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Three-bedroom home on the market for unbelievably cheap price

A three-bedroom home located on the border of Victoria and South Australia is up for sale for just $65,000. But there is a catch to future homeowners who want to experience the “quiet and cheap country living”, as they might need to be handy with a hammer. “If you’re a handyman and willing to put some elbow grease into it, then this one might be for you,” the listing read. The home itself is located on two plots of land measuring 2,100m2 in Serviceton, Victoria, and is only 16 minutes away from Bordertown, South Australia. “Being on two titles, you can utilise both or sell the vacant allotment as all the dwellings are on one,” the listing read. It also features a large lounge room with wood-fire heater, and a centrally located bathroom with a bath and vanity. There's plenty of room to cook in the massive kitchen, despite it needing a lot of work, it features a formal dining area that has a sliding servery window which connects to the lounge room. Outside, the future homeowner can find a large shed, rain water storage, and a gate that opens up to a park. “It went under contract ... an hour and a half (after it was listed),” Ray White agent Hayden Obst told 7News. The condition of its electrical, plumbing and appliances are unknown, but people are still expressing their interest. Despite this, many people from different parts of the country and a few investors are still calling the real estate agent, just in case the contract falls through. Images: 7News.com.au

Real Estate

Iconic Crocodile Dundee pub hits the market

The iconic Aussie pub that was made famous in Crocodile Dundee has hit the market. The Walkabout Creek Hotel, located in the remote Western Australian town of McKinlay, is up for sale with an asking price of $1.4 million. The local watering hole, which featured in the famous Paul Hogan film, features a public bar, pool room, store room, office, kitchen and a veranda. It also has nine rooms for accommodation and an attached caravan park for out of town visitors. The <a href="https://www.vzrealestate.com.au/listings/rural_sale-3742335-mckinlay/?doing_wp_cron=1694572016.2800199985504150390625" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listing</a> for the pub reads, "This could be the perfect opportunity to purchase a piece of Australian movie history and a great business all while enjoying true country atmosphere and breaking away from busy city life." The property was listed for sale by its owners Debbie and Frank Wust, who are retiring after owning the pub for nine years. “One thing that will always stick in my mind is when we first took over the joint, we had to keep pinching ourselves," Mr Wust told <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-22/crocodile-dundee-pub-for-sale/101256696" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> "We were like, 'Holy moly, we own the Crocodile Dundee pub!'" </div> "It definitely took a bit of getting used to, but honestly, we've been living the dream." "Who doesn't want to own a pub? Any time you want a drink you just go behind the bar and help yourself." Mr Wust said travellers from the UK and the US had made the trek all the way to Australia just to see the pub. Although Debbie and Frank are looking forward to their retirement, they admitted they will be sad when the day comes to had the keys over to the pub's new owner. <p class="paragraph_paragraph__3Hrfa" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"I'm really gonna miss the people out here — there are so many great characters," Mr Wust said. <p class="paragraph_paragraph__3Hrfa" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"But I reckon we'll be back each year." <p class="paragraph_paragraph__3Hrfa" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"It'll be exciting to see what the next lot do with it — if you're gonna buy a pub, may as well make it a famous one." Image credits: Getty Images / VZ Real Estate

Domestic Travel

Is the Barbie movie a bold step to reinvent and fix past wrongs or a clever ploy to tap a new market?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-gurrieri-5402">Lauren Gurrieri</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> After a months-long marketing blitz, the much-hyped Barbie movie is released this week. From a <a href="https://news.airbnb.com/barbies-malibu-dreamhouse-is-back-on-airbnb-but-this-time-kens-hosting/">Malibu Barbie dreamhouse</a> listed on AirBnB, an AI tool that <a href="https://www.barbieselfie.ai/au/">transforms selfies into Barbie movie posters</a> and multiple Barbie-themed brand collaborations ranging from nail polish to roller skates, Barbie is everywhere. She has even gone viral as a fashion trend known as <a href="https://www.elle.com.au/fashion/barbiecore-27286">Barbiecore</a>, exploding across social media with people embracing vibrant pink hues and hyper feminine aesthetics. A Barbie world is upon us. Although some have criticised this <a href="https://twitter.com/MosheIsaacian/status/1673415496929267712">saturation</a> strategy, it is a very deliberate marketing ploy to revitalise and redefine a brand with a contested position and history. As well as attracting adults who grew up with Barbie and are curious to see what’s changed, the reinvention is drawing in those younger fans swept up by the tsunami of marketing and merchandise. Despite being one of the <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/brandspark-most-trusted-brands-america-2022">most trusted brands</a> with a value of approximately <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1009126/barbie-brand-value-worldwide/">$US700 million</a>, Barbie has long attracted feminist criticism for fuelling outdated and problematic “plastic fantastic” sexist stereotypes and expectations. <h2>The Barbie backlash</h2> Only a few years back, Barbie was a brand in crisis. <a href="https://time.com/3667580/mattel-barbie-earnings-plus-size-body-image/">Sales plummeted</a> across 2011 to 2015 against the cultural backdrop of a rise in body positivity and backlash against a doll that represented narrow ideals and an impossible beauty standard. After all, at life-size Barbie represents a body shape held by <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01544300#page-1">less than 1 in 100,000</a> real people. In fact, she is so <a href="https://rehabs.com/explore/dying-to-be-barbie/#.UWs-5aKyB8F">anatomically impossible</a> that, if she were real, she would be unable to lift her head, store a full liver or intestines, or <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/305/6868/1575">menstruate</a>. The backlash has also been in response to growing concerns about how she influences child development, particularly how and what children learn about gender. Barbie has been identified as a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1740144521000243#!">risk factor</a> for thin-ideal internalisation and body dissatisfaction for young girls, encouraging <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S174014451630208X">motivation for a thinner shape</a> that damages body image and self esteem. And despite the multiple careers Barbie has held over the decades, research highlights that girls who play with Barbie believe they have <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-014-0347-y">fewer career options than boys</a>. This speaks to the power of toys to reinforce gender stereotypes, roles and expectations, and how Barbie has imported narrow ideals of femininity, girlhood and womanhood into young girls’ lives. <h2>Reinventing a long-established icon</h2> In response to this backlash, Mattel launched a new range of Barbies in 2016 that were promoted as <a href="https://shop.mattel.com/collections/fashion-dolls#filter.ss_filter_tags_subtype=Fashionistas">diverse</a>, representing different body shapes, sizes, hair types and skin tones. This was not without criticism, with “curvy” Barbie still considered thin and dolls named in ways that drew attention foremost to their bodies. From a white, well-dressed, middle-class, girl-next-door with friends of a similar ilk, Barbie has since been marketed as a symbol of diversity and inclusion. To signify the extent of the transformation, Mattel’s executives gave this project the code name “Project Dawn”. Mattel - like many other brands joining the <a href="https://theconversation.com/victorias-secret-joins-the-inclusive-revolution-finally-realizing-diversity-sells-163955">“inclusivity revolution”</a> - knew that diversity sells, and they needed to make their brand relevant for contemporary consumers. Diversity initiatives included a line of <a href="https://shop.mattel.com/pages/barbie-role-models">female role model dolls</a>, promoted as “introducing girls to remarkable women’s stories to show them you can be anything”. Barbie was also given a voice in the form of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5BsRl9zFaeSKIL4XD-pdGHGbJRvkfe8S">Barbie Vlogs</a>, where she expressed her views on issues including depression and the <a href="https://www.bustle.com/p/barbies-vlog-about-the-sorry-reflex-is-the-feminist-pep-talk-all-90s-babies-need-to-hear-9852366">sorry reflex</a>. A gender neutral collection called “creatable world” was added in 2019 to open up gender expression possibilities when playing with Barbies. Such efforts were crucial to undoing missteps of the past, such as a “Teen Talk Barbie” that was programmed to say “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSL2-rbE9AM">Math class is tough!</a>”, or the compulsory heterosexuality that Barbie has long advanced. <h2>The latest step in Barbie’s transformation</h2> Barbie the film is simply the next step in an evolution to make brand Barbie inclusive. And with a rumoured film budget of $100 million, the supporting marketing machine provides a critical opportunity to reset the Barbie narrative. With Greta Gerwig, acclaimed director of female-led stories such as Little Women and Lady Bird at the helm, and a diverse cast of Barbies of different races, body types, gender identities and sexual preferences, the film and its creators have sought to assure audiences of the film’s feminist leanings. Addressing the complicated history of Barbie is crucial for audiences who grew up and played with the doll and are grappling with introducing her to the next generation of doll consumers. Yet, Robbie Brenner, executive producer of Mattel Films, has explicitly stated that Gerwig’s Barbie is “not a feminist movie”. Indeed, the main character still represents a narrow beauty standard - tall, thin, blonde, white - with diverse characters in place to support her narrative. Which begs the question: are these inclusion initiatives simply emblematic of diversity washing, where the language and symbolism of social justice are hijacked for corporate profit? Or do they represent a genuine effort to redress the chequered history of a brand that promotes poor body image, unrealistic ideals and rampant materialism? What is clear is that in today’s climate where brands are increasingly rewarded for taking a stand on sociopolitical issues, brand Barbie’s attempts to reposition as inclusive have paid off: sales are now booming. Seemingly, Barbie’s famous tagline that “anything is possible” has shown itself to be true.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209394/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-gurrieri-5402">Lauren Gurrieri</a>, Associate Professor in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-the-barbie-movie-a-bold-step-to-reinvent-and-fix-past-wrongs-or-a-clever-ploy-to-tap-a-new-market-209394">original article</a>.

