Where would you say Western Australia’s unit living/apartment market is currently at?

The property market in general is cyclical. It follows a bell-curve pattern that sees prices peak at the top of the market and level out at the bottom. Investors and market commentators monitor this process carefully to maximise investment potential before an upwards shift occurs. The apartment market is not immune to this cycle and we are currently experiencing a lot of movement from investors. This signals that we might have hit the bottom of the cycle, but also that an expected upturn is likely to take place due to our strengthening economy and record low interest rates.

All this aside, most know that the enduring nature of property means that if you tick the boxes of location, limited supply, quality build and unique design, apartments are likely to hold their value for the long term – regardless of market factors.

Do you think more people are moving into and living in apartments than say, 10 years ago? What traits about apartment living do you think have contributed to this?

When Match started building apartments almost two decades ago, we were conscious of a global shift towards apartment living. There were certainly sceptics that believed Perth would always favour the house and land ‘dream’, but we weren’t so sure. Fast forward eighteen years and our predictions have all come true. There is a definitive lean towards apartment living and awareness of the economic and environmental aspects associated with continuing the urban sprawl. Many are trading that plot of land on the outskirts of the city for lifestyle and location. Apartment living just makes more sense.

What kind of demographic of people are living in apartments in 2019? Is there a mixed variety?

The range of people being attracted to the apartment lifestyle is now as diverse as their reasons for doing so. We see young and upwardly mobile singles and couples wanting to make the most of their proximity to cafes, CBD and nightlife, and we’re also seeing families preferring to raise their children close to the beach rather than in the thick of suburbia. Perhaps the most exciting market group are the downsizers, who are all about creating an idyllic and ‘low maintenance’ lifestyle without moving too far from their families or where they have lived for most of their life.

What future do you see ahead for Western Australia’s apartment market? Do you think it’ll continue to grow, and why is this?

The underlying factors that will continue to support the apartment market include population growth and an increasing market trend towards apartment living. The value-system of the emerging generations will be key for driving demand for new and architecturally appealing apartment designs. As more people gravitate towards apartment living, we will see an increase of amazing spaces. This represents incredibly exciting prospects for individuals as well as the Perth streetscape alike.

We’ve come a long way since the ‘cookie-cutter’ apartment blocks that were primarily built for the investor and rental market. Apartments today are considered architectural spaces that focus on the end user and their varying tastes and preferences.

Just as you would have earlier discerned over the features of a stand-alone house, we are now finding that people are drawn to apartment designs that reflect their personal taste and lifestyle preferences.

The more distinctive, rare and well-located the apartment is, the more value you are intrinsically buying into.

Comments by Lloyd Clark, Managing Director of Match parent company M/Group

As the dust settles on the completion of the first M/31 Terrace Homes by Match, the lifestyle potential within a precinct earmarked to be Perth’s ‘next big thing’ in coastal living begins to reveal itself.

M/31 Terrace Homes by Match is a set of just 16 exclusive three-bedroom beachside terrace homes located in Landcorp’s visionary Shoreline coastal masterplan development at North Coogee.

The newly complete architecturally-designed terrace home is among the first in the area to open its doors and, while the vision and scale of the precinct is still in development infancy, managing director of Match parent company, M/Group, says the occasion resonates a similar period not so long ago in the neighbouring Port Coogee Marina Estate.
“It wasn’t too long ago that Match was celebrating the completion Helm at Port Coogee Marina Estate. It was one of the first completed apartment building at a time when the area looked unfinished. However, it didn’t take long before landscaping, cafes and shops were complete, and the vision took shape. Now Port Coogee Marina is one of Perth’s most sought-after environments.”

Shoreline is located just North of Port Coogee Marina and just South of Fremantle and only 300m from the coastline. It is a secure coastal environment with extensive parkland and landscaping, as well as plans for a beachside plaza with shops, cafés and restaurants.

M/31 Terrace Homes by Match include well appointed open plan layouts that draw design inspiration from surrounding Sheoak trees, sand and limestone; with complete customisation available through M/Group’s personalised building division, M/Construction.

Each terrace home is offered as a house and land package. They integrate indoor and outdoor living with a central courtyard feature that soars across two storeys to maximise light, space and breeze.

“We are thrilled to introduce the first terrace home living environment of its kind at Shoreline and invite people to get a taste of what everyday life could look like,” Mr Clark continued.

“Not only is this amazing location a short walk to the established café strip of South Fremantle, it also represents a very sound financial and lifestyle investment. Who wouldn’t want to live in this beautiful environment.”

Only five lots are currently available at M/31 Terrace Homes by Match and are affordably priced from $585,000. Titles are available and homes are ready to build.

M/31 by Match will host a Grand Opening with its first furnished display terrace home on Saturday 22 June between 1pm – 3pm.

More information can be found at www.m31terracehomes.com.au or contact Match’s experienced Sales Consultants on 0432 660 066.

