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Beach House Hunters - Season 3 Episode 4 - Hervey Bay
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00:01Australians have always loved the beach so many of us are now making the move to
00:06our beautiful coastlines. Our beachfront dreamers want crashing waves and salty sea
00:15air so grab your sunscreen and join us on the hunt for the ultimate beach house.
00:20It's been a hard day hunting.
00:33I'm thrilled to welcome you to Harvey Bay on the Fraser Coast of Queensland. This place
00:38is the definition of paradise. It's not just for retirees but young families are starting
00:44to call this place home as well. Today I'm with Quentin and Michael. Their brief for a home is
00:49fairly open and so is their budget so this is a wonderful chance to get to know real estate in
00:54Harvey Bay. Let's go.
00:58I'm Quentin and I'm Michael and we're from Harvey Bay in Queensland.
01:06There's nothing exciting.
01:08I grew up in Harvey Bay so I've done all my schooling and that here and now I just love
01:12the place
01:12I've never really wanted to move away. It's just really friendly, easy to get around and
01:17quite relaxed lifestyle.
01:22We love living by the beach because it's safe and it's friendly for our kids to run and play. They
01:28love jumping in the water and also the cafe culture. We love just being able to walk down
01:32the street and grab a coffee whenever we want. That's beautiful. It's great.
01:36We have renovated a couple of properties here in Harvey Bay and right now we're looking for
01:39something that is turnkey, something that we could potentially live in or potentially rent out or
01:45Airbnb out. Something that's got some flexibility to it. We've got a budget of between one to two
01:50million. We'd like to keep it on the lower side of that obviously but for the right property we can
01:54extend and sort of push that budget a bit but it really just does depend on what the property is
02:00and
02:00what it can offer us. Yes. Harvey Bay is just over two hours north of Noosa and is a go
02:06-to destination for
02:07its calm beaches, whale watching and easy access to Fraser Island. With a laid back vibe and year
02:14round beautiful weather it's no wonder our couple are focused on buying in this dreamy piece of beachside
02:20real estate. Well good morning. Hello. Hi. Great to see you. Lovely to meet you. Lovely to meet you. Hi.
02:33Gentlemen I feel like I'm in the hands of professionals today. I'm just going to hang on for the ride.
02:38You've lived here in Harvey Bay for over 20 years. You know this industry inside out so this is going
02:43to
02:43be a great day of learning for me about real estate in Harvey Bay. Probably not. We'll see.
02:49But we're excited. We're looking for a holiday house that we can potentially Airbnb out,
02:55that we can have family come and stay, something that's going to suit families,
03:00something that's low maintenance and something that's easy. Close to the beach.
03:04Close well that's the all important isn't it? It's the most important thing in Harvey Bay.
03:10So house number one, what do you think of the Street Appeal? I think this is the kind of home
03:15that
03:15we are looking for. We're looking for something modern low maintenance and this fits the bill.
03:19Brand new. You could add your personal touch out here to the front yard so please excuse the path
03:23as we make our way in. Watch your step. That's all right. That's just a little bit of landscaping
03:27there. That's no big deal. Ready to go inside? Perfect. Let's do it. Let's do it.
03:35So on entry we have a junior suite which I think is really handy to have some bedrooms on the
03:40bottom
03:41floor. Your double garage obviously. Media room. It's very open and airy. I like it.
03:49I like the thick countertops on the island too and the different colour. It's interesting is it
03:54because they could have gone for just a very white colour palette but the fact they've added some
03:58colour into the island bench there, they've put some colour on the walls, it makes it feel more homely
04:03straight away. It's easy to maintain. It's not huge. Are we into the laminate flooring or would you have
04:08done tiles? Do you have a preference? I think this is low maintenance. I like it. This is great for
04:13a beach
04:13location. Sand comes off nice and easy, doesn't scratch. Well upstairs are all the bedrooms so
04:18head up there, have a look around. I'll be out here looking at the new pool so I'll meet you
04:23there.
04:35This is nice. Nice and big. Very roomy. I love the doors there. The colour is beautiful. Yeah,
04:40it matches the front door. It looks very nice. I like the primary bedroom. It's quite big and
04:43spacious. It's very open. It's got a good size walk-in robe and the ensuite is very well done.
