New Queensland Pool Safety Laws start 1st December 2010 - Today

The Queensland Government has introduced new pool safety laws aimed at reducing the numbers of children drowning in Queensland swimming pools. These laws affect new and existing pools.

Stage 2 of the new laws commence on 1 December 2010.

There is a vast range of information and resources available on the Queensland Governments Department of Infrastructure and Planning Website.

From 1 December 2010, pool safety certificates are required when selling or leasing a property with a pool. Pool safety certificates must be obtained from a licensed pool safety inspector. Information for pool owners, pool safety inspectors and pool safety inspector course providers is available on the Department of Infrastructure and Planning website: http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/poolsafety.

Find a Licenced Inspector here:
https://www.smarteda.qld.gov.au/pools/inspectors/inspectorSearch.action%3bjsessionid=3D199030FF5A5A8BCE9907E0F40C5FD3

Pool Safety Fact Sheets: If you are Selling or Leasing a property these facts sheets contain some very valuable information:
http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/fact-sheets/pool-safety.html

New Pool safety Flyer
http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/resources/poolfencing/pool-safety-brochure.pdf

New Pool Safety Guidleines
http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/guidelines/pool-fencing-guidelines.html

New Pool Safety Forms
http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/forms-templates/pool-safety-forms.html

All properties with regulated pools need to be included in the state-based pool safety register by May 2011. Initially Local Governments are including details of pools on the register. Pool owners will need to check the register to ensure their pool is registered.

Free public information sessions have been held across the state and there are two more of these sessions left. These information sessions are an opportunity for you to hear more about the new pool safety laws and what they mean for industry, business and pool owners.

Tuesday, 7 December 2010 2.30 pm - 6 pm Brisbane North Arana Leagues Club, 274 Dawson Parade, Keperra.

Monday, 13 December 2010 2.30 pm - 6 pm Ipswich Ipswich Golf Club, 1A Samford Road, Leichhardt.

For more imformation about these sessions contact:

Building Codes Queensland
Telephone: +61 7 3239 6369
Fax: +61 7 3237 1248
Email: buildingcodes@dip.qld.gov.au
Location: Level 5, 63 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland
Postal address: PO Box 15009 City East, Queensland 4002


If you have any questions contact Morpheus Property on 1300 911 576 or send us an email - enquiries@morpheusproperty.com.au. We can direct you to a licenced expert in your area.

Yours in property
Morpheus Property

News Article: A multi-storey apartment block is heading to a suburb near you.

This is an article in the Sunday Mail today (23rd May 2010):

QUIET, leafy corners of Brisbane and other parts of southeast Queensland could soon be overshadowed by high- rise apartment towers under a controversial planning strategy to build up instead of out.

A snapshot of the planning strategy for Brisbane to deal with massive population growth expected over the next 20 years shows high-rise development spreading to the outer suburbs, with concentrations of towers around transport nodes.

But resident groups - fearful Brisbane will be turned into Sardine City - are vowing to fight the high-rise invasion.

There have been a string of protests by residential groups lobbying against the changes in older suburbs such as Corinda through to the inner-city bohemian hub of West End, where 30-storey towers are on the drawing board.

The backlash has forced Brisbane City Council to relax some of its plans for higher density development.

But the fight is guaranteed to intensify as the rollout of high-rises intensifies.

Council figures show town planning officials have paved the way for an estimated 64,700 new residents in suburbs from Bracken Ridge on the northside to Corinda on the southside.

South Brisbane residents should prepare for a projected 25,500 extra residents by 2031.

The estimates have been devised by the council from some of the most advanced neighbourhood planning documents, with several other plans yet to be finalised.

Neighbourhood planning was introduced by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman in 2004 to give residents more say but has failed to avoid bitter disputes with residents.

One group of residents at Bridgeman Downs has labelled their growth plan a farce after development proposals were ticked off by the council, undermining the new blueprint before it could even be adopted.