Movies

Weekend Sunrise host’s pup-tailored property hits the market

Channel 7 Weekend Sunrise host Matt Doran has put his apartment on the market, in the exclusive eastern Sydney suburb of Bellevue Hill. Doran plans to take advantage of the recovery in the cramped winter property market as he failed to sell the two-bedroom apartment in mid-2021. It has a June 24 auction guide of $1.8 million through BresicWhitney agents Maclay Longhurst and Zakir Abdallaoui. After securing the Tresscourt apartment from Sky News presenter Laura Jayes and her husband, former Seven reporter Alex Hart, for $1.385 million in 2017, Doran commissioned a complete remodel by Sydney designer Dylan Farrell. Doran began his “absolute passion project” with art tailored to the home by artist Vicki Lee. “It’s honestly going to be tough to part with this place,” Doran told The Sell. Doran and his wife, Weekend Today executive producer Kendall Bora are yet to purchase. “I bought it before I met Kendall after I moved back from LA. “The redesign was a big job; the lights and doors and windows custom-made … the centrepiece is a sliding steel door to the loungeroom, which needed 12 people to carry up and install. “We also extended the outdoor space, almost entirely to satisfy the demands of the galaxy’s most spoilt and demanding and glorious Italian greyhound, Murphy.” Per PopTrack, the median unit price in Bellevue Hill is $1.357,500, dipping 9.5 per cent over the past year. It is believed that Murphy will have the final say in their next acquisition. Doran and Bora will hold onto the Sunny Corner Cottage, a retreat accessed by boat and Berowra Waters and where they tied the knot in July 2021. The pair paid $1.75 million in 2021 for the 1905 waterfront property and had designer Tasmin Johnson work on its redesign into a luxury private holiday rental and event space. Image credit: Instagram / Realestate.com.au

Real Estate

The soundtrack to selling: why advertising with popular music needs to be pitch perfect

