Homebuyer Suyeon Park alleges the agents and brokerages on both sides of the deal failed to disclose the serial killer owned and lived in the home and contact from the murderer’s “deranged fans.”
With a location sandwiched between Park Slope and Carroll Gardens, you might think that real estate developers active in Gowanus would be touting the neighborhood’s proximity to two of Brooklyn’s most expensive and desirable neighborhoods.
After all, until recently, edgy, gritty Gowanus—with its warehouses, empty lots and once-odorous canal, the site of an ongoing Superfund cleanup—seemed stuck as the rest of Brooklyn saw a development boom.
But these days, as Brooklynites make their way past construction sites to art studios, laid-back bars, pickleball, ax throwing, or even Whole Foods—the neighborhood has become a destination in its own right—and the canal is significantly cleaner. Many renters are paying a premium to live in fully amenitized new buildings as the neighborhood undergoes a major transformation with even more new projects on the way.
6,700 apartments in the pipeline
Marketproof, a real estate analytics company, is currently tracking 141 residential projects in the area: 44 have received a temporary certificate of occupancy or certificate of occupancy and the remaining 97 are in pre-construction or under construction.
In terms of new residential units for Gowanus, the firm is tracking roughly 6,700 units in pre-construction or under construction without a CO. Another approximate 3,100 units are in buildings that have received a TCO or CO, according to Ning Zhou, chief technology officer and co-founder of Marketproof. (The majority are rentals however these figures include a small number of condos.)
|
Construction year |
Rent per square foot |
Premium |
|
Gowanus 2018 or after |
$77.42 |
34.87 percent |
|
Gowanus before 2018 |
$57.40 |
|
|
Brooklyn 2018 or after |
$76.32 |
21.91 percent |
|
Brooklyn before 2018 |
$62.60 |
Source: Marketproof
New rental buildings in Gowanus—built in 2018 or later—command a 35 percent premium over older buildings, Zhou said, with an average rent per square foot of $77.42.
“It’s significantly higher than the 22 percent premium seen across Brooklyn overall,” Zhou said.
Caption
A rendering of the roof deck and pool at Union Channel.
Credit
Evolution Virtual
‘Leaning into Gowanus’
Developers active in Gowanus say they are confident about the neighborhood’s appeal to renters from Brooklyn and beyond.
Andrew Steiker-Epstein, chief data officer and brokerage president at Charney Companies, a development and real estate management company, said the firm is “leaning into Gowanus,” rather than talking about Park Slope when marketing Union Channel, a new 224-unit rental development at 240 Third Ave., with 25 percent designated as affordable housing and a pool on its roof (opening soon).
It is the first of four new buildings in Gowanus from co-developers Charney Companies and Tavros Capital to reach completion.
Union Channel started leasing in January and is almost 50 percent leased, Steiker-Epstein said. Units range in size from approximately 400 to 1,200 square feet, with rents for studios starting at $3,150 and going up to $7,000 for a three bedroom.
“We do talk about it being centrally located, but we really believe in Gowanus itself,” Steiker-Epstein. “It’s a real destination and it keeps getting better.”
Caption
One unit remains at 350 Butler, a one-bedroom condo asking $1.5 million.
Credit
Matthew Williams
A recent snapshot of Gowanus
Artists and small businesses moved into Gowanus’s relatively cheap warehouses after the Gowanus Canal was designated a Federal Superfund site in 2010 and interest in developing the neighborhood subsequently stalled.
The EPA began dredging the canal in 2020, removing contaminated sediment 10 feet deep and since then the effort has met several major milestones. A sewer overflow tank excavation was completed ahead of schedule this spring, according to the website for the Gowanus Canal Conservancy.
In 2021, the city approved a rezoning of 82 blocks in Gowanus that is expected to create 8,500 new housing units with 3,000 designated affordable housing, as well as a new 1.5 acre park, new waterfront open spaces, and support for the canal cleanup, among other neighborhood improvements.
Since then, the pace of development unleashed by the Gowanus rezoning has been startling, even to the developers themselves.
Bill Caleo is the co-founder of The Brooklyn Home Company, which recently completed 350 Butler, a Gowanus condo building that has only one unit left after launching sales two years ago. He has lived in Park Slope since 2003.
“I cannot believe the changes in the last two years,” he said, adding that he has “never seen so much development.”
