Buyers move into recently completed Custom Highett apartments following pre-construction sell-out
It's every developer's goal to sell out its project before construction commencement.
It's something that can only be achieved through two complementing elements; a well-thought out design plan, offering something different than what's available in an area, and a reputable development team who are trusted to deliver what they set out to.
Melbourne developer Young Group recently achieved the feat, selling out their 38-apartment project Custom Highett before it began construction.
And now buyers have moved into the recently completed building which came with a six-year building guarantee.
The sales were dominated by owner-occupiers, with the two-bedrooms predominantly snapped up by first home buyers, and the three-bedrooms more sought-after by the downsizer and empty nester demographic.
Joshua Muyambo from MAP Architect said they designed diverse apartment types - multifunctional - with ample flexibility.
"We've gone with a neutral palette, which focuses primarily on natural stone, and warm timber accents," Joshua says.
The environmentally-friendly building secured an average 7.8-star natHERS energy rating, with no combustible cladding used in the façade materials.
Purchasers at Custom said they were attracted to the layout of the apartments, which have a real focus on indoor and outdoor living. The courtyard apartments feature wraparound outdoor spaces, which can be accessed from both the open plan living area and the bedrooms, maximising the amount of natural light each apartment captures.
The overarching driver that every purchaser highlighted as the most attractive proposition of Custom was the location.
Resident and downsizer Steven Ryan said he and his wife had been looking for around eight months before they found Custom.
"When we saw this one, it really jumped out at us because of the location," Steven says.
"That's all we knew at the start, was where it was. There was shops, public transport, and all those things we had wanted.
"It was the first time we felt that we should get in contact with the agent. We went and liked what we saw. We were sold."
Spring Yang, who heads up Young Group, said the location of the Station Street site made the team venture into Highett for the first time when they secured it in 2019.
"Custom is tucked away on a quiet residential street, while also being just 200 metres from the best shopping retail strip in Highett," Spring said.
"The Highett Street retail strip has a number of shops and cafes, as well as strong public transport infrastructure which easily links residents at Custom to the rest of Melbourne."
Young Group's latest project Tomorrow is another that's focused primarily on location, something that Spring says is the deciding factor in any new development the Young Group tackle.
"Tomorrow is ideally placed to enjoy the very best of Northcote - which was reported as Victoria's most liveable suburb in the recent 'Future Victoria' report by PwC," Spring says.
"Recognising that we are increasingly spending more time close to home, the local amenity and walkability of Northcote awarded it with ‘Top Live’ on the ‘Staying Local Score’ in the report.
"Tomorrow is located just a short stroll from the banks of Northcote’s Merri Creek – and has been designed to connect residents to all that Northcote has to offer, both in terms of nature and retail," Spring notes.
Young Group are going through the planning and approval process for their next three projects, Young Oakleigh, Victoria Brunswick, and Rose Essendon, the latter two apartment developments expected to go to market mid to late 2023.