Eat your heart out in Redfern’s mouth-wateringly good cafes, restaurants and bakeries

       Redbird, Redfern Street

Flying high at the forefront of Sydney’s food scene is one of Sydney’s most hip and happening suburbs, Redfern. With delectable eateries galore, you’ll be absolutely spoiled for choice. There are a number of Redfern eating institutions, but check out the wealth of new food offerings in this coolest of suburbs.

New to the food scene, RedBird is receiving rave reviews for its Modern take on Chinese cuisine. With oysters to write home about, brilliantly exotic appetisers, new takes on Chinese classics and some unexpected ingredients, RedBird is a must visit for your list of new restaurants to try.

       Redbird, Redfern Street

A baby sister to the glorious bakery Breadfern, Little Fern has opened its doors to locals and those who come from far and wide to sample its supremely scrumptious offerings. Just one look at the website will have your mouth watering, let alone as you enter this brilliant bakery and the heavenly smell excites your senses. Catering to any dietary desires, the loaves, patisseries, savoury delights and celebration cakes are organic and gluten-free.

 

Little Fern Regent Street

Be transported to Italy with recently opened restaurant, Fontana. Kick things off with their fantastic Martini, then move onwards and upwards to the insanely good Mozzarella in Carrozza, Polpette de Sarde (sardine ‘meatballs’), Paccheri pasta in Kangaroo Ragu and Fontana’s signature Carpaccio Fruiti de Mare. And if you think you’ve tasted Ricotta, think again when you order the Fontana version that is house-made every morning.


      Fontana, Redfern Street

      Carpaccio Fruiti de Mare at Fontana

For something uniquely, authentically Australian try out Bush. With an ethos of combining food that celebrate native fare and use invasive species to prevent their damage to the environment, this is feel good food at its best. Try Smoked Eel Pikelets, Kangaroo Carpaccio, Warrigal Green Pasta Flathead on Paperbark and Wattle seed Flan for a culinary adventure.

  
Bush, George Street, Redfern

Wanting to live near all this culinary action, check out award-winning TNT Residences available now to inhabit and love.

Attention Empty Nesters! Discover how strata living can greatly enhance your lifestyle

Though I am not mad on the term empty nester, it does describe well the feelings associated with the family home suddenly becoming devoid of its children, notwithstanding that they are generally adults by the time they have flown the coup. The big family home and garden can quickly feel redundant, and as remaining parents, we often have a sense of something missing or not quite right.

However, with a shift in perspective, there is much to look forward to in this new chapter of life. Ahead lies time to dedicate to yourself for once, perhaps continue your education, exercise more, even realise your travel bucket list …. the list is as endless as you want it to be. And the more time you have to focus on new and exciting pursuits, the greater your sense of wellbeing.



The decision to move on from the family home can be triggered by a number of things. It could be the case of too big a house for the parents’ new reality. Or property maintenance fatigue brought about by the tasks you still need to do to maintain your home. It could also be that you wish to free up some of your property assets and have more time and money to pursue lifestyle activities that were just not possible when the kids were at home. So, it is totally predictable that many of us start to consider downsizing once the dust left in the kids’ bedrooms begins to settle. 

And if you are going to downsize, think strata living. The amount of extra time you will have up your sleeve when living in an apartment cannot be underestimated. Common area maintenance and repairs, cleaning and rubbish removal are all taken care of. The maintenance budget, insurances, sinking fund contingencies are also all taken care of. If you wish to travel, leaving your home is a far more viable option when it is located in a well-maintained building. Having an apartment in a security building gives you far more peace of mind. 

Living the strata life is financially more predictable and manageable. When we look to the medium and long term, the maintenance costs of a non-strata property can hit out you of the blue and the full brunt of any expensive repair or upgrade needed must be borne completely by you, as the sole property owner. Conversely, the sinking fund of a strata property, with its quarterly instalments contributed by all owners in the building, will generally cover the costs of repairs and maintenance. Also, in any well-run strata, major works forecasting allows for the sinking fund to be regulated so it can sufficiently cover all foreseeable works. This sort of forecasting for future expenses is rarely done in a non-strata property. 

When making the move to strata living, consider buying off-the-plan property. This gives you the time to get all your affairs in order and your brand-new apartment will be all bells and whistles and ready to occupy in its pristine state. Choose property with intelligently designed floorplans, spacious balconies or courtyard for outdoor entertaining, excellent quality appliances, well organised and aesthetically pleasing common facilities and a sleek, easy-to-care-for modern finish. Also choosing a development located in a thriving area with brilliant restaurants, bars, shopping and facilities will enrich your life enormously. 

For exquisite designer strata developments that perfectly fit the bill, please contact Emma Chappell, Head of Sales & Marketing for a full list of properties that will suit your needs

SYDNEY FIRST HOME BUYER ALERT! Stamp Duty or Land Tax Choice – Take advantage while it lasts!