In the past, visions for the transformation of Gowanus seemed somewhat farfetched, considering the challenges. This was an area that in 2012 saw Hurricane Sandy’s floodwaters reach three feet above street level, and six feet in more vulnerable locations.
“No one would believe it, but it is finally happening and people want to be a part of it,” Caleo said. He said that buyers are drawn to the energy of the area.
Caleo noted that the cleanup of the Gowanus Canal has happened faster than expected. “Everyone was told it would take eight years and it has taken five,” he said.
Caption
A rendering of the exterior at 499 President St., which has a lower, wider profile.
Credit
VMI Studio for IF Studio
Will Gowanus retain its edgy vibe?
With so much development underway, what will become of Gowanus’s artsy vibe?
“It’s a natural concern,” Joe Porritt, director of leasing at The Brodsky Organization, which is behind the new rental project at 499 President St. with 350 rental units total, including 88 affordable units in a now-closed housing lottery.
“We’re taking steps so that growth doesn’t come at the expense of character,” he said. That’s the thinking behind some of the design decisions at 499 President, including a lower, wider profile for the façade—to better fit the scale of the tree-lined block.
Boosting the neighborhood is part of the firm’s Brodsky Neighbors program, which offers promotions and exclusive offers from local businesses and arts organizations.
Caption
An interior view at Society Brooklyn, where rents range from $3,500 for a studio to $12,000 for a three bedroom.
Credit
PMG
Protecting artists and community members
As part of the rezoning, Arts Gowanus, a group that advocates for affordable artist space, negotiated a community benefits agreement to set aside about 120 subsidized artist studios at over a dozen development sites. The CBA also established a 2,000-square-foot community arts center with an exhibition space and three residency studios.
“The CBA will provide the art studios and the art center in perpetuity even if the properties or future buildings are sold, creating long-term affordability for artists,” Arts Gowanus’s website states.
“The average person doesn’t know there’s zoning protecting artists in Gowanus,” Steiker-Epstein said. Ensuring that there are places for artists will be a mix of policy and the responsibility of developers, he said, adding that the company commissioned murals and is providing vacant space to Arts Gowanus.
The collaboration between the private and public sector “is an example of urban planning done correctly,” said Dan Kaplan, managing partner of developer PMG.
The firm just announced the opening of Society Brooklyn: two, 21-story towers at 500 Degraw St. and 504 Sackett St. with 517 rental units, of which 25 percent is affordable housing. Rents range from $3,500 for a studio to $12,000 for a three bedroom.
PMG invested in the Gowanus area starting in 2011 and Kaplan himself has been involved for years in the effort to support the rezoning, giving up his weekends to attend planning seminars, meet with stakeholders, and paddle a canoe along the canal.
One major consideration, he said, was “who might be excluded as a result of the rezoning and find re-entry points through the inclusion of affordable housing.”
Affordable housing at Society Brooklyn and other new projects is part of the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program, a 2016 de Blasio initiative that ensures a share of new housing in communities rezoned for growth is permanently income-restricted and affordable. The program requires that new construction, enlargement or conversion above 10 units and 12,500 square feet include a set percentage of permanently income-restricted affordable housing.
Caption
Longview at 380 Fourth Ave. has 30,000 square feet of amenities, including a fitness center with a yoga studio.
Credit
Quinlan Development Group
A more luxurious rental product
The new rental buildings are bringing a much more amenitized lifestyle to the neighborhood. That’s typical for developers working in rezoned neighborhoods in NYC’s outer boroughs, where they can dedicate more space to recreation than developers in Manhattan.
The goal is to create “vertical cities,” Kaplan said. For example, each of the towers at Society Brooklyn has a pool, sun decks, co-working spaces, and gym. There’s also a theater, children’s playroom, garden deck, and roof terrace with views of the canal.
Society Brooklyn also provides access to a public waterfront park and esplanade designed by SCAPE, as well as 13 local artist studios in a roughly 4,000 square foot complex managed by Arts Gowanus.
Longview, a 197-unit building at 380 Fourth Ave., which began leasing in April, has a long list of indoor and outdoor amenities totaling 30,000 square feet: a 15th floor lounge, private dining room, co-working spaces, fitness center, game room, children’s playroom, private WFH office pods, and golf simulation room. There is an attended lobby, concierge, 24-hour package room, and parking garage.
Outdoor amenity spaces include a 3,600-square-foot roof deck with barbecues, shaded dining areas, wet bar, dog run, and lounge chairs. There’s a 1,600-square-foot landscaped terrace with dining and private party space, lounge seating, gas firepits, outdoor gym, and dog run.