04:49It's a very nice big children's room. This is a huge room. How many beds are in this room? Yes,
04:54good for Airbnb. And it's got an adjoining bathroom that joins onto the other bedroom as well so that's
04:59great. Yes. I like this room. It's a perfect Airbnb room. The kids' bunk room is amazing. It's really
05:05spacious. It can fit a whole bunch of beds and it's got its own ensuite as well so that's a
05:09bonus.
05:12Oh, I love a blank canvas, don't you? What are we going to do out here? It's there. It just
05:18needs
05:18a little bit. I think all the concrete's sort of in your face a little bit but that's easy. A
05:22little
05:23bit of greenery around the sides I think would help with that. And maybe we could even... Yeah,
05:27some nice tile out here. Yeah, put some tile or something over the concrete. Yeah, you could have a
05:30bit of fun, couldn't you? Correct. Actually, some colour and movement out here would be great. Absolutely.
05:34I think I like having something to do ourselves, putting our own touches on it. I think it gives us
05:39the personality that we want in our house. All right, well, let's talk price.
05:44What do you think this is on the market for? It's a tough one, this one, isn't it? I'm going
05:49to say
05:50you have to be around that 1.5 to 1.6. Well, I would go a bit lower, about 1
05:57.3. They are asking
06:00between 1.5 and 1.6. So you're spot on. The asking price is high but it's worth it. I
06:05mean,
06:05you're literally across the road from the beach and the bonus is you've got the pool and you've got
06:09the granny flat on the side. So I think it's worth its asking price. House number two. Let's go.
06:14Let's go. After you. Coming up. It's a different market. It's very executive. So if we were to
06:20let this out, I think we would be targeting more executive couples.
06:35We love living by the beach because it's safe and it's friendly for our kids to run and play. They
06:41love jumping in the water. Great to see you. Lovely to meet you. Lovely to meet you. Hi.
06:45I think this is the kind of home that we are looking for. We're looking for something modern,
06:48low maintenance and this fits the bill. They are asking between 1.5 and 1.6.
07:01Quentin and Michael, I don't think we could get much closer to the water. It is literally
07:06a stone stroke. Perfect location. Straight across from the beach and grab the kayaks.
07:11They're in the water in less than three minutes. That's perfect.
07:15This is one property over 600 square metres. There's some very interesting features inside.
07:21So let's dive straight into this one. Let's do it. Perfect.
07:31With that door shut, it feels like we're in a bunker now. You can't really hear the road at all.
07:36So
07:37you've got all the bedrooms down here, plus a study. This feature of the glass through to the garage is
07:43pretty unique, as are the fixtures and finishings in this home. So there's a lot of personal touches in
07:49this place. I don't know how to describe the character. The character can be very eclectic to
07:58the person, I think. It's something that we'll look at maybe changing if we've purchased it.
08:09Now I know there is a lot to take in. It feels like this sort of grand foyer or open
08:15space, but
08:16once you break it down into the zones, it's a great layout. I mean, it's an entertainer's kitchen.
08:21It almost feels like a commercial kitchen. I like the kitchen and I love this timber thing here.
08:25There's a couple of stools at the end. Beautiful. It's a very open plan feeling up in the kitchen
08:30and that bar area is definitely something else. Love that bar area. I can see everyone hanging
08:35around that bar area, even if they're not drinking, having a meal, doing whatever in there, playing games
08:39even. So the primary suite's just here. Have a look there. I am going to see what I can see
08:44off the
08:44balcony. I know there's water. Will I spot a whale? No, but it's worth a look. See you out there.
08:56Wow, this room is huge. It's very big. And look at that view. You can actually see the ocean. You
09:01can be lying in bed and have a look at that ocean. Very spacious. Love it.
09:09Check out that tile. That mosaic tile is beautiful. Let's go check out the view.
09:20I do love the way that that natural stone flooring has carried from the inside through to the outside.
09:25And with your doors all the way back, it'd be a great living indoor outdoor living this way.
09:30There's not a lot of places in Harvey Bay that you can actually see the ocean from your front veranda
09:34or your porch. And this is one of them. So that's a very unique feature for this property. How are
09:38you
09:39feeling about this home? It's a different market. It's very executive. So if we were to let this out,
09:44I think we would be targeting more executive couples, per se, rather than families. I think
09:49this is probably less family friendly than some of the others that we've seen, but still a lovely home.
09:54Michael, this one's for you. Well, I think it's going to be up there about 1.5, I reckon.
