Birtinya

image of josh and remi in front of Birtinya property acquisition

RM Capital settles on office buildings in Maroochydore and Birtinya

RM Capital settles on office buildings in Maroochydore and Birtinya 2048 1228 j23HWa0ZBIED

A Sunshine Coast investment management company will today finalise the purchase of two commercial properties with the potential to increase investors’ holdings by as much as 80 percent within the next few years.

RM Capital, the investmetn arm of Rafter Myers, owned by Remi Rafter and Josh Myers, will settle on properties located at Birtinya and Maroochydore, the region’s two commercial hot spots.

Negotiations for the two office blocks – one at 20 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya; the other in Plaza Parade, within the Maroochydore city centre – were secured months ago off market.

RM Capital then offered investors an opportunity to secure a share of the properties. Applications filled quickly and the offers were rapidly oversubscribed.

20 Innovation Parkway, a high-profile three-level commercial building situated within the Sunshine Coast’s health precinct, was purchased for $12 million, about 32 percent below replacement cost. The fully tenanted building provides 2,678sqm of lettable space and 108 sealed car parking spaces.

Image of Birtinya property in Innovation Parkway

RM Capital’s strategy is to achieve sustained rental growth – current passing income is about $975,000 – undertake minor building improvements, and consider potential further development. The company expects investors to achieve an 80 percent return over five years, at which time the property will likely be sold.

The Maroochydore property comprises a 100% interest in 5 Plaza Parade and a 75% interest in 7 Plaza Parade, a two-level commercial office building which forms part of the Plaza Links development.

Image of Maroochydore property along Plaza Parade

Over the next few years, RM Capital intends undertake considerable building improvements, and hold the 2,978sqm land rich island site with a 60 metre height limit under the proposed new town plan.

RM Capital secured the property in August for a combined In One Line purchase price of $7,775,000.

At the time, the building contained four vacant tenancies, with another due to expire in January. But through aggressive marketing during the due diligence period, RM Capital has secured four new lease agreements, with the occupancy rate increasing from 60 percent to 91 percent.

RM Capital principal Remi Rafter said with office vacancy rates below four percent on the Sunshine Coast, the company was expecting to achieve sustained rental growth in both properties over the medium term.

“Land availability, challenges with planning approvals and construction cost pressures will limit further office supply in the foreseeable future,” he said.

image of oceanside carpark with sunshine coast university hospital in background

Investors quick to grab a share of Birtinya car park

Investors quick to grab a share of Birtinya car park 2048 1228 j23HWa0ZBIED

Directors of a Sunshine Coast funds management company are delighted at the response to their offer to invest in a multi-storey car park situated in the heart of Birtinya’s booming medical precinct.

RM Capital, the investment management arm of Rafter Myers, invited investors to become part-owners of Oceanside Car Park, an eight-level car park and retail asset opposite the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

RM Capital sought to raise $11.2 million, and were thrilled when 21 investors pledged the amount faster than anticipated.

The asset, which comprises 581 parking spaces and five ground floor retail tenancies, had been purchased for $20,962,500, a sum which is only 31 percent of its estimated replacement value.

image of oceanside carpark acquired by rm capital investment arm of rafter myers

image of oceanside carpark acquired by rm capital investment arm of rafter myers

“As active managers, with significant project delivery and construction experience we are very good at identifying and executing improvements that will drive returns for our investors,” said Remi Rafter, a director of RM Capital, which currently manages 26 projects throughout Queensland.

So enthusiastic was the take up that RM Capital had to scale back the offer, but Mr Rafter said all 21 investors would share in the ownership of the car park, which had been purchased off-market through direct negotiations with the vendor.

“We have targeted this asset for some time,” said Mr Rafter, who operates RM Capital in partnership with his one-time Australian Army colleague Josh Myers.

“The car park is located directly across the road from the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, one of Queensland’s leading hospitals, in one of the fastest growing regions of Australia,” he said.

The car park is currently operated under a management agreement with Secure Parking, while there is 768sqm of retail space on the ground floor.

The catchment area for the car park is only 43% developed, with four nearby vacant commercial sites that will considerably increase car park demand in the future when developed.

There are restrictions on the amount of parking that can be provided at those sites, with no town planning options for additional commercial car parks.

Mr Rafter was confident investors would be well rewarded for their support of the offer.

“We consider this investment will deliver superior risk adjusted returns over the medium term through our active management strategy,” he said.