"To get it all done and (for) them to just completely ignore it is a joke," Bridgeman Downs resident Earl Baskerville said.

A spokesman for the Lord Mayor said even if the plan had been adopted, property owners retained their development rights under the former town plan for up to two years.

The Bridgeman Downs group is just one of a growing number battling growth plans in their back yards.

The West End Community Association is involved in a no-holds-barred fight against high-density plans in its suburb. And in Sherwood and Corinda, the Walter Taylor South Action Group is pushing to topple plans for five-storey buildings.

Action group secretary Leigh Park said the council had done well in listening to their concerns and boosting protection to character housing in the area - a far cry from the strategy before Cr Newman.

It had also reduced the footprint of an area of Corinda planned for five-storey buildings after public opposition.

But she said in return it had increased the size of a precinct at Sherwood, proposing five-storey buildings.

Ms Park said the result would be added pressure on congested roads and public transport, while destroying the visual impact of old suburbs.

"The argument is it is only confined to a small percentage of the area, but the visual impact is quite significant," she said.

Council Neighbourhood Planning chairwoman Amanda Cooper said the fact there were protest groups objecting to the plans showed the strategy was working.

Opposition planning spokesman Milton Dick said the plans had not lived up to their expectation of listening to residents' concerns.

We all know Brisbane is expanding due to population growth. How do you feel about these changes? Should we be developing Up (high-rises) or Out (more land released)? What's your preference?

Leave a comment. We'd love to hear your opinion.

Tug of war between koalas and development

Council warns of crowding

MORETON Bay residents will pay more for houses and live in more crowded suburbs under the State Government’s proposed koala protection plan, Moreton Bay Regional Council has warned.

Regional planning manager Peter Rawlinson told this week’s MBRC co-ordination committee meeting it could mean a shortfall of about 20,000 dwellings.

Mr Rawlinson said the urban footprint might not be big enough to accommodate growth and could force the State Government to look beyond it.

The draft South-East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Policy requires at least 30 per cent of land in the top five of 10 koala habitat categories to be preserved.

A council report said analysis of five of the most significant growth areas in the region Morayfield, Narangba east, Dakabin, Mango Hill and Griffin found that 80 per cent of those areas could not be developed under the protection plan. Cr Chris Whiting said he did not expect Deception Bay to be affected.

The report said to offset this loss more intense development in areas not covered by the plan might be needed.

Mayor Allan Sutherland questioned if the consequences would be accepted.

Source: Redcliffe Herald (4 March 2010)

If you're interested in learning more about the Koala protection zones, visit the Department of Environment and Resource Management's website for more details. http://tinyurl.com/ykn8dk8

To talk more about the potential implications this may have for your property investment or development project, call Morpheus Property on 1300 911 576.

BIS Shrapnel says, "Get ready for the next investment boom: Property"

Article from The Australian today:

I KNOW we're barely out of the office market downturn, but I can't help thinking that the preconditions are being set for an investment boom this decade.

The current setback, plus risk-averse debt and equity markets, will continue to impede office development, setting up stock shortages and strong rises in rents and property values. It won't take long to forget the global crisis and the recent disaster in the property markets.

Meanwhile, the feeling of relief that the worst is over is giving way to cautious optimism. The yield correction that hit property prices is largely over. Attention is turning to leasing markets and tenant demand.

In Australia, the economic downturn was mainly financially driven rather than a real side investment-driven downturn.

Unlike other developed economies, we had a credit and equity squeeze rather than a financial crisis. Banks and investors ran from risk after the excesses of the financial engineering boom. Equity prices corrected. The downturn in the economy hit operating profits. But the financial system remained sound.

Property investment markets were hit hard, with the GFC triggering an unwinding of the preceding financial engineering-driven phase of gearing up and yield compression. And leasing markets faced reduced demand just as new supply was coming on. The extreme pressure we all felt early last year has now passed, with the damage not nearly as bad as most feared.

