The Sanctuary
Located conveniently at Fairfield Waters, within the thriving and progressive city of Townsville, North Queensland is the new modern and attractive apartment complex, The Sanctuary, completed in late 2008.
Sally and Chris Rowe took on the management rights in May 2009, purchasing them from the developer.
The Sanctuary offers resort style living in a home environment, with five-star recreational facilities. Owners and tenants have access to a lap pool, wading pool, barbeque pavilions, a well-equipped gymnasium, fitness circuit and playground. Security of the complex and apartments is an important focus for owners and tenants. An aesthetically designed security gate opens to a welcoming and impressive water feature at the entry to the property.
The Sanctuary is positioned close to shops, the Lavarack Army Barracks, James Cook University, Townsville Hospital, school and kindergartens.
With 116 of the 132 strata apartments in the letting pool, there is rental continuity and a high Defence Force tenant occupancy.
“For us, it was about buying a business that was really going to survive,” said Chris. “The units here have been built and sold with the investor owner in mind, making it a secure rental pool.”
Back in the mid 1990s Sally and Chris took a few months off from their very busy Sydney lifestyle of 20 years and travelled around Australia. “While we were travelling, we found we liked the less populated areas and after observing the number of people on the move around the country, we decided on buying a caravan park.” said Sally. “We transformed the park from a three to a four-star caravan park. A few years later we sold it with the intention of buying a bigger one but we couldn’t find one we wanted and decided on management rights as the best business for us.
Chris then took a change of direction and is now busy with his full time occupation of selling businesses with Resort Brokers but helps when he can and contributes to decision making.
So, Sally runs the business at The Sanctuary. “I believe in management rights and love it here,” said Sally.
Prior to Townsville, Sally and Chris Rowe had a permanent rental management complex at the Gold Coast. After Sally and Chris sold the management rights at the Gold Coast, they set their sights on far north Queensland where Sally came across The Sanctuary.
“The first six weeks was very hectic and hard work to get all the paperwork in order as well as talking to the owners and meeting the tenants,” said Sally. “It is also very rewarding to see the business grow and the opportunity to employ two staff to ease the burden, allowing us to get away from the business as well. For us it works extremely well.”
The modern apartments were designed in a tropical style. The verandahs can double as an indoor or outdoor room with timber louver shutters that open exposing the balcony and if it is windy or wet, they can be closed to make another room, utilising all the space.
Surrounded by a new subdivision, there are appealing walking and bicycle tracks that meander for several kilometres without having to worry about encountering traffic.
The body corporate committee consists of people around Australia; hence, most of the communication is by email. The body corporate manager lives in Townsville and liaises often with Sally and Chris. “They are all very supportive,” said Sally.
Sally and Chris have current real estate licenses and have extensive knowledge and experience in real estate. “A number of owners have asked us to represent them to sell their property because we know the complex, owners, tenants and all that is involved that will affect a prospective purchaser.
“From our experience at the Gold Coast, where the units were more family focussed and sold predominately to the owner-occupier, we quickly recognised the need to have the ability to sell the property then at least if you lose a property from your rental pool, you have the commission from the sale,” said Sally. “I recommend that managers look at that option to secure their business.
“When you’ve bought a business you need to hang on to it and make it work for you and look at all the areas that could affect the viability of your business,” said Sally. “It’s more than an apartment; it’s a lifestyle at The Sanctuary.”
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