Budget boost means workplace perks
Technology and a veggie patch are all flow-on benefits of this year's budget for one medium-sized firm.
Property Focus
Castle Hill 'megalot' property sale to reap $100m
Carolyn Cummins 4:25 PM Real estate agents have been hit again, with 25 residents in Castle Hill, Sydney, opting to sell the homes in one superlot, worth about $100 million.
Auto parts makers driving new business
Nicole Lindsay Rubber and plastics manufacturer Graham Hopkins saw the writing on the wall in 2008. His company Lasslett Rubber and Plastics supplied parts to Ford, Holden and Mitsubishi in deals which made up 86 per cent of the company's business.
Accor expands Melbourne hotel assets
Carolyn Cummins AccorHotels has expanded its hotel network with the announcement of two new-build hotels and two takeovers.
Mirvac and Goodman on track for earnings growth
Carolyn Cummins Mirvac and Goodman Group are on track to reach their end-of-financial-year earnings forecasts as they benefit from strong demand for residential and industrial assets.
Three shops in a row on one title sell for $2.4m
Three shops in a row on one title have sold for a combined $2.44 million. The properties had been owned by the same vendor since 1920.
Failed Bendigo land bank on the market
Simon Johanson A Bendigo paddock at the centre of a collapsed land banking scheme run by property spruikers Jamie McIntyre and Henry Kaye is on the market.
Fitzroy gasworks back in play
Nicole Lindsay Plans to redevelop the contaminated Gasworks site in North Fitzroy are back on track as the government land agency Places Victoria kicks off a community consultation process.
Land banker buys chunk of Anakie
Marc Pallisco A local land banker has paid more than $15 million, sources say, for a 240-hectare piece of Anakie – a semi-rural area nestled 70 kilometres west of Melbourne's outskirts, and just beyond Greater Geelong's northern edge.
NEGATIVE GEARING
How investors outgun first home buyers
Caitlin Fitzsimmons It's not just that one in three buyers are investors, it's also that they're disproportionately competing with first-home buyers.
Stockland plays down deflation worries
Carolyn Cummins The developer and landlord says it doesn't see deflation as an imminent threat, with cost savings from retailers and the higher dollar helping reduce the impact.
UK retailers in a world of hurt
Eric Pfanner and Sam Chambers Britain's high-street retailers are feeling low. In the last week alone, two stalwarts of the country's downtown shopping districts have moved to appoint administrators, similar to filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US.
Food retailers on the march across city
Carolyn Cummins Foodies have emerged as the fastest-growing tenants in all capital cities as they vie for space with retailers but are willing to pay a premium for the right location.
Renaissance rising at new housing estate
Stephen Crafti Renaissance Rise, a new housing estate in the Shire of Whittlesea to the north of Melbourne, puts its community first.
Changing era for supply chain operators
Carolyn Cummins GPT Group has paid $16 million to expand its industrial footprint, as a reflection of the rise in importance of the once-humble shed.
Pubs in hot demand
Carolyn Cummins Pub sales are the hot ticket with close to $200 million worth of pubs have changed hands in the past year, from the outer suburbs of metropolitan Sydney to the inner fringe and parts of the City.
Office landlords back in the driver's seat
Carolyn Cummins Office landlords are now back in control as space is taken for infrastructure projects and residential conversions, leading to a forecast for rent rises of close to 8 per cent, according to Cushman and Wakefield.
Changing city density needs understanding
Stephen Cox and Kevin Driver It is expected that the current 41 per cent of Sydney's population living in medium-to-high density housing will soar through 50 per cent over the next five years, with many people located in the middle-to-outer ring of the city.
Lego lands at Dreamworld
Carolyn Cummins Ardent Leisure has boosted its Dreamworld offering with a deal to open a Lego certified store at the theme park.
Westpac stops lending to foreign buyers
Simon Johanson The banking giant has stopped lending to foreign buyers in a move that is likely to spark concerns about a slowdown in construction.
Interstate bidders slug it out for Bendigo retail investment
Bidders from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth piled into an auction for a Bendigo shop which eventually sold for $965,000 representing a yield of 5.9 per cent.
Developers snap up $12m of land in Sydney's west
Carolyn Cummins Developers have paid more than $12 million in purchases along the Sydenham to Bankstown urban renewal project line.
Lucky number 3 gets Chinese developer key Southbank site
Simon Johanson A group of 23 Melbourne property owners found a Chinese buyer inspired by the "lucky" numeral 3 who paid $32,333,333 for their sites.
Pelathon Pub Fund aims for $100m in assets
Carolyn Cummins The revamped and refinanced Pelathon Pub Fund is aiming to grow its business to $100 million in assets under management.
Flip properties for development, local councils told
Simon Johanson Local governments are sitting on billions of dollars worth of land and property that could be redeveloped for much-needed housing, a new survey suggests.
Trusts and funds drive down yields in assets chase
Nicole Lindsay Institutions are expected to continue their dominance of Melbourne's industrial market, the biggest in Australia, compressing yields as they chase assets.
Historic Terminus Hotel sells for $5m
Carolyn Cummins The historic Terminus Hotel has been sold for $5 million to a private developer, who plans to revive the property, which has been dormant for the past 30 years.
Petrol heads v pointy heads in Thunderdome stoush
Simon Johanson Bob Jane's Calder Park Raceway, famed among aspiring petrol heads for its high-octane American-style NASCAR battles, is having a different, more cerebral, fight.
World-beating store in Ringwood
Carolyn Cummins Forget London, New York and Paris this is the best department store shop in the world.
Luxury retail mall St Collins Lane and Novotel hotel for sale
Simon Johanson The rebirth of Australia's latest luxury retail mall, St Collins Lane, may be celebrated by a new owner after Lasalle Investment Management put the ritzy new shopping centre in Melbourne, and the five-star Novotel on Collins hotel next door, on the market.
