Pittwater Life December 2020 Issue

News
Crazy Xmas holiday rentals
Demand is at record levels
for far northern beaches
holiday houses, leading to
“crazy” rental rates with an
unprecedented number of Palm
Beach and Whale Beach properties
fetching $40,000-plus a
week over Christmas-New Year.
Peter Robinson from LJ
Hooker, which manages around
100 rentals in the area, says
more high-end properties are
on the market this year.
“We’ll have a number of
properties into the $40,000
range, which is up there
with the highest rents we’ve
achieved in the past, it’s just
that there’s more at the higher
end,” says Robinson.
“Whereas it used to be Kalua
(a 5500 sqm property) that we
always rented for the standout
highest price, now we’ve got a
few options that would rival
that – new properties created
by people who renovated or
rebuilt in prime locations.”
Shane Clinton from Christie’s
International Real Estate says
he’s heard of outrageous rentals
for non-trophy properties.
“The numbers I’ve heard
have blown me away,” he says.
“We’re hearing non-waterfronts
for 17,500 bucks a week and
booked out for four weeks or
five weeks. I’ve got a mate who
is paying 22,000 bucks a week
in Palmy – and these aren’t the
trophy houses.
“They’re good houses, don’t
get me wrong, but it is crazy.”
Property manager Betina
STUNNING: The
Basin Beach House
by Peter Stutchbury
Architecture.
King says rental prices are well
beyond the norm. “I’ve got one
owner who’s previously got 25
grand a week and now he’s asking
50k a week,” she says.
“I had a $30,000-a-week
booking which I accepted and
was offered $50,000 by another
person for the same week to
cancel the original guy at 30k
but I said ‘no’.”
People are not only spending
more, they are staying longer,
says King.
PHOTO: Michael Nicholson
“I’ve had a booking for four
people and they are in a home
that sleeps 12 for five weeks at
well over $25,000 a week.”
Meanwhile two local homes
created almost half a century
apart yet linked by their ability
to be very much a part of their
natural surrounds have garnered
accolades in the nation’s
architecture awards.
The stunning Basin Beach
House at Mona Vale by Peter
Stutchbury Architecture was
a joint winner of the prestigious
Robin Boyd Award
for Residential Architecture
– Houses (New) while Richard
Leplastrier’s exceptional Palm
Garden House at Bilgola Beach
was honored with the Enduring
Architecture Award.
The jury of the Australian
Institute of Architects National
Awards 2020 described Basin
Beach House as a “low-slung
tent draped over the rolling
dunes, reaching for morning
views of the Pacific Ocean”.
– Martin Kelly/Lisa Offord
Maccas’ 5am caffeine hit
Local food outlets report
changes to trading trends
during COVID-19 lockdown,
including the dramatic shift to
home delivery, have continued
despite restrictions easing.
To meet with customer demand,
including early starts for
working families, local tradies
and others looking to make
the most of the longer summer
days, McDonald’s Warriewood
is now opening at 5am.
Already a major local
employer with a workforce of
more than 140 locals, the venue
is looking to increase this with
numerous positions available.
McDonald’s Warriewood
owner/operator Warwick
Hokins said that even with the
return of indoor and outdoor
seating and the McDonald’s
Playland area, an increasing
number of customers continued
to prefer Drive Thru.
“Since COVID we have seen
really noticeable changes in
how customers visit us. When
we were unable to have any of
our dining areas available and
had to operate as takeaway
only, there was a significant
shift to customers using Drive
Thru,” he said.
“We have also seen a big
increase in the use of the my-
Maccas digital app when they
visit, plus ‘McDelivery’ – which
is available through Uber,
MenuLog and Deliveroo.”
Warwick said take-up of early
morning McCafe in drive thru
was on the increase.
“Since COVID, drive thru in
the early morning has been
important to many people. Now
we are opening at 5am, we are
there to help people kickstart
their days.”
News
30 DECEMBER 2020
The Local Voice Since 1991
The Local Voice Since 1991
DECEMBER 2020 31