Splendour Bellevue Hill – Live the high life in one of Sydney’s most prestigious addresses

View at Splendour, Bellevue Hill

Long been regarded as one of Sydney’s most distinguished suburbs, Bellevue Hill has been home to Sydney’s elite for over a century and a half, with the Fairfax family building Ginahgulla which still stands today. Prized from early settlement for its glorious views and beautiful, sheltered valley, the name ‘Bellevue’, translated from the French ‘beautiful view’, says it all.

Ginahgulla, Bellue Hill

As one of Syndey’s most long-established suburbs, Bellevue Hill boasts an abundance of historic mansions and gardens and one of the loveliest parks in Sydney. Cooper Parklands spread across a massive 38 acres, showcasing an impressive array of mature trees, meandering pathways, ponds and weirs, secret grottoes, gazebos, sandstone staircases and even an earthen amphitheatre.

 

Cooper Parklands, Bellevue Hill

Befitting a suburb of this calibre, some of Sydney’s most sought after schools are located here. Cranbrook, Scots College and nearby Kambala, Kincoppal and Ascham have educated some of Sydney’s greatest minds. Also being located so close to Sydney Harbour, its best beaches and the Sydney CBD yet having such a peaceful atmosphere, the exclusivity of Bellevue Hill can rarely be equalled.

Bellamy Beach, Rose Bay / Bellevue Hill

And not to be overlooked, the amenity of luxury shopping in Westfield Bondi Junction caters for even the most exacting shopper. With the finest international designer brands, luxury local labels, iconic department stores, a day to night dining and entertainment precinct and supermarkets to boot, Westfield provides for every shopping need.

Westfield, Bondi Junction

Then for even more boutique shopping, charming Bellevue Hill Village is home to deluxe homewares stores, fabulous cafés, a beauty salon, a marvellous old-style fruit shop, delicatessen and scrumptious bakery. Then at the foot of this magnificent hill lies Double Bay Shopping Village and all its extravagant shopping spots.

 
Belleview Hill Village                                                                                                            Tucker, Bellevue Hill Village

And now this illustrious suburb has a prestigious new addition, Splendour Residences, created by esteemed developer The Denwol Group and a team of multi-award-winning architects, interior and landscape designers. North-facing atop a dramatic cliff overlooking the Cooper Parklands, Splendour offers a boutique selection of exquisitely crafted homes inspired by their idyllic natural surrounds. These extraordinary properties magnificently frame the divine outlooks across the expansive Park and beyond to Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

Splendour, Belleview Hill

To own a property of unsurpassed refinement, extraordinary serenity and beauty that will make your heart sing, discover the Splendour Residences as only a select few remain. Contact the Cramer team today to book a private viewing and learn more.

Upcoming ‘New Central Park’ a Boon for Redfern and Surry Hills Residents

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has just announced that the state intends to reclaim 20 of the 45-hectares of land occupied by Moore Park Golf Course once the current lease on the land expires in 2026. The decision to take back this massive pact of land has been made to provide the public with green space and much-needed recreation areas for the residents of the increasingly dense local area.



The Government will create a thriving new park with masses of green space, grassroots sports and multiple recreation hubs. A discussion paper will be released year early next, 2024, as part of a consultation process about the future of the course, and an extensive design project creating a myriad of green areas, sport resources and recreation spaces will get underway soon after. 

In an effort to explain the decision to disgruntled golfers, Premier Minns said, "We're certainly not declaring war on golf, what we are saying is this golf course in the heart of the CBD, which is already densely populated, is a better use as a park than an 18-hole golf course." Further justifying the decision, Minns notes “Over the past century, Sydney has changed significantly. When the golf course was first established, the surrounding areas were largely industrial land.” But given the ‘significant urban regeneration…. delivering public infrastructure including parks is more important than ever before.”



The City of Sydney had previously proposed a similar plan to convert part of the course into public parklands, but the plan was blocked by the previous Coalition State Government. City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said this current decision is "a terrific outcome for the community. This is public land and the public will have access to 20 hectares of public parkland," Ms Moore said. She said the area was allocated as a golf course in 1913 when its surrounds were primarily industrial.

 

And member for Sydney, Alex Greenwich, whose electorate includes the course, is also enthusiastically backing the decision commenting, “This announcement respects the growing need of the expanding inner city for new open green space and I thank the government for returning this precious parkland back to public use.” And all is not lost for our city’s golf-mad residents, as 9 of the 18 holes will remain as will a driving range.

If you want to live close to the incredible upcoming parklands and recreation areas that will make up this expansive and exciting new park, check out the magnificent new TOGA development, Surry Hills Village, contact the Cramer team to learn more.