Then there are the amenities at 499 President, where rents start at $3,150 for a studio: There’s a golf simulator, gaming room, outdoor pool, grills, fitness center, and pet washing station. There are numerous incentives as well to encourage renters to sign leases, such as $1,000 off security deposits for qualified applicants and a free month. Units are also available furnished.
The incentives were created to encourage early move ins, as the building is still awaiting its final certificate of occupancy.
The building’s outdoor space sets it apart from other developments, Porritt said. It has an entrance via a garden courtyard and there is a communal vegetable garden on roof, plus a meditation garden.
Porritt said that many renters are coming from Gowanus and other parts of Brooklyn and they’re already familiar with the neighborhood.
“As opposed to other sites in Brooklyn, prospects do come with knowledge of the area and they know about the cleanup. The learning curve isn’t the same,” he said.
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An aerial of the epic motocross track
An acreage property with its own custom motocross track has been listed for sale just 40 kilometres from the Gold Coast’s Glitter Strip.
The 42.7 acre estate is located in Boyland, which is also just 15 minutes from the centre of Beaudesert and 30 minutes from Tamborine Mountain.
Bordered by Canungra Creek, the vast property boasts its very own custom motocross track with multiple jumps, sheds for storing all the toys, a teppanyaki pavilion and cabana overlooking the resort-style pool.
There is even a pool and sauna
Canungra Creek
“If you’re seeking a rural escape where peace, privacy and adventure are paramount, this is the ultimate choice,” the listing by Highland Property Gold Coast agents Hanan Cawley and Ngalan Druitt says.
“It’s bordered by freshwater Canungra Creek and boasts unlimited water rights.
“Tamborine Mountain also towers in the distance, a majestic backdrop to the multiple paddocks, dams, and 4-bed, 2-bath main residence.”
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The sleek bar
The house itself features a stylish kitchen, media room, and a living/dining area beneath a soaring 5.7m ceiling, plus a sleek wet bar.
There are high ceilings
The modern kitchen
Other features include a 40kW solar system, two work sheds, one with a cold room, and two water tanks.
There is also parking for up to 20 vehicles.
One of two huge sheds
Plenty of room for the toys
The post Qld acreage property comes with its own custom motocross track appeared first on realestate.com.au.
One in ten homeowners are planning to refinance their mortgage to a fixed rate following the latest rate cut, but experts warn they may come to regret acting prematurely.
The Reserve Bank of Australia slashed the official cash rate by 25 basis points on Tuesday to 3.85 per cent, marking the first time the cash rate has been below 4 per cent since May 2023.
It was the second cut this year, with more expected in the coming months.
A survey of 1000 Aussies for Money.com.au found that 10 per cent of borrowers were now looking to fix their home loan but mortgage expert Mansour Soltani has warned it is still too soon to fix,
with more rate cuts expected this year and lenders likely to keep adjusting their offers.
“The best time to fix is at the bottom of the rate cycle and when markets aren’t expecting any
more rate cuts,” Soltani said.
“It’s also when banks start offering real discounts to lock you in.
“For example, back in 2021 when rates were below 2 per cent and there was no sign of movement, a huge segment of the market sensibly fixed their home loan for two, three, and even four years.”
Aerial images of suburban house in South-West Brisbane.
But Soltani said that fixed rates were still catching up to the new rate environment, so the most competitive fixed rates will likely come later this year or in 2026.
“Banks expect overall interest rates to settle around the high 4s to low 5s, and that’s when we’ll start to see more competitive fixed rate offers as lenders look to lock in customers,” he said.
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A couple discussing their home loan with a mortgage broker. Picture: iStock.
Based on RBA data from the past five years, the average short-term fixed rate (three years
or less) was 4 per cent a year, while the average long-term fixed rate (more than three years) was 4.42 per cent.
The research found that 45 per cent of homeowners have not yet decided if they will refinance in 2025, while 25 per cent are waiting for rates to fall further.
About 17 per cent plan to refinance to a lower variable rate, and 3 per cent are considering a split loan.
But those that move too soon may live to regret it, Soltani said.
“Besides the fact that you won’t benefit from future rate cuts while on a fixed loan, you also
need to consider the term and rate on offer — each fixed period comes with a different rate,
and there are trade-offs,” he said.
“Most lenders cap extra repayments on fixed loans at around $10,000 a year, so if you earn commission or bonuses, fixing might not be the best fit.
