Yves passes the local test

LOCAL buyers continue to pile in to Hirsch & Faigen’s $200m Yves Mermaid Beach development, with a very discerning Gold Coast couple among the latest to sign up for one of its 145 apartments.

More than $40m worth of homes in the project were sold within two weeks of Yves’ release, with Gold Coast and Brisbane downsizers making up 70 per cent of initial buyers.

Only 45 apartments are still for sale in the building with prices for a two-bedroom unit starting at $875,000, rising to $6m for the penthouse.

When Mark and Renee Rooney of Varsity Lakes started looking for a beachfront home, they began their search with a 60 component wishlist, covering living and communal spaces to ceiling heights and interior aesthetics.

Yet when comparing a number of developments along the Coast, the Rooneys found that Yves was the only one that ticked not just some, but all of their boxes.

“We looked at five or six other developments first and did an analysis of which one we thought provided the best short-, medium- and long-term growth and Yves proved to be most favourable in that respect,” Mr Rooney said. “The quality and pedigree of the developer, the architect and the builder were the next things we looked at.” Developers Hirsch & Faigen had already caught the attention of the Rooneys with their interstate projects and more recently, the Kirra Beach development of Emerson. “I’m originally from Sydney and my wife is from Melbourne and Hirsch & Faigen has done developments across the country, making a nationwide name for themselves,” Mr Rooney said. “After seeing it and Rothelowman Architects’ portfolio of projects on the Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne, we were really impressed, especially with Hirsch & Faigen’s distinct style. Mr Rooney said the living and communal spaces at Yves showed uncompromising commitment to design, sustainability and useability, which were all components of their criteria. The development’s beachside location and surrounding amenities also rated well on the couple’s score card. “My mum has been living in this pocket of the Gold Coast for more than 30 years and she absolutely loves it, so we are confident moving to the area,” Mr Rooney said. “All I can say is, we can’t wait to move in.”