PROPERTY WATCH
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Old shipping containers could help provide a solution to the Illawarra's housing shortage, according to Shellharbour councillor Kellie Marsh.
Cr Marsh said building industries in many countries were finding innovative ways to convert old shipping containers into housing and with many dotted around the region, the Illawarra seemed like an ideal location for similar projects.
"There is a crisis when it comes to affordable housing in this region and housing, and we need to think outside the square," Cr Marsh said.
Beyond affordable housing, shipping containers could provide low-cost tourism opportunities.
"Modern backpackers are not interested in communal living and shipping containers could be an alternative."
Cr Marsh's comments came as this week, the Minister for Finance and Services Greg Pearce announced expressions of interest were being called for alternate building systems for government housing projects in NSW.
Mr Pearce said the use of alternate building systems had the potential to assist in improving housing projects by using the most efficient construction techniques available.
"The NSW government is looking to the building industry to achieve better outcomes with future housing projects and deliver better value for taxpayers," he said.
"The aim is to look at all products, materials and new technologies available and examine what can be achieved working alongside the mainstream building industry."
Mr Pearce said examples may include prefabricated components of a building such as wall or floor systems or even a complete building in modular form, if considered appropriate.
Proposals would be assessed for compliance with the National Construction Code, Australian Standards and current local planning requirements.
The details are on the NSW government's eTenders website.
Confidence flat
Demand for property in the Illawarra remains strong, backed by some solid auction results lately but it could be the lack of housing stock that is a major factor in holding up demand.
This week, IRIS Research released the results of its Consumer Sentiment Monitor for the June quarter, which found that despite the standard variable home loan interest rate decreasing from 6.45 per cent to 6.2 per cent, consumer confidence about investing in the property market remained flat.
However, the survey also found that families across the Illawarra were more optimistic about their financial situation over the next 12 months.
Ticks for landlords
Contradicting the common stereotype of the nightmare landlord, a survey by domain.com.au has found that more than 73 per cent of renters had a good relationship with their landlord and the majority reported that their landlords fixed issues in a timely way.
The survey of 1241 people, conducted over July, also found when it came to raising the rent, the most common increase was no more than a $5 a week (41 per cent), though just over 22 per cent were paying more than $50 extra a week than when they moved in.
Despite this, nearly 60 per cent of respondents thought the rental increases had been on the whole fair and they were paying a fair market rate (64 per cent).
"We hear stories all the time about nightmare rental properties with broken fixtures that the landlord is unwilling to fix, and greedy landlords unfairly jacking up the rent in a competitive market, however this does not seem to the common experience," domain.com.au's property spokesperson, Stuart Benson, said.
Bel-Air bought
Berry identity Elaine Townshend has sold her heritage-listed home, Bel-Air, in Queen Street for $900,000 through Belle Property Kiama.
Known as the boathouse because it looks like a 1950s' liner, the home was was built by Ukrainian immigrant George Boris, who named it Bel Air as it was designed to resemble the Hotel Bel-Air in California.
He set up his veterinary clinic on the site. According to a Sun-Herald report, because many of the farmers could not afford to pay cash, they paid in kind. Bel-Air was completed using the labour of local farmers.
Worth a look
• A four-bedroom Bulli house for auction through McGrath Estate Agents.
• A four-bedroom house at Haywards Bay for $598,000 through Peter Taranto.
• A three-bedroom Tarrawanna unit for $459,000 through Ray White.
• A three-bedroom unit at Wollongong for $679,000 through Belle Property.