“Plus, if you’re thinking of selling, you could get stung with break fees for closing the loan
early.
“These fees can run into the thousands, depending on how many years are left on your
fixed term and how much market rates have changed since you locked in.”
RBA Cash Rate
The research comes after Finder revealed that 60 per cent of Aussie borrowers are still experiencing financial strain despite recent interest rate cuts.
It found that half of borrowers (50%) would still need two or more interest rate cuts to comfortably afford their mortgage, while 17 per cent – equivalent to 561,000 mortgage holders – would need five or more cuts.
“Only one in three (32%) said they would be completely fine with their rate even before the cut,” the survey found
“A further eight per cent said they only needed one cut to be comfortable, and they just got it.”
The post Why fixing your home loan now could lead to regret appeared first on realestate.com.au.
The Shrublands mansion at 16 Balwyn Rd, Canterbury, is for sale for the fourth time in as many years.
Melbourne businessman Ali Ali is making a fourth attempt to sell the Shrublands mansion and estate, after a $6m price cut.
A low-key, but successful company director, Mr Ali made headlines when he bought the historic residence at 16 Balwyn Rd, Canterbury, for the then suburb record of $29m in 2021.
He’s since put it back onto the market in 2022, 2023 and again last year, with a neighbouring property included in the listing for a combined $48.8m.
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The 6500sq m property with 10 bedrooms and even more bathrooms returned to online listings via Marshall White top-end specialist Marcus Chiminello on Tuesday this week.
It is now priced at $31m-$34m — about $6m below what it was listed for in 2023, without the neighbouring address.
The 1863-built property is being marketed as one of Australia’s finest homes, and is surrounded by manicured gardens, a tennis court, water fountain, a pool set into its own pavilion and a caretaker’s apartment.
Old-world charm includes timber and marble highlights at eye-level, with ornate ceilings and chandeliers above.
The pool comes in its own pavillion that adjoins the caretaker’s residence.
A moody basement blends exposed brickwork with Hollywood glitz and glamour.
The mansion also has sheltered parking for 10 cars, and a sprawling three-level floorplan with a dizzying array of features.
In the basement there is a billiards room, wine cellar, gym and home cinema — with black and white photography from old movies, and a shot of Marilyn Monroe, adorning the exposed brick walls.
The ground level hosts formal dining room with its own butler’s pantry, living and sitting rooms, a family room, central kitchen with its own walk-in pantry, and a grand dining hall that opens to a heated courtyard and to a further living room with its own commercial kitchen.
A tennis court is set alongside a mature hedgeline that provides privacy.
The expansive property is one of the biggest in the area, as well as the most expensive yet sold in the suburb.
Impressive ceilings, chandeliers and an ornate mantle piece around the open fireplace give an idea of how the dining room would have looked in the mansion’s early days.
A home office, and a boardroom wrap up the floor where rooms are adorned with gilt ceiling ornamentation and chandeliers.
Upstairs, a there are five bedrooms, most with ensuites or walk-in wardrobes, complemented by a library, another living area, and a balcony.
There’s also a guest wing with its own lobby, a further two bedrooms to either side of an additional living zone, two more bathrooms and a sauna.
And, with two staircases to access it, a further sprawling main suite comes with its own sitting room, living area, dining zone, dressing room, bathroom and a massage room.
The home’s expansive gardens have been meticulously tended.
A commercial kitchen with bar seating helps brings serious entertainer’s flair to one of the key living areas.
Extensive carparking features at the luxurious home.
As the listing puts it: “very few original mansions of this calibre still exist in Australia”.
Mr Chiminello has the home listed for private inspection.
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The post Melbourne businessman Ali Ali’s Shrublands mansion in Canterbury gets $6m price cut appeared first on realestate.com.au.
All eyes are on renovated Adelaide character homes ahead of a busy auction weekend across the country.
The city dominated on realestate.com.au’s national list of most viewed properties going under the hammer this weekend, with Adelaide residences taking out the top three spots.
A 1930s-built Prospect cottage, which has been transformed into a coastal-inspired family home, recorded the highest number of views in the past week.
Ray White Salisbury agent Jake Flavel, who is selling the property at 6 Castle Ave with Annika Talbot, said it was attracting a range of prospective buyers – as well as some people who just wanted to take a look inside.
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The Prospect property at 6 Castle Ave is the most viewed residential property on realestate.com.au going to auction across the country this weekend.