09:581.5. No, higher than that. It's got to be 1.8, 1.9.
10:03The vendors are hoping for between 2 and 2.4. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think this house is a little
10:12bit
10:12high for price point for what we're looking to do with the Airbnb.
10:17Okay. Third and final. Let's go. Coming up. You've lived here for a long time now.
10:23What's the attraction for you? It's just a very special place. I watched around
10:28the world and nothing compares to Harvey Bay.
10:41Previously, Quentin and Michael, I don't think we could get much closer to the water.
10:46It is literally a stone's throw.
10:50I don't know how to describe the character. The character can be very eclectic to the person,
10:56I think. All right. Lucky last, possibly. It's a town home.
11:06I wasn't looking for a unit. Having said that, it doesn't feel like a unit because it faces the
11:13Esplanade. Yeah. It's got its own driveway and separate entry, which is quite nice,
11:16which gives it that more of a house feel. We've got four bedrooms, three and a half bathroom. So,
11:21whereas the last property had a lot of space for minimal bedrooms, this one's got a lot of bedrooms
11:26packed in. So again, a different market. I like the stone feature work out the front there. That's
11:30beautiful. Let's cut to the chase. Let's go have a look.
11:39Walking into the home, you're greeted by a whole bunch of stairs, which is an ideal, I think,
11:44especially with having young children. So once you do get up the stairs, obviously,
11:53you'd want to spend all day up here and then only head back down to your bedrooms for your siesta
11:57or night time. I think once you get up the stairs, up to that kitchen, living, dining,
12:01it's very open and planned living up there. Nice view out to the ocean, and you've got everything
12:05you need upstairs once you get there. Yeah, I think that view is the key thing there. That's the winner
12:10of that house. They've got a good sized kitchen, living and dining all in this space. And when
12:17the kids are sleeping downstairs, you can be up here and you're not disturbing them. So there's
12:21advantages to the stairs as well. Go and take a good look around down there and then we'll
12:25do some dugong spotting off the deck.
12:38Put a little rental income. This is completely self-contained. And for a townhome of this size,
12:43that's actually quite a lot of outdoor space, which is great. Let's go and find out what the price is.
12:47Let's do it. I get it. Life here in Harvey Bay seems to have a little bit of something for
12:56everyone.
12:57You can imagine summers, barbecue, family around. Perfect. Good sea breeze.
13:05I love the view from the balcony. I think that's what the key feature is here, is that view,
13:10you get the ocean. It's big enough that you can have the whole family around for a barbecue and eat
13:14out there on that deck. I think that would be amazing. So whether you are talking a retiring
13:18market or the executive market, young families, feel like this property, number three, could sort
13:24of fit all of those categories? Yeah, this one's a little bit different. It's probably not as high
13:29end as some of the other ones that we've seen today, but it's certainly got your space and it's
13:33got your view and it's got everything you need. Where do you feel this home sits in the market at
13:38the
13:38moment? Look, I think we'll be under a million in this one. I think this is probably the cheapest one
13:42that we've seen today. I'm going to put my figure around the 950 mark.
13:47I'm going to go slightly higher, about 1.1 I think. I think the vendors would be very
13:51happy to speak to you boys. They're hoping between 970 and 105.
13:56Price is reasonable on this one. Obviously it's a unit, so we've got that to consider.
14:01There's not a lot of yard space, but the price is lower, so that's something to consider.
14:07Amazing options and potentials. I think the dual rental income definitely appeals to us,
14:11especially where you can rent one out and still be living in the other. It would work quite well.
14:16Take your time. I'll be hanging around in the bay for as long as you need.
14:20If you make a decision, just give me a buzz.
14:32Harvey Bay is famous as a whale watchers paradise, so I made time for a chat with Vicky from Tasman
14:39Venture to learn some more about what exactly is on offer in this unique coastal location.
14:45Vicky, I want you to sell me the dream of Harvey Bay. I know we all have an idea that
14:50it's all about the
14:51whales and whale watching here in the season, but you've lived here for a long time now.
14:56What's the attraction for you? It was a small town, very cruisy, very quiet. But now we have,
15:02you know, restaurants that cater for fine dining. We have great accommodation options. We have wineries
15:08out the back. We have art galleries. We have a lot of history in Maryborough. And of course,
15:13the beaches are safe, so it's great for families to come and holiday at. It's such a beautiful area.
