulls.” The description of holiday-makers as itinerants who fly in, eat, poo and fly out without cleaning up leaves no doubt about the view some Byron Bay residents have of visitors to one of the country’s most famous beachfronts. It’s not that Byron Bay hates tourists – that would be stupid in a postcard town with an estimated 10,000 tourism bed spaces – it’s just that locals are annoyed by the numbers of houses in residential areas being used for holidays. Different faces every few weeks, late-night parties, drunken behaviour, dozens of cars, extra rubbish. The antithesis of living in a North Coast paradise. The Bay Residents Against Community Erosion group says holiday rentals should be [...]

The best ocean views in the Byron Bay Shire!! Awe-inspiring 360 degree panoramic ocean and hinterland views that can never be built out!! This property has the WOW factor! You would be paying up to $3M to get these views in St Helena or Coopers Shoot, and still be windswept! Situated 15 min to Mullumbimby and 30 min to Byron Bay, this 12 acre property has breathtaking panoramic of the blue Pacific from Byron Bay to north of Ocean Shores. The entire view is 360 degrees with numerous mountain ranges (including Mount Chincogan) and magnificent 80m – 100m sheer cliffs that are the remains of the caldera of Mount Warning! This property has a website – click to view it.

Byron Bay Investment Unit THIS PROPERTY IS FOREIGN INVESTMENT APPROVED! Byron Bay is nestled on the most eastern tip of Australia in the northern NSW coastal region, where the lush hinterland meets the stunning Pacific Ocean. Bound by famous Cape Byron, a variety of unspoilt beaches and the hinterland, Byron Bay represents one of Australia’s premiere lifestyle retreats. Unique in its appeal, Byron Bay is a fusion of lifestyles and attitudes offering a sensory smorgasbord in which one can indulge. Relax and soak up the ambience in one of the outdoor cafes. Sample fine cuisine in a choice of award winning restaurants, or listen to live music in one of Bryon’s landmark bars. Take a walk through the magical hinterland [...]

NSW Govt may decide Byron development The future of a controversial development site at Byron Bay may be decided by the NSW Government. New legislation covering land identified as being of state significance may apply to the Becton beachfront property. Simon Stockfeld from Becton says legal advice indicates the Government should consider the company’s development plans and not the local council. He says the company has written to the Minister to get his approval to lodge plans at the higher level. “We met with Byron Shire officers and we informed them of this new legislation and what we think it does,” he said. “Under the new legislation you are required to get the Minister’s acknowledgment that it is state significant [...]

Becton sizzles then fizzles THE property development and investment company behind a controversial resort development at Byron Bay made an anti-climactic splash on the stock exchange yesterday. More than 334,500 shares in Becton – issued at 50¢ – traded yesterday. They hit the board at a 20¢ premium before falling back to close at 51.5¢. Founded by veteran Melbourne property developer Max Beck, the company is notorious for its controversial projects – the East Melbourne Jolimont tower, the College Square apartments at Melbourne University and the Esplanade Hotel apartments. The company is also trying to get up a resort development at the old Club Med site at Byron Bay in northern NSW. But Becton’s shares failed to attract the same [...]

By Mark Skelsey THE State Government has been urged to drop plans to force an extra 100,000 people to pay land tax this year or be hit with 13 per cent interest payments. The Office of State Revenue yesterday revealed it suspected about 100,000 property investors and holiday home owners who should be paying land tax in 2005 had failed to provide their details. These people appear not to have realised they were caught in the land tax net by former treasurer Michael Egan’s now-discarded decision to remove the tax-free threshold. In NSW, people paying land tax for the first time have to register with the Government or face future enforcement action, including interest of up to 13.68 per cent [...]

The NYT reports on the decline in house prices in Australia and says that for several years, dinner party chatter here did not linger on favorite Australian subjects like rugby, cricket, sailing and surfing or politics. No, all the talk was of real estate: how much a house was worth, how much more this year than last, and how much more valuable it would be next year. It was not just the rich who were getting super-rich, their multimillion-dollar homes with water views rising rapidly in value. Every homeowner was making money, at least on paper, and Australia is a country with one of the highest levels of home ownership in the world. A midlevel office worker, for example, who [...]

