Dwellings across all capital cities experienced a marked reduction in growth rates in the April to June quarter from the 3 per cent per quarter pace witnessed since the beginning of 2009. Adelaide was the only exception with dwelling prices rising by a respectable 1.1 per cent.*

Despite this negativity, CEO of Harcourts Queensland, Aaron Brooks believes that some positivity can come out of this market, especially for first home buyers and those looking to acquire a long-term investment property.

“Properties in most states are now more affordable than they have been recently which will attract new and different buyers to the market, even despite the end of the first home buyers grant,” said Mr Brooks.

“For those thinking of getting on the property ladder now is the most perfect time to buy. We haven’t seen prices like this for months and months and it probably won’t be too long before the market starts to rise again,” said Mr Brooks.

“This market will attract a lot of new entrants which will cause a new level of activity – this should eventually lift the market up again and before too long we should see a return to the growth we’ve become so used to, making now a great time to invest.”

Given the current conditions, Mr Brooks says that properties are tending to stay on the market for longer periods of time – however this isn’t necessarily a bad thing as a different set of buyers may be attracted to these properties and it may make sellers more aware of how the current market is reacting and trending.

*Figures sourced from http://www.rpdata.com/

With 620 hectares of pristine forestry, wetlands and beaches, this development has been the ultimate environmentally friendly project.

Harcourts commercial real estate agent Michael Della-Franca said no other residential development of this scale in Australia equals Sunrise at 1770’s commitment to maintaining Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) principals.

“The owners have heavily invested in the project. Luxury homes have been built on the estate, which represent some of the highest quality architecture seen in Australia,” Mr Della-Franca said.

“Agnes Water is an investment town. During GFC scare, many investors put their properties on the market, which saw an over supply of homes and land on the market.”

“The volume of sales didn’t experience a drastic decrease however, so we are seeing real value in certain pockets of town.”

“This development has a serious following from Brisbane and Melbourne, with some big names from Australia’s top 100 wealthiest currently owning property within the estate.

“There is always interest in the estate, with land regularly transacting, however we have now settled the first home.”

“The whole concept is unique with the focus on ecological and self sustainable living.

“It is early days for this young development – buyers have the opportunity to purchase a luxury home or genuine beach front land in the estate that screams value compared to other destinations around Australia.”

Further information:

Many awards have been presented to the owners, with big names including Aardvarc Architects & Noosa’s award winning architects Middap and Ditchfield. Some of the awards include:

•    The Sunrise at 1770 Estate is an Eco Community winner of UDIA “Best Sustainable Development” for Queensland (2007) and Australia (2008)
•    Queensland Master Builders Association “House of the Year”
•    2007 HIA/CSR Queensland home of the year
•    2007 HIA/ CSR Queensland custom built home of the year
•    2007 HIA Wide Bay Custom Built Home over $750,000
•    2007 HIA Wide Bay Custom Built Home of the Year
•    2007 Wide Bay Green smart Energy Efficient Home of The Year
•    2007 Wide Bay Trade Contractor Award for Carpentry
•    2007 Wide Bay Trade Contractor Award- Carpentry 2007 Wide Bay.

Top Sales Consultant in Australia and Internationally for residential, Jim Ryan

The much anticipated Top Sales Consultant in Australia category was awarded to none other than Harcourts Coorparoo’s Jim Ryan.

Jim topped his previous efforts this year when he was recognised as Number 1 not only in Australia but Internationally for the group from over 3,000 fellow professionals.

Harcourts Redcliffe was a force to be reckoned with on the night, picking up second place in the Top Australian Property Management – Revenue category, and most impressively, first place for Top Australian Auction Office.

Representing the Gold Coast, Grant Stephens from Harcourts Sorrento-Benowa won Top Australian Marketing Budget for his fantastic campaigns.

Meanwhile, Harcourts Brisbane City Sales and Rentals business owner, Lucas Wilson was awarded Top Australian Auction Lister of the Year – a major coup for Lucas.

Rising Star of the Year was also awarded to a Queenslander. Hailing from Mackay, sales consultant Ben Chick was presented with this promising award.

Harcourts Queensland CEO, Aaron Brooks said he was very proud of the amount of award winners that are from this sunny state.

“It’s great to see everyone’s hard work and commitment to the job awarded in front of a 700-strong crowd.

“The energy on the night was indescribable, and was a real credit to all who attended.”

“I look forward to next year’s conference, where I am willing to bet Queensland will show even more dominance than this year.”

North Toolburra

Ascot Charolais stud has found a new home with the acquisition of the 2,500 acre aggregation of properties between Warwick and Allora on the Downs.

Harcourts Toowoomba business owner, Mark Abra said ‘North Toolburra’ sold for an undisclosed figure in excess of $10 million.