The option for First Home Buyers in NSW to choose between paying upfront stamp duty on their new home or pay a significantly less annual Land Tax is now up and running under the current Liberal Government. This scheme makes buying your first home much more feasible as it removes the huge up-front additional expense of Stamp Duty if paying annual land tax is the option you choose to take.

So long as the property you purchase is under or including $1.5 million and it is your first home, you get to decide which option works best for you. With stamp duty, you pay upfront the highest amount between a percentage of the purchase price of your property or its current market valuation. This mean a substantial out of pocket additional expense to what you will pay for your property.



On the other hand, if you choose to pay annual tax payments, the out of pocket is a radically reduced amount. You pay instalments of the land value of your property, which for the financial years of 2023 and 2024 will be calculated at $400 + 0.3% of the land value of your property if you live in it. Even if your first property is purchased as an investment, instead of significant stamp duty cost you will pay $1,500 per annum + 1.1% of the land value. For the 2024-25 financial year, property tax will be indexed annually, with year to year growth of land tax capped at 4%.



However, the land tax option could become obsolete if Labor is selected for NSW Government at the next election, as they plan to revert to Stamp Duty only. With the election only just around the corner on Saturday the 25th of March 2023, there is no time like the present to take advantage of this option. So long as you have purchased your property prior to its removal, you will not be forced back into the old Stamp Duty only system.

Cramer have a number of outstanding properties that will allow First Home Buyers to take advantage of this initiative while it is still available. Wicks Place by the Park is a new master planned project offering exceptionally designed apartments in the Inner West’s most iconic new development.

Read More Here

Read More Here

Read More Here

Presenting the Surry Hills Village Courtyard and Garden Apartment Collection

Representing the ultimate in apartment living, discover the exquisite Courtyard and Garden Apartments of Surry Hills Village, Toga’s extraordinary landmark development. 

With only a few oversized outdoor courtyard properties available, don’t delay discovering these sublimely beautiful homes. 

• Located within an iconic development that is selling out fast 

• House-like garden apartments with expansive courtyard space 

• Offering entertainer’s dream living - great for those with children and/or pets 

• Only 3 x Two Bedroom Courtyard Apartments available 

• Final One Bedroom Garden Gate Apartment with direct access to the Residents Only Garden 

• Featuring a multi-award-winning team of architects and designers 

• Impeccably landscaped by internationally awarded Aspect Studios 

• Exceptional finishes featuring Bohemian scheme with European timber floors and Corian kitchen island or Showgirl with Terrazzo stone floors and kitchen island 

• Development features European-style laneways, outstanding restaurants, Coles flagship store, artisan providores, boutiques and workspaces 

Surry Hills Village is a totally new development right at the beginning of Surry Hills’ Crown Street on the perimeter of the edgy suburb of Redfern, creating a gateway to these two historic suburbs and an iconic addition to Sydney’s most exciting place to live and play. 

Surry Hills Village is developed by TOGA, a renowned developer and builder who have been family-owned since 1963 and recently awarded an impressive 4.5/5 star iCIRT Rating. 

These prime properties are well under construction and on-track for completion Q3 2023, allowing you to move in well before next Christmas. Discover below the three exclusive Two Bedroom Courtyard Apartments (two of which also have prized scullery) and the final One Bedroom Garden Gate Apartment:

See Full Details Here

See Full Details Here

See Full Details Here

See Full Details Here

Happy Holiday Homemaking - Seasons Greetings from the Cramer Team

Whether celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, the holidays or long summer days, it is a great time to give your home a touch (or a grand flourish) of festive season accessorising in the lead up to the silly season. Christmas decorations come in all incarnations, from the ridiculous to the sublime, so with some spare change or a full wallet, you can dress up your home in style.



There is nothing like the pine smell of a real Christmas tree so for setting the scene, nothing will beat it. The tree doesn’t have to be Times Square size, you can even get miniature versions of the real thing, so no matter how much space you have to work with, you can have your home smelling like Christmas in an instant. In the age of reusing and recycling, a small tree can be popped in a larger pot and placed on the balcony for use next year in a slightly taller form.



You don’t have to feel guilty if you opt for a faux Christmas tree. The range is extensive nowadays, so you will find the perfect faux tree to complement your style and existing home décor. Many faux trees are incredibly realistic, but keep in mind you that need to store them during the non-Christmas months if you want to look after the planet by reusing them each Christmas.

For a hark back to the old school days, crepe paper makes nostalgic decorative chains. Mix it up by using your favourite colours to complement the rest of your home. Get creative with a little water-colour on some card and transform them into a gorgeous string of cut-out angels or stars.



Tree ornaments can be gorgeous or garish. A great tradition to start is buying a few beautifully crafted new ornaments every year. They accumulate fast and if you have children, they will look forward to this and appreciate them much more than if you buy a whole house-full at once - quality over quantity at work!

 

Wreaths can be home made and are easier than you’d think. Since we have a hot Christmas, collect bits of driftwood, shells and leaves and glue them onto a hallow round circle of wood or wire (Bunnings will have something.) If you are time poor, wreaths are easily available to buy at all major stores and the choice is extensive.

