The prospect of drawing internationally renowned destination artworks to the city is yet another impressive facet of the Queens Wharf development, as reported on brisbanedevelopment.com this week.

Of the estimated $3 billion project cost for the development, approximately $7.5 million would be contributed to the artwork if classified under the Brisbane City Council’s 1995 Public Art Policy, which specifies developments over $5 million must contribute 0.25% of total cost to fund artworks.

However, in regards to this development, the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Integrated Resort Development (QWBIRD) has its own planning scheme, with similar contributions for artwork are likley to be adhered to. 

Whether you love art or not, these concepts will surely have something for everyone. 

The exciting concept will be grouped into four categories; ‘Destination Artwork’, ‘Precinct Markers’, ‘Discovery Artwork’, and ‘Functional Artwork.’ An extraordinary notion to draw artists and collaborators from Australia and the international art world. There are a number of proposed artworks with excellent concept drawings available for viewing.  These are definitely worth a look, even for those not completely immersed in the art world. These can be viewed (and voted on) on the brisbanedevelopment.com website link below.  

The original article can be read at  https://brisbanedevelopment.com/queens-wharf-set-to-host-a-wonderland-of-public-art/.

For those interested in what Brisbane current has to offer, the Brisbane City Council has ‘Public Art Trail’ guide and map on their website.  

https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/Contemporary_Art_and_Architecture_Public_Art_Trail.pdf 

When you are talking about a potential $2 billion project in the centre of Brisbane, its hard not get excited about the future of our great city. The ‘Brisbane Live’ entertainment precinct is about to progress to stage two of the Queensland Government’s market-led proposals initiative, as reported on the brisbanedevelopment.com on 21 May 2017. Story below. 

"The $2 billion Brisbane Live entertainment precinct located in the heart of the CBD is about to progress to stage two of the Queensland Government’s market-led proposals initiative.

For over 12 months the government has been reviewing the plan and is anticipated to provide constructive feedback which will push the project into a fine tuning and due diligence phase.

Harvey Lister, chairman of Brisbane-based AEG Ogden, a subsidiary of global entertainment venue operator AEG, told the Courier Mail they are optimistic that Brisbane Live is now receiving the focus it needs with the State Government to enable it to happen.

In preparation of the next stage, AEG Ogden has already prepared a detailed 150-page financial brief and appointed Jones Lang LaSalle to explore opportunities and ways to attract private investment into the project which would see the development of apartments, hotels, retail, commercial space as well as possibly cultural, education and research facilities based around the new 17,000 seat Brisbane Arena.

“The redevelopment concept for the whole of the Roma Street site is a truly unique one-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we believe its time has come,” he said.

“Very few cities globally have the opportunity to create a commercial, educational, leisure and entertainment precinct in a world-class garden setting on a 20-plus hectare site right in the middle of the city,’’ Mr Lister said.

The proposal is mirrored off LA Live, located at South Park, a district South West of downtown Los Angeles. Situated at the centre of LA Live is the 20,000 seat Staples Center which hosts basketball, ice hockey, boxing and wrestling as well as music concerts and theatres.

Since its inception in 2009, the 10.9 hectare LA Live precinct has spurred on incredible growth and gentrification of the surrounding area, developing new hotels and residences like the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott. The precinct is serviced predominantly by a light rail line.

Comparatively, Brisbane Live as it stands is larger by area (around 20 hectares) and is located on top of Queensland’s largest rail interchange hub. The positioning above Roma Street station gives the added advantage of catering not just to Brisbane audiences but to the whole of South East Queensland, a population catchment of well over 3.4 million (2014 figures). Like Staples Center, the Brisbane Arena could accommodate international concert tours, theatres like Wicked or The Wizard of Oz as well as potentially being the new home of the Brisbane International’s tennis finals. Harvey Lister said the ability for the Brisbane Live project to activate the night-life economy of the CBD to support the new Queens Wharf development is a compelling factor.

