Latest news with #LilianaRubiano
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Family embrace $1,200 property shift many Aussies are reluctant to accept: 'Taken care of'
A Sydney mum-of-two has shared how she and her husband got into the pricey property market by embracing a growing housing trend. The Great Australian Dream used to be owning a house with a big backyard and Hills Hoist. But that has become a thing of the past for many families, with more turning to apartment living. Some revile the lack of space that comes with high-density living — something that's more commonplace in Europe or Asia. However, Liliana Rubiano told Yahoo Finance it's been the perfect move for her family-of-four, who have been lived in three different apartment in their Chippendale building over last 11 years. RELATED Rent tactic allows Aussie to buy $435,000 property with tiny deposit: 'Ground-breaking' Retirement warning as controversial $3 million superannuation tax change looms: 'Be proactive' Photo of huge lines expose $51 billion Gen Z trend sweeping Australia: 'Reaping the reward' 'We are very happy. It has 24/7 security, it has a concierge, it has a nice 25 metre swimming pool outdoors, it has a spa which is heated, it has a beautiful gym,' Rubiano said. 'The strata fees are very, very expensive, but I'm happy to pay for them because of all the facilities.' Rubiano and her husband, Fernando Mora, started off renting a one-bedroom in the building. In 2022, they purchased their first home — an apartment on another level for $605,000. It's something Rubiano said wouldn't have been possible if they had opted for a house. 'They are much, much more expensive, at least where we would like to live in the city,' she said. When their family expanded with the birth of their second child, they needed more space but didn't want to leave their building. Instead, they rented theirs out for $750 and moved into a $1,200 two-bedroom apartment, which is just under 80 square metres. Rubiano said the rental income was covering the couple's mortgage repayments, but not strata fees, which are $8,000 a year. The move was an adjustment for the 37-year-old who had previously lived in a three-storey house in Colombia. 'I learned to become a minimalist when I moved here. In Colombia, we have a saying that human beings are animals that get used to things,' she said. 'That is pretty much true because you become a minimalist and learn to live in a small place. When I get one pair of shoes, I get rid of another pair.' Rubiano is one of many Aussies who are turning to apartments over houses. The 2021 census found more than 2.5 million people, or 10.3 per cent of the population, now live in apartments. The number of occupied apartments has increased by nearly 60 per cent since 2006, with the rate of growth outpacing housing. Nearly one in five family households in Sydney lived in an apartment, compared to one in 20 in Brisbane and Melbourne. In Sydney, the median house price is $1,470,625, while in Melbourne it is $917,616 and in Brisbane $977,575, according to Cotality, formerly known as CoreLogic. Ray White director of projects and developments Tim Abbott said he had seen the shift towards apartment living over the last decade from first-home buyers, families and downsizers alike. 'A lot of it comes down to convenience and maintenance. We're seeing some families that are quite happy with a busy lifestyle and want to be close to the city,' he told Yahoo Finance. 'They don't have the time that they once did to be doing the gardening each weekend and maintaining a house. 'So having a good-sized apartment where the maintenance is taken care of by the strata rather than themselves, particularly in developments where there are good garden areas, good outdoor areas and cafes and restaurants around.' Abbott said two-bedroom apartments in particular were often attractive for first-home buyers from an affordability standpoint. Developers are taking note of the shift, too, with Abbott noting a shift towards creating more spacious apartment blocks, catering to families. Willoughby Grounds, a project Abbott is involved with on Sydney's lower north shore, for example, has been built with a dedicated playground, four-bedroom apartments and intends to cater to families who can no longer afford freestanding homes in the area. 'Developers are understanding what people are looking for and designing apartments to fit that need,' Abbott said. Rubiano said living in an apartment was the right move for her family and their current lifestyle. Her husband works in project management in Barangoo and can cycle, run or walk to the office. Rubiano runs her own small business, boardshort company Tolu, and utilises the apartment building's storage space to store her products. 'We have a Woolworths downstairs, we have a pharmacy, liquor shop, medical centre, massage, restaurants,' she said. While the strata fees are expensive and she misses not having space outside for her kids to play, Rubiano said the positives outweigh the downsides and she doesn't plan to go back to living in a house. "The pros at this stage in our life are more than the cons," she said. 'When [the kids] are bigger, they will want their own spaces then we will have to look for an alternative with a little bit more space. 'But I would still prefer to live in an apartment rather than a house because of the maintenance and the cost of maintaining a house and the stress and the clutter.'
News.com.au
11-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Why Sydney families are choosing apartment living over houses
Demand for apartments has surged as many families choose units over houses - for more reason than one. While the affordability factor has pushed many to look at the apartment market, many families are embracing the convenience, amenity and easy lifestyle apartment living brings with it. Small business owner and mum of two Liliana Rubiano has lived in an apartment for 11 years, and even as her family has grown she has no desire to move into a house. 'If you gave me the option to buy a house in the eastern suburbs, I would rather buy a small modern apartment than a house,' she said. 'At the beginning it was just my husband and I in a 42 sqm apartment. Homeowners hoping for $40m windfall 'We rented there until we bought the same size apartment in the same building and we lived there with my little one,' she said. The family of three lived in the small one bedroom apartment until Ms Rubiano had her second child, which they then upgraded by renting a two-bedroom apartment less than 80 sqm. 'I love living here, I have implemented this lifestyle of minimalism, whenever I get something I get rid of something, I donate or give it to someone else that needs it,' adding it was easier to clean and maintain the smaller space too. 'I remember one of my friends said you can't be minimilast with kids, but I've found it so much easier.' Their apartment complex also has a pool and spa that they used regularly to entertain the kids as well as conveniently located playgrounds and parks as well as a 20 minute drive to the beach. She also used the storage in the basement of their apartment to store stock for her small beachwear business 'Tolu,' saving the family money on a warehouse or separate storage unit. 'I look after my kids 24/7 so it's great because I receive the orders we go downstairs, pack the orders and walk down the street to dispatch them,' she said. The only negative was the high strata fees on the unit they owned and expensive rent. 'It is expensive, but for me with the convenience and amenities, it is worth it,' she said. Developers are taking note, at Willoughby Grounds, a new family-focused apartment development on Sydney's lower north shore with a dedicated playground and spacious four-bedroom layouts to cater to families who can no longer afford freestanding homes in the area. Ray White agent Tim Abbott says many of the larger apartments are being snapped up by young families eager to stay in well-connected suburbs without sacrificing space or lifestyle. Adam Reeves director of sales and marketing at First Quadrant Properties said 'the inclusion of larger residences and shared green spaces made the homes an attractive option for families who want the best of both worlds – more space and an outstanding location.' The first buildings in Willoughby Grounds will be complete in mid-2025.