Wining, Dining and Living Large in Superb Surry Hills

Food at Nour, Crown Street, Surry Hills

Surry Hills has long been known as one of the best places to eat out in Sydney, and at no time this uber cool suburb’s wining and dining been better. Taking a culinary and vinous trip through the culturally buzzing streets of the Surry Hills Hood, we have discovered some extraordinary venues that should be at the top of any food and wine appreciation list.

 

Nour, Crown Street, Surry Hills

One of our absolute favourites is Nour, a Middle Eastern restaurant that is not only aesthetically superb, but also appeals to the most demanding gourmand’s palate. Chefs extraordinaire, Farag and Lonati take classic Lebanese flavours and through bold experimentation, create dishes that will set your senses alight. Standout á la carte dishes include the Mussel-topped Hummus, Raw Bluefin Tuna with Caramelised Kishk and Bulgur, Glazed Lamb Shoulder, Wagyu Beef Skewers and Chicken Bits Shawarma. And check out the award-winning wine list for the smoothest drop.

Armorica Grande Brasserie,  Crown Street, Surry Hills

Next up in our list of favs is Armorica Grande Brasserie, latest offering from the owners of the highly successful Franca in Potts Point. Sumptuously self-described as ‘an elegant evocation of a traditional Parisian Brasserie’ and ‘homage to the city of Paris’, Armorica is a delight to Francophiles and gourmands alike. Featuring a custom-built Josper grill, the menu showcases wood-fire cooking at its finest and takes steak and chips to a whole new level with their extraordinary choice of cuts. The sides are divine and the seafood is superb. If you want to get fully decadent, go for the sumptuous Seafood Tower, and with Amorica’s Friday Late Night Jazz and carefully curated wine list, you’ll surely be in foodie heaven.




 

Poly, Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

Housed in the Paramount House Hotel on Commonwealth, subterranean wine bar and restaurant, Poly, is the more laid back sister to Ester, one of Sydney’s most acclaimed restaurants. Sample the sublime small scale producer wine list featuring Organic and Biodynamic offerings. Their innovative, ever-changing snack menu focuses on ironbark woodfire flavours. Current standouts on offer are Fermented Potato Bread, Cured Iberico Cebo Shoulder, Grilled Murray Cod and Whole BBQ Spatchcock.


     Tokyo Bird, Belmore Lane, Surry Hills                                                                          Tio’s Cerveceria, Foster Street, Surry Hills

In Surry Hills, brilliant bars are on almost every proverbial corner. Tokyo Bird brings a taste of Japanese bar culture to Sydney, specialising in whisky, cocktails, beer, yakitori and Studio Ghibli films projected on the walls. Go hard or go home with their Whisky Highball complete with a painstakingly hand-chipped ice ball coupled with your choice of charcoal cooked skewer. Then for some Mexican culture, head to Tio’s Cerveceria for tequila, mezcal or their killer Margarita.




 
Brix Distillers, Bourke Street, Surry Hills

And if rum is your thing, be delighted and surprised at Sydney’s one and only dedicated craft rum distillery, Brix Distillers. A rum trolley roams the venue every night, encouraging guests to sample the range, or there are more than 150 premium rum labels from around the world. And to soak up the alcohol, sample the Colombian chef’s South American fare such as Fish Taco with flair, Rum-glazed Lamb, Pork or Beef ribs or a fiery Pimped Smashburger.

To live moments from all the action in the divinely decadent designer development, Surry Hills Village, call Emma Chappell today to find out more about the outstanding properties on offer.

Labour’s new Help to Buy Scheme

Labour’s new Help to Buy Scheme - A lifeline that’s not only for First Home Buyers

Labour have just announced more details of their Help to Buy Scheme, a key promise in last year’s election. Yet to give a specific date for when the scheme will come into effect, Labour has assured the Australian people it will begin in 2024 and it will apply to 10,000 homes. 

Help to Buy is what’s known as a Shared Equity Scheme, allowing eligible home buyers to co-buy a home with the government. Purchaser’s will only need a 2% deposit and the scheme will provide an equity contribution of up to 40% of the property price for new homes and 30% for existing properties. You will also need to prove you can service your share of the loan, that you can pay all associated costs such as Stamp Duty, legal fees and bank fees and you must be able to pay all rates, strata and electricity bills. 

The scheme will run for 4 years and help 40,000 low and middle income earners to buy a home. To be eligible, you must be an Australian citizen over 18 years of age, your annual income must be $93,200 or less for individuals and $124,200 or less for couples and you must live in the purchased home. The scheme is available to First Home Buyers but also includes single parents, singles over 50 and First Home Buyer key workers who are employed as police, paramedics, nurses, midwives, teachers and early childhood educators. 