AEG Ogden are reportedly moving quickly with the proposal, with hopes of getting final approval within one year and built by 2021-2022 to coincide with the completion of Brisbane’s other major development, the $3 billion Queens Wharf Integrated Resort.

Tim Nicholls, state opposition leader told the Courier Mail the project was a ‘game-changer’ and was behind the Brisbane Live project, so much so that if elected, he would overhaul the market-led proposals process to speed up approvals.

He said it was “staggering” it had taken a year to get to this point and slammed the Palaszczuk Government’s record on MLPs. “In two years, just one of more than 100 proposals has been approved.”

Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said he wants to see Brisbane Live progress to help boost tourism along with Queens Wharf, Brisbane Airport’s new parallel runway, new cruise ship terminal and the planned metro rapid bi-articulated bus system.

Cross River Rail Integration

Whilst the painfully decade-long squabble over Cross River Rail funding continues, there is one positive side effect of government inaction. The potential for pure integration of Cross River Rail with Brisbane Live.

Both projects could be seamlessly integrated with one another creating a super-transit hub beneath the surface of Brisbane Live and sparing Brisbane residents with additional years of construction headaches. Cross River Rail already promises to turn the immediate area into a “vibrant precinct” with a new plaza and retail offerings.

AEG Ogden meet with the Queensland Government this week to discuss progressing the project to the next phase."

Above story published on 21 May 2017 - https://brisbanedevelopment.com/brisbane-live-proposal-to-advance-to-next-stage/

Brisbane is starting to see its population growth pick up, as expected, according to a recent article by best-selling author and blogger, Pete Wargent, published on propertyobserver.com.au.

According to the ABS, Brisbane’s unemployment rate is also proving to be consistently one of the lowest per capital city across Australia.

That is two giant thumbs up for Brisbane’s economy. Then you add into the mix, the increase in major infrastructure projects happening in and around the CBD, and it would appear that Brisbane is truly on the up and up.

Think big projects like the Queen’s Wharf development which has been tipped to inject 3,000 jobs during development and another 8,000 employment opportunities upon completion. With projects like this underway, it is no wonder that Brisbane’s population growth is on the rise.

With more jobs being created in the CBD (thanks to the likes of infrastructure projects like the Queen’s Wharf - among many others), it means more people need to move to the city to be closer to work. When you think about it, it is not surprising that the population of Brisbane is growing.

The best part is, we anticipate that the expected population growth and increase of jobs will have a solid impact on inner city apartment sales.

In fact, investors are becoming increasingly excited with the Brisbane CBD property prospects. After all, a growing population means more tenants in the marketplace and increased competition – which is only going to make for a stronger economy and a win-win for all property investors here in Brisbane.

Growing population. More jobs. Greater opportunities. Stronger economy. Seems the experts might be right when they say all current signs of a strong investment strategy currently point to Brisbane.

If you are looking to sell or purchase property in the Brisbane CBD, why not contact our team on 0419 782 133 to set up an appointment with one of our property specialists

Everyone has a credit score. It’s that magic number that determines a lot about your borrowing capacity. What is more, a credit score is very important when it comes to building a strong property portfolio. The question is, how much do you know about yours? Throughout this article, we explore five questions that will ultimately give you a better understanding of credit scores and what you can do to improve them. 

A credit score is essentially a rating that determines your perceived ability to repay debt based on your past credit performance. Oddly enough, few people actually know what their number is. The best way to find out your credit score is to go straight to the source and speak to the people who determine these ratings and what it means for you.

1. Who decides your credit score?

Credit scores are determined by agencies who are chosen with the requisite authority by the Australian government. Ultimately, credit scores (and the agencies that regulate them) aim to protect credit providers and reduce the instance of bankruptcies in Australia. There are many credit reporting agencies in Australia, one of the most well-known in the industry being Equifax (Previously Veda).

