3Saturday, February 1, 2014 Daily

thisweek

editorial

Erle Levey

Sue Custance

Alicia Butwell

property@scnews.com.au

Ph: (07) 5430 8098

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Sunshine Coast Newspapers Co. Pty LtdAn APN News and Media CompanyNewspaper Place Maroochydore, Queensland, 4558Ph: (07) 5430 8000Fax:(07) 5430 8099

Close to everything but with a bushland back-drop, Aroona is a family-friendly area known forits affordability and proximity to beaches

Bush’n’beach 8Designer one-bedroom, one-bathroom Bude-rim unit attracts strong interest throughout theauction campaign

Scanlansells 21A superbly built modern beach house enjoysquality construction to match its golden trianglelocation

Justbeachy 34

weekend, with ocean-view apartments provid-ing the strongest appeal to investors and own-er-occupiers alike.

“Since Nova’s launch in early January, I haveadded an additional floor plan to my originalselection as a result of listening to the market.

“The flexible two-bedroom apartments nowoffer a two-bathroom option that creates extraprivacy and space for owner-occupiers and

their guests or futuretenants.”

Buyer interest andinquiry is strong on the$26 million residentialapartment develop-ment, Verve on CottonTree.

Paul Ritchie, at LJHooker Project Sales, said the 45-apartmentdevelopment on Sixth Ave was aimed at se-cure, high-quality residential living.

He said there was significant demand forsuch a development in a beachside location,particularly from people wanting to downsizefrom a house.

The 2165sq m site is set to be transformed

THERE has been a sudden turn-around indemand for units and apartments on the Sun-shine Coast.

It started last year with a surge in sales atmixed-use development Emporio in Maroochy-dore.

Now it has seen the construction timeline forthe Moko mixed-use development at Birtinyabeing brought forward.

The $19.5m Moko project includes 55 one,two and three-bedroom apartments, townhous-es and trendy lofts, a convenience super-market, waterfront restaurant and specialtyshops.

Moko spokesman Greg Tuckwell said follow-ing strong sales results late last year, the con-struction timeline was moved forward tomid-2014 and he expected the completion dateto be about mid-to-late 2015.

One of Australia’s most successful privatelyowned construction companies has beenchosen to construct Moko.

Hutchinson Builders was the successfultenderer to build the Moko project, which sitson the banks of Lake Kawana and right in theheart of the multi-billion-dollar Kawana healthhub.

Mr Tuckwell said he was delighted to havesuch a high-profile and successful buildingcompany construct the Moko project.

“Hutchinsons have over 100 years expe-rience developing projects throughout Australiaso we have great confidence that they candeliver the project on time and within budget,”he said.

Hutchinson Builders area manager MichaelMichell said he was pleased to have won thetender and excited to be able to construct suchan innovative mixed-use development.

“We are really excited by the opportunity tobuild the Moko development. We have greatexperience with similar projects here on theCoast, including Sea Pearl at Mooloolaba andWhite Shells Apartments in Marcoola.

“The design of the Moko project is excellentand, from an investment point of view, it repre-sents a tremendous opportunity because of itsgreat north-facing waterfront location as wellas its close proximity to employment, entertain-ment and recreational hubs around Birtinyaand Kawana,” Mr Michell said.

It’s a similar storyfor Nova, at Mool-oolaba Beach, withthe boutique apart-ment developmentseeing 20 of its 47residences undercontract within fourweeks of release.

Developer Walter Iezzi said the key influenc-es driving quick decision making included thecentral location and affordability.

“Investors have been waiting for a develop-ment such as Nova,” Mr Iezzi said.

“The positive response we are receivingfrom the market is extremely reassuring.

“The solid inquiry continued over the long

into a boutique eight-level building by SunshineCoast developer John Starrett, from DinstarrProject Management.

The Emporio mixed-use development atMaroochydore has seen nearly 82% of stagetwo sold since mid-2013.

Reed Property Group sales and marketingmanager Jason Kollanyi said that to have sold67 of the 87 apartments in such a short spaceof time was an achievement. He said inquirieswere from investors and owner-occupiers, anumber from interstate.

Stage two of the Emporio development is ontrack for completion by the middle of the year.

National Property Research Co managingdirector Matthew Gross warned the final UDIASunshine Coast business lunch for 2013 therewas a lack of townhouses being built in theregion.

He said construction was lagging behindhousing by about 12 months.

“There really are not many apartment pro-jects coming out of the ground,” he said.

“Considerably more are being built in Bris-bane and the Gold Coast by comparison. Sothere are opportunities to increase densities.

High demand for unitsbrings project forwardBy ERLE LEVEY

EXCITED: Hutchinson Builders regional manager Michael Michell, left, with Poole Group direc-tor Greg Tuckwell on site at Moko, Birtinya. PHOTO: ERLE LEVEY

‘‘There really are notmany apartment

projects coming out ofthe ground.’’

INDEX

People in Property: REIQ finalists ...........6

Hammertime: This week’s auctions ......20

Auction Action: All the results ................21

Finance: Inflation lifts ..................................31

Green Space: Hilltop home ....................46

CBD: Large industrial property ..................48

User: Erle.Levey Time: 01-29-2014 11:20 Product: SPW PubDate: 01-02-2014 Zone: All Edition: Main Page: PROPERTY_01 Color: CMYK