Riverfront living felt like a pipe dream for first home buyers Jorge and Alejandra Palacios, until they saw the price tag of their favourite apartment project in Hamilton and realised it was surprisingly affordable. After renting for five years in Brookfield Residential Properties Flare Apartments at Portside Wharf, the couple wanted to buy in the immediate area and the neighbouring Brookfield project – Gallery House, was their first preference. “We had seen the Gallery House display and knew it was our dream project but initially didn’t think we’d be able to afford it,” said Palacios, a 32-year old head chef at the Queensland Museum.
Brookfield Residential Properties Gallery House features 319 apartments on the waterfront and while penthouses in the project reach $5 million. For the Palacios’s, Gallery House met the criteria for the Government’s first home buyers grant. “When we discovered the one bedroom apartments at Gallery House were in our price range and we qualified for the Government grant because it was a ‘new build’, it meant we could own a luxury apartment in our favourite location,” said Palacios.
Palacios said he had never considered leaving the Hamilton neighbourhood where he loves to spend his time dining at Portside Wharf and walking his dog along the riverfront. “My wife and I can truly say that Hamilton feels like home which made it a no-brainer to buy into the area’s best apartment building,” he said. “We already have everything we need right at our doorstep so living in the immediate area was a priority. “I love the tight-knit village feel of Portside Wharf and it’s an easy commute to my work at South Bank. We just wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”
Brookfield Residential Properties’ Managing Director Lee Butterworth said while Gallery House was home to some of Brisbane’s most luxurious riverfront apartments, there were options for those on smaller budgets who wanted the waterfront address. “While Gallery House apartments have predominately sold to local downsizers, there has been a sizeable cohort of first home buyers who recognise the value of owning property so close to the water. “With the retail and residential precinct of Portside Wharf next door, young families and professionals enjoy the vibrancy of the area as well as the easy access to key employment hubs, public transport, major roads and the airport,” Butterworth said.
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