The pennants ensemble figured prominently on the winners list. The only player to break par was pennants’ off-sider, Keith North with a nett 69. He was the nett C grade winner. Barry Osmond was the C grade winner, Robbie Beuzeville had the best nett B grade score and Robert Dillon was the C grade runner up.

The Open champion was M Holt with R Field the nett winner. Both were visitors from Yass. L Eckhoff from Queanbeyan was the B grade winner. J Ricks of Turra Beach was runner up in A grade with Rod Coady the nett runner up.

Players from Tully Park also did well with B Smith the Junior champion; his mate, M Hosking the runner up and M Hunter the B grade runner up, NTP winners were D Jeffries, A Boxall and Nick Fry. Rob Martin and Murray Smith were the nett runners up in B grade and C grade respectively.

It was a great turnout and the club thanks Ray White Real Estate for their sponsorship and Bungendore’s Odana Editions for their donation of a special award. Judy Scott, Gordon Scott, Rob Martin, Will Richards, Rod Coady and Frank Williams also deserve thanks for their organizational efforts.

Saturday’s Vic Jones Trophy and fundraiser for Legacy was a little more relaxed than the Open and $450 was raised for this most worthy cause. Keith North and Lord and Lady Scott won the day from Geoff Hassall, Alec Henry and Jacki Clarke. Jacki also picked up her first birdie.

Keith was also the NTP in what turned out to be a successful weekend for him. The balls went to Donna Kuhn, Will Richards, Barry Toombs and Mike Fitzgerald. This week we have the Phil O’Toole medley four-stick competition. Three clubs and a putter will eliminate a lot of decision-making and ought to make for some interesting golf.

Ray White Urban Living Group, which was formed 18 months ago by a number of Ray White branches based around the Brisbane CBD and inner suburbs, is hosting the event at Fortitude Valley’s Emporium Hotel from 10.30am on Friday 30th.

Ray White’s corporate auctioneer Phillip Parker and the principal of Ray White New Farm, Haesley Cush, will be auctioneers on the day.

Ray White South Brisbane principal Dean Yesberg said some of the finest homes in the inner-Brisbane area would be on show.

“We expect it will attract interest from not only local buyers but interstate and overseas investors,” Mr Yesberg said.

Among the properties featured are a number of riverfront homes, including a four- bedroom executive residence at Waterline Crescent, Bulimba.

“It has river views from all levels of the home,” said Ray White Bulimba principal David Price.

Another property for sale is a five-bedroom home at Collingwood St, Paddington, with amazing views of the CBD, while Ray White Ascot has listed a hilltop property at Comus Avenue, Ascot with river and city views.

Ray White CBD residential principal Brendan Tutt said demand for property in and around the city had remained strong and there was a shortage of supply.

“The best time to sell is when demand exceeds supply,” he said. “And that’s what the situation is at the moment.”

The director of Ray White Commercial North West at Baulkham Hills in Sydney will be joined by close friend and Head of Life at BTFG, Phil Hay, on the two week trek to the Everest Base Camp.

Their expedition has been inspired by Mr Inkster’s wife Lynelle, who only discovered last year that she suffered from a bi-polar disorder after years of battling severe depression.

The physiotherapist and mother of two children had been diagnosed with post-natal depression during her first pregnancy.

“After having our second child and subsequently living on and off in a haze of depression for seven years, we spent last year discovering Lynelle actually had bi-polar II disorder,” Mr Inkster said.

“Bi-polar II is when someone experiences episodes of both hypomania and depression, which can often be severe and prolonged but not full blown manic episodes. The severity of the highs does not lead to hospitalisation, but the depression can.”

Mr Inkster, who first met Lynelle when he was five and started going out with her in their teens, said his wife had endured almost a decade of severe depression.

“Naturally this has placed a huge strain on Lynelle and our family but we are moving forward,” he said.

It was Mr Hay who suggested “two fat blokes” make the trek to the Everest Base Camp in the Himalayas to raise awareness of and funds for the Black Dog Institute, which is attached to Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital.

“In dealing with Lynelle’s bi-polar we feel we are often taking two steps forward and going one step back,” Mr Inkster said.