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/morteza-abolhasani-1346513">Morteza Abolhasani</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-open-university-748">The Open University</a> At some point today, it’s likely that you’ll listen to music. It may be during a commute or school run, while you do some exercise or take some time to relax. Music is all around us – an accessible and popular art form which <a href="https://online.ucpress.edu/mp/article-abstract/22/1/41/62190/Uses-of-Music-in-Everyday-Life?redirectedFrom=fulltext">accompanies our daily lives</a>. Advertisers have long understood the popularity and emotional power of music and used it to sell us things. Much time – and money – is spent on securing the right soundtrack to adverts in a bid to boost sales, such as when Microsoft <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1999-05-23/sing-a-song-of-selling?leadSource=uverify%20wall">spent a reported US$3 million</a> (£2.4 million) to use The Rolling Stones’ song Start Me Up as part of their advertising campaign for Windows 95. So how do companies choose the right music for their product? And why is it such a valuable ingredient in the mission to make us consume? Research suggests that the specific qualities of music as an art form enhances the science of selling. As one researcher <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mar.4220010303">puts it</a>: “Music […] is the catalyst of advertising. It augments pictures and colours words, and often adds a form of energy available through no other source.” Other <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-531-18916-1_19">studies have shown</a> how music transports, underlines or amplifies the persuasive message of adverts. Used well, it creates memorable commercials which influence our attitudes to a product or service. Take the visually simple but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6bGnSEwdKY">compelling advert</a> for Air France, with the soundtrack of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23. It projects grandeur and elegance, in the hope that viewers will associate those qualities with the airline. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J6bGnSEwdKY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1470593117692021">My research</a>, which looked at hundreds of viewer comments about the music used in advertising, suggests it was successful. Air France’s use of a sophisticated piece of classical music created a direct perception of a sophisticated and premium airline. This is supported by other <a href="https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/38632/chapter-abstract/335307151?redirectedFrom=fulltext">research</a> which suggests that music which matches the main message of an advert has a positive effect on consumer engagement. This alignment, known as “musical congruity”, can result in enhanced attention, a positive emotional response, and improved brand recall, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of an advert. <h2>Down memory lane</h2> Music is also effective at triggering <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1470593114521451?journalCode=mtqa">feelings of nostalgia</a>. The extent to which music arouses emotional memories – “musical indexicality” – in adverts creates associations with consumers’ past experiences. The music for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NwBcCUh24I">an advert</a> for Old Navy inspired <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1470593117692021">positive comments</a> based on viewers’ memories. A good choice of music allows businesses to tap into this nostalgia for commercial benefit, and my <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1470593117692021">research suggests</a> that music with autobiographical resonance can be particularly effective. Another example of this is when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pink+moon+vw">Volkswagen used</a> Nick Drake’s Pink Moon. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_-kqUkZnDcM?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> As one viewer commented: “Rarely do I get sentimental with commercials, but this one takes me back to the time when I was dating my wife and when we were first married. We used to take drives like this in the mountains and I remember looking at her beautiful face in the moonlight. The music is perfect. The sentiment is perfect.” (In this case, the 1999 advert also had a big impact on Nick Drake’s popularity, with album sales <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/nick-drake-pink-moon-song-volkwagen-commercial-182739/">dramatically increasing</a> after the advert’s release. Drake, who died at the age of 26, never saw commercial success in his lifetime.) <h2>Commercial clash</h2> But using music to advertise products doesn’t always work. For one thing, music can infiltrate the mind, repeat itself continuously and become extremely difficult to dislodge. This is why we can’t get some jingles out of our heads for ages. Involuntary and repetitive exposure to a piece of music can quickly reach the point of annoyance. The use of popular music in advertising can also provoke arguments around <a href="https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/currentmusicology/article/view/5206">the tensions</a> between artistic endeavour and commercialism. Some people believe a work of art should not be used for the pursuit of profit. In fact, the findings of my study on viewer comments showed that consumers sometimes passionately oppose the use of music by revered musicians being used in adverts, as they believe that doing this undermines its aesthetic integrity. For example, Nike’s use of the The Beatles’ song Revolution was seen by some as exploiting John Lennon’s lyrics to sell shoes. It made some Nike wearers so angry that they boycotted the brand. One wrote: “This is disgusting. Shame on Nike for exploiting priceless art. I will never buy another Nike shoe again.” Another said: “John didn’t mean change the brand of your trainers!” So advertisers need to be careful. For while the right choice of music can attract customers, boost sales, and inspire brand loyalty, the wrong choice can create something of a backlash. For many people, music is precious, and using it as a marketing tool does not always have harmonious results.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203856/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/morteza-abolhasani-1346513">Morteza Abolhasani</a>, Lecturer in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-open-university-748">The Open University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-soundtrack-to-selling-why-advertising-with-popular-music-needs-to-be-pitch-perfect-203856">original article</a>.

Music

Picture perfect property hits the market

Casa Campana, the “most Instagrammable” house in Australia, has returned to the market in search of a new owner. The Nunderi property, located between the Gold Coast and Byron Bay at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/61-garden-avenue-nunderi-nsw-2484-2018539383">61 Garden Avenue</a>, comes equipped with more than just four walls and a roof - it also boasts a following of almost 20k on social media. And while no price has been listed for the stunning property, offers are likely to settle somewhere in the millions, as it last sold in mid-2022 for $3.3 million. The property has demanded attention for its picture perfect appearance, for savvy social media models to hire as a set, for engaged couples to lock in as the venue for their big day, and for people seeking the ultimate holiday-home-away–from-home. Despite the home’s popularity, it is a “verdant oasis of the utmost tranquillity and privacy”, according to its listing. Inspired by the Mediterranean lifestyle, it features “stylish surroundings, sublime interiors, and stunning backdrop that will be excitingly familiar to some” across 1.31ha. “Quietly unassuming from street level”, the white-on-white home is “set against a backdrop of lush rainforest” with a series of “curved edges, archways, whitewashed timber floors, and expanses of glass” to both draw the eye and “frame the outdoors in a living canvas to behold from every vantage point”. The bright and breezy property has an open floor plan, with living and entertaining areas throughout, with “abundant natural light” to spark the feeling of being part of the “laid-back hinterland lifestyle without compromise”. With four bedrooms, an entertainer’s kitchen and butler’s pantry, and a resort-style master suite with outdoor terrace, as well an entire second-level studio for work and wellness, Casa Campana is prepped for groups and families of all sizes. The fun doesn’t stop indoors, either, with “custom design and jaw-dropping features” in place to amaze outside. From an outdoor pool to an entertaining pavilion with an outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, and abundant seating, visitors can rest assured that they won’t be missing out on any of their home - and holiday - luxuries. And for anyone who might be looking to explore what lies beyond, the property is just 15 minutes from Cabarita Beach, 25 from the Gold Coast’s Coolangatta International Airport, and 40 from Byron Bay. And as the listing states, all of these features come together to create “the opportunity to truly live your best life!” Images: Instagram

Real Estate

Glorious private island hits the market

A private island, sitting on about 27 hectares of land with a magnificent home offering 360-degree views of the water, has been posted online for sale. The “luxury bespoke” property was built with high-end finishes, and designed so “abundant sunshine reaches every inch of the home”. “It’s an incredible opportunity. There’s a fantastic panorama, the water surrounding you. It’s a pretty awesome part of the world,” Peterswald For Property agent Nick Morgan said. Located on Ram Island in Little Swanport, Tasmania, the property is suited to those looking to get away from the chaos of the city, he said. It offers two kitchens, three bedrooms, a study, a media room and two bathrooms. Peterswald For Property has listed it for $7 million dollars. “Harmonious indoor to outdoor living transitions from the main lounge and dining to a wrap-around north-facing timber deck, from where the views are simply magical and unmatched,” the online advertisement read. The home has been designed with an eco-friendly mindset and is supposed to be completely self-contained with 45kW solar, and 250,000-litre capacity water tanks. Visitors can access the island via boat with private jetty access. “Entertain within complete seclusion anywhere on the island, where birdlife visitors include oystercatchers, rosellas, white-bellied sea eagles, wedge-tailed eagles, and owls. Wallabies and kangaroos also appear frequently,” the advertisement said. “Take a short stroll from the main house to the water’s edge, via the outdoor fire pit, where dolphins and seals are known to frequent close to the shore.” Morgan revealed the current owner had purchased the piece of land on Tasmania’s east coast about 20 years ago, and the home has never been lived in. “We’ve had some good inquiries. Our marketing reach has been fantastic. I’ve had a number of inquiries from both local and interstate people,” he said. Image credit: Peterswald For Property