The economy is now clearly emerging from the recession that never was and the recovery has already begun. Confidence has picked up with a run of good news. Retail sales are still patchy since the household handouts, but consumption expenditure has passed its trough.

Strong infrastructure spending is cushioning weak business investment. Businesses have raised equity to reduce gearing, positioning them to start investing again.

Residential property has already rebounded and that will flow on to construction.

But it's not all sweetness and light. The high Australian dollar is damaging the competitiveness and viability of domestically produced tradeables industries, particularly manufacturing, tourism and other tradeable services. But mining, health, wholesale and retail trade, and professional and financial services are already picking up.

GDP growth is recovering from last calendar year's 0.8 per cent to an expected 2.6 per cent this year on the way to growth averaging between 3 and 4 per cent over the subsequent three years. Fortuitously, with pressure to reduce government budget deficits, private investment will take over from public investment as the engine of growth.

The Australian economy is on the threshold of a major cyclical upswing and the next five years will be strong. Underlying inflation remains stubbornly high, but is coming down slowly.

Our forecast is that cash rates will reach 6.5 per cent by the time the cycle matures.

Getting back to office markets, tenant demand is not an issue in a strong economy. Having stalled last year, employment has rebounded over the past five months, with growth of about 1.7 per cent through the year to January. Last year the impact of the downturn on unemployment was softened by companies reducing working hours rather than jobs. We expect employment to recover slowly as employers increase working hours before taking on new staff.

Improved confidence among tenants has led to some withdrawal of sub-lease space. Office leasing demand will improve from here. In some cities, there is still residual pre-GFC supply coming on. But new development has stopped.

The real point is that rents are too low to underwrite new development. While there is a logic for owner-occupiers to build while costs are low, irrespective of current financials, developers need a pretty good reason to build now even if they can get the finance. Some can build, but most won't.

Given lead times, supply will remain constrained for another three to four years at least. That means that improving demand will quickly absorb excess stock, leading to tightening vacancy rates and a shortage of stock.

Will we forget the lessons of the GFC? It won't take long. I can't help a comparison with the sharemarket collapse of 1987. The subsequent inflow of funds into property drove the 1989 boom. Low vacancy, tightening leasing markets, strongly rising rents, firming yields and strong property returns through the middle of this decade will attract investment capital. At BIS Shrapnel, we're looking at internal rates of return of about 20 per cent for Sydney and Melbourne commercial property over the next five years. That's extraordinary.

Frank Gelber is chief economist for BIS Shrapnel

To get a great investment property, contact Morpheus Property on 1300 911 576 to get your Buyer's Agent working on your behalf.

The Property Development Myth

When you mention the term "Property Development", most people visualise a vacant block of land being converted into an apartment block, shopping centre or cluster of townhouses. That is, they associate the term "Property Development" with the end-to-end process.

In reality, money can be made from a variety of activities. It starts by identifying a property with potential (we can help there). As a novice in the development realm, many start at the beginning of the process - converting a block of land into a property with Development Approval. Builders can then take it off your hands and finish the process. As your confidence and knowledge of the process grows, you might want to get involved in the complete process.

Of course, you can push your applications through council yourself, or you can get the support of a good team (we can also help here). Using the services of a Town Planner will help you to handle your council applications and increase your chance of success, while maximising your return from the block of land.

Morpheus Property have a range of services to help budding developers, including a complete Project Management service or any level of involvement required by our clients. This is especially useful for first time developers, who could benefit from a profitable first experience, as well as the valuable lessons which you'll learn on your journey.

If you're interested in taking the Property Development leap, give us a call on 1300 911 576.

Get More Info >>

Renovate, but be realistic with your time!!!

Investors seem to get more interested in renovation projects if they're able to contribute labour themselves. This is often a good idea.

'Often?' I hear you say? If you're able to save money by doing it yourself, why isn't it always a good idea? One of the main culprits is where investors are too busy with their full time job to commit to the additional work. A little time passes and this eats away at the project's profitability.