“The selling price, although significant by any definition is realistic due to the quality of the property.

“The productivity, geographical position, climate and of course lifestyle offered by the area were contributing factors to the worth of the property,” Mr Abra said.

“The property boasts secure water with irrigation, productive river flats for cultivation or pasture, 11 kilometre Condamine river frontage, bitumen road frontage only 10 minutes to Warwick, 50mins to Toowoomba, 1 ½ hours to Brisbane and close to Gold Coast, New England Tablelands or Western Downs.”

“As a package, “North Toolburra” is a property a prominent grazier could not help but be attracted to, and an astute buyer recognises the value of the improvements.

“Buyers must understand that first-class improvements attract first-class prices and since early days in the rural sector this has been so. To take a bare paddock and turn it into ‘North Toolburra’ is not possible in a single life time, Mr Abra said.

‘North Toolburra’ also has significant historical value; it was the first property settled on the Darling Downs by the Leslie Brothers in 1840.

“The homestead was built in the late 1850s, when Queensland was a part of New South Wales,” Mr Abra said.

“There have been a number of interesting owners, including a British lord and other such dignitaries.”

“In 1926, a touring English cricket team played a Queensland country team on the front paddock, and in 1920 Sir Charles Kingsford Smith spent three days on the property giving joy rides in his plane (the first landing on the Downs.”

Mr Abra said the homestead has recently been completely re-built, returning the home to its former glory.

“New owners, Jim Wedge and Jackie Chard are excited about their new venture and are looking to moving in once they have sold their existing holdings at ‘Ascot’, East Greenmount and ‘Goodwood’, Felton.”

“As ‘Goodwood’ has been sold, only ‘Ascot’ remains. It consists of a beautifully restored homestead set on a highly productive 260 acres of improved and native pastures with some cultivation.

“With no expenses spared, the property is ideal for stud work; with everything you could need onsite, including extensive vet facilities and of course a magnificent homestead, guest accommodation and managers house.”

New owner Jim Wedge said after selling his business, McCracken’s Water Services Group (the largest privately owned pumping and irrigation business in Australia at the time, which included more than 18 outlets from Cairns to Melbourne) he has taken on a new challenge.

“My goal is to build one of the most elite Charolais studs in Queensland.

“The Ascot Charolais stud is still in the growth stage at present, with approximately 50 Charolais breeders based at ‘Ascot’.”

The purchase of the North Toolburra aggregation allows Jim and Jackie to expand to a more viable size of approximately 200 breeds over the coming two-three years.

“The three properties in the North Toolburra aggregation have a great mix of approximately 1,300 acres of self-mulching cultivation and 1,200 acres of improved pastures.

“With water allocations for irrigation, it makes for an ideal mix for a medium sized stud operation, with some grain cropping and haymaking as well,” Mr Abra said.

Jim said the focus is definitely on quality and not quantity with the stud.

“I admit it will be a couple of years before we are a substantial seed stock supplier, due to the fact that we won’t retain anything of sub-standard quality.

“As with my previous water business, Jackie and I will work hard to make this a success and are looking forward to the enjoyment of this line of work, and meeting new people along the way.”

Harcourts prides itself on ensuring clients receive the best service when looking to buy or sell a property.

“At both the Warwick and Toowoomba offices, Harcourts Rural has a strong history on dealing with exceptional rural property,” Mr Abra said.

If you would like more information, please contact Mark Abra on 0407 787 579.

New Principal, Cara Bergmann, has more than 10 years’ experience in the real estate industry.  Originally from South Africa, Cara moved to Albany Creek three years ago and has never looked back.

“I moved to Albany Creek because of the suburb’s fantastic infrastructure with shopping centres, cafes, restaurants, parks and schools. It’s a great family environment in which to raise my children.  I would recommend the area to anybody,” she said.

“Over the next 12 months I am looking forward to making the Harcourts Premium office a well known and trusted part of this community”.

Cara has recruited some of the most dedicated people in the industry.  “We aim to take your real estate experience to an entirely new level and to make the process of buying and selling property a celebration.  My staff work together as a team and we are all highly trained and skilled negotiators”.

Harcourts Premium will service the areas of Albany Creek, Eatons Hill, Cashmere, Warner and surrounding Northern suburbs.  The office is located in the Woolworths Marketplace shopping complex on Old Northern Road, Albany Creek.

To find out more information, please call (07) 3325 6255 or visit the website, www.premium.harcourts.com.au.

About Harcourts:

With nearly 620 offices internationally, Harcourts is the fastest growing real estate agency in Australia.

Harcourts is the exclusive Australasian and South Pacific representative of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World ™, the largest real estate network on earth consisting of 650 companies, 5,000 offices, and 150,000 sales consultants.