Real Estate

Historic church hits the market - with a catch

A magnificent country church has been through the works and is now perfectly habitable for modern living - but there’s a catch. Covering 2000sq m of land, No. 2 Chauncy Vale Rd, Bagdad was originally the congregational Bagdad Chapel, established in 1842. It later became part of the Uniting Church in 1977, before its de-consecration in 2006. Harcourts Signature property representative Leesa Harrison said the former church has been transformed into a unique residence. She described the property as an “incredibly rare” opportunity to purchase a piece of Tasmanian history. “It is a property with a wealth of historic heritage significance,” she said. It’s undeniably enticing, so, what’s the catch? There is a cemetery on the property and Ms Harrison has said the buyer will have to become a cemetery manager, but that hasn’t prevented the public’s interest. “The property has generated a significant amount of inquiry, well above average. Inquiries are coming in from local Hobart buyers, plus statewide and interstate interest, too,” she said. “Most purchasers are looking for a property with a difference, or former churches specifically. “Many have a keen interest in history or a desire to preserve history.” Ms Harrison added that it was a property with a lot of highlights. “There are many standout features, starting with the incredible stone architecture,” she said. “The stunning renovation the current owners have lovingly undertaken, where history meets the present as you step from the original building into the newer area. It is fantastic. “The original features and heritage pieces that stay with the property are a major talking point.” Many authentic pieces will remain with the property, such as the pulpit, organ and flower stands, original light fittings, glass windows and stained glass gazed with religious scenes. There is now a formal living and dining area, which has been designed to maintain the integrity of the historic construction while complying with the Heritage Council’s guidelines. In the 1950s, an extension was built for a Sunday school. In a more modern section of the interior, there is a contemporary kitchen and a second living area. The kitchen has new light fittings, modern cabinetry, countertop space, a large island bench and stainless steel appliances. The property has a generously sized master bedroom with a large four-door built-in wardrobe and a large bathroom with a separate shower bay and a corner spa bath. Access the outdoors via the kitchen with views of the lush surroundings. So long as you’re happy to be take on the responsibility of a cemetery manager, No. 2 Chauncy Vale Rd, Bagdad could be yours. Image credit: Realestate.com.au

Real Estate

5 negotiation tactics to grab crazy property deals in a slowing market

Rising interest rates have started to put the handbrakes on Australia’s runaway property market, and that’s good news for homebuyers who are now in a far stronger position to negotiate on a property than they have been over the last few years. One of the most apparent advantages for buyers in the current market is the reduced levels of competition. Fewer buyers mean that prices aren’t being driven higher, and if you’re a good negotiator, it’s possible to swoop in and find yourself a bargain. If you’re new to negotiating for property or unsure where to start, here are five tactics that will help you achieve a strong result at the negotiating table. <ol> <li>Know the market</li> </ol> You can’t succeed in a negotiation if you don’t know the value of the asset that you’re trying to buy in the first place. That’s why any good negotiator will always start by doing their research. You need to know the market better than your competition and don’t get caught up in any hype or opinions from a sales agent. Start by finding what comparable properties are selling for in the market. Look for the last three months of sales around your property. The sales should be of similar property types, sizes, ages, and land components. Another good way to get an idea of the price is to speak with local agents in the area. When you have a fair market value, you then know your “walk away price,” and you won’t find yourself getting emotional and overbidding. <ol start="2"> <li>Understand the vendor’s motivations</li> </ol> In any negotiation, there is a saying that whoever needs the deal least will likely be the one that comes out on top. When looking at potential properties to buy, you can be the world’s best negotiator, but if the vendor doesn’t need to sell, they will likely either wait for their price or walk away. Whenever you start looking at a property, try to ascertain as much information about the vendor as possible. That will give you an understanding of how motivated they are to sell, which will then impact how much you initially want to offer. <ol start="3"> <li>Be the strong bidder, not the highest</li> </ol> In a property transaction, price is just one piece of the puzzle. When a vendor weighs up an offer on their property, they are interested in the price, but the terms can also play a big part. For example, if you’re a cash buyer who can settle quickly, that might be far more appealing to a vendor than a higher offer that needs three months to settle. Similarly, a larger deposit could give a vendor more certainty that the transaction will occur. As a buyer, getting your finances in place ahead of time and then tailoring your terms to suit the vendor might give you an edge in a negotiation even if you’re not the highest bidder. Ultimately, the vendor wants their problem solved, and your job is to find out what it is and then make a strong offer that addresses those immediate needs. If you are ever tempted to make an unconditional offer, be sure you’ve done extensive due diligence and can secure finance, as there could be significant costs if you have to back out of the deal. <ol start="4"> <li>Unique offers</li> </ol> A great way to make your offer seem stronger than it might actually be is to come in with an odd-numbered amount. An offer price of $596,200 instead of $590,000 or $600,000 reflects that you’ve taken the time to do your due diligence, making your offer stand out. Another approach is to make a written offer with a deadline. That way, you can speed up the negotiation process, and it might prevent the sales agent from pitting your bid against another buyer to drive up the price. <ol start="5"> <li>Know the property</li> </ol> It’s critical to clearly understand what you’re buying before entering any negotiation. While you might have done your comparable sales analysis and have an excellent overall picture of what similar properties are selling for, you still need to investigate this particular property. Several things can impact the property’s value, which can help you negotiate. For example, if an awkward tenant occupies the property, it will be less appealing to many homebuyers, which you can use to your advantage. There may also be issues with the property, such as problematic zoning, service locations, or even large trees that can alter its value. The most obvious factor to consider is the state of the property and whether it needs renovation or repairs. In the current market, homebuyers are less interested in buying a property that needs work due to the cost of materials and difficulty finding tradespeople. That will give you a strong starting point to negotiate around the price. While getting a great deal is essential, it’s crucial not to compromise on the property’s quality. Quality is more important than a bargain, and a property’s performance will ultimately determine its value. A slowing real estate market presents an opportunity for buyers to negotiate and secure a great property deal. By understanding the local market, paying attention to the vendor’s motivations, and putting forward intelligent offers, you can potentially grab an excellent property deal in a slowing market. Rasti Vaibhav is the author of The Property Wealth Blueprint (RRP $39.95) and Founder of Get RARE Properties, a bespoke independent buyers' agency that has been helping hundreds of clients across Australia secure their financial freedom through property. For more information, visit <a href="https://getrare.com.au">https://getrare.com.au</a> Image credits: Getty Images

Real Estate

Property from a galaxy far, far away heads to the market

The time has come for dreams to be realised, particularly if you’re someone with a passion for outer space - or more specifically, a galaxy far, far, away - and want to live among the stars while keeping your feet planted firmly on the ground. Approved plans for a Star Wars light cruiser-inspired property are heading to the auction block, with a Melbourne-based IT specialist launching his 131 Pipers Creek Road campaign on May 4 - better known as ‘Star Wars Day’. With a price guide of $1.05m-$1.15m, the 2.42ha block in Kyneston is perfect for any buyer with enough passion to carry out Shyam Avatapalli’s galactic-level plans. As Avatapalli explained, his intention was to either build the home and sell it, or just to sell it along with the appropriate permits. “It’s inspired by one of the space ships from one of the older films and The Mandalorian TV series, called a Star Wars light cruiser,” he told Herald Sun. “I’ve always been a Star Wars fan and always like to think outside of the box when designing or building something.” It isn’t the first unique approach to property planning that Avatapalli has taken, with his own home in Donvale boasting a kitchen that also draws heavy inspiration from Star Wars. The potential Kyneston home’s location was selected for its otherworldly and treeless landscape, with Avatapalli even securing a permit for “a low cost culvert crossing” over the block’s creek, along with those for the property itself. The five-bedroom home was designed in collaboration with an architect, and would feature Colorbond steel as well as a hallway resembling one aboard a fictional spacecraft, and three water tanks that may draw Boeing 747 jet engine’s to mind, as they were inspired by the real-life planes. As for where the hallway’s ‘middle cylinder’ might come from, Avatarpalli intends to put the buyer in contact with an art dealer who could help them to get their hands on a jet engine “built by Rolls Royce in the 1970s”. According to Avatarpalli, it would even be from a “real British Airways flight”. As Ray White’s Brendan Milner said, “the sky was the limit” for the property’s next proud owner, as well as noting that they were likely to be someone searching for “a bit of a wow factor, one-off property, with eccentric taste that goes with the design … “Because it’s a spaceship anyone with an otherworldly fascination would definitely have an interest.” Images: realestate.com.au