The biggest cost in selling a house or unit is the agent’s commission. Agents’ fees are now deregulated, so the commission you pay depends entirely on what you negotiate beforehand with the agent. If you want to save on Agents Fees, Sell your property yourself. You can advertise most cost effectively on the internet. Use realestateguide.com.au Some agents ask for 2 per cent of the sale price, some 3 per cent. In low-priced areas the rate could go as high as 3.5 or 4 per cent. Conversely you are more likely to negotiate a lower commission if you have an expensive property to sell. Its outrageous! If you are auctioning, you also pay the advertising costs which can be anything [...]

What is a buyers agent? It is generally accepted that real estate agents act largely for the vendor and the buyer has to fend for himself. However, this is changing with the emergence of buyers’ agents, who act solely on behalf of the purchaser. Buyers agents or buyers advocates as they are also known, have only just begun to emerge in Australia. They tend to offer two main advantages: expertise and skill in assessing properties, and the ability to make sure the client gets the property for the lowest possible price. They are usually former real estate agents that have experience in the whole buying and selling process. Their aim is to find a property for the buyer and negotiate [...]

Property investment for beginners By Jane Burton Taylor, The Sydney Morning Herald Buying property as an investment can have big benefits in building long-term wealth, but it also has some major pitfalls. The first rule is to buy an investment property in a growth area, says Debbie Donnelley of Di Jones Real Estate in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. “You need to get capital growth as well as negative gearing.” Negative gearing is basically when you borrow a large percentage of the money for a property investment, and there is a shortfall between incoming rent and outgoing repayments. This shortfall in interest repayments is tax deductible. It is important to make sure the property can be sold quickly in case people find [...]

What to look for when inspecting a property By Harvey Grennan, The Sydney Morning Herald There is no substitute for a professional building inspection report and a timber pest inspection before you buy a new home. But there are a number of things you can do before committing to that expense. Ask if the vendor has a council building certificate and survey. These give only limited protection, but the survey will show if the building is properly within its boundaries. Look for obvious problems: cracks in floors and walls, silicone slapped around shower recesses, evidence that moisture has damaged finishes, rusting gutters and downpipes, shoddy workmanship, flaking or bubbled paint, poor drainage outside. Have a close look at the condition [...]

It’s no secret. Those who buy, sell, protect or grow rainforest say land values are on a natural high. Words Julie Olsen. Giving the old place a fresh coat of ‘rainforest’ could be just the thing to boost the value of your property. But the benefits may go much deeper. Right now, across the tired, fragmented landscapes of the north coast, landowners from all walks of life are investing a lot of time, effort and money breathing new life into what used to be the country’s largest continuous expanse of lowland subtropical rainforest. While many plan to sell up and reap the financial rewards, a newfound commitment to ‘bringing back the forests’ has got others smiling for a completely different [...]

How to sell your property If you are selling a residential house, unit or villa you must provide an agent with a contract of sale. You can prepare the contract yourself using a conveyancing kit, but most people go to a solicitor or licensed conveyancer who offer professional indemnity insurance. Then decide the asking price and list it on realestateguide.com.au. You can sell privately without an agent – 11% of the total market are sold this way. Obtain market appraisals and average their estimates. You need a realistic estimate of what the property will sell for. Call 1800 03 6660 for info on how to get started.

News homes sales fall again Kathryn O’Meara New home sales have falling again in May following a 4.3% increase in the previous month, according to the latest figures from the HIA New Home Sales figures. According to HIA, while new home sales have come off the boil, the overall sales continue to look better in 2005 when compared to the end of last year. The HIA New Home Sales figures showed that sales fell by 4.6% in May, in April there was a 4.3%. New South Wales enjoyed a stellar month, with new product coming onto the market being moved very successfully over the month. HIA’s senior economist Harley Dale said that the decline in sales across Australia would have [...]