St.A

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St A, Cedar Woods’ new masterplanned community in St Albans in Melbourne's north-west, is attracting a wide range of buyers to its townhouse development.

Cedar Woods are offering buyers the opportunity to choose from six different floorplans, with each townhome ranging between two and four bedrooms.

Located in the burgeoning growth area, west of Melbourne’s CBD, St.A delivers a family-friendly community, a landscaped central park and stunning designs by DKO Architecture.

We recently spoke with Cedar Woods chief operations officer, Patrick Archer, to discuss the benefits of securing a townhome at St.A.

MK: Have you seen an increased demand in townhouse sales post-COVID-19? 

PA: St.A sales have seen a solid increase since late last year when restrictions eased and the economy showed signs of a solid recovery.

At the same time, the central park landscaping was installed and several stages of townhomes were completed so the project is looking amazing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7633]

MK: What are the buyer demographics of owner-occupiers purchasing townhouse developments?

PA: It has been a very diverse mix of buyers but typically, it has been first home buyers who already live in the area. There’s also a good proportion of young families and downsizers.  

MK: What should homebuyers look for in the ideal townhouse development? 

PA: If 2020 has taught us anything it is that floorplan functionality is the make or break of a home. Quite a few of our purchasers have told us that this was one of the biggest selling points at St.A, a floorplan that has outdoor space and allows you to set up a home office which is important to purchasers.

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-townhouses/st-a-1-griffiths-street-st-albans" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="2004" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/sta-10-mckechnie-street-st-albans-9d1abe1b454fe77398ed1c690a5cfdf6_1.jpg" width="3000"></a>

MK: Do properties in St Albans hold long-term investment opportunities? 

PA: Melbourne’s western suburbs have been widely reported as the biggest opportunity for investors who want to make excellent returns.

St Albans is no exception and buyers at St.A are focused on the long term return on their investment with strong prospects for capital growth in a suburb that is so well serviced. 

MK: What does the project offer that other townhouse developments may not?

PA: St.A allows beautiful and architecturally designed homes, set around a large central park where neighbours can meet. These features and proximity to shops and transport is what makes St.A unique.

Also St.A is being developed by Cedar Woods, an ASX listed national property developer so buyers can rest assured that their homes will be delivered to a high standard. 

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-townhouses/st-a-1-griffiths-street-st-albans" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="628" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/st-a-10-mckechnie-street-st-albans-42e8b87e5367c66d772c8261833858a6_0.png" width="1200"></a>

Townhouses in the community start from just $499,000 for the two bedroom, two and a half bathroom townhouse in the Argyle II.

Buyers can choose from a number of other configurations, including Sapphire IV, Amber, Topaz II, Novo III, Argyle I and Jasper.
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Urban speaks with Cedar Woods COO, Patrick Archer, to discuss the benefits of securing a townhome at St.A

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Why Cedar Woods’ St.A townhouses are appealing to first home buyers, young families and downsizers

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Since the pandemic, developer sales trends have revealed that first home buyers are becoming increasingly focused on quality of life, rather than location.

Urban spoke with Cedar Woods COO Patrick Archer, who provided the following insights about what to expect in property this year.

“[First home buyers] are looking for quick access to green space and a real sense of community”, he said.

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/lincoln-apartments-100-overton-road-williams-landing" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="3400" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/lincoln-apartments-100-overton-road-williams-landing-765d957441bcbab9cdee57559b9fe828.jpg" width="5100"></a>

According to Archer, 2020 buyer trends that are likely to continue into the new year is the strong renaissance of the suburbs, with buyers taking a keen interest in developments designed around local amenity and wider community living.

This has been true for Cedar Woods’ masterplanned community developments, St.A and Lincoln, who have seen significant interest from first home buyers.

Over the financial year, first home buyers made up 64 per cent of purchases at the 250-dwelling St.A project in Melbourne’s north-western suburb of St Albans.

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-townhouses/st-a-10-mckechnie-street-st-albans?ref=srp_map" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="2004" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/sta-10-mckechnie-street-st-albans-9d1abe1b454fe77398ed1c690a5cfdf6_0.jpg" width="3000"></a>

As first home buyers look at moving to the suburbs and tuning into this new way of life, Cedar Woods has put forward a range of apartments and townhomes so that buyers can choose what works for their lifestyle.

<h2>Is now the time to buy?</h2>

The current low interest rates and government incentives mean that, for many first home buyers, it is cheaper to own than to rent, and new developments are no exception.

“Right now, first home buyers should be looking to take advantage of all the government grants and concessions while they can. Targeting your search to new developments that meet the criteria of the incentives will mean you are getting a considerable saving.” Archer said.

Before the Federal HomeBuilder grant and other state Government schemes come to an end in March, now may be the best time to cash in on the competitive offers by many developers who are also offering additional incentives to buyers and investors.

However, Archer emphasises the importance of knowing your developer.

“Every first home buyer has different needs for their home but one thing they all want is to have complete trust in the developer”, he said.

His advice? Buy from a developer with a track record and long-term commitment to delivering quality projects. 
 

<h2>Cedar Woods’ Lincoln Apartments at Williams Landing</h2>

According to Archer, Lincoln Apartments is designed around local amenity, community and open space, and offers many first home buyers the opportunity to access a range of government incentives.