Real Estate

Remote Scottish island hits the market

If you’ve ever dreamt of escaping the rat race and living a life of complete isolation, then look no further. A remote island situated off the southern coast of Scotland, Carlocco Island is up for sale, priced at offers over £150,000 ($A280,317). “There’s still a very romantic sentiment attached to owning your very own Scottish private island, where you can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy some peace and tranquillity in the most beautiful scenery around,” Aaron Edgar of Galbraith Group, the agent handling the sale, said in a statement. The nearest town is almost 10km away with the closest train station Dumfries an hour bus ride from that town. London is more than 563km away with Edinburgh over 160km away. With lush green grass and rocky outcrops reaching the sea, the island covers an area of around 10 hectares, but there are no buildings, only a flood pond providing water to livestock and wildlife in the colder months. According to the listing, no one has ever applied for permission to build on the island, so it would be up to the buyer to investigate any development possibilities with local authorities. At low tide, the island can be reached on foot, by tractor or quad bike. As for the rest of the time, a boat is required for travel, with a pebble beach for them to be anchored, “the perfect base to explore the island, partake in some cold water swimming…and enjoy a waterside picnic,” Edgar said. The island sits in a Site of Special Scientific Interest, an area in the UK defined as of particular interest due to the rare species of fauna and flora it’s home to, and is also a shelter for all types of wildlife, including great black-backed gulls, and rare plants like rock sea lavenders and fragrant orchids. Mr Edgar expects a lot of interest in the unique property, “We have witnessed strong demand from domestic and international parties for entire private islands, having handled the sale of several in Scotland,” he said. Image credit: Galbraith Group

Real Estate

The most perfectly pink property to hit the market

Who ever said there was such thing as too much pink? Not this homeowner, who has listed their perfectly pastel property for sale in Canberra. After passing at auction, the charming two-bedroom home in the suburb of <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/10-euroka-street-narrabundah-act-2604-2018451630?utm_source=nine.com.au&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=editorial-content" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Narrabundah</a> is expected to sell for more than $1 million in a private sale. The home, which looks like it has been blessed by Barbie herself, boasts various shades of pink everywhere you look. Everything and the kitchen sink is pink in this house, including the cabinetry, windows, wall paint and tiles all boasting varying shades of blush. After entering through a hot pink door on the pastel pink house, prospective buyers are met with a state of the art kitchen, which has fairy floss pink cabinets in contrast with glossy black appliances. The bathroom a pink-lover's fantasy, showcasing a baby pink basin crafted from onyx from Afghanistan, atop an antique-style set of drawers, encased in banks of lipstick pink subway tiles. The house, which truly embraces the latest "Barbiecore" trend, also has a series of stained-glass windows and bright pink feature walls throughout. While the "proud aesthetic" of this house may not be to everyone's taste, there is sure to be a fuchsia-fanatic who would be tickled pink to call this pastel palace home. Image credits: Domain

Real Estate

50 cent house hits the market for just under a million

Houses come in all shapes and sizes, but rarely something quite so complex as a twelve-sided coin. However, for this 50 cent inspired property in the New South Wales bush, that was exactly the vision. The Kiora home has hit the market with a price guide of $899,000 to $950,000, and boasts more than a few key features to lure in prospective buyers. From visiting wildlife to breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape, the entire estate promises 28 acres of fun. The main house - otherwise known as both The Dome House and The Tree House - features two bedrooms, a combined bathroom, laundry, kitchen, and open plan living space, as well as a wrap-around deck to enjoy every inch of its surroundings. The second structure, advertised by Domain as ‘Studio 1’, comes equipped with a bedroom, a lounge, a dining room/kitchenette combo, and a study. Additionally, a bathroom can be accessed across a short walkway. Those hoping to embrace the property’s natural surroundings - and the lifestyle that comes right along with it - will be pleased to know that estate also features solar panels, rainwater tanks, pumps, worm farms, vegetable gardens, and even an orchard. “The property is chemical and pesticide free,” the listing notes. “Household scraps are recycled through the worm farms and gardens.” And for anyone worried that this means they’ll be effectively cut off from ‘the real world’, have no fear. A taxi service is available, as well as a nearby school bus pick up location, and “the property is only eleven kilometres from the main Moruya roundabout.” It also sits within walking distance of the Deua National Park - which lies 320 km south of Sydney and 100 km east of Canberra - and river, offering everyone the perfect opportunity to enjoy a picnic, a swim, or simply a relaxing day away. The listing goes on to note that the property had been a permanent residence for its previous owner, and had the potential to be the same for its next inhabitants. However, it would also function well as an “ideal weekend getaway” for people seeking somewhere peaceful, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Images: Domain

Real Estate

Aussie mansion of royal family patriarch hits the market

An Australian mansion with a rich royal history has hit the market for a staggering eight-figure sum. The sprawling property, named Jenner House and situated at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/2-macleay-street-potts-point-nsw-2011-2018408777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2 Macleay Street</a> in Sydney's Potts Point, was once the Aussie residence for the future King George V of Britain when he was Prince of Wales. King George V is King Charles' great-grandfather, and was the first Windsor monarch. The royal family today are direct descendants of King George V and his wife, Queen Mary. The six-bedroom, six-bathroom home will go to auction on April 4th, and has an eye-watering $34 million price guide. The home was first built in 1871, and was home to the Prince of Wales prior to his ascension to the British throne in 1910. “It’s such a versatile house, and over the past 150 years, its rich history includes the family abode for the Hordern family, a stint as a private hospital, a residence for a prominent British Royal, and it was even used for a time by the Australian Navy,” listing agent Samuel Schumann says. The impressive property, which has already had strong interest from potential buyers, occupies 1970 square metres and boasts sweeping views of Sydney Harbour. Interiors are regal with soaring ceilings, French Oak Versailles parquet floors, Australian Cedar joinery and original 19th Century fireplace mantels made of white Carrera marble. Standout design features are the professional-grade kitchen with its top-notch appliances, the gym, wine cellar and tasting room, and self-contained garden studio. Image credits: Domain / Getty Images