Barry and Jennie had watched their children grow up in their 4×2 Bullcreek home. However, like many others throughout Perth, they decided to trade their big family home for an apartment and chose Form by Match at Port Coogee – an area Barry tells his grandson has the ‘biggest swimming pool called the Indian Ocean’.

Prior to making the move, the couple knew they wanted to stay near Fremantle, although were a little unsure about such a big change.

“We came out and had a look at this site five times. We went to other apartments in the same precinct, but wanted a plan that was quite straight forward with an outlook. We didn’t want to feel claustrophobic,” Barry said.

“What sold us on this place particularly was the position – we’re not over-looked and we’ve got views across the park and the sea – we didn’t actually realise we had sea views until we were about to move in. I think that was the clincher for me.”

The couple moved into one of the many north facing apartments at Form by Match; a boutique 50-apartment complex located just 50metres from Port Coogee Marina and adjacent to parkland.

Designed by reputed Architects, Geoff Warn of Donaldson & Warn, the property was designed to respond to the environment and offer residents an uncompromising lifestyle.

It features a bright, white and timeless interior colour scheme, air conditioning, polished reconstituted stone benchtops and Bosch appliances with breakfast bar.

“I think there are an awful lot of people who live here that have made the same lifestyle change. You can be at the beach and then somebody says, “oh this is so good” and I say, ”yes it is isn’t it”, and then you find out that they’ve done the same thing as you by downsizing and moving here,” Barry continued.

“They often say they’ve bought bikes and like that there are bikeways all the way down to Jervoise Bay, as well as being able to walk into Fremantle. We’ve joined the North Coogee Surf Life Saving Club as social members. It’s got restaurant, bar and music on Sundays, and just up the road in Spearwood there’s the Phoenix Park Shopping Centre and a few other little places we regularly go out to eat. We also go into Fremantle quite a lot.”

“We’ve been told that Coogee Beach was named the second-best beach in Western Australia, and we believe that too because it has so much to go and do; scuba diving, snorkeling and families with their children swimming. No matter what time you go there’s people on the beach, even at eight o’clock at night.”

“(The grandchildren) absolutely love coming down here. They get their ball out and play soccer with their poppy down in the park or they’re down at the beach digging and playing.”

Construction on Form by Match was completed late last year by Match’s in-house construction company, M/Construction, which meant they could achieve a high level of quality control throughout the building process. The project sold over 50% of the apartments prior to completion and is now ‘move in ready’.

“I sat down the with Jennie the other morning and said that I feel so guilty that I haven’t got any gardening to do,” Barry said.

“We sit on the balcony and eat our meals and we just watch the world go by. Neither of us have actually regretted or felt a loss for our last place. We’ve looked forward to moving here and haven’t looked back.”

Form by Match apartments are available in one, two and three-bedroom layouts and are priced from $335,000, $449,000 and $749,000 respectively.

For more information visit www.formbymatch.com.au or call 0432 660 066.

Just weeks before M/28 Apartments by Match on South Terrace is complete and becomes ‘move in ready’, two luxury apartments have been made available in a complex that ‘sold out’ within months of release.

M/28 is a mixed-use building comprising of just 20 boutique apartments on the popular South Terrace coffee strip. The building is deliberately designed to present as understated with naturally inspired materials and palette, which take inspiration from the Fremantle culture and nearby heritage-listed community hot-spot, The Local.

Mr Lloyd Clark, Managing Director of Match parent company M/Group, said the decision to release the remaining two apartments was not originally planned by the company, but provides new opportunities for those wanting to live in arguably Fremantle’s most cosmopolitan location.

“The apartments attracted overwhelming interest when we released them. It was clear that the opportunity to live in such beautifully designed apartments in the heart of Fremantle’s busy café strip was extremely attractive,” he said.

“No doubt there were many disappointed parties who missed out on securing an apartment in this tightly held location, which makes the current release an even more exciting prospect for many.”

The apartments have been designed in collaboration with respected and award-winning architects David Barr Architects and Cameron Chisholm Nicol Architects.

Every design detail has been considered to deliver an understated and functional design statement that reflects contemporary coastal living with high quality finishes, such as timber, engineered stone benchtops and concrete-porcelain tiles. The apartments also achieve a comparable 4-star Green Star rating; an aspect sighted as extremely important to people living in the area.

M/28’s exterior façade continues the natural theme which incorporate timber screens. This feature is reflected in the lobby with timber ceilings and concrete-look finishes.

The property also includes commercial sites on the ground floor, offering a potential ‘live and work’ option with an extremely visible South Terrace street frontage.

“The release of the last two apartments at M/28 by Match and availability of commercial space on the ground floor opens a lot of doors for those who really want to embed themselves into the Fremantle culture,” Mr Clark continued.

“This new release is without question a highly attractive proposition that is unlikely to last very long.”