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/lincoln-apartments-100-overton-road-williams-landing" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="1333" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/lincoln-apartments-100-overton-road-williams-landing-db709a9bbd193a26b59a6e057637cc46.jpg" width="2000"></a>

Prioritising community living and access to green space, Lincoln Apartments brings both convenience and quality to residents.

Designed by DKO Architecture, the five-storey building features sculptural elements, a rooftop garden, residents’ gym and north-facing balconies.

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/lincoln-apartments-100-overton-road-williams-landing" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="2400" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/lincoln-apartments-100-overton-road-williams-landing-a506725222c6c442d6e2e9b1c433b5f0.jpg" width="6000"></a>

Two-bedroom apartments in the complex start from $419,000.
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Urban spoke with Cedar Woods COO Patrick Archer, who provided the following insights about what to expect in property this year

First home buyer trends: Will 2021 be the renaissance of the suburbs?

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As Melbourne continues to experience unprecedented levels of population growth, housing affordability and urban sprawl are amongst some of the greatest challenges facing the city, with traffic congestion and long commute times on the rise. 

In response to this, the 20-minute city concept was proposed as part of the solution to addressing some of these issues and one which is increasingly being realised in Melbourne’s inner and middle ring suburbs with many choosing to live, work and play in close proximity.

Additionally many are adopting apartment living as a means of entering the housing market as an affordable alternative to traditional housing or renting.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/20min_neighbourhood.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The 20 minute neighbourhood. Image : DTPLI"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="479" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/20min_neighbourhood.png?itok=4xhgb5ND" title="The 20 minute neighbourhood. Image : DTPLI" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The 20-minute neighbourhood. Image: DTPLI</figcaption></figure>The 20-minute concept is one of the core focuses of the Andrews government’s Plan Melbourne blueprint for 2050, with the idea of creating a series of ‘20-minute neighbourhoods’, where people can access everything from work, recreation, schools and medical care all within 20 minutes from home. 

This has been evident in Cedar Woods' St Albans master planned community St.A, where a number of sales have gone to buyers wanting to live close to the amenity offered within the suburb.

The Maple Release, the latest release in St.A, is already 80 per cent sold since launching in March and so far the majority of sales have been to the owner-occupier market.

Phung Nguyen, a 28-year-old radiographer, and her partner recently purchased a four-bedroom townhouse in St.A, primarily due to its close proximity to her workplace as well as the best shops and amenity in the area.

<blockquote>
Our reasons for purchasing a property in St.A came down to the location. I work in several different hospitals in the western areas and this played a huge role in the locations we were looking at.

We plan on spending a majority of our time living locally. St.A is pretty much in the heart of the suburb, we will look to utilise local services on Alfrieda Street for day-today tasks such as dining out, groceries and the medical centre.

- Phung Nguyen
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<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/st_albans.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Cedar Woods' St A development takes advantage of the 20-minute concept. Image : Cedar Woods"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="347" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/st_albans.jpg?itok=lFoBb3Jw" title="Cedar Woods' St A development takes advantage of the 20-minute concept. Image : Cedar Woods" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Cedar Woods' St A development takes advantage of the 20-minute concept. Image: Cedar Woods</figcaption></figure>In response to the issue of housing affordability Cedar Woods' other current master planned development - Jackson Green in Clayton South - has seen buyers choosing to buy an apartment instead of renting, with over 40 per cent of owner-occupier purchasers in Gardenia apartments first home buyers.

According to Cedar Woods Chief Operating Officer Patrick Archer, Gardenia apartments offer buyers, particularly young couples genuine chance to enter the property market.

Eloise Wilmann, a 27-year-old student and administration worker, and her fiancée Alex Lewis were tired of Melbourne’s expensive and unreliable rental market, and made the decision to purchase their first property together, a two-bedroom apartment at Gardenia for $539,000.

<blockquote>
Our mortgage repayments are likely to be around $2,200 per month, only slightly more than our $1,900 monthly rent in Clayton, and we don’t have to worry about being forced to move out with little notice or rental increase – which was due at our next lease renewal.

Both traditional houses as well as townhouses have always been out of our price range. We were delighted when we found the Gardenia apartments, they were still large but offered us a way in. My partner and I have wanted to enter the property market for some time now, but had not been in the right financial situation nor found somewhere we would be happy with. We love living in Clayton and wanted to purchase a property around this area that was affordable and suitable for our two dogs.

- Eloise Wilmann
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<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/cwp007_gardenia_v03_courtyard_1200x550_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Gardenia Apartments at Jackson Green, Clayton South. Image : Cedar Woods"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="266" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/cwp007_gardenia_v03_courtyard_1200x550_0.jpg?itok=_66MUW1C" title="Gardenia Apartments at Jackson Green, Clayton South. Image : Cedar Woods" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Gardenia Apartments at Jackson Green, Clayton South. Image : Cedar Woods</figcaption></figure>A large factor in making the move to an apartment from a traditional house was the ground floor offerings at Gardenia compensated with a yard of similar size to most townhouses, says Wilmann.

Gardenia apartments range from 54 sqm to 78 sqm, with some including outdoors areas of up to 100 sqm.
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