For Hanukkah, blue, silver and gold are the colours to go with and candles for the menorah can go either in the family heirloom candelabra or be lined up in individual holders. You can create your own star of David or Hamsa shapes with the age-old art of stencilling. You'll need a cutting mat,  scalpel or craft knife, stencil paper and flat ended stencil brush which can be purchased from a craft store. Get your gelt (gold) in the form of chocolate coins, Australian coins or if you are as rich as Rockefeller, the real thing.



And if you just want to celebrate summer, create decorative displays using shells, driftwood and flowers galore. A few sculptural pieces of driftwood wrapped delicately in ivy, jasmine or bougainvillea will look glorious. And with so many flowers in season at the moment - even the Queen of all flowers, the Peony, is affordable now - uplift your home with floral displays.

Then top it all off with gorgeously scented candles to evoke holiday season vibes and further set the scene – Try Glasshouse’s Night Before Christmas or White Christmas. Now sit back, crack open a decent bottle of wine or your favourite craft beer and enjoy!

Wishing you the happiest and healthiest holidays from the Team @ Cramer.

ONCE IN A GENERATION ECONOMIC WINDFALL FOR NSW PROPERTY BUYERS

For decades, NSW stamp duty has been the bane of every property buyers’ existence, adding an unwelcome and excessive excess to the price of the property they are purchasing. This has especially affected would-be First Home Buyers, where stamp duty can be the factor that prevents them from getting on the property ladder. 

A new once-in-a-generation change to stamp duty and land tax laws mean people purchasing a home in NSW up to the value of $1,500,000 are able to opt for a radically smaller annual land tax payment instead of the crippling upfront lump-sum stamp duty. Although the legislation has not been completely signed off on, as of this weekend, if you purchase a property for $1,500,000 or less, you are eligible to get a stamp duty refund and pay the annual tax if you prefer. 

The NSW Treasury has projected that under the new program, if you purchase a property for $1,500,000, you would have a period of 63 years to reach the upfront stamp duty cost. The economic benefits are substantial when taking into consideration the average 7 years someone owns their property. It would take a further 58 years to reach the equivalent initial stamp duty figure of the existing payment system. 

Cramer Property have a number of outstanding properties for sale at $1,500,000 and under. And they have the additional benefit of being off-the plan, allowing you to better plan for your future. They are all impeccably designed by highly regarded developers with excellent track records and located within master planned developments in sought-after suburbs with great infrastructure and public transport systems.

see more here

see more here

Spring fever – Time for giving your home a domestic detail!

There’s nothing like spring to motivate us to clean up our act on the domestic front. Depending on the state of your winter housekeeping, this will either seem like a very doable weekend activity or a task of monumental (and non-achievable) proportions. Either way, you can nail this. No matter how daunting, you can stay positive by thinking in baby steps.



However, if you feel like tackling this head on, get out your pen and paper and do a home-wide reconnaissance. Go from room to room, and take note of dusty shelves, desktops etc; grimy marks on walls, doors and cupboards; any mould on walls and ceilings; cluttered drawers, wardrobes and cupboards that need tidying; old dusty, fraying cushions and any sheets or towels that need replacing.



Don’t forget to look up high if you want to do an excellent job of this – think tops of doorframes and paintings, ceiling smears and don’t miss any wall and ceiling cobwebs or the upper areas of your kitchen. Seems like this is taking it just a tad too far? Well, wait until you get up there and see the build-up of grime on top of the cupboards and rangehood. You’ll want it gone, believe me. And don’t forget windows… clean windows make your house look so much better and have the added benefit of letting in more light.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Don’t panic, just do things methodically, in bite sized tasks to make it all more doable amid your busy schedule. And once you actually start to tick off this list, you will find that not only does your house begin to feel miraculously cleaner and clearer, but so does your head. So just tackle what you can, when you can.




If you don’t like to work alone, get help. Enlist the help of a friend by trading a yummy home cooked dinner for some elbow grease. Pump up the music and think of it as a workout. It’s amazing how much muscle you can build with hard labour around the house. Then if you can afford it, have your carpet steam cleaned and if you live high up, have professional cleaners come and clean the outside of your windows. You won’t believe the difference.



Finally have a reward in mind for the day you have your house spick and span again. Maybe an hour massage, movie and dinner, deluxe mani-pedi – or for those with higher expectations and a bigger budget – a day spa or weekend away. Whatever it is, after your hard work you’ll be able to look forward to some well-deserved R&R and then return to your pristine home to greet spring head on.

And if your home is looking so good that you think it may finally be time to sell, don’t hesitate to contact us for an obligation-free appraisal of your home’s worth. With our decade’s of experience and highly competitive sales outcomes, Cramer will market and sell your home with the utmost of creativity and professionalism.

Contact Emma Chappell today:

Emma Chappell

Head of Sales & Marketing

Tel 02 8302 1500
Mob: 0404 769 509