NewsBite

Dan Berigan relaxes in his fully renovated East Toowoomba home, on the market for $795,000. Picture: Nev Madsen

Renos breathe life into tired homes

BREATHING new life into an old home without spoiling its sense of history can be like walking a tightrope.

75 Mary Street, East Toowoomba

Toowoomba carpenter Dan Berigan’s newly-renovated home at 75 Mary St perfectly balances the old with the new.

Central Queensland

The home of Derek and Stephanie Unterburger in Girards Hill has been under renovation for five years. . Picture: Cathy Adams

GFC sparks renovation rise

THE term “renovator’s delight” is no longer real estate agent speak for “unliveable old hovel”.

179-185 Ocean Vista Drive in Maroochy River is an exceptional home.

Designed to be enjoyed

JUST finding this two-storey home on the long and windy Ocean Vista Drive was an adventure into the unknown.

Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser: We have delivered a legally enforceable obligation for BMA to produce 400 houses for the Caval Ridge Mine.

Ministers under fire over housing

FEDERAL and state ministers say both tiers of government are taking action to address Moranbah’s housing affordability crisis.

DERM proceeded with just seven charges - all relating to breaches of the company's environmental permits at jobs at Dalrymple Bay and Bowen's Abbot Point coal-loading extensions - from 76 originally laid. Picture: Tony Martin

Company likely to pay minor fine

ONE of Australia’s leading construction companies, John Holland Pty Ltd, is likely to escape with a minor fine after pleading guilty to environmental breaches.

Sales up as house prices fall

THE Queensland residential property market has made an impressive comeback over the September quarter with sales activity strengthening across the State.

Elite property exchange concept

AUSTRALIAN’S who own luxury second or holiday homes are in for some good news.

Gympie

Mary Valley land values halved

MARY Valley land resumed for the aborted Traveston Crossing Dam has halved in value, a leaked document tabled in Parliament revealed.

While the total value of dwelling commitments increased by 1% (seasonally adjusted), the ABS reported that the average loan size for all owner occupied housing commitments fell by $5400.

Property showing regained strength

CENTURY 21 believes the lift in home loans approved over September 2011 could indicate a strengthening of the residential property market.

Hidden tax benefit in rental plan

A HIDDEN tax benefit is giving investors about $100,000, either as a cash payment or tax concession, just for investing in affordable rental properties.

Fraser Coast

A vacant rental house in Cheapside St, Maryborough, is one of many available in the city. Picture: Nat Bromhead

Maryborough a real renter’s market

LOOKING for a place to rent? Try Maryborough. The heritage city has one of the highest rates of vacant rentals in the state.

This Middle Ridge home has received national recognition for its design, which includes three separate wings. Picture: Contributed

City home wins top design award

A CUSTOM-BUILT, house located on the Toowoomba range has been recognised nationally for its design and construction

Ipswich

Artist impression of the $93 million office tower to be built at the corner of Brisbane and Bell Sts.

Our sale of the century

A NINE-STOREY office tower tipped to kick-start Ipswich’s CBD renewal has netted $93 million.

Market changes, fundamentals don’t

ACCORDING to RE/MAX Success owner Ian Knight there have been enormous changes in marketing and selling real estate in Queensland over the past few decades.

Housing’s the drawback

RETAIL workers will feel the pinch of our two-speed economy as housing availability and affordability bite harder.

Fraser Coast

The island has two buildings, a main three-bedroom house which can accommodate up to 20 people and a smaller artist’s retreat on the other side of the island. Picture: Contributed

Island dream for sale

THE ISLAND at Toogoom will go under the hammer on December 9, after Aussie Rob gave up on his dream to turn the property into a five-star lifestyle resort.

‘Brisbane houses going cheap’

NEW figures show Brisbane has become the cheapest capital on the Australian mainland to buy a house.

Stockland gets nod on new mega city

DEVELOPMENT giant Stockland beat the State Government to the official announcement of its Caloundra South project, boasting it would create 24,000 jobs.

Home owners dropping out

A SURPRISING number of home owners sell up and revert to renting, a new study shows, indicating home ownership is no longer the passport to long-term security.

Central Queensland

First National Coffs Harbour principal Barry Booth has listed the stalled Beaches high-rise at Park Beach.