Harcourts International has its own charitable foundation – The Harcourts Foundation ‘To provide support that helps, grows, and enriches our communities’.

The Harcourts North Lakes office

The area is showing such growth patterns due to high demand in not just the residential sector, but the commercial property market.

Harcourts North Lakes set up office four years ago. The company had just 30 properties on its rent roll 12 months in, and now there are close on 900, as well as hiring 20 new employees during that time, which illustrates significant growth despite economic conditions during that period.

The appointment of local commercial property specialist, Verity North adds value to the emerging business and provides a dedicated commercial agent with extensive local knowledge.

Ms North has a background in the commercial arena and has owned and operated business in North Lakes.

Harcourts North Lakes has also taken out the prestigious Queensland Platinum award for Property Management, Gold for Sales and the Managing Directors Client Service Award.

Harcourts North Lakes business co-owner Brett Mason said North Lakes’ success can be attributed to a multitude of factors. Forward thinking owners with great communication, innovation, branding and having the right team of motivated, enthusiastic employees in place.

“To add to the booming North Lakes market, our recent auction evening was sensational.

“We had nine properties listed, and eight sold prior to the night, which is an unbelievable result that certainly shows the strength of the market.”

“Also, the $55 million business centre is approved and under construction, which will certainly propel the suburb into a further growth phase,” Mr Mason said.

The Gold Coast was represented well, with four consultants and three offices receiving recognition that evening.

Grant Stephens from Harcourts Sorrento-Benowa Prestige was awarded fourth place in Harcourts Queensland’s Top Residential Sales Consultant category. Mr Stephens also picked up the Gold Coast Bulletin ‘top agent’ Award.

Mr Stephens, who is the business owner of Harcourts Sorrento-Benowa Prestige along with wife Cassandra, has been a sales consultant for many years, consistently achieving awards at the quarterly and annual awards functions at Harcourts each year.

Another highlight was winner Joseph Codianni from Harcourts Commercial Gold Coast. He was awarded Top Commercial Sales Consultant for the third year in a row.

Mr Codianni is the business owner of Harcourts Commercial Gold Coast and has been in the industry for many years. His vast knowledge and personal experience precedes him from small business, commercial investment to industrial applications.

Other prestigious awards winners from the Gold Coast were announced, including second place recipient for Top Commercial Sales Consultant, Graeme Pettit from Harcourts Surfers Paradise, Leanne Burkhardt from Harcourts Mudgeeraba who came in tenth place for Top Sales Consultant, and seventh & tenth place recipient for Top Office, Harcourts Robina – Varsity and Harcourts Mermaid Beach respectively.

CEO of Harcourts Queensland, Aaron Brooks, said that this year’s Annual Awards was the best recognition evening yet.

“Throughout the past 12 months, the Australian economy has gone from a time of sheer turbulence through to now, in 2010 where we are now again seeing steady growth, albeit slow.

“As a country, state and industry, we have relied very much on one another for support, and on our collective courage and resilience to find a sense of opportunity and optimism.”

“We are now seeing the light after the storm, and I commend Harcourts Queensland as a whole for their courage, hard work and faith in a time of change and challenge.”

“I was pleased at the Annual Awards to see the Harcourts Queensland team standing together strong, confident and tremendously excited about the opportunities 2010 will continue to deliver,” Mr Brooks said.

It was a great celebration at the Harcourts Queensland Annual Awards Evening

The greater Brisbane area was represented well, with several agents and offices scooping up awards on the night.

Jim Ryan from Harcourts Coorparoo was awarded first place in Harcourts Queensland’s Top Residential Sales Consultant category.

Mr Ryan is a veteran in the real estate industry. He has been a sales consultant for nearly 30 years, and is no stranger to this award having won it several times in the last five years.

Second and third in the Top Residential Sales Consultant category also went to Brisbane sales consultants, Carmen Briggs from Harcourts Inner West and John McLeod from Harcourts Bulimba respectively.

Adding to the Coorparoo coup, the office picked up first place in the Top Office category. Again, the business is no stranger to this award and continues to shine in the face of any market adversity.

Other prestigious awards winners from Brisbane were announced, including eighth place recipient for Top Residential Sales Consultant, Bruce McIntyre from Harcourts Bulimba and Lori Collins from Harcourts Annerley who came in ninth place in the same category.

Three other Brisbane offices also featured in the top ten for the Top Office category including Harcourts Inner West (4^th place), Harcourts Bulimba (6^th place) and Harcourts Ferny Hills (9^th place).

CEO of Harcourts Queensland, Aaron Brooks, said that this year’s Annual Awards was the best recognition evening yet.

“Throughout the past 12 months, the Australian economy has gone from a time of sheer turbulence through to now, in 2010 where we are now again seeing steady growth, albeit slow.

