Thredbo Real Estate
Thredbo is in the heart of the Kosciuszko National Park. The National Parks and Wildlife Service administers the lease area on behalf of the State Government (Office of Heritage and Environment – OHE), the landlord. Kosciusko Thredbo P/L, KT, (a wholly owned subsidiary of Event Hospitality and Entertainment Ltd), a publicly listed company on the ASX) is the head lessee.
You, the individual property owner, are therefore a sublessee of KT. KT are your “local council”, and provide all municipal services including water and sewage for an annual “bed license” payment or lease fee. Their responsibilities are clearly set out in the sub-lease document which, in line with the head-lease, details important things like your responsibilities under the sub-lease.
The 50 year option to 2057 was taken up by KT in 2007, and new 50 year sub-leases are now registered for all the individual properties in Thredbo (thus all properties have individual Lot and Deposited plan numbers).
The other thing worth noting is the leasehold title is different from a financier’s point of view which is why you should speak with your lender about Thredbo to check their lending criteria. The current Royal Commission into the banking industry is causing changes in the way banks are looking at Thredbo, and which banks are most interested in lending for Thredbo purchases. We stronly advise that you speak with all banks currently, even the smaller ones.
Perisher Real Estate
In Perisher the set up is different to Thredbo because the majority of lessees deal directly with the NPWS. Lease negotiations regarding the issue of extra beds under the NPWS Plan of Management and the issue of new leases have been completed for the property owners who agreed to take up the OHE (NPWS) offer. A new lease offer was made to property owners in Perisher whereby new beds are available for the payment of a premium, as well as an extended lease to 2058.
The basic advantages of having a new lease is the allowed flexibility of your physical bed arrangements, and of course having an option to renew in 2028 thereby preserving the value of the property. The exceptions to the title arrangements outlined above are for apartment buildings whereby there is a similiar arrangement to the Thredbo leases and individual owners have a sub-lease with the complex owner – for example, in Stables that is Stables Management who took over from Deanes in 2015 season, and in Heidis the sub-lease is with the group body corporate. Similarly, Perisher properties are not supposed to be lived in year round because they should be made available for holiday tenancies.
Lake Crackenback and Alpine Way Real Estate
Outside the Kosciuszko National Park, normal torrens and strata title applies. Specifically, in Lake Crackenback, the title is strata and the zoning is SP3 Tourism. This may have impact on financing your purchase because the property is zoned tourism.
In our experience we have found that dealing with experienced knowledgable solicitors is generally a more expedient way of dealing with conveyancing matters in the local area. We can help you with suggestions wherever you reside.