Example
A 3 bedroom house is bought in Brisbane as a renovation project. It costs the buyer $420,000 and needs work to a kitchen and a bathroom. The investor creates a brief schedule of works:

Bathroom & Toilet
1/ Replace tiles
2/ Replace leaking cistern
3/ Replace cracked shower screen
4/ 4 x new cupboard handles
5/ Paint all walls and ceiling

Kitchen
1/ New splash-back tiles
2/ 17 x new cupboard handles
3/ Replace lino with tiles (much needed update on a 70's style green & brown)
4/ Paint all walls and ceiling

For a renovation project, he's avoided the costly elements and the work should give the property a real lift. In this example, our buyer is a painter. He's good at what he does (he's in high demand), so there's money to be saved. After crunching the numbers, it looks like a winner... on paper!

By doing the painting himself (including some touch up work inside and outside), the investor expects to save about $1,000 on the painting alone. By using people he knows and trusts for the remaining work, he expects to save an additional $1,500.

After buying the property, his workload continues to be high with many painting jobs in the pipeline, keeping him busy with 50 hour weeks and little time to spend with his young family.

The renovation project was supposed to be a weekend job, but he was either too busy, too tired or catching up with his family. After continuing to tell himself, "I'll do it next weekend", the painting didn't get started for 3 months after purchasing the property.

In the meantime, the property wasn't tenanted and this cost him approx $6,200 in lost rental repayments or $7,000 in excessive mortgage repayments (depending on whether it's a reno + hold or a reno + flip strategy).

Lesson
Be realistic about your availability to get the job done. Work out how much time will be needed on the project (add 20% for the unknown). Ask yourself: "Do I really have this time available?"

Work out your break-even point. In the above example, it would only take about 2 - 2.5 weeks before it would be better to hire someone else to get the job done for you.

Remember - It's an investment, so it's all about the $$$.

Property for the Short or Long Term

Have you ever heard the old adage, "Property is for the long term"??

Of course, this isn't true for everyone, as many folk have made good money using both strategies - short and long term. However, the process of analysing good property is quite different. Let's take a look!


Buying for the Short Term
When buying property for the short term, there a few key methods which are quite similar in approach:
- Renovations
- Development projects
- Quick trade
Where's the similarity? The calculations all involve common elements and can be structure much like a Profit and Loss equation:

Net Selling Price - Net Purchase Price
= Gross Profit on sale of property
Remove the acquisition, input and holding
costs
= Net Profit

(we'll keep it simple and leave out the tax effect for now, although this is also quite important)

What mistakes do most people make when buying for the short term?
- Pay too much for the property
- Overestimate the 'net' selling price
- Underestimate the input costs (renovations, development approvals, etc)
- Underestimate the holding costs (the cost of financing the property while you have it in your control)
- Underestimate the time taken (especially with council approvals - they vary, so check the expected timeframes before jumping into the deep end)

Buying for the Long Term
There are four main considerations for people buying for the long term
- Serviciabilty
- Capital growth
- Maintenance costs
- Potential risks and opportunities

Which are more important to you will depend on your portfolio. Get competent advice in this area to ensure your portfolio expands as quickly as possible.

Electricity sub-metering due 1 Jan 2010

As of 1 Jan 2010, it will be mandatory for all new multi-unit residential (class 2) and office (class 5) buildings to install an electricity sub-meter for each individual unit in a multi-residential building or each storey in an office building (where individual net lettable areas have not been identified at the time of the building development approval). Previously, costs may have been shared based on floor area or another mechanism.

The concept is designed to create greater awareness of energy consumption, which may lead to more people having greater incentive for reducing their energy use and costs.

Get More Info >>

$3,000 to relocate to regional centres. Would this entice you to move?

Premier Anna Bligh has proposed a $3,000 boost to the first home owner's grant to encourage people to settle in areas outside south-east Queensland. She wants more people to live in places like Rockhampton, Townsville and Mackay to ease the pressure on Brisbane where most people come to settle.

