Sydney suburbs that became an affordable refuge for home seekers after interest rate hikes in 2022 and 2023 are now some of the areas where new buyers are at risk of overpaying for their properties New analysis has revealed prices are showing signs of peaking in multiple markets after prolonged rises This has raised the danger that what home seekers pay today will be higher than the value of their homes down the line It comes as housing experts said interest rate cuts announced this week were likely to drive a frenzy of homebuyer activity across most of Sydney but the bounce in activity would not occur everywhere MORE: Surprise mark of a ‘good’ salary in each capital Suburb Data research showed some suburbs were peaking MORE: Bombshell for savers after dirty banks move Suburb Data analyst Jeremy Sheppard said there were multiple areas where prices were likely overvalued after a long climb upwards and there were imminent signs of a coming “correction” in these markets Part of the reason was that the original appeal of these areas – their better affordability compared to neighbouring suburbs – had vanished due to years of higher than average growth “No market can outperform forever,” Mr Sheppard said “They can reach a point where buyers aren’t prepared to pay the prices anymore because they have cheaper comparable options somewhere else Sometimes they can retract and then hit a new bottom for many years.” MORE: 40-year trap: risky home act getting popular Prices may be higher than many buyers are willing to pay in markets where growth was very strong over recent years MORE: ‘Worst ever’: epic repair bill for trashed house where the risk of overpaying for houses was higher There were also a cluster of peaking suburbs around the Mount Druitt area which are among the north shore’s cheapest suburbs Suburb Data noted that demand in these areas had been much higher in previous years but was beginning to taper off The research examined every suburb in the country on a range of metrics to determine the ratio of property demand to supply These figures were contrasted with the recent trajectory of growth MORE: Inside Drake’s $40k-a-night Aussie suite House prices are peaking in some of the Sydney suburbs that became popular when interest rate started rising in 2022 and 2023 “Given that affordability is such an issue in Australia The question becomes ‘what can we afford and what do get for that “It’s all a function of features and price If a market has had too much growth it is considered poor value for money and vice versa.” It wasn’t just affordable suburbs that were peaking House price growth in a range of pricier areas in Sydney’s north east and inner west were showing signs of “running out of puff,” Mr Sheppard said Mr Sheppard chalked this down to diminished value for money and reduced buyer confidence especially among upgraders who may be more cautious because of the weaker economic and business climate Many peaking suburbs were once affordable alternatives to other areas but they also include pricey suburbs in areas like the lower north shore “Buyers at the top end are not as influenced by interest rate movements but value for money does still factor in,” he said adding that even so-called “blue chip” suburbs could become poor value Buyer’s agent Ravi Sharma of Search Property said parts of Sydney were likely overvalued but the size of any “correction” in these areas would depend on migration “There are a lot of Sydney areas that are unattainable and overpriced for locals but there is a large market overseas that sees these areas as underpriced,” he said “It’s just a matter of how many more of these buyers do we have?” Areas where there is more risk of overpaying in short-term third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. 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Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A man accused of killing his father in a bloody fight in Sydney’s north messaged him days earlier to “eternally burn in hell” and “die” and threatened his mother that he would skin her alive Jaiken Richard Fitzpatrick is charged with the manslaughter of Kenneth Fitzpatrick by an unlawful or dangerous act after the 69-year-old died at his Berowra Heights home on September 7 last year Jaiken Fitzpatrick arrives at Downing Centre on Tuesday after he was granted bail in the Supreme Court last week.Credit: Steven Siewert The accused had been staying there for a few days The Crown alleges Fitzpatrick caused his father’s death by “wrestling knowing he had serious health issues including prostate cancer and previous heart surgery The 39-year-old has long-standing drug addiction and mental health issues including borderline personality disorder according to