Real Estate

Immerse yourself at the Lakemba Ramadan Markets

The night markets in celebration of the holy month of Ramadan have once again hit the streets of Lakemba from 5pm till late. Popular for the street-long stalls filled with delicious dishes from different countries, the culturally diverse event is open to everyone. The markets run for a month, until the end of the Ramadan. A must go-to event, the markets are spectacular for a night out with the family and friends to culturally immerse yourself. The most talked about meal is the camel burger – which you would likely have to wait a while for, thanks to the line stretching literally hundreds of metres. But, it is totally worth it. If it’s something that you’ve always wanted to try and you want to skip the queues, then here’s a hint: head over at 5pm before those who are fasting slowly make their way over. Other main meals could include rotis with beef or chicken curry, satay chicken skewers, or murtabak – which is a thin dough filled with eggs and onions, Of course, at every event there are chips on a stick which are a favourite for the kids. If you’re a sweet tooth, you are not short on options with stalls and stalls of knafeh, a decadent sweet cheese dish topped up with pistachio and rose water. You can also get simple desserts such as chocolate dipped strawberries, or turkish ice cream rolled through pistachios. To freshen up, you must try the fresh lemonade, or if you want something on the warmer side then try the milky drink sahlep, which is also topped with rose water. You can of course find Turkish coffee at a few stalls but otherwise, the world is your oyster at Haldon St in Lakemba. The best way to get there is by train, as there’s a stop conveniently just around the corner. Do not drive as you won’t be able to leave for a while. Images: Sahar Mourad

Food & Wine

Millennials clash with Boomers in the battle of the housing market

A 27-year-old home loan document has reignited debate over which generation had the biggest mountain to climb in their quest to buy a place to call their own. Read more: The document, uploaded to the Facebook group Perth Reflect, outlines ANZ bank’s various interest rates offered on “owner occupied” homes, as well as those available for “investment property loans”, both respectively effective as of February and March 1996. The poster encouraged the group to discuss the find, and to share their experience with their own first home loans, with the caption “found this in our filing cabinet (1996) and was wondering what interest rates others were paying on their first home loan.” In 1996, the East Start loan for a home was 7.95 per cent per annum, and a variable at 10.50 per cent. Fixed rates began at 8.69 per cent for one year term, and went up to 9.69 per cent for five years. Loan terms for homes were offered up to 25 years, and 20 for investment properties. Meanwhile, in 2023, ANZ boasts a variable interest rate of 5.09 per cent per annum. Fixed index rates now begin at 5.69 per cent, 6.59 per cent for five years, and peak at 7.69 per cent for 10 years. This comes after Australia’s Reverse Bank passed down nine consecutive rises, with the cash rate reaching a 10-year high. The reveal came as a surprise to some, with the numbers of paper appearing much worse for those trying to buy a property in the ‘90s. And in the Facebook comment section, some recalled how their actual rates were even higher than the document suggested. “Paid 17.5 per cent initially, but was on variable,” wrote one of a purchase in the late ‘80s. Another noted how those with a fixed term loan believed they had it “much better” at the time. The younger members of the group, however, were quick to point out that while the numbers looked to be in favour of the older generation, the rates for 2023 did not accurately compare with those from 1996. “Houses were a 5th of the price,” one wrote, referencing an old and recurring argument about the disparity in house prices over the years. It was mentioned that while interest rates were high, prices were low, and “everything was affordable”. The discussion over the impact of the cost of living on wages has been covered from all sides on many occasions, but it didn’t stop it from coming up in this debate too, with one commenter writing, “regardless [of] if wages have increased, everything else has increased twice as much.” It led to the older members of the group circling back to a tired argument, too. One was determined to stop that line of argument in its tracks, suggesting that they’d been able to afford their home with the higher rates because they didn’t purchase takeaway coffee and “only ate out occasionally”. This wasn’t to be taken lying down, with the younger generation refusing to allow that buying the occasional little treat was the reason they couldn’t get a foot in the door of their own home. One member, perhaps realising that bickering wasn’t going to get them anywhere, decided to whip out a calculator and get to the bottom of it all. Someone wrote that they paid $44k for a 3 bedroom home in 1986, with a yearly income of $31k behind them, before allowing that “maybe things weren't so tough”. “If adjusted for inflation,” one said in response, before sharing their maths, “your income today would be $92k pa and the price you paid for your house would have been $131k.” While both generations faced struggles with the property market, the challenges faced in 2023 are an entirely new beast, and one member of Perth Reflects shared their sympathy over the situation. After explaining that they struggled through a 17.5 per cent interest rate themselves, they outlined the difference in their situation and their kids’, writing “my home loan was way less than what my kids are paying today”. They bought land and built a house in High Wycombe on a loan of around $130k, and noted that it can be difficult - if not impossible - find a deal like that in even a country town, where prices tend to err on the ‘cheaper’ side of the scale. “Wages are different,” they surmised, “but housing affordability has gone stupid and wages [have] not [been] increased accordingly.” Images: Getty, Facebook

Money & Banking

Gorgeous historical home hits the market

Hitting the market in Tasmania – and looking for its sixth owner in 37 years – this interesting, convict-built home is offering some lucky purchaser the chance to travel back in time. The perfectly-preserved “time travel” home is a stunning five-bedroom dwelling named “Kent Cottage”, and truly is a portal to another era – all for a humble, historic $849,000. The time-capsule house includes an historic shopfront, designed in the Georgian style that the majority of Tasmanian house-hunters have come to expect from the region, and was a general store until 1881. Later it was a grocer, then an iron monger (a dealer of hardware) and a drapery, and more recently served the small local community as a petrol station and an ice-creamery. The pretty shopfront has soaring sash windows with "SHOP EST. 1833 GENERAL MERCHANT" on plaques above. At the rear, the residence has been gently updated but feels like a time trip, warmly decorated in an antique manner, with a wood-burning stove (alongside mod cons) and a dining room with an exposed brick wall, laid almost two centuries ago by the weary hands of prisoners. Images: Domain

Real Estate

When hosting mega-events like FIFA, cities market themselves at the expense of the most vulnerable