2. How do credit agencies determine your score?

There are three basic components that agencies apply to determine a credit score. We will use Equifax as an example:

• Veda calculates a VedaScore (aka credit score) by summarising credit report information.
• Based on this data they rank your credit on a scale of 1 to 1200 against other Australians – the result is your credit score.
• Lenders use this number to assess your credit application – i.e. home loan, personal loan.

A basic credit rating can be ordered from the Equifax website for free here.

3. What information do agencies collect?

Credit reporting agencies collect the following information to help determine your credit score:

• Personal details (name, date of birth, driving licence number and address, etc.).
• Information pertaining to your credit history.
• Past loan applications details (approved or not, overdue payments, credit infringements).
• Loan repayment due dates (i.e. whether due dates were met)
• Debt agreements (including court judgements and orders, insolvency agreements).
• How long do agencies store this information for?
• Credit reporting agencies store the previously mentioned information for up to seven years – so you can see how easily the past can really affect your current borrowing capacity.

4. How can I improve my credit score?

• To strengthen your credit score, and financial history, as well as establish yourself as a ‘good customer’ for future lenders, there are three key financial practices you need to put in place:
• Pay off all bills on time 
• Shut down unnecessary accounts
• Save consistently

At the end of the day, the best way to improve your credit score is through diligent credit management. In other words, live within your means and pay your bills on time.

Once improved, your credit score can be maintained by always having a comprehensive understanding of your personal credit file (including knowing your actual credit score) and sound ongoing credit management.

Here at HSBP we work with many reputable financial firms who can help with managing your finances for greater long-term wealth – especially when it comes to property investment.

For more information or to arrange an appointment with one of our property specialists, contact our team on 0419 782 133.

Brisbane’s property market appears to be getting hotter and hotter – just ask the experts. Many are saying that it comes down to several factors, including Brisbane’s affordable property prices and strong yields. Two convincing influences for any buyer or investor, especially when compared to its south-eastern capitals – Melbourne and Sydney!

Principal of HS Brisbane Property, Hannah Schuhmann says that she has noticed a strong positive shift in the local Brisbane market. She feels this shift is coming from a combination of factors – but the most convincing would have to be the current price of property in Brisbane.

 “When you look at how affordable Brisbane property and the current opportunities available, it is no wonder we are seeing an increase of buyers coming from all over – including locally as well as from interstate and overseas,” says Schuhmann.

“Investors from the southern states have begun migrating up north, attracted to Brisbane’s affordable prices and stronger yields.”

Mitch Koper, media manager at CoreLogic believes that people can’t find affordable properties with the yield that they’re looking for in other cities; the returns are simply not there.

“In Brisbane, you can buy a house for [$600,000] and get a return of 7 or 8% in some cases.

It’s a very reasonably priced market,” said Koper.

But it is not just buyers moving up from other Australian cities. According to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ), demand for Brisbane homes is also particularly strong among several overseas buyers including those from China, United States, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom – just to name a few!

Seems the Queensland state government is also very aware of the attraction from overseas buyers.  In June 2016, in an effort to avoid the market from overheating, they imposed a 3% surcharge on foreign purchases of houses and apartments.

Schuhmann says that buyers, particularly investors who are in it for the long haul, are on the hunt for property that offers value for money. In other words, they are looking for a CBD apartment that is affordable (for them and their tenants) and offers a strong return on their investment dollar.

“Smart buyers and investors will do their homework and purchase property which presents solid growth potential,” said Schuhmann.

“The price of property here in Brisbane means they can have their cake and eat it too – and that offer is very appealing to many homeowners and investors these days!”

Adding to this appeal is Brisbane’s current state of economic growth – from massive infrastructural developments to increasing employment opportunities - it is no wonder that buyers are starting to realise the potential that lies here in Brisbane.

Here at HSBP, we live and breathe Brisbane property. So if you are after more information on the lucrative opportunities at hand in this growing city, that just keeps getting hotter and hotter, contact our team on 0419 782 133.