Steve Greenwood (Property Council of Australia) is of the belief that the $3,000 isn't like to go very far when an average relocation from Brisbane to Cairns would cost approx $5,000. The proposal also suffered criticism from Greg Hallam (Local Govt Assn) and Brian Stewart (Urban Development Institute of Aust), who believe it doesn't stike to the core of the issue of housing undersupply.

While the proposal is yet to be confirmed, I'm curious about your thoughts.

- Is this likely to encourage anyone to move?
- Do you think it's likely to achieve the objectives Anna Bligh is hoping to achieve?

Feel free to leave your comments.

Get More Info >>

Trade Shortage = Improved Affordability

Today's media release from HIA -

"The latest HIA-Austral Bricks Trades Report recorded a marginal improvement in the availability of skilled tradespeople for the December quarter 2008. For the first time in the report’s history trade contractor prices declined over the quarter.

HIA’s Chief Executive – Association Chris Lamont, said the modest improvement in trade shortages was due almost exclusively and unsurprisingly to a fall in residential building activity, and did not represent a longer term improvement in the availability of skilled tradespeople."

With interest rates low, first home owner grants (FHOG) increased, building costs stabalising or reducing, now is a great time to buy. Get in before the inevitable price rises.

To get the ball rolling, call 1300 727 586.

A Structured Approach

At Morpheus Property, we follow a proven and structured approach to buying property.  Our processes and business model are well defined to meet our client's needs and get results. 

As you can imagine, these processes need to adapt to our client's needs.

For example, an owner-owner (including first home owners), investor and developer need us to analyse property in a completely different way.

The residential owner-occupier needs to live in the house. The commute to work and school are relevant, as well as the condition and number of rooms, size of backyard, etc.   The commercial owner-occupier will use the building to assist the business in some way - retail shopfront, office space, show room, workshop, storage space, etc. Morpheus Property searches for property meeting these needs (whatever they are), as well as ensuring it's in a good location for future capital growth.

The investor has a different set of needs.  Investors are usually chasing four things: a good return on investment (in terms of occupancy and yield), good capital growth, low maintenance and the potential for healthy depreciation claims.

The developer is generally after a short-term profit, which involves some effort or input on their behalf. This could include a complete building design and construct (or "D&C") project, or any amount of work in between.  This might include getting council approval for sub-division, renovations, etc. Ultimately, the end result should achieve a profit figure.

There are also buyers involved in a hybrid of the above categories, such as a home owner, who also wishes to subdivide the block of land. Another example is where someone buys six commercial units and only occupies one, acting as landlord for the remaining 5.  This has been particularly popular with self managed super funds (SMSF).

No matter which type of buyer you are, Morpheus Property can help you.

Talk to your Buyer's Agent today on 1300 727 586.

Yours in property!

Map Data from Department of Mines and Energy

At Morpheus Property, we keep abrest of changes to many aspects directly and indirectly relating to the property market. One of the key influences are changes to mining activity.

There's an informative map service about mining activity in Queensland, which is another useful piece of information when analysing the property market (in addition to the abare website - previous post). You can find it at:http://www.dme.qld.gov.au/mines/tenure_maps.cfm

Before buying an investment property or getting involved in a development project in regional areas, contact your Morpheus Property agent to learn more about the impact commodity prices are likely to have on your potential yield, vacancy rates and resale value.

Call 1300 727 586.

Yours in property

If it's made out of stone, it's here to stay!!

At Morpheus Property, we're often asked which professionals and tradefolk we recommend. After visiting MWS masonry and witnessing their penchant for perfection first hand, we can quite confidently vouch for their work.

MWS Masonry is lead by Matthew Stratton, a qualified stonemason and perfectionist!!