15:19The whales brought you here 27 years ago. You were just going to come in and do the tour and
15:24leave.
15:25What happened? I stayed. And the reason being is Harvey Bay is one of the best places,
15:31if not the best place in the world to watch humpback whales. And the thing that sets us apart
15:36from anywhere else, the whales come in, they stop over here. So you can whale watch anywhere up and
15:41down the coast, but they're moving. They're on a mission. They're migrating here. We have whales stay
15:45two or three weeks. They give birth here. They mate here. They actually get really curious because
15:50they're so relaxed and stopped here. They come up to the vessels and they look at us and they
15:55check us out. We even have swimming options with them now. And, you know, it's just a very special
16:00place. I watched around the world and nothing compares to Harvey Bay. Plus the marine environment
16:06out there. We have dugongs and dolphins and, you know, rays and fish and seabirds. And it's just a
16:13paradise out there.
16:18It sounds like an absolute family playground. It is. It is. It's a marine playground. It's
16:24nature based as well. We have, you know, wildlife sanctuaries. You know, there's places that kids can
16:30go and check out Australia's most beautiful animals. And there's just so many options. So now you found
16:35yourself the greatest job on earth. What do you do every day, Vicki?
16:39Yeah. So I moved here as I got a job with Tasman Venture, which is a locally operated family business.
16:46And we started very, you know, humble beginnings. But over time now, it's grown into this amazing,
16:52unique tour. And we go up the west coast of the island. And it's a very quiet site, a very
16:57peaceful.
16:59The scenery is outstanding. A lot of creeks. So we kayak and we get into the creeks. We don't hear
17:04a
17:04single thing except for the birds and the water running. And it's just, yeah, beautiful.
17:08It sounds like it'd take you 60 years to get through all the activities that are on offer
17:12up this way. Exactly. You can do as little or as much as you like on our tour. But there
17:17is a lot
17:17of options. And we have, you know, beautiful staff that look after everyone from day to day. And yeah,
17:22very established.
17:31Now that Michael and Quinton have had a bit of time to think about the three properties we toured together,
17:36I'm keen to meet up again to see if one of those homes has won them over. It's my turn
17:42to walk in on
17:43you. How are you doing? Hi, I found you. A beautiful spot this is. My goodness. Amazing.
17:50It's great to see you both again. Let's start with house number one. Brand new build. Obviously
17:55still had a little bit of work left to go, which I think would be a lovely way to sort
17:59of personalise
17:59it a bit. Yeah, and I like that. I like that we could make our own personal touches on that
18:03property.
18:03We could, and it wasn't much. It was just the outside area and some planting and some landscaping,
18:07which wouldn't take us very long at all to do. So otherwise that was turnkey and ready to go.
18:12And then house number two, the dark and moody one, right there on the Esplanade. Great location.
18:18Location was perfect. It is very nice right across from the beach. Interior,
18:22we would have to put our own touches on. That was probably not to our taste.
18:25It was a low maintenance block, which we really like, but the price point was obviously that little
18:31bit higher as well. So we've just got to take that into consideration. And whether that would fit
18:35again with your executive rental as we spoke on the day, whether you could find that doctor couple
18:41that have moved up to Harvey Bay and aren't ready to commit to buying their own yet. I see where
18:45that would sit for that one. And then house three, three storeys, still on the Esplanade. Again,
18:52a different market altogether, really, depending on what you guys want to do with it.
18:55We hadn't thought about a unit. So that wasn't what we were looking at initially, but that unit was
18:59very individual. It had its own access. So that was great. Didn't feel like a unit. And it certainly
19:05had the space that we wanted. And the downstairs granny flat was great and access to the outside.
19:10So that's a good contender, I think. One, two or three, any interest in putting an offer in on
19:16any of those? I think number one seems to be the one to go to. It was nice and open,
19:21airy feeling, nice new build, and with just minimal work to complete it, to have it ready to go.
19:27Yeah, it had the granny flat there as well. So potentially a dual income earner there. So I
19:32think we need to perhaps go back and have a look at that one again. Sounds like a great idea.
19:37Well,
19:37please keep me posted. Thank you. Michael and Quinton have reached out to say that they decided to
19:48continue to look for their perfect next property. All the best guys as you continue the search in
19:53beautiful Harvey Bay.
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