documents obtained by the Herald “The accused relied on financial support from Kenneth Fitzpatrick and stole from his [removalist] business to support his drug habit,” the officer in charge of the investigation alleged in a letter tendered at Fitzpatrick’s bail application last week in the NSW Supreme Court Prosecutors say Fitzpatrick sent text messages in the days and months before his father’s death in which he expressed “views that he wants to kill his father … or wants him to be killed” A vehicle linked to a removalist business is removed from the home after Kenneth Fitzpatrick’s death.Credit: Nine News he allegedly told his father “die c---” and “You stupid f---ing old man The devil lives on you … you will eternally burn in hell c---.” Fitzpatrick messaged his mother: “Dad I want to put down Lift the gun to his head and scream to pull the trigger Telling everyone he’s got cancer and his son is ripping him off” “I’ll kill him to save everyone else,” Fitzpatrick allegedly said prosecutors allege he sent a series of texts to his mother including telling her that he would “skin you alive and eat you” if she did not follow a request On the day of her estranged husband’s death Tracey Fitzpatrick messaged her son: “Ken needs every ounce of his energy to fight this cancer which he hasn’t even started treatment nor had an operation for.” Fitzpatrick messaged his mother: “I’m sending the devil To strangel [sic] you tonight” and “I HATE YOU MOTHER” Kenneth Fitzpatrick called triple zero and told the operator: “My son is out of control.” I can’t have him here … he’s not hurting anyone “I don’t really need this … I don’t think he would be dangerous but he is not in control.” He said his son had “mental health issues because of drugs” and was told a police car would be sent around The Berowra Heights home where Kenneth Fitzpatrick died in September 2023.Credit: Nick Moir It’s alleged neighbours then witnessed the two men wrestling outside the house The court heard one woman said she saw the accused with his father in the doorway “He’s dead” and told her they had fought before he “just dropped” Prosecutors argue expert findings are consistent with the cause of death being a combination of intracranial haemorrhage in the context of blunt force trauma and underlying heart disease The Crown case is that “any cardiac arrhythmia suffered by the deceased was brought about by the physical exertion associated with the violent struggle” and the accused’s actions “were the operating and substantial cause” of his father’s death Fitzpatrick’s charge was previously downgraded from murder said it was accepted the evidence that Fitzpatrick was “involved in some kind of altercation with his father” was reasonably strong but the evidence about its precise nature was limited “The medical evidence is complex and requires careful exploration by experts on both sides,” Quilter said “The causation pathways are not straightforward.” Tracey Fitzpatrick said she supported her son’s release She offered a unit for him to live in and said she could visit and take him to Alcohol and Narcotics Anonymous meetings “As a result of the positive changes I have seen in him since his arrest our relationship has improved significantly,” she wrote “I believe Jaiken is 100 per cent committed to sobriety and wants to resolve the criminal charge against him.” Fitzpatrick was granted bail by Justice Michael Walton on conditions including daily reporting to police and a $2000 security offered by his mother He faced Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday when his lawyer Tania Johnson said there were outstanding forensic reports regarding the cause of death Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter A man accused of killing his father in a bloody fight in Sydney\\u2019s north messaged him days earlier to \\u201Ceternally burn in hell\\u201D and \\u201Cdie\\u201D The Crown alleges Fitzpatrick caused his father\\u2019s death by \\u201Cwrestling fighting and engaging in a punch-up\\u201D \\u201CThe accused relied on financial support from Kenneth Fitzpatrick and stole from his [removalist] business to support his drug habit,\\u201D the officer in charge of the investigation alleged in a letter tendered at Fitzpatrick\\u2019s bail application last week in the NSW Supreme Court Prosecutors say Fitzpatrick sent text messages in the days and months before his father\\u2019s death in which he expressed \\u201Cviews that he wants to kill his father \\u2026 or wants him to be killed\\u201D he allegedly told his father \\u201Cdie c---\\u201D and \\u201CYou stupid f---ing old man The devil lives on you \\u2026 you will eternally burn in hell c---.