The 1930s cottage has been renovated over the past few years.
It’s impressive both inside and out.
“Most people just want to come and have a look at the property because it’s so stunning,” he said.
“Throughout the campaign we’ve had 90 groups through and we’ve got a few opens this weekend as well.
“We’ve had a bit of a mix (of interest), a lot of families are coming through, being so close to a lot of school zones.”
Mr Flavel said the vendors had owned the four-bedroom home for seven years and renovated it meticulously throughout that time.
It has four bedrooms and three bathrooms.
One of the home’s bathrooms was redesigned by The Block 2013 winners Alisa and Lysandra.
The new owners will never run out of wardrobe space.
While modern inside, Mr Flavel said they retained the home’s character charm, which was a major part of its appeal.
Its second level and one of the bathrooms, which were redesigned by The Block 2013 winners Alisa and Lysandra, are among its standout features.
Mr Flavel was expecting a big crowd at auction, which is scheduled for noon on Sunday.
A refurbished West Lakes Shore house and an updated 1960s coastal home at Seaview Downs were also proving popular among househunters as the second and third most viewed properties consecutively on realestate.com.au going to auction at the weekend.
The West Lakes Shore home at 81 Sansom Rd was the second most viewed around the country.
It has been renovated, giving it a much more modern interior.
The Seaview Downs house at 50 Eyre St has also been attracting a lot of attention.
The 1960s coastal home on a large 1200sqm block has a house, small apartment and studio.
The four-bedroom house at 81 Sansom Rd, West Lakes Shore, which is being sold by Kate Smith and Allan Edmonds of Kate Smith Property, will go under the hammer on Saturday at 11am.
Meanwhile, the four-bedroom home on 1200sqm at 50 Eyre St, Seaview Downs, which is being sold by Ouwens Casserly Real Estate’s Daniel Richardson and Ethan Millen, will also be auctioned on Saturday at 2pm.
The post Adelaide homes attracting strong interest ahead of auction appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Wallabies legend and Western Force star Kurtley Beale is cutting his final ties with Sydney courtesy of a $780,000 farewell. Picture: Sam Ruttyn
The 95-cap Wallaby legend and Western Force player Kurtley Beale is cutting his ties with Sydney property.
Having sold his Randwick home last year, Beale and wife Maddi are now selling their Paddington apartment.
While the apartment at 11/228 Moore Park Road, Paddington has been an investment property over recent years, Beale did live in the one-bedroom bolthole when he was training at Allianz Stadium. The Paddington Barracks building on Moore Park Rd sits opposite the homebase of the Waratahs.
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Wallabies legend and Western Force player Kurtley Beale is selling his final property in Sydney at Paddington. Picture: realestate.com.au
The ground-floor apartment with a deep courtyard has been an investment property over recent years. Picture: realestate.com.au
McGrath Paddington agent Georgia Cleary has given a $780,000 guide for its June 6 auction.
The ground-floor apartment with a deep courtyard cost $380,000 in 2007, the same year Beale played his first game for the Waratahs as an 18-year-old.
Data shows the 68sq m unit was offered for rent in August 2020, in the pandemic, at $480 a week, which was well down on its $630 a week offering in 2019.
The last one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment without parking in the building was sold for $825,000 last July.
This one first sold for $388,800 after Walker Corp designed the $28m, 75-unit apartment complex in 1999, with it completed in 2001 by Australand. The late developer Lang Walker had secured the 3400sq m site from the Metropolitan Water Sewerage & Drainage Board for $6.25m.
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Kurtley Beale with his wife Maddi and son KJ. Picture: Sam Ruttyn
Beale and Maddi, who have two children, have recently bought in Cottesloe, the popular beachside Perth suburb. They spent $2.2m on a new three-bedroom apartment in the Elizabeth Residences, named after the 1839 shipwreck 200m from the Cottesloe shore.
The two-level apartment is within a boutique complex of eight, set five doors from the beach, which was pitched as being perfect for a professional couple, downsizers or retirees, as well as a small family.
The ground-floor apartment with a deep courtyard cost $380,000 in 2007, the same year Beale played his first game for the Waratahs as an 18-year-old.
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All up there is 238sq m of internal and external living space, and a further 30sq m of stacker parking for two cars, and small storage.
Beale secured $4.725m for his former Federation Randwick home, which he bought for $2.651m in 2015. It had been a longtime rental since his time playing for the Waratahs, with stints in the UK and France taking him away.