Sydneysiders will reap the biggest rewards, as you will be able to purchase a property for up to $950,000. When estimating how much you will save in real terms, Labour states that the scheme will help to cut the cost of a mortgage by up to $380,000 on a new home and $285,000 on a pre-existing home, depending on the price you pay for the property. 

To make it economically viable for the government to fund this, scheme participants will need to pay a component of any capital gain back to the government, which will be calculated in reference to the portion of the government’s equity share in the property. This equity only needs to be repaid on the sale of the property, but you can increase your stake in the home by paying a minimum of 5% towards the government’s share if and when you have any extra money. 

The major benefits of the scheme are would-be homeowners can get into the market far sooner than would otherwise be possible, the government will not charge any fees or interest, Lenders Mortgage Insurance will not need to be paid (potentially saving over $30,000) and the home loan amount and repayments will be far less than if the loan balance was for the full equity amount. 

Cramer have a number of outstanding apartments in excellent locations that meet the criteria for the Help to Buy Scheme, costing $950,000 or less. To find out more contact the Cramer team today.

To Invest or Not to Invest, That is the Question - Part 3

Part 3 - Property Investment in High Interest Rate Environments

In Part 3 of investing in property in a high interest rate environment and assessing your personal suitability to do so, we continue to draw upon the financial and economic wisdom gleaned from Arjun Paliwal of InvestorKit and Redom Sayed of Confidence Finance’s whitepaper, ‘5 x Rules for Investing in High Interest Rate Environments.’ 

Another of Paliwal and Sayed’s rules states that no matter the market, there is always something somewhere that is growing in real estate investment terms. Sydney has many markets that are growing at different rates at different times. By observing location-specific fluctuations over time, seasoned investors often become more disposed to diversification of property assets by splitting properties across different locations. 

Sentiment plays a huge role in what happens in any market, and the property market is no exception. The effect of a global pandemic and what has seemed like an unremitting interest rate up-cycle created fear and confusion in the market, sparking a downturn in prices. The fact that Australian households are carrying far more debt than a decade ago means the speed in which interest-rate- associated price changes occur and market shifts happen is far quicker. 

Regardless of these negative impacts, data shows that interest rate rises have not correlated with the Sydney property market falling significantly, largely due to a quick regain in confidence, a notable undersupply of property and the sentiment that the majority of rate rises are behind us. Loan defaults have been super low, finance movements have been very high, and the depth and length of any price declines have been very shallow and short in many areas, all clear signs of Sydney’s inherent property market resiliency. In addition, the Reserve Bank’s common-sense policy and the country’s tough lending laws have protected Australia well from any major upheavals in the market. 

Finally, with the banks far more willing to reduce repayments than even a few weeks ago, investors are more likely to be able to target and reduce their debt portfolio. By shopping around, investors can reduce their repayments by taking advantage of a much lower assessment rate, with many banks offering cheaper and better terms in the last two months now the 3% buffer has been lowered due to confidence that we’ve seen the vast majority of rate rises. 

If you are considering an investment property, Cramer offer a range of architecturally superb properties with outstanding amenities in fantastic locations, contact the Cramer team today to discuss your requirements.


Disclaimer: This information and any content provided is general in nature and should not be taken as investment advice. Cramer Property are not liable for actions taken based on this content. Always seek advice from relevant professionals such as legal, financial and accounting experts.

Must See Marrickville!

Factory Theatre, Victoria Road, Marrickville

Voted by TimeOut as one of the world’s ten coolest neighbourhoods, the lifestyle on offer in Marrickville is unrivalled, and its live music and theatre scene is no exception. With its wealth of funky venues and playhouses, you will be spoiled for choice when looking for the best places to party.

First cab off the ranks is the Factory Theatre. This venue hosts incredible live events from an array of performance genres, from standup comedy to sketch, live music and more. On Wednesday 27th September at 8pm, UK hip hop star ArrDee, who’s had an explosive rise to the top with 2022’s most-streamed hip hop records, returns to our shores following a sold out run last year. And kicking off at the start of November, The Life of Bryon is an extraordinary play filled with laughter and pathos. A heartwarming exploration of family and the challenges of love, responsibility, and growing up. The play sees the world through the eyes of one man as he struggles with his past and the critical decision he must make. And after the Factory, pop across to Poor Tom’s Gin Hall for a great cocktail.

Poor Toms Gin Hall, Chalder Avenue, Marrickville

The Flightpath Theatre is the ideal spot to catch emerging acts and rising stars in an intimate venue, or to witness more experimental work than the larger theatres generally offer. Following a performance here head around the corner to much-loved neighbourhood pub, The Henson. This dog-friendly, Art Deco watering hole has an honest working-class bar and great dining with a focus on quality, seasonality and sustainability. With its leafy, child-friendly beer garden, The Henson is a playground for all to enjoy.