The site falls within the development zone approved for a street upgrade and revitalisation by the City of Fremantle. This includes additional trees, landscaping and upgrade to footpaths between South Street and Douro Road.

M/28 by Match is due for completion in June, and is open for viewing now.

For more information visit www.m28apartments.com.au or contact 0432 660 066.

A mural created by renowned artist, Kyle Hughes-Odgers, on the wall of the newly complete M/25 Apartments by Match could mean more to property owners than a recognisable addition to the Mount Lawley streetscape.

The large-scale contemporary street-based work located on the corner of Walcott and Burt Streets Mount Lawley, may inherently turn the boutique urban residence into a signature icon, and potentially result in greater market interest and higher returns on investment.

Mr Lloyd Clark, Managing Director of Match parent company, M/Group, believes stunning artwork helps a property to stand out and could add significant value once entrenched into the community psyche.

“Many people are drawn to signature properties; residences that are unique and cannot be duplicated in any way. Architecture and artwork are two of the primary factors that can achieve impact on the streetscape and, therefore, recognition,” he said.

“Add to this a prominent location that instils the building into the community fabric, and you get a limited supply of unique apartments that many would be proud to call their own. That’s what has been created at M/25 by Match.”

The concept for the M/25 by Match artwork is based around the core idea of ‘exploration’, shown through the use of narrative based, pattern and abstract imagery.

The artwork aims to reflect the vibrancy of Mount Lawley with strong links to young contemporary art and culture, and bringing in ideas of identity, community, journey and growth contributing and adding to a strong sense of place within the site location.

Artist Kyle Hughes-Odgers said he wants the viewer to interpret their own experience from the ideas into the final work.

“I don’t paint literal outcomes, but I do base the work on a specific concept. I prefer to only tell the viewer about the concept if they ask and find artwork to be much more engaging if it has room for the viewer to connect or be challenged by the final piece,” he said.

“I think public art is important in all cities as it adds creativity and humanity to the built environment.”

Mr Clark said that M/25 by Match had already sold 50% of its apartments prior to completion and suggests the property and artwork installation will attract a lot more interest now that the doors are open and apartments are ‘move in ready’.

“Match has earned its stripes in producing well-considered, design-centric boutique apartments in places people want to live,” he continued.

“It is a passion that commenced in Mount Lawley over a decade ago and it is so great to be back here delivering another great product.”

The artwork concept on the building is split across two major sections: Location One and Location Two. Location one is a 2D based mural that centres around two heavily patterned figures. The figures interact across a narrative which aims to evoke ideas of connection, growth of the area and the exploration of urban life.

Location Two is a 3D based artwork, manufactured and installed as a large-scale perforated screen. Its grid-like geometric patterns climb to 75% of the height of the building. It relates to location one and represents structure, mapping, the built environment and modern city life., merging into an area representing growth and nature.

M/25 by Match includes spacious apartment layouts available in one-bedroom x one-bathroom and two-bedroom x two bathroom, each with balcony or courtyard and one or two car bays.

For more information visit www.m25apartments.com or contact 0432 660 066.

Mount Lawley’s newest streetscape addition is now complete, injecting new life into the corner of Walcott and Burt Streets with an influx of new residents and a potential new café / retail operation on the ground floor.

M/25 by Match is a boutique mixed-use apartment building with only 30 residences. It is designed to integrate seamlessly into the culture of its Mount Lawley environment.

Mr Lloyd Clark, Managing Director of Match parent company, M/Group, said that the building has been designed so that it is difficult to separate the apartment interiors from the lifestyle that its location offers.

“These apartments have been designed with one thing in mind; to create an environment that complements the activity and facilities that are located at its doorstep,” he said.

“The apartments interiors are art gallery-look inspired, which means clean lines with black and white surfaces and elegant fixtures. We want the residents to ‘curate their own exhibition’ and express themselves through the space.”

Each apartment features black tapware in kitchens and bathrooms, Bosch oven and electric cooktop, reconstituted stone benchtops, marble splashbacks and reverse cycle air-conditioning.

The property is located within walking distance to the Beaufort and Angove Street precincts, a short walk or bike ride to the Edith Cowan University and parks and a bus ride to the CBD.

“To us, M/25 by Match is all about the incredible location and we wanted to create a design that really links its residents to the location and culture of the area,” Mr Clark continued.

“We feel we have already hit the mark in this regard, as the apartments were already 50% sold on completion. We are now looking forward to showcasing the remaining apartments as ‘move-in-ready’ and giving residents a great retail venue on the ground floor and surrounding area.”

M/25 by Match draws inspiration from the suburb’s Federation red brick and terracotta houses. The façade uses contrasting shapes, materials and colours to link the lively urbanism of Walcott Street and create a strong corner presence.

Apartments are offered in one or two-bedroom floorplans with private courtyard or balcony entertaining space. Some apartments offer sweeping CBD views.

For more information visit www.m25apartments.com or contact 0432 660 066.