The post Wallabies star Kurtley Beale selling final Sydney property appeared first on realestate.com.au.
2 Rawlinna Drive, Mermaid Waters – La Curve.
A luxury new-build in Mermaid Waters could be yours for the price of a raffle ticket after selling to a prize home foundation for a hefty $2.95m.
Gold Coast couple Avenelle Harris and Stanley Sclavos were behind the four-bedroom home known as La Curve, at 2 Rawlinna Drive.
It was snapped up by Yourtown Prize Homes in an off-market deal that settled this month.
Gold Coast couple Stanley Sclavos and Avenelle Harris.
The showstopper staircase.
“We are super excited to see our hard work recognised with this home selected as a prize home,” Ms Harris said.
“(It’s) a rewarding way to pass it on to the next owner.”
The pair, who work as a real estate agent and construction project manager, bought a corner block in Mermaid Waters last year, and planned to create two luxury residences known as ‘Enzo’ and ‘La Curve’.
The pool.
The outside entertaining area.
They enlisted Jayson Pate Design and Wave Developments to bring their vision to life.
“Seeing both homes completed was a surreal mix of relief, pride, and excitement,” Ms Harris said.
“It wasn’t easy, but we tackled most of the obstacles together – and we’re still together, which says a lot.
“If you can build one house as a couple, you can do anything … building two is a real test.”
La Curve is a contemporary home on a 398sq m lot — standout features include a 2m wide skylight, spiral staircase and a cantilevered balcony.
There is also a stone-clad gas fireplace, media room and a pool.
Inside La Curve.
Ms Harris said both homes were created with meticulous attention to detail.
“These homes were designed with the intention of being lived in and enjoyed by our families,” Ms Harris said.
“With that in mind, we created a space where no detail or expense was spared — something we’d genuinely want to live in ourselves.
“I believe that’s the key to building a great home.
“Of course, it needs to look beautiful, but it also has to be practical.
“When you build with that mindset, it really resonates with potential buyers when the time comes to sell.”
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The kitchen.
Ms Harris said it was both challenging and opportunistic building on a small lot.
“Small lots are increasingly common in urban or high-demand areas where land is scarce, pushing developers to maximise space creatively,” she said.
“Being a small lot many would think that buyers wouldn’t be attracted to the properties especially on the Gold Coast where the average lot is still over 600sq m.
“However, our design and our finishes along with the build quality we think offsets those fears.”
One of the bathrooms.
PropTrack data shows the median house price in Mermaid Waters is $1,947,500, up 11.1 per cent over 12 months.
Last week, the Mermaid Waters suburb record was smashed when a property at 24 Winch Court sold under the hammer for $14.005m.
The post Mermaid Waters new-build sold to prize home foundation appeared first on realestate.com.au.
An artist’s impression of the new home
Influencer Emilee Hembrow is transforming her waterfront family home into a modern Mediterranean-inspired mansion, following an ambitious upgrade to initial renovation plans.
Emilee – one of Australia’s most famous social media entrepreneurs along with sisters, Tammy and Amy – revealed her existing property on the Gold Coast had been demolished.
The Gold Coast’s answer to the Kardashians, the Hembrow sisters have millions of fans between them, leveraging their profiles to build various brands.
Pendant lighting in the kitchen
The new property will be built on the site of their old family home
Works have commenced on the luxury new home Emilee will share with her husband and their blended family of five children.
Named Saray – Turkish for ‘palace’ – the opulent property features a designer kitchen with a butler’s pantry, a lavish master bedroom with boutique-style dressing room and spa-like ensuite, and a waterfront alfresco zone with a barbecue kitchen, sunken fire pit lounge and pool. There’s also a dedicated wellness zone with an ice bath, sauna, and shower.
In a video update, Emilee said the house would be extended and a new roof installed, with the design intended to maximise indoor-outdoor flow and enhance water views.
A fireplace in one of the living areas
“It is our old house but we have ended up knocking down most of it, only keeping a couple of the frames, so it’s turned into pretty much a new build. Reno plans changed real quick.”
Latest renders show curved walls and a neutral colour palette, complemented with high-end marble finishes and features such as a fireplace and contemporary pendant lighting.
“The finishes and what we’ve chosen and everything for the house is honestly just a dream come true. Everything is being knocked down except for a few frames. It’s crazy.”
Hembrow revealed the family house had been rented out during the project’s delay.