“There’s a metaphor between this and our trek to the base camp. In order to deal with the acclimatisation required to walk to base camp, trekkers must walk up a section of the mountain during the day and travel part-way back down to sleep.

“So it really is a journey of two steps forward and one step back.”

Mr Inkster and fellow Hills District resident Mr Hay plan to arrive in Kathmandu in September to begin final preparations for the two week trek.

“We are working hard to improve our fitness levels ahead of the trip as the walking will be very strenuous with many ascents and descents,” Mr Inkster said.

Ray White Commercial is already sponsoring the trek and Mr Inkster and Mr Hay are seeking more corporate sponsors and personal donations.

To make a donation go to www.back2base.com.au

ENDS

Further enquiries:

David Inkster

Mb: 0409 831 241

The brand new marquee was christened, with the sales team and Loan Market rep giving away “show bags” full of special offers and promotional material from other local businesses.

Staff invited local residents to provide their contact details to enter the draw for three giveaways – two hampers and a magnum of Moet & Chandon champagne.

“We also gave away 300 balloons to young children, and it was fantastic to see the Ray White brand dotted throughout the grounds for the whole day.

Overall the day was a great success”, said Principal Susan Bardon.

Leading Waiheke Island real estate identity Matthew Smith has decided to join his company Matthew Smith Real Estate with Ray White.

“The move to Ray White allows me to take a step forward in my business growth plans,” Mr Smith said.

“Ray White provides an additional network which is increasingly important given that Waiheke Island has many property owners who live in Auckland and beyond.”

The business will start operating under the Ray White brand from August 1 and Mr Smith will relocate his office from Palm Beach to Oneroa over the next three months.

Ray White New Zealand CEO Carey Smith said the new office would be the company’s 134th franchise in NZ.

“Waiheke Island has long been a marketplace that has been driven by top sales operators and Matthew is considered one of the leaders on the island,” he said.

“Matthew is energetic, has a strong personal brand and given that his business is family-based, it fits perfectly into the culture and values of Ray White.”

Waiheke Island is New Zealand’s third most populous island with almost 8,000 permanent residents.

The island’s spectacular beaches and landscape has made it a popular destination for short stays and holidays as it is only 35 minutes via car and passenger ferry from downtown Auckland and also accessible by air.

“During the past 12 months there have been 209 sales and $136 million worth of property sold on the island with an average sale price of $651,000,” Carey Smith said.

“Matthew will work closely with the top Ray White offices in Auckland and this will give Ray White customers and clients further opportunity to look at options when considering the purchasing of property on Waiheke Island.”
ENDS
Further enquiries:

Carey Smith
Ray White New Zealand CEO
Ph: 64 9 377 5069

Matthew Smith
Mb: 64 21 924 435

The Scarborough Hotel and surrounding land and buildings has been listed for sale with Ray White Special Projects Queensland directors Mark Creevey and Tony Williams.

Mr Creevey said the 7,643 sqm beach front site at 113 Landsborough Avenue offered extensive opportunities for investors, owner occupiers and developers looking for property in the Redcliffe precinct.

“The site is in prime location on the Scarborough Esplanade with panoramic views over Moreton Bay and it has a prominent corner location with two street access,” Mr Creevey said.

“The site already has development approval for 168 residential apartments, two retail shops, and a 1250sqm hotel component. Current retail tenant returns are $7,000 p.a.

“The Scarborough Hotel situated on the site is a major landmark for the area but hasn’t been in operation since early 2009.

“Potential purchasers will have the opportunity to retain a hotel as part of the redevelopment of the site.”

Mr Williams said commuting from the Redcliffe area to the Brisbane CBD has been made easier by infrastructure upgrades.

“The new Houghton Highway Bridge has just opened and the federal government is now proposing a 12.6km train line upgrade which will connect Petrie up to Kippa Ring,” Mr Williams said.

The site is being sold under instructions from David Whyte and Andrew Fielding of BDO as Liquidators.

Tenders close at 4pm on September 7, 2010

Further enquiries:

Mark Creevey

Mb: 0408 992 222

Tony Williams

Mb: 0411 822 544

Interestingly, there’s been a paradigm shift in recent times but mostly only on one side of the property equation. Buyers are still out in force in many areas this winter, taking advantage of reasonable interest rates and the normalising of a market which only a few months ago could only be described as frenetic.