\\u201D Fitzpatrick messaged his mother: \\u201CDad I want to put down Telling everyone he\\u2019s got cancer and his son is ripping him off\\u201D \\u201CI\\u2019ll kill him to save everyone else,\\u201D Fitzpatrick allegedly said including telling her that he would \\u201Cskin you alive and eat you\\u201D if she did not follow a request On the day of her estranged husband\\u2019s death Tracey Fitzpatrick messaged her son: \\u201CKen needs every ounce of his energy to fight this cancer which he hasn\\u2019t even started treatment nor had an operation for.\\u201D Fitzpatrick messaged his mother: \\u201CI\\u2019m sending the devil To strangel [sic] you tonight\\u201D and \\u201CI HATE YOU MOTHER\\u201D Kenneth Fitzpatrick called triple zero and told the operator: \\u201CMy son is out of control.\\u201D I can\\u2019t have him here \\u2026 he\\u2019s not hurting anyone \\u201CI don\\u2019t really need this \\u2026 I don\\u2019t think he would be dangerous but he is not in control.\\u201D He said his son had \\u201Cmental health issues because of drugs\\u201D and was told a police car would be sent around It\\u2019s alleged neighbours then witnessed the two men wrestling outside the house \\u201CHe\\u2019s dead\\u201D and told her they had fought before he \\u201Cjust dropped\\u201D The Crown case is that \\u201Cany cardiac arrhythmia suffered by the deceased was brought about by the physical exertion associated with the violent struggle\\u201D and the accused\\u2019s actions \\u201Cwere the operating and substantial cause\\u201D of his father\\u2019s death Fitzpatrick\\u2019s charge was previously downgraded from murder said it was accepted the evidence that Fitzpatrick was \\u201Cinvolved in some kind of altercation with his father\\u201D was reasonably strong \\u201CThe medical evidence is complex and requires careful exploration by experts on both sides,\\u201D Quilter said \\u201CThe causation pathways are not straightforward.\\u201D Tracey Fitzpatrick said she supported her son\\u2019s release \\u201CAs a result of the positive changes I have seen in him since his arrest our relationship has improved significantly,\\u201D she wrote \\u201CI believe Jaiken is 100 per cent committed to sobriety and wants to resolve the criminal charge against him.\\u201D Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link] We responded to over 150,000 incidents in 2023-24 The incidents displayed below are note-worthy incidents that have been published as media releases or tweets Details about incidents may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice North Parramatta | The fire at Dunlop Street, North Parramatta has been contained but is expected to smoulder through the morning. Because there may be smoke in the area, residents and businesses in the vicinity are advised to keep doors, windows, and vents closed. View on X [external link] Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging. Watch 52sA woman has died after falling from a cliff in Sydney's north. Emergency crews were called to Berowra Heights around 1pm on Saturday Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) The top 20 suburbs idea for upsizing across Australia have been revealed The top 20 Australian suburbs ideal for upsizing have been revealed Property Credit has launched a “game-changing” report identifying the best suburbs for more space in terms of house size It provides a top 20 list taking in capital cities of Sydney Adelaide’s Belair topped the national list for upsizing locations Inside the rock star homes of NRL champions giving “suburb scores” to help homebuyers with the best options to maximise their investment and lifestyle in their cities The top spot nationally is taken out by Adelaide’s Belair with a starting budget of $997,500 and a suburb score of 82 Berowra Heights and Hornsby Heights stand out with suburb scores of 77 and starting budgets that offer exceptional value,” the report states Eltham North is your go-to suburb with a starting budget of $1,150,000 and a commendable suburb score of 77.” Property Credit’s chief executive officer Giordano Stepancic said the report was a “game-changer for families ready to upsize” The suburbs have been identified from a range of metrics including affordability “We’re cutting through the noise to give you clear actionable advice on which suburbs offer the best opportunities for a bigger The report says Perth residents have a “plethora” of choices including Roleystone and Woodvale with budgets well under $1m Tarragindi is a must-see with a starting budget of $1,250,000 and a suburb score of 78,” the report states boasting several suburbs like Curtin and Hughes with suburb scores of 78 and starting budgets that make sense for those looking to upsize.” The report says there are a plethora of choices across Perth The report screens