Geoff and Lorraine Thoroughgood

One of the benefits of retirement is having the free time to travel, which is why Geoff and Lorraine Thoroughgood decided to further enrich their lives by moving into a stimulating lock-up-and-leave environment without any maintenance worries.

They sold their five-bedroom, two-storey waterfront home at Oatley Bay for a penthouse in Encore, the eye-catching development from HELM at Ramsgate Beach which was recently crowned the finest small-scale infill development in NSW by the Urban Development Institute of Australia. 

The sophisticated five-level building is just metres from the company's other award-winning project, Bayview where owners have been only to eager to endorse the HELM brand.

"We had three different groups of friends who live in Bayview so we were able to inspect their apartments before we made our decision.

"Not only were our friends delighted with their apartments they couldn't talk more highly about HELM, and we have enjoyed the same experience," said Lorraine.

The Thoroughgoods travel overseas regularly; their recent sojourn being a four-week holiday to Spain and Portugal.

"When you own a large house with land there is always something that needs attending too, and you start to worry about what you will return to when you are on holiday rather than being totally relaxed," said Geoff. "Our place was on a steeply sloping block so it was becoming more of a chore to walk to the front gate. We'd lived there 20 years but we'd reached the stage when we needed to downsize into something brand new with good security, no maintenance and no stairs. 

"Here at Encore we can lock up and leave, knowing that our apartment will still be pristine when we return. It's a liberating feeling;' said Geoff. Encore is a unashamedly aimed at owner-occupiers.

"Most of our buyers are Empty Nesters who have a lot of living to do, so as they move into a new phase of life without kids they plan to make every minute of their new-found freedom count," said Mark Monk, Chief Executive Officer of HELM. 

"They keep telling us that they are looking forward to 'having fun and staying young'." This is certainly the mantra of the Thoroughgoods.

"Our Encore apartment meets our new lifestyle perfectly" said Lorraine. "It is in a small complex, it faces north so we gain sunshine all day, it has expansive views and a good-size balcony where we can entertain a crowd. When we close the sliding glass doors it's whisper quiet; it's so well built that we don't hear any noise from our neighbours.

"The quality of finish is exemplary, and if we did find a defect HELM was fastidious. They left us a detailed handover pack, and a project manager remained on site for several months to help all owners settle in.

Encore, Ramgate Beach

"Nothing ever seems too much trouble for HELM. They are one developer who don't just talk about their attention to detail, they back it up with action."

YOUR ASSURANCE OF EXCELLENCE

When HELM undertakes a project it's with the confidence that comes from experience and knowing its processes are world-class.

Each new project begins with the discovery of a site in a prime location that enhance the joys of life. Then, using HELM's intuitive grasp of what the public want, it's a long and intricate journey to fully unlock the potential of the location and deliver premium and sustainable living environments.

From initial concept to final delivery, every HELM development is characterised by exceptional attention to detail.

"We don't just develop and move on. We strive for excellence in everything we do, not the least being customer service," said Mr Monk.

"We are conscious about leaving a lasting legacy for people to enjoy now and well into the future. So, we can confidently assure you that our next project in Dolls Point, Ora is much more than an apartment building; it's an astute investment in an enriching new lifestyle."

Property expert Tim Rees of CBRE said the HELM brand was one of the most respected in real estate.

"Their reputation is paramount to HELM, which continues to be the benchmark for small, prestigious developments," said Mr Rees.

"Their apartments virtually sell themselves, largely because of glowing endorsements from owners in earlier HELM projects, and Ora will be built to the same high standards."

Exciting news for dolls point

Ora, Dolls Point Artist Impression

Within weeks HELM will be launching Ora at 177 Russell Avenue, Dolls Point, a location the company's CEO declared as the finest it had ever secured.

"There is parkland on two sides of the property and Dolls Point Beach is just a stroll through Cook Park to the Bay, so our task has been to do justice to this unique location," said Mark Monk.

With the beautiful blue waters of Botany Bay lapping on its eastern and southern borders, Dolls Point is an oasis of peace and tranquillity. This hidden pocket has managed to preserve its layback coastal lifestyle, its beautiful natural parklands and its much-treasured village feel.

One reason is that traffic doesn't pass through Dolls Point on its way elsewhere, unlike most Sydney suburbs. 

Dolls Point is a destination, with the roads used almost exclusively by locals.

Here walking and cycling are more in keeping with the pace of the place.

Little wonder the tightly-knit population of less than 1,800 love living here and rarely leave.

The 36 sophisticated apartments at Ora have been meticulously conceived for owner occupiers and enjoy the convenience of stair free, single level living. All share high quality finishes, inclusions and craftmanship with copious amounts of glazing to allow natural light and fresh air to flood in.

Like all HELM developments, the 3, 2 and 1 bedroom apartments are considerably larger than the industry standard. The Penthouses range from 125 to 195m2 internally. 

The three bedrooms range from 125 to 157m2 internally.

The two bedrooms range from 90 to 108m2 internally and the one bedrooms are 56m2 internally.

All apartments enjoy individually lockable garages (some apartments can accommodate three cars), storage and substantial balcony or terrace areas up to 190sqm.

The eight 'home-like' ground floor apartments feature large sun-drenched garden areas on title - perfect for those with 'green fingers' - with the majority enjoying direct access to Cook Park.

Ora's unique design enables apartments to gain the advantage of cooling sea breezes, with the majority of apartments enjoying a double or triple aspect (a feature that is extremely rare in apartments).