While some geographical areas appear to have achieved a reasonable balance between supply and demand, other areas and price segments are still experiencing a noticeable shortage of stock.

Economic cycles are not driven by the weather and neither is the property market. Vendors who are delaying listing their properties for sale over winter may end up with the opposite outcome they’re hoping for if spring brings a rush of new properties on the market without a corresponding increase in buyers. And with today’s general air of economic uncertainty, this outcome is a very real possibility.

Experts are conflicted as to what will happen with interest rates going forward, but Governor Glenn Stevens has made it clear that rates are within a normal range now. The increases of the past few months have finally had the effect of taking the extreme heat out of the property market that was starting to build by the first quarter of this year. A more tempered market has allowed many buyers who had been frustrated in their attempts to purchase previously an opportunity to act.

With less competition and reasonable interest rates, there’s no doubt it’s a good time to buy right now. And intuitively, that makes it a good time to sell as well.

The situation brings to mind the old adage of “fish where the fish are” – or perhaps more accurately, fish when the fish are active. Trying to predict what will happen in a month, six months or next year is impossible for experienced economists, let alone the average person. What is clear is that there’s a good level of buyer activity in many areas right now.

Chris Wilkins, Principal of Ray White Drummoyne in Sydney’s inner west, says media reports of a softening market are completely misrepresentative of what’s happening in his marketplace.

“We’re seeing reports of clearance rates as low as 50%, and yet we have sold 100% of all our auctioned properties under the hammer since October last year.”

“The media loves to call the property market as boom or bust, but the reality is, although I would say the market does show some signs of normalising, we are still seeing more buyer activity than we would in a “normal” market and slightly lower stock levels.”

Chris says he’s seeing good numbers through open homes along with high bidder numbers at auction and interest at every price point.

“We have buyers at $500k all the way through to $5million.It’s impossible to say what’s going to happen in the future, but I can certainly say what’s happening today, and it’s anything but a soft market.”

“Although the media reports are spooking some vendors, buyers are still buying and that’s a good sign to anyone thinking of selling to move now.”
Scoot Baxter, Principal of Ray White Nowra, says in his area stock is still a real issue with not enough properties available to meet buyer demand.

“Sales have been consistent and prices are firm – certainly not bullish, but healthy nonetheless. Lifestyle properties in particular are reflective of the top-end market in Sydney and are doing well.”

Scott says with some vendors apprehensive about the state of the market, there’s a shortage of competition which makes it a good time to list a property for sale.

“The fundamentals in our area are good and there’s a steady flow of buyers overall. If listing numbers increase in spring as often happens, it’s possible that some vendors may regret not having moved earlier.”

Mike Gillan, Principal of Ray White Lower North Shore, describes the current market as “steady as you go”, saying the market in his area has been relatively strong for the past few months, particularly in the under $2 million price range.

“There’s a shortage in supply of properties for sale, particularly in the $1-2 million price range and these are still in huge demand – most are selling prior to auction. We also have a shortage of units for sale. This type of undersupply has the effect of keeping prices up and properties turning over fairly rapidly.”

“Although the top end of the market has previously been quite soft due to an oversupply, we are starting to see a shortage of properties in this price segment now as well.”

Mike says that although October and November is the peak selling period, he is recommending to vendors to list their properties now for September auction dates.

“More stock tends to flood onto the market in the peak periods which can create a glut. We believe it’s best for vendors to get in early, before that happens.”

In terms of the media reports of low clearance rates, Mike says it’s important to remember clearance rates don’t tell the whole story and that many properties that are passed in on auction day do sell in the 14 days afterwards.

“In any case, even at 50%, clearance rates are still healthy and indicative of a normal market. If you were to take into account the properties that sell shortly after auction, the overall clearance would look more like 75% anyway – and there’s nothing wrong with that result.”“We have to look at things in perspective. Australia has just come through the worst global crisis since the recession of the 30’s and we’ve done all right. No-one would welcome further trouble, but no-one is able to accurately predict it either. You can’t base today’s decisions on tomorrow’s “maybes”.”

“What we do know is that conditions are pretty good for both buyers and sellers right now and for anyone contemplating either move, there’s really no valid reason to delay.”