suburbs through a variety of filters targeting areas that offer four-bedroom houses relative affordability as well as stock levels “We’ve included the Suburb Score to be an all-encompassing metric,” Mr Stepancic said “It’s not just about bigger homes; it’s about finding communities where families can flourish He said with the ever-changing property market the report aims to “life the fog of uncertainty” offering a data-backed guide for those ready to make an informed upsizing decision “Our core mission at Property Credit is to make property transactions seamless This report embodies that mission by providing Australians with the insights they need to confidently take the next step in their homeowning journey,” he said TOP 20 SUBURBS – STARTING BUDGETS – SUBURB SCORE Rare Olympics block sells $450k over expectations Sydney’s most tightly held suburbs have been revealed and home owners in a mix of waterfront neighbourhoods and more affordable locales are most likely to hold on to their homes the longest home owners are staying put longer than elsewhere Those who sold in the waterfront suburb over the past year had held on to their house for a median of 22.8 years Yowie Bay homeowners typically own their properties for more than two decades Tennyson Point and Berowra were also in the top 10 tightly held suburbs as were south-west neighbourhoods St Johns Park with median hold periods of at least 18 years Point Piper and Russell Lea had the longest median hold times Suburbs with more home buyers and fewer investors typically had longer median hold periods CoreLogic’s head of research for Australia particularly areas that were popular with families or an older demographic Lifestyle attributes such as proximity to the waterfront could tie people to an area for longer “These are properties that may be seen as valuable for families and individuals to hold on to for a long time,” Owen said adding that their tightly held nature could further fuel price growth in already desirable areas The figures are based on the median hold time for properties sold over the 12 months to July Medians were only calculated for suburbs with a minimum of 20 sales the median hold time is 9.4 years for houses and 7.9 years for apartments That is the longest span for apartments in the past decade Owen said that hold times tended to fall in a rising market and lengthen in a cooling market as fewer people sold – particularly more recent purchasers who faced a greater risk of selling at a loss Separate CoreLogic figures show that longer hold periods typically result in higher nominal gains properties that sold after being held for at least 30 years had median gains of $781,750 in the March quarter said Sydney’s tightly held suburbs were diverse in demographics But they also had some key similarities; they were largely well established suburbs Many were popular with families and owner occupiers “They all have pull factors that keep people there – either they have very high natural amenity or very high community amenity,” McCrindle said “There are a lot of waterfront suburbs … or those with national parks People stay in their house because they love the area.” Campsie was also among the most tightly held suburbs in Sydney.Credit: Renee Nowytarger Suburbs such as St Johns Park and nearby Bonnyrigg Heights had sizeable Vietnamese and Buddhist populations “The driving factor is not the home or unit it’s the area; that’s what keeps them there,” he said McCrindle suspected that the cooling property market and the rising cost of living and moving could keep people in their homes for longer along with the fact that adult children were staying put in the family home Yowie Bay resident Rodney Monk was unsurprised by the suburb’s top ranking Rodney Monk at the Yowie Bay home that has been in his family for about seven decades.Credit: Rhett Wyman “It’s such a lovely area … the landscape is beautiful You couldn’t really wish for better,” he said The 66-year-old artist and teacher, along with his brother, are selling the family home of about seven decades. He grew up in the three-bedroom house which was built by his late father on the once-dirt road and returned to live there in recent years bush walks and fishing were all common pastimes Monk still enjoys the walks on offer and swims at Gymea Bay Baths The original-condition home has drawn interest from young couples and families looking to rebuild their own forever home on the block said selling agent Richard Lane of Gerard Partners “It’s an opportunity to get into a property in a tightly held area and the interest I’ve had is from people primarily looking to build their dream home,” Lane said Ray White Inner West agent Angela Sadie said apartments in Abbotsford and Russell Lea were