Their range of services include:

• Project Design and Concept Advice
• Project Process
• Kitchen Tips
• Bathroom Vanities
• Fireplaces
• Stone Furniture & Custom Stone Pieces

Using engineered stone, granite, marble and sandstone, MWS Masonry will create a unique look in your new home, renovation or next development project.

Here are a few sample images of their work:


Don't take our word for it, visit the crew out at Belmont and take a look for yourself!!

Call Matthew on 07 3890 2091 OR 0422 444 973 to arrange an appointment.

Yours in Property!

STOP THE PRESSES

RBA REDUCES INTEREST RATES

DOWN 0.75% to a Cash Rate of 5.25%

Bad times in property markets are great times to buy property! While most home-buyers and investors have sat on their hands waiting for something to happen, even if they weren't quite sure what it was they were waiting to happen. The housing market in Australia is being driven by sentiment that doesn't match the underlying economic fundamentals of the Australian ecomnomy and the housing market, and is looking more to the property markets of the US.

This has deterred new and old buyers alike, but this stalemate can't last with a distinct lack of suitable housing to meet demand, vacancy rates low, money becoming cheaper and the huge incentives for first home buyers. Housing prices will stabilise and now is a great time to buy at or near the bottom of the market cycle.

With interest rates falling, the population in SE Queensland rising and a lack of housing supply, property is still an excellent investment. The masses tend to buy when prices are high and sell in the tough times when they are low. Smart property investors work counter to the cycle, buying low and selling high are capitalising on others' mistakes.

In order to maximise the rewards from your property purchase, whether it be your own home, a business premise or an investment property, talk to a Morpheus Property Agent and get the expert's advice.

Call on 1300 727 586 or email us at enquiries@morpheusproperty.com.au

Yours in property

Caution when buying - Martyn Fleming

Brisbane Airport Corporation - Projects

There are a number of major projects, which Brisbane Airport Corporation have planned or underway. Project expediture is predicted to be around $2.5 billion over the next 10 years.

Below is a summary of projects and links to more information:
- Parallel Runway Project
- Northern Access Road Project
- International Terminal Expansion Project
- Domestic Terminal Precinct Expansion Project
- Master Plan

Contact us today on 1300 727 586 if you would like to discuss the likely impact this will have on the property market, as well as other projects, such as the Gateway Upgrade Project, Hormibrook duplication, Airport Link & Northern Busway.

Remember, it's YOUR offer.

Contract Law 101: As buyers, you make the first move by making an offer on a property. Of course, to have legal effect, it must be in writing (verbal offers are worth the paper they're written on). If your offer is accepted by the vendor, you typically have a binding contract, subject to terms and conditions.

As a buyer, you are likely to have certain terms and conditions that meet your needs, such as finance, building and pest, due diligence, subject to prior sale, contemporaneous sale, settlement date, etc.

When drafting an offer, most buyers tell the vendor's agent (selling agent) how they want their contract to read. The vendor's agent drafts the offer and gives it to the buyer to sign.

Sound simple? It should be.

What we find remarkable is how many changes can occur during this drafting stage. We constantly see contracts where conditions have been altered, removed, periods adjusted, etc. If you sign this version, it is still your offer, so as always... buyer beware!

Tip: Do not sign your offer in the presence of the vendor or vendor's agent. Take it away and read it thoroughly. Compare it to the checklist of terms and conditions you have specified. Go over it with a fine toothcomb, even if the agent claims it was "a simple copy and paste job" and it's a "standard REIQ contract".

We have even asked why some of our conditions have been changed, and agents have given us some reasons, like "The vendor is unlikely to accept the ones you gave me", etc.

Ultimately, it is YOUR offer and you are able to submit whatever you please. If the vendor counter-offers, they are similarly allowed to alter the contract in any way they see fit. At this point, it becomes their offer. When it comes back, you are free to accept, counter-offer or reject the offer given to you by the vendor (and so it goes). If you choose to counter-offer, you again have the choice to specify whatever conditions you need (even if they were altered by the vendor).