Stalled apartment block for sale

THE decision to sell Park Beach’s incomplete highrise development has raised hopes potential buyers will contract local trade companies to finish the work.

Sales hope springs overseas

AN INTERNATIONAL expression of interest campaign has been launched for the sale of Noosa Springs.

Building innovation rewarded

WINNERS of the Master Builders State Housing & Construction Awards were announced at a gala presentation held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Rainforest saved with $23m buy-up

A GROUP that bought up parts of the Daintree rainforest to protect it from development has now saved $23 million worth of Tasmanian forest.

Luxury abode: The BoysTown $2.5 million prize home in Rainbow Bay. . Picture: Supplied

See Australia’s biggest prize home

RAINBOW Bay is the location for Australia’s biggest ever prize home, with the BoysTown charity lottery announcing a $2.5 million prize package.

Pair fined over property sales

A NEW Zealand couple that sold investment properties to Queensland residents has been hit with fines totalling $100,000 after being found guilty.

Wine Estate business owner Terry Roney has no problem with names such as Claret Street. Picture: Bev Lacey

Mayor voices street name distaste

IF Mayor Peter Taylor had his way, the street names used in one of Toowoomba’s more “bubbly” estates would be corked, shelved and allowed to age forever.

Domeshells Australia, is working with inventor Shaun Waterford to create a prototype structure that would allow people to spend extended periods of time underwater. Picture: Contributed

Underwater habitat not so fanciful

A NORTHERN NSW company is working with inventor Shaun Waterford to create a prototype structure of an underwater habitat.

Green Planet: eco ideas, sustainable stuff

Alternative builders Patricia Schmidt and Graham Sippo of Larnook using secret hemp mixture to fill the wall cavities of their home before rendering it to improve its liveability. Picture: Jay Cronan

Hemp home a fine joint

WHEN Graham Sippo and Patricia Schmidt finish their home at Billen Cliffs Village it will be one fine joint – and the first Australian home made from hemp.

Buildfirst managing Director Gary Elks with one of the pods already garnering interest. Picture: Geoff Potter

Nothing square about these pods

THINKING outside the box has created an innovative room-in-a-box concept set to revolutionise the building industry.

The historic property, ‘North Toolburra’, was sold for more than $10 million by Harcourts Toowoomba. Picture: Supplied

$10m+ sale for historic homestead

THE historic “North Toolburra” property has sold for more than $10 million.

The pool of Pauline Hanson’s $2.15 million-valued home at Coleyville, near Ipswich. . Picture: Contributed

Hanson wants $2.15m for homestead

THE house that Hanson built is now officially on the open market for $2.15 million.

Gap widens for housing have-nots

QUEENSLAND is only building one new home for every four new residents, creating a serious housing shortfall.

The 152-room Kingfisher Bay eco-resort and some of its associated assets are up for sale in one of the “rarest and most unique” opportunities to hit the property market.

Fraser’s sale of the century

THE FRASER Coast’s sale of the century is on, with news that Kingfisher Bay Resort and Eurong Beach Resort are up for sale.

Business

Developers stall koala laws

KOALA protection legislation, due to come into effect last Friday, has been delayed because developers were unhappy, says the Australian Koala Foundation.

The island off Toogoom, rumoured to be worth about $7 million, which has been sold.

Toogoom island sold

AN island off Toogoom rumoured to be worth $7 million has been sold.

Hotel changes to start soon

THE face of the Emerald CBD is set for further changes, with work to get underway on the Leichhardt Hotel.

Property passed in but $8m seals deal

A BID of $7.7 million failed to meet the reserve price on a prime Central Queensland cattle property at auction yesterday, although it came close.

Finding the perfect house

SELLING up and moving on can be an exciting time – maybe the family has left the nest and it’s time to downsize or maybe your family is still growing.

Emerald records big rise in property sales

EMERALD’S real estate market defied economic doom and gloom last financial quarter with average house sales rising by almost 6%.

Central Queensland

Herron Todd White Emerald manager Kerry Harrold said it was too early to tell what effect the fall in coal prices and subsequent job losses will have on the Highlands housing market.

Mine town home values could drop in wake of slump

THE full effects of the plummeting coal prices and subsequent job losses on the region’s property market are yet to be felt, according to one senior valuer.