generally popular and tightly held Units in Abbotsford could offer water views while those in Russell Lea were limited to a couple of pockets Downsizers were showing increasing interest in apartments in the area which could be contributing to longer hold times which might be keeping younger home owners in apartments for longer Sydney\\u2019s most tightly held suburbs have been revealed CoreLogic\\u2019s head of research for Australia \\u201CThese are properties that may be seen as valuable for families and individuals to hold on to for a long time,\\u201D Owen said Owen said that hold times tended to fall in a rising market and lengthen in a cooling market as fewer people sold \\u2013 particularly more recent purchasers said Sydney\\u2019s tightly held suburbs were diverse in demographics \\u201CThey all have pull factors that keep people there \\u2013 either they have very high natural amenity or very high community amenity,\\u201D McCrindle said \\u201CThere are a lot of waterfront suburbs \\u2026 or those with national parks People stay in their house because they love the area.\\u201D \\u201CThe driving factor is not the home or unit it\\u2019s the area; that\\u2019s what keeps them there,\\u201D he said Yowie Bay resident Rodney Monk was unsurprised by the suburb\\u2019s top ranking \\u201CIt\\u2019s such a lovely area \\u2026 the landscape is beautiful You couldn\\u2019t really wish for better,\\u201D he said are selling the family home of about seven decades \\u201CIt\\u2019s an opportunity to get into a property in a tightly held area and the interest I\\u2019ve had is from people primarily looking to build their dream home,\\u201D Lane said Of the 32 suburbs that scored a five-star rating in the Domain Healthy Sydney study, authored by Deloitte Access Economics and Tract Consultants, 90 per cent had a median house price higher than the city’s $1.14 million median. “Only well-off people can live [in a lot of these suburbs],” said Peter Sainsbury, associate professor at the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health. He noted factors that contributed to a suburb’s health rating, such as open space, tree cover and walkability, were also what attracted affluent people to an area in the first place, pushing prices up. Two-thirds of the top-ranking suburbs identified in the study had a median house price of $2 million or more. “There’s a correlation between the affluence of an area and its health ranking,” said Daniel Terrill, study co-author and partner at Deloitte Access Economics. “Wealthier residents are more likely to be attracted to the areas that have a higher health ranking, and can afford to pay the generally higher house prices in those areas.” Tamarama, Darling Point, Watsons Bay, Lavender Bay and Mosman were among the most expensive five-star suburbs. Medians were excluded for suburbs with fewer than 10 sales. The most affordable suburb was Springwood in the Blue Mountains, with a median house price of $680,000. It was followed by Berowra Heights and Mount Kuring-Gai in the city’s north, with respective medians of $1.105 million and $1.115 million. These were the only five-star suburbs priced below Sydney’s median house price of $1,144,217. Among the 4.5-star suburbs, Lapstone and neighbouring Glenbrook – both in the Blue Mountains – were the most affordable, with medians of $842,500 and $975,000. They were followed by Engadine, Sutherland and Jannali, all priced below Sydney’s median. While these suburbs generally ranked well for factors like tree cover, open space, access to fresh food and volunteering, the majority were not as walkable as other top suburbs, and residents – who face the longest commutes to the city – were much less likely to cycle or walk to work. However, lengthy commutes aren’t enough to deter buyers from the lifestyle on offer, according to Boyd Realty principal Boyd Murphy, who has a steady stream of Sydneysiders enquiring about Springwood properties. “A lot of buyers are working [in inner Sydney] but want the mountain lifestyle,” he said. “People are saying they still want the quarter-acre block, the bush and the affordability,” he added. “[So] they’re coming into a national park area, where there’s not a huge amount of development.” While the area had always been popular with buyers from Penrith, Mr Murphy said he was increasingly seeing interest from buyers living closer to the city. As for Berowra Heights and Mount Kuring-Gai, they similarly appeal to buyers after a quieter lifestyle, more space and value for money, said buyers’ agent Peter Kelaher of PK Property. “Families do like the peaceful large blocks of land, they very much like the trees, the national parks, they like the bushwalks, they like the ovals,” he said. “Those