Few events capture the attention of the globe like the Men’s FIFA World Cup — in 2018, the event boasted a viewership of <a href="https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia/media-releases/more-than-half-the-world-watched-record-breaking-2018-world-cup">3.5 billion people</a>. Yet, despite the enormous popularity of the World Cup, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2022/11/17/do-host-countries-make-money-from-the-world-cup">host cities and countries invariably lose money</a> on the event itself, with FIFA capturing most of the profits despite its non-profit status. The calculus of host cities is based on the hope that successfully hosting a World Cup (or Olympics) will significantly enhance a city’s urban brand and ultimately lead to long-term increases in tourism and foreign direct investment. In other words, the argument is that a successful stint as a host city will identify that city as “<a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/40643231">world-class</a>” and change its economic fortunes. This justification, at least from an economic point of view, relies on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02614360500504628">some pretty fuzzy math and long-term forecasting that rarely gets audited</a>. I attended the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to study how various communities attempted to have their voices heard and needs met through the planning process for that event. I continue to research how hosting large-scale events intersect with other trends in global and local urbanization. Urban branding This mission of improving one’s urban brand to attract tourist and foreign investment leads cities to focus their attention to the perceived needs. Or, more precisely, the perceived desires of potential tourists and investors, as opposed to the needs and desires of the people who already live, work and play in these cities. This shift in focus is part of larger trends of cities becoming <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.1989.11879583">increasingly entrepreneurial in our globalized world</a>. And to this end, host cities pursue a fairly predictable path to demonstrate their world-classness. As Streetnet International, a South Africa-based international organization of street vendors, put it in their World Class Cities For All campaign: <blockquote> “It has become a boringly predictable reality that, when a country prepares to host a high-profile international event, <a href="https://streetnet.org.za/document/world-class-cities-for-all/">the country and its local government authorities prepare to create ‘World Class Cities’ of a particular type</a>, i.e. ‘World Class Cities’ which will attract foreign investment; have modern up-to-date infrastructure; have no visible signs of urban decay; have smooth traffic flows; have no visible poor people or social problems.” </blockquote> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497721/original/file-20221128-4871-ip7vgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497721/original/file-20221128-4871-ip7vgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497721/original/file-20221128-4871-ip7vgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497721/original/file-20221128-4871-ip7vgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497721/original/file-20221128-4871-ip7vgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497721/original/file-20221128-4871-ip7vgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=506&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497721/original/file-20221128-4871-ip7vgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=506&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497721/original/file-20221128-4871-ip7vgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=506&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="overhead view of a building site in the desert" /></a><figcaption>In Doha, several stadiums were built to host the FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)</figcaption></figure> Increased policing, decreased social investment There are common themes to how cities approach their hosting duties and branding pursuits. However, the particular interventions that each city makes to create this type of world- class city are unique to their particular context. Unfailingly, cities significantly increase policing, both in the sheer numbers of police, military and surveillance measures as well as the powers afforded to the police and military. These powers are used to police undesirable activities and individuals — those activities and people deemed incommensurate with the desired world-class brand. Youth, the unhoused or precariously housed, street vendors and racialized individuals <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2010.520938">experience the brunt of these increases</a>. In South Africa in 2010, FIFA courts were established to exact “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/sports/soccer/21iht-wcsoccer.html">swift and severe justice</a>” for crimes committed against tourists and journalists during the 2010 World Cup. In Qatar, there has been <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/2022/11/24/lgbtq-and-other-rights-issues-at-world-cup-a-huge-blemish-on-fifa-hall-of-famer.html">targeted policing of LGBTQ+ people and allies</a>. Additionally, the quest for this type of world-class-city brand also leads to uneven investment and under-investment as cities are forced to make choices about how to invest their municipal budgets. Tourist areas <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/25765282">see significant infrastructure investments while those off the tourist map are often ignored</a>. This is intensified by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0196859905275971">television coverage of these places and events</a>. In Durban, South Africa, this meant significant investment along the waterfront and the construction of a shiny new soccer stadium (across the street from an existing rugby stadium) while other parts of the city, off the beaten path of journalists and tourists, continued to lack even basic infrastructure. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497776/original/file-20221128-14-4gf988.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1920%2C1080&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497776/original/file-20221128-14-4gf988.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1920%2C1080&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/497776/original/file-20221128-14-4gf988.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497776/original/file-20221128-14-4gf988.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497776/original/file-20221128-14-4gf988.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497776/original/file-20221128-14-4gf988.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497776/original/file-20221128-14-4gf988.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/497776/original/file-20221128-14-4gf988.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="armed police on horseback watch over a crowd." /></a><figcaption>In this image from video, Qatari police stand by on horseback as other security officials try to control a crowd at a FIFA Fan Zone on Nov. 19, 2022. Authorities turned away thousands of fans from a concert celebrating the World Cup beginning the next day. (AP Photo/Srdjan Nedeljkovic)</figcaption></figure> Exposes the cracks The current approach to hosting a World Cup puts unique and focused pressures on urban systems and infrastructure. In the process, it exposes the already existing cracks in the system and exacerbates existing inequalities. The World Cup did not create the labour system and working conditions of temporary migrant workers in Doha. However, both the magnitude and speed of construction to meet hosting needs undoubtedly ramped up the exploitation of the system, leading to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022">thousands of worker deaths</a>. We need to reframe how a world-class city is defined to one that is more liveable, sustainable and just. This will inspire future host cities to pursue this status in a manner that does not increase policing and exacerbate inequalities.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195069/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Writen by David Roberts. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-hosting-mega-events-like-fifa-cities-market-themselves-at-the-expense-of-the-most-vulnerable-195069" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty Images

Real Estate

Do tenancy reforms to protect renters cause landlords to exit the market?