Noel Hodda. In This Light at Flightpath Theatre. Photography © Robert Catto

Lazybones Lounge is known for serving up quality live music in the heart of Marrickville seven nights a week. Across its two floors you’ll find up to 15 bands playing each week spanning a variety of genres including R&B, jazz, afrobeat, soul and more amid its decadent Bohemian décor. Camelot Lounge is Sydney’s favourite boutique music venue and home to fantastic singer songwriters, World Music, Jazz, Folk, Blues, Cabaret and Comedy. A friendly venue for young and old alike, coming acts include Johnny G and the E Types, a tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Bowie Unzipped, Johnny G and the E Types, Evil Gal Blues and much more.


Lazybones, Marrickville Road, Marrickville

Another pup-friendly locale is Vic on the Park, Merivale’s Marrickville gem that hosts live music showcasing a spectrum of local talent, along with street murals, creative pub fare and a dance floor that allows you to get down. Pop along to The Grifter Brewing Co for its bright and refreshing range of beers, then just a quick walk away, we can’t go past the iconic Enmore, with outstanding upcoming acts including Belinda Carlisle, The Doors Alive and Deacon Blue.

The Enmore, Enmore Road, Newtown

Marrickville’s largest live music venue, The Great Club, with its 300 seats, is an appropriate pitstop for large touring acts featuring styles ranging from pop and jazz, to acoustic and experimental. While the stage and sizeable bar are undeniably the venue’s main attractions, the small museum of Greek artifacts from the 1950s building’s Greek Macedonian Club incarnation are worth admiring. Upcoming acts include Ash Grunwald and a fab lineup from the USA including Satsung, Jenny Don’t & The Spurs and The Pink Stones.

The Great Club, Livingstone Road, Marrickville

Other great venues include Gasoline Pony which has live music Wednesday to Sunday with Community Choir & Sea Shanty Club on a Tuesday. Then there’s the Marrickville Bowling Club with upcoming gigs featuring Sundogs, a classic rock and roll band compared to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Pulley, a Punk Rock band from California. And to keep up the good spirits, head across to The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre, replete with 80s nostalgia, Australian-Chinese food and plenty of beer.

To live close to all the amazing live action in this greatest of Sydney suburbs, contact the Cramer team today and learn about the divine apartments at Wicks Place on the Park.

Emma Chappell

Head of Sales & Marketing

Tel 02 8302 1500

emma@cramerproperty.com

To Invest or Not to Invest, That is the Question - Part 2

Part 2 - Property Investment in High Interest Rate Environments

In Part 2 of investing in property in a high interest rate environment and assessing your personal suitability to do so, we will continue to unpack the information amassed by financial and economic gurus, Arjun Paliwal of InvestorKit and Redom Sayed of Confidence Finance in their comprehensively researched whitepaper, ‘5 x Rules for Investing in High Interest Rate Environments.’

When considering property investment, Paliwal and Sayed say it is essential to know the numbers and how to break them down. It is critical for the would-be investor to stress test an investment prior to committing to it, and getting the help of a financial planner and accountant to crunch the numbers is critical to an investment’s suitability for your personal financial situation.



It is imperative to establish how to manage risk, for example the buffers you need for a particular property, minimum rental yields, purchase price limits and your percentage of net savings per month both now and estimating into the future. The current environment is a fantastic litmus test as if you are satisfying tests of stress with the current high rates, but again, your financial planner and accountant will be best placed to assess risk.

For those who already have a property portfolio, when considering a new property, the same in-depth number crunching applies before one takes on more risk in their property portfolio. Very few people buy property outright in cash. As mentioned in Part 1, the vast majority of property investors invest with mortgage debt - the most common Loan to Value being 80%. So, any additions to an investment portfolio need to take into account other assets and debt. In general terms, Paliwal and Sayed also stress that Australia has not had two negative calendar years of property price growth in over 40 years. The last time this occurred was in the 1970s. This shows how resilient the market is and how quickly adjustment periods can pass. The Sydney market is already showing property price increases over recent months.



While the Sydney market fell quickly when rates began to rise last year due to panic and sensitivity after being so used to historically low rates, investors are now more accustomed to rises and for the vast majority, individuals’ positions are far stronger than anticipated in the current high rate environment. With mortgage delinquency incredibly low, property supply dwindling and recent price declines invariably very short, there is a promising return in confidence across the real estate market.

If you are considering an investment property, Cramer offer a range of architecturally superb properties with outstanding amenities in fantastic locations. Contact the Cramer team to learn more.

Disclaimer: This information and any content provided is general in nature and should not be taken as investment advice. Cramer Property are not liable for actions taken based on this content. Always seek advice from relevant professionals such as legal, financial and accounting experts.