areas are still also close to the rail line.” For apartments, Springwood was again the front runner for affordability, followed by Hornsby, Pennant Hills and Macquarie Park. These were the only suburbs priced below Sydney’s unit median of $737,080. Mr Kelaher noted while increasing congestion in Sydney meant lengthy commutes were front of mind for buyers, they were willing to compromise for other lifestyle factors. “If we’re talking families, decisions come down to travel time. How much travel time am I going to be spending not home seeing the kids? And then when I do come home, what sort of lifestyle am I going to have? If I am going to travel these sorts of distances I want something good at the end of the trip.” More time spent in the car translates to less physical activity, said Julie Anne Mitchell, director of prevention at the Heart Foundation. “[This] in turn puts people at greater risk of preventable chronic disease – including heart disease,” she said. “Longer commutes also mean that people spend less time with family and friends, and social isolation is not good for our overall health.” The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate cars have been destroyed and Christmas presents have been ruined but residents are thankful Thursday night's severe storms were not worse The thunderstorms brought hail to parts of Sydney with the Bureau of Meteorology recording hailstones up to eight centimetres in diameter Many homes in Berowra Heights sustained damage when a hail storm hit the area on Thursday night.Credit: Wolter Peeters Berowra Heights resident Penny Street said she was initially watching the hailstorm outside with two of her children when she decided it was becoming unsafe as the hailstones grew in size "I thought I’d take the kids into one of the rooms where it's a bit safer," she said "Luckily I was ahead of the kids because Ms Street said a large chunk of the sharp plastic from the skylight missed her face by about five centimetres "It's one of those moments you’re grateful that you were ahead of your children A second skylight in the hallway was also smashed and Ms Street said she ended up stuck in the hallway with her 10-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son "All we could do was stand between where the front door was and where the kitchen was and just watch as the contents of the skylights and hail just pounded through down the hallway," she said Many homes in Berowra Heights had their roofs covered in tarpaulins on Friday NSW SES media officer Phil Schafer said the Hornsby area was one of the areas worst hit by the hail "We’ve experienced a lot of hail damage: leaking roofs The SES received more than 3600 calls on Thursday which translated into more than 2400 jobs with 600 SES volunteers working on the ground on Friday "We've still got 1800 of those to get through and the phones are still ringing," he said "We expect to be hard out there working on the ground for the next day or so." Mr Schafer said the SES jobs mostly involved putting tarpaulins on damaged roofs Homeowners needed to get in contact with their insurance companies as soon as possible to get a more permanent fix The repair bill for the hailstorm damage is expected to hit almost $170 million with thousands of homeowners lodging claims overnight The Insurance Council of Australia received 15,000 claims by Thursday night with three-quarters of those for vehicle damage Two of Ms Street's cars were so badly damaged she believes they will both be write-offs.Credit: Wolter Peeters The ICA predicted the total damage bill would exceed $80 million while insurance company IGA expected the final bill to reach $169 million but that figure is expected to rise in coming days said he arrived home just as the storm finished "The two cars that were at home I’m guessing are going to be a write-off Karl Baxter's roof was badly damaged in the storm.Credit: Wolter Peeters The roof of his house was also badly damaged with water entering and damaging two rooms "Two of the rooms had water streaming through all the lights," he said Mr Baxter said he felt "fairly lucky" as not much else was damaged and the community had come together to help one another out Ms Street said two of her family's cars were also written off including one that had all the Christmas presents inside "I'm still trying to sift through and see what I can keep and what I can't of all their Chrissy gifts," she said Despite the damage to her home and their Christmas plans Ms Street said she was happy it was not worse and if the worst I've got is a cut foot and a bump on my head .. but residents are thankful Thursday night's severe storms were not worse The thunderstorms brought hail to parts of Sydney with the Bureau of Meteorology \\\"I thought I\\u2019d take the kids into one of the rooms where it's a bit safer,\\\" she said \\\"Luckily I was ahead of the kids because \\\"It's one of those moments you\\u2019re grateful that you were ahead of your children \\\"All we could do was stand between where the front door was and where the kitchen was and just watch as the contents of the skylights and hail just pounded through down the hallway,\\\" she said \\\"We\\u2019ve experienced a lot of hail damage: leaking roofs \\\"We've still got 1800 of those to get through and the phones are still ringing,\\\" he said \\\"We expect to be hard out there working on the ground for the next day or so.