Until someone accepts the contract without making any changes, we are only dealing with 'offers'. Again, you're free to make whatever changes you please, as it is your offer.

If you need help, call us on 1300 727 586.

Yours in property!

Keep your 'Options' open

Call option deeds, or 'option contracts'. Investors love them and vendors hate them. This is a common misconception as vendors are starting to get the message, particularly in today's buyer's market.

How do they work?
In short, option contracts give investors the right to take control of the property without the obligation to purchase. This is typically useful for developers, who are looking for some form of value-add on the property, such as a DA for splitting, etc. Most developers then on-sell the property (with improvements) and reap the benefit of not having to pay stamp duty, minimising transaction costs, etc.

The art is in convincing the vendor this is a good result for them. This is when you get your favourite buyers agent working for you (that's us, by the way)!

Sound appealing to you and want to know more?

Contact Morpheus Property on 1300 727 586.

Yours in property!

Hot Spots - Past, Present or Future?

In property, the term "Hot Spot" describes an area with above-average capital growth.

Most property magazines or websites will make reference to "Hot Spots". However, journalists often focus on what is easy to report - the past! The article usually has a graph showing a nice sharp rise in value over the last 10 years. The author goes on to explain why it has grown so strongly. But how useful is this as a property investor?

It's quite useful to see how the property market has responded to activity in the area. We can use this to help test our assumptions of growth into the future. However, places where growth has already achieved record levels don't necessarily make them a good area to buy. In fact, they can often be the worst!!

To understand what makes a potential "Hot Spot", Morpheus Property takes an eagle-eyed view of Queensland. We consider factors which are likely to effect property value in the future, including:

- Infrastructure
- Development
- Changing demographics
- Government planning
- Commercial activity

At Morpheus Property, we assess the short and long term impacts of these projects and the likely impact they have on demand for property in the area.

For example, Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) are expanding the existing Brisbane Airport (in a NW direction), Airport Link tunnel has early works under way and Gateway Upgrade Project is making good progress. Combined, these projects require a great deal of accommodation. The accommodation isn't just for the many thousand workers and their families (who don't want to travel too far to work), but also includes commercial support (industrial, warehouses, storage, etc).

Gladstone is another area with more potential for growth. Some might say this area has already achieved strong growth, based on a large amount of mining activity in the area. However, Gladstone has many more mining projects in the pipeline (so to speak) and is about to experience strong growth on top of an strong performance over the last few years. In short, prior growth doesn't exclude an area from future growth, but there should be some rationale to support it.

Thinking about investing? Give us a call if you would like to talk to Morpheus Property about a project or area - 1300 727 586.

Yours in property!

Mining Activity in Queensland

As we all know, Queensland is rich with mining deposits and there are incredibly high levels of current and planned activity for central and northern Queensland.

The demand for real estate as a result of mining activity are both direct and indirect.
Example:The two projects planned to commence in the Dysart area in 2009 (Central Queensland) will have a direct impact on housing in Dysart itself. Currently, there are only 4 properties for sale in Dysart itself for an average of around $430k. The two projects bring an additional demand for a workforce of 940 people to a town which has a current population of around 3,500.

However, it is also likely to impact demand for property in the neighbouring areas - Moranbah, Clermont, Emerald, as well as Mackay and Rockhampton. You're also likely to see an increased demand for industrial and storage in the area.

The abareconomics website is a good resource to help familiarise yourself with current and planned mining activities. The list includes the actual excavation projects, as well as the infrastructure projects to support them. The detail includes project names, companies involved, location, progress, estimated commencement, type and value of product extracted, capital expenditure and workforce size.

As always, Gladstone is the one to watch with 21 listed projects and a staggering anticipated demand for housing in the area over the next 10 years.

Visit the abareconomics website for more information, or call 1300 727 586 to talk to us about the relationship between these projects and local housing demand in the neighbouring areas:
http://www.abareconomics.com/

Yours in property!