More Australians are <a href="https://theconversation.com/wealthy-landlords-and-more-sharehousing-how-the-rental-sector-is-changing-94394">renting their housing longer</a> than in the past. But they have relatively little legal security against rent increases and evictions compared to <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-australia-can-learn-from-overseas-about-the-future-of-rental-housing-90401">tenants in other countries</a>. When state governments suggest stronger protections for tenants, landlords and real estate agents <a href="https://www.reiq.com/articles/reiq-concerned-rental-reforms-unravel-rights-of-property-owners/">claim it will cause disinvestment</a> from the sector, increasing pressure on already tight rental markets. In <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/391">research</a> for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (<a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/about">AHURI</a>), published today, we put the “disinvestment” claim to the test. We looked at the impacts of tenancy reforms in New South Wales and Victoria on rental property records over 20 years, as well as surveying hundreds of property investors. We found no evidence to support this claim. We did find a high rate of turnover as properties enter and leave the sector. This happened regardless of tenancy law reforms. It’s a major cause of the unsettled nature of private rental housing for tenants. We suggest that if substantial tenancy reforms did cause less committed landlords to exit the sector, that might not be a bad thing. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A tenancy law expert says it could be illegal in several states, while tenants’ advocates say it preys on vulnerable renters during Australia’s housing crisis. <a href="https://t.co/hQEdS80a3h">https://t.co/hQEdS80a3h</a> (via <a href="https://twitter.com/abcnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abcnews</a>) — ABC Australia (@ABCaustralia) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABCaustralia/status/1587927668846399488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2022</a></blockquote> How did we test the disinvestment claim? We analysed records of all rental bond lodgements and refunds in Sydney and Melbourne from 2000 to 2020. From these records we can see properties entering the rental sector for the first time (investment) and exiting the sector (disinvestment). We looked for changes in trends in property entries and exits around two law reform episodes: when the 2010 NSW Residential Tenancies Act took effect, and the start of a tenancy law reform review in Victoria in 2015. We found no evidence the NSW reforms affected property entries (investment). And property exits (disinvestment) were slightly reduced – that is, fewer properties exited than expected. In Victoria, we found property entries reduced slightly when the law reform review started – perhaps a sign of investors pausing for “due diligence”. We saw no effect on property exits. So in neither state did we find evidence of a disinvestment effect. We also surveyed 970 current and previous property investors, and got a similar picture. When deciding to invest, investors said prospective rental income and capital gains were the most important considerations, but tenancy laws were important too. On the other hand, tenancy laws were the least-cited reason for disposing of properties. Many more investors said they did it because they judged it a good time to sell and realise gains, or they wanted money for other purposes, or because the investment was not paying as they had hoped. A state of constant churn Our research also gives new insights into the private rental sector, which <a href="https://www.housingdata.gov.au/">has been growing</a> relative to owner-occupied and social housing. Small-holding “mum and dad” landlords dominate the sector. Some 70% of landlords own a single property. Multiple-property owners own more properties in total, but still relatively small numbers (rarely more than ten) compared to corporate landlords in other countries who have tens of thousands of properties, or even more. Australia now has some large corporate landlords, but their properties are a tiny fraction of the total rental stock. Beneath its gradual growth and persistent small-holding pattern, the private rental sector is dynamic. Properties enter and exit the sector very frequently. In both Sydney and Melbourne, our analysis shows, most properties exit within five years of entering. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=307&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=307&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=307&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Chart showing private rental properties, Sydney and Melbourne, 2000–20, by year of first observation in rental bonds data and at five-year intervals" /></a><figcaption>Numbers of private rental properties in Sydney and Melbourne at five-year intervals from 2000 to 2020. Properties are categorised by year of first observation in rental bonds data. The authors</figcaption></figure> More than 30% of tenancies begin in a property that’s new to the rental sector. And more than 25% of tenancy terminations happen when the property exits the sector. Our investor survey also shows the sector’s dynamism. Many investors made repeated investments, owning multiple properties and some interstate. They indicated strong interest in <a href="https://theconversation.com/ever-wondered-how-many-airbnbs-australia-has-and-where-they-all-are-we-have-the-answers-129003">short-term letting</a>, such as Airbnb, and significant minorities had used their properties for purposes other than rental housing. Australia’s rental housing interacts closely with other sectors, particularly owner-occupied housing, as houses and strata-titled apartments trade between the sectors. The tax-subsidised property prices paid by owner-occupiers heavily influence investors’ gains and decision-making. Rental is also increasingly integrated with tourism, through governments’ <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-wins-and-who-loses-when-platforms-like-airbnb-disrupt-housing-and-how-do-you-regulate-it-106234">permissive approach to short-term letting</a>. In short, the Australian rental sector is built for investing and disinvesting. As properties churn in and out of rental, renters are churned in and out of housing. This presents problems for tenants. A new agenda for tenancy law reform Australian residential tenancies law has accommodated the long-term growth of the rental sector and its dynamic character. With no licensing or training requirements, it’s easy for landlords to enter the sector. It’s also easy to exit by terminating tenancies, on grounds they want to use a property for other purposes, or even without grounds in many cases. Over the years tenancy law reform has fixed some problem areas, but with virtually no national co-ordination. Laws are increasingly inconsistent on important topics, such as tenants’ security (for example, some states have restricted, but not eliminated, no-grounds terminations), minimum standards and domestic violence. Reforms have overlooked significant problem areas, such as steep rent increases and landlords’ liability for defective premises. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Works for Australia too. Although don't even need to pretend to put it on the market in NSW, it's called a "no grounds eviction" or perhaps more accurately: "tenant expected a liveable home or repairs to broken stuff". <a href="https://t.co/GolGDqlyCu">https://t.co/GolGDqlyCu</a> <a href="https://t.co/wORI3K6Yap">pic.twitter.com/wORI3K6Yap</a> — Nathan Lee (@NathanLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/NathanLee/status/1542298797039964160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2022</a></blockquote> It is time to pursue a national agenda that goes further than previous limited reforms. The focus should be on the rights of tenants to affordable housing, in decent condition, that supports autonomy and secure occupancy. Where landlords say it is too difficult and they will disinvest, this should not be taken as a threat. Indeed, it would be a good thing if the speculative, incapable and unwilling investors exited the sector. This would make properties available for new owner-occupiers and open up prospects for other, more committed landlords, especially non-profit providers of rental housing. Similarly, if we had higher standards and expectations to discourage private landlords from entering the sector, that would open up scope for new owner-occupiers and investors who are less inclined to churn properties and households. While past tenancy law reforms have not caused disinvestment, maybe the next reforms should. <hr /> The authors acknowledge the contributions of their research co-authors, Professor Kath Hulse, Professor Eileen O’Brien Webb, Dr Laura Crommelin and Liss Ralston.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194900/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Writen by Chris Martin, Milad Ghasri, Sharon Parkinson and Zoe Goodall. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-tenancy-reforms-to-protect-renters-cause-landlords-to-exit-the-market-no-but-maybe-they-should-194900" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty Images

Real Estate

Willie Nelson’s former Tennessee home hits the market

The former home of country music legend Willie Nelson has been listed for sale, and the folklore surrounding it is just as interesting as the home itself. According to property records, the 150-acre property and its pastures, woods, trails, and cabin have been owned by just two people, including the Georgia On My Mind singer. “From what we can find from tax records, there have only been two owners. One is the current seller and different members of that family. And the other is Willie Nelson,” Ross Welch, one of the two Zeitlin Sotheby’s International Realty agents representing the property, said. “This was one of the properties that the IRS seized when Willie was not paying taxes.” Before the IRS seized the home in the early 1990s, Nelson lived there from the early 1960s. After settling his tax debt in 1993, the property was returned to the family that had owned it, who then sold it on to the current owners. “From what we have been told and what we’ve seen on tax records, it was seized by the IRS and then the IRS went back to the family that had previously owned it and asked if they wanted to buy it back for pennies on the dollar,” Matt Lawson, the second agent representing the home, explained. Prior to its complicated ownership, Nelson built the property’s rustic log cabin, which features lime and mortar from the property in the shower and fireplace. In 1970, another home on the property caught fire while the singer wasn’t inside, sparking the story in which he rushed home to rescue his beloved guitar Trigger and a pound of marijuana, per <a href="https://tasteofcountry.com/willie-nelson-nashville-house-cabin-estate-for-sale-pictures/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taste of Country</a>. The events described in Nelson’s hit Shotgun Willie also reportedly took place while he lived at the home and earned him the nickname, though Lawson hasn’t found concrete evidence to confirm the stories. “One of the biggest stories that I wish I had concrete proof of is that this is the place where he got the nickname ‘Shotgun Willie,’” he said. “There’s a ton of just wild stories about him out there.” The sprawling property has been listed for $2.5 million ($AUD 3.9 million). Images: @willienelsonofficial (Instagram) / Realtor.com

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