“As a country, state and industry, we have relied very much on one another for support, and on our collective courage and resilience to find a sense of opportunity and optimism.”

“We are now seeing the light after the storm, and I commend Harcourts Queensland as a whole for their courage, hard work and faith in a time of change and challenge.”

“I was pleased at the Annual Awards to see the Harcourts Queensland team standing together strong, confident and tremendously excited about the opportunities 2010 will continue to deliver,” Mr Brooks said.

Award recipient summary

Top Residential Sales Consultants

1^st place: Jim Ryan, Coorparoo

2^nd place: Carmen Briggs, Inner West

3^rd place: John McLeod, Bulimba

4^th place: Grant Stephens, Sorrento/Benowa, Gold Coast

5^th place: Julie Mahoney, Townsville City

6^th place: Daniel Withers, Rockhampton

7^th place: Damien Keyes, Townsville

8^th place: Bruce McIntyre, Bulimba

9^th place: Lori Collins, Annerley

10^th place: Leanne Burkhardt, Mudgeeraba, Gold Coast

Top Commercial Sales Consultants

1^st place: Joseph Codianni, Commercial Gold Coast

2^nd place: Graeme Pettit, Surfers Paradise

3^rd place: Matthew Burton, Redcliffe

Top Offices (measured by gross revenue)

1^st place: Harcourts Coorparoo

2^nd place: Harcourts Redcliffe

3^rd place: Harcourts Townsville City

4^th place: Harcourts Inner West

5^th place: Harcourts Rockhampton

6^th place: Harcourts Bulimba

7^th place: Harcourts Robina-Varsity

8^th place: Harcourts Burpengary/Narangbah

9^th place: Harcourts Ferny Hills

10^th place: Harcourts Mermaid Beach

Harcourts Queensland Annual Awards evening

The Gold Coast was represented well, with four consultants and three offices receiving recognition that evening.

Grant Stephens from Harcourts Sorrento-Benowa Prestige was awarded fourth place in Harcourts Queensland’s Top Residential Sales Consultant category. Mr Stephens also picked up the Gold Coast Bulletin ‘top agent’ Award.

Mr Stephens, who is the business owner of Harcourts Sorrento-Benowa Prestige along with wife Cassandra, has been a sales consultant for many years, consistently achieving awards at the quarterly and annual awards functions at Harcourts each year.

Another highlight was winner Joseph Codianni from Harcourts Commercial Gold Coast. He was awarded Top Commercial Sales Consultant for the third year in a row.

Mr Codianni is the business owner of Harcourts Commercial Gold Coast and has been in the industry for many years. His vast knowledge and personal experience precedes him from small business, commercial investment to industrial applications.

Other prestigious awards winners from the Gold Coast were announced, including second place recipient for Top Commercial Sales Consultant, Graeme Pettit from Harcourts Surfers Paradise, Leanne Burkhardt from Harcourts Mudgeeraba who came in tenth place for Top Sales Consultant, and seventh & tenth place recipient for Top Office, Harcourts Robina – Varsity and Harcourts Mermaid Beach respectively.

CEO of Harcourts Queensland, Aaron Brooks, said that this year’s Annual Awards was the best recognition evening yet.

“Throughout the past 12 months, the Australian economy has gone from a time of sheer turbulence through to now, in 2010 where we are now again seeing steady growth, albeit slow.

“As a country, state and industry, we have relied very much on one another for support, and on our collective courage and resilience to find a sense of opportunity and optimism.”

“We are now seeing the light after the storm, and I commend Harcourts Queensland as a whole for their courage, hard work and faith in a time of change and challenge.”

“I was pleased at the Annual Awards to see the Harcourts Queensland team standing together strong, confident and tremendously excited about the opportunities 2010 will continue to deliver,” Mr Brooks said.

Harcourts Queensland CEO Aaron Brooks said depending on the generation, either lifestyle or affordability seem to be the deciding factor when it comes to choosing a place to live.

“In the younger, Gen Y market, many people are resigned to the fact that they will not be able to purchase in the city and as a result, we are seeing these individuals flock to Toowoomba because of the suburb’s reasonable prices,” Mr Brooks said.

“They are happy to forego the first home buyers grant and stamp duty benefits just to get into the market.”

“On the flip side, we are also seeing a trending movement of Gen X and Baby Boomers who are heading to Toowoomba to embrace a country lifestyle as opposed to the hustle and bustle of the city.”

As a result of these generations, there has been a boost in the Toowoomba property market.

Local Harcourts business owner Annie Abra said the country market is always of interest to most people – they are either already home owners, investors or are considering a move or a first purchase.

“The Toowoomba property market has solid for the past eight years, which is a major coup for the region.

“Particularly when you see other country areas of Queensland that haven’t fared well over the past few years because of the GFC,” Ms Abra said.