Located at 43-53 Days Road, Upper Coomera, the warehouse encompasses over 22,000 sqm of storage space on 4.44 ha of industrial land.

Karen Seeto of Ray White Commercial M1 North said the property offered tenancies with flexible specifications ranging in size from 1,000 sqm to 16,000 sqm.

“The property is close to the Coomera town centre and also has fast access to Brisbane, the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales freight lanes from the M1 Pacific Motorway,” she said.

“Internally, the smart steel design has created a huge free span allowing multiple racking configurations and an ultra high roof for high bay pallet storage.”

The site has a fully concreted and security fenced hardstand with full B-double and pantech access for loading and unloading.

Ms Seeto – the REIQ and REIA commercial salesperson of the year – said she expected strong interest in the property from local and interstate tenants.

“It is very rare to find large scale warehousing in the Gold Coast-Brisbane corridor that has all the features of this property,” she said.

“It was designed with efficiency in mind and its layout and size make storage and loading simple.

“Additionally, the accessibility of three major fibre optic service providers will assist in any administrative requirements of tenants.”

Ms Seeto said the property incorporated all the major elements of efficient and volumetric warehouse design, a key element in reducing a tenant’s running costs.

Part of the site is currently tenanted by FLSmidth Krebs, a global leader in the manufacture and implementation of hydrocyclones for recovery and classification of solids and removal of oil from water.

Expressions of interest close on Tuesday, August 31, 2010.

Further inquiries:

Karen Seeto

Ray White Commercial M1 North

Mb: 0403 401 000

Ray White Rural Emms Mooney Cowra is the brand new result of the merger between some of the Central Tableland’s largest Rural Real Estate and Livestock Businesses.

Longtime local agents Kevin Wright and Chris Daley are now part of Ray White Emms Mooney Cowra, a locally owned and operated Livestock and Real Estate Agency created through the merger of Ray White Oberon and Emms Mooney and Co in March. 2010.

Ray White Oberon was established by Patrick Bird in 2006 and quickly became the leading Oberon Real Estate office in that time.

Emms Mooney and Co, prominent Blayney Stock and Station Agents, was established by Ben Emms and Steve Mooney in 2002.

Ben and Steve, both qualified Stock and Station Agents, Real Estate Agents and accredited Auctioneers, have built the business to become the largest Livestock agency in the Central Tablelands region.

Just as Kevin and Chris were considering the idea of

concentrating solely on the Rural Real Estate market, Emms Mooney were looking to expand into the Southern area of the tablelands.

The joint venture has become a natural partnership that has just opened brand new doors in Cowra.

Selling Rural property is highly specialised. Twenty years for Kevin Wright and five years for Chris Daley. They believe the future holds strong growth not just in agricultural properties, but in lifestyle options, village houses, and village blocks, in the Cowra region.

Chris and Kevin explained the creation of Ray White Rural Emms Mooney Cowra is the result of their belief in not just the already strong reputation of the Cowra agricultural district but the potential to develop the market and expand into new opportunities, including livestock.

Ray White Rural Emms Mooney Cowra now offers a whole range of services, from finance to insurance, to purchasing and selling of Livestock and Properties.

The new business aims to serve existing and new clients and is keen to provide more Livestock Marketing options to producers in the local area.

Ray White joint chairman Brian White said the group’s results in Queensland last month were down 18% and resourcedependent regions such as Mackay felt the tax impact particularly hard.

But Mr White said activity picked up almost immediately the federal government reached a compromise deal with major mining industry players.

“We didn’t expect the controversy over the Resource Super Profits Tax to impact on property but it did,” Mr White said.

“The Ray White results in the mining cities nationwide were very average indeed.

“But offices in those cities reported a quick upswing as soon as the new Prime Minister declared that an agreement had been reached with the mining companies.

“It was more proof that real estate activity reflects the attitudes of the community as much as their basic needs.”

Ray White’s overall results for June, 2010, were up 2% on the corresponding period last year with sales of $2.4 billion, with the Reserve Bank of Australia’s interest rate increases subduing activity.

“Interest rates are the Siamese twins to real estate activity,” Mr White said. “Sooner or later, increasing interest rates are bound to cause purchasers to hold their breath, sit on their hands, and wait for further signs that one should become aggressive in the market.”