Emilee and her sisters, Tammy (pictured) and Amy, have been compared to the Kardashians
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“There’s been delays. The main delay was approvals. We submitted everything to the council, moved out, got a rental, and then didn’t hear anything for months and months.
“So, we rented out the house because of the delays. And then as soon as we got approvals, we found an amazing interior designers.
Hembrow has launched a dedicated social media account to share her property journey. Concept Design Construct is handling the build, while Dezcon is behind the interior design.
Amy, Tammy and Emilee Hembrow have launched a supplements business. Picture: Luke Marsden.
It comes as 33-year-old Emilee joined Tammy and Amy to launch their new business venture, Selfish Supps.
Tammy is widely considered Australia’s original influencer, with more than 17.2 million followers on Instagram and an estimated net worth of around $50 million.
She lives closeby in a five-bedroom riverfront property, purchased for $2.88m in 2022.
The post First look: Influencer Emilee Hembrow’s dream home build appeared first on realestate.com.au.
With millions of views online and millions of dollars spent on their houses, influencers Corinne and Shane Wynhoven have learned how to make a home stand out from the crowd.
After selling a business of theirs in 2020, the owner-occupiers left their corporate careers for the home building profession. Despite taking care of a new child and dealing with the sudden arrival of Covid, the two finished and sold their first house in Mermaid Waters for $4.35 million, making a suburb record.
Corinne and Shane Wynhoven have created million-dollar homes since they began in 2020, and learned many quality home tips along the way. Picture: ABI Interiors/Georgie Harwood
The influencer couple have tens of thousands of followers online who watch them construct their premium Gold Coast homes. Picture: ABI Interiors/Georgie Harwood
Now living in their second build and working on their next two projects, Mr Wynhoven said they’d have never built their dream home if they didn’t put the work in themselves.
“We don’t come from a construction background,” he said, “but we just got stuck in and weren’t afraid of those challenges.”
“The key is, one: having the confidence to do it, [and] two: having enthusiasm and the know-how to get into it. Because it can be a bit daunting and a bit frustrating at times, but the risk is certainly worth the reward.”
The Wynhovens’ second home build, ‘The Sanctuary’, ended up being their dream home.
Through making their houses together, the couple have gained a combined 53,000 followers across Instagram and Facebook.
The two lived in their first Mermaid Waters home before they sold it, and planned to do the same with their second, named ‘The Sanctuary’. However, personal touches like their hotel-style home bar and other user-friendly features made them realise they wanted to keep it as their forever home.
Ms Wynhoven said many of the home’s best features were the quality-of-life touches, like standing-level laundry machines and seamless sliding glass doors that disappear into the wall.
Other features you can do on a budget include big artwork pieces to give the room some colour and set a tone. Picture: ABI Interiors/Georgie Harwood
Mrs Wynhoven said many of those features were possible on a much smaller budget. “We really focus on the key rooms,” she said, mentioning areas like the kitchen and the laundry.
“People mentally move in when they fall in love with these spaces … we always want to bring a wow factor, but we want it to be practical as well.”
One example of this was when she positioned the laundry machines and baskets to be at standing level, making chores that little bit easier during the day.
“I just wanted to seamlessly go through from one side to the other,” she said. “That was, for me, important.”
The couple’s first build sold for more than $4 million in Mermaid Waters, making a suburb record.
Meanwhile, Mrs Wynhoven said large artworks, no matter the price tag, could set the tone for a room by its presence alone.
“I was always scared of artwork – I thought, ‘I don’t know anything about art,’” she said. “But now I just see such value in how much it brings colour; it brings a vibe.”
Mr Wynhoven added that while good furniture and flooring are always valuable in a home, the fittings and handles can be underrated features.
“We use a supplier called ABI, which do these brass fittings,” he said, and added he found it shockingly affordable. “Upgrading your fittings and handles and so on … is a really easy win in those spaces.”
Little tricks like quality fittings and handles can tie a room together, if you commit to making a home look great. Picture: ABI Interiors/Georgie Harwood
The number one piece of advice the couple had for people working on their own homes is to commit to the improvements.
“Don’t be afraid to go big,” Mr Wynhoven said. “You often see people skimping in areas where they could have easily had, if they’d just went with a little more effort, come up with something a lot more grand.”
“Just be bold and go for it.”
The Wynhovens and their dream property will be featured in the television special A House to Call Home on Saturday, hosted by 9Life.
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