\\\" \\\"The two cars that were at home I\\u2019m guessing are going to be a write-off \\\"Two of the rooms had water streaming through all the lights,\\\" he said Mr Baxter said he felt \\\"fairly lucky\\\" as not much else was damaged Ms Street said two of her family's cars were also written off \\\"I'm still trying to sift through and see what I can keep and what I can't of all their Chrissy gifts,\\\" she said and if the worst I've got is a cut foot and a bump on my head .. A man accused of killing his father in Sydney’s north allegedly fought with the older man over car keys before a neighbour heard someone yell out “He’s dead” was charged with the murder of Kenneth Fitzpatrick after the 69-year-old died from serious injuries at his Berowra Heights home on September 7 Jaiken Richard Fitzpatrick was refused bail in Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.Credit: Facebook New details of the allegations against Fitzpatrick were revealed at his unsuccessful bail application in Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday The accused killer appeared via video link while his mother sat quietly in the public gallery Police prosecutor Nicholas Dobson said a neighbour had witnessed an argument and a “wrestle over some car keys” the victim’s face was covered in blood,” he said The scene of the alleged murder in Berowra Heights in September.Credit: Nick Moir The prosecutor said the accused then crashed the car into the garage and his father removed the keys from the vehicle This was allegedly followed by a second scuffle The older man was found dead against a bookshelf near the front door “The accused then makes that admission to the paramedic that he’s had a fight with his dad,” he said “I note the facts are silent on the exact cause of death but the rational inference to be drawn is [that] the death was the result of a fight.” attached to the Little Green Truck pick-up and delivery franchise business was towed from the property the day after the alleged murder the prosecutor submitted that the charge of murder carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment any sentence imposed on Fitzpatrick would likely exceed any time spent in custody on remand Fitzpatrick’s lawyer Tania Johnson submitted it was a “weak prosecution case” She said the timing of the yelling heard by the neighbour was unclear and did not necessarily show the “only rational inference” was that the death was caused by a fight She said there was “ambiguity” over which fight Fitzpatrick was referring to when he spoke to the paramedic there are two incidents in which Mr Fitzpatrick was having a fight with his father,” Johnson said She said the deceased “could have fallen in that position” independently Magistrate Christopher Longley noted Fitzpatrick was facing “probably the most serious offence” in the criminal justice system “It’s the Crown’s contention that the accused caused the death of his father,” he said “It is somewhat accepted that it is a circumstantial case.” Longley said most cases resulting in a person’s death were circumstantial “because no witnesses are present when the coup de grâce is alleged to have occurred A coup de grâce is defined as a “death blow” The magistrate said Fitzpatrick’s concession about a fight with his father could be attributed to one of two altercations which occurred in a short space of time and neighbours had heard a disagreement taking place it was discovered that his father had passed away,” he said Longley acknowledged Fitzpatrick had domestic violence matters on his record and was placed on a community corrections order two weeks before the alleged murder “I accept on the available evidence there are mental health issues,” the magistrate said He said while the defence had argued Fitzpatrick needed to be on bail to prepare his case it appeared to be a “pretty strong circumstantial” one Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. A man accused of killing his father in Sydney\\u2019s north allegedly fought with the older man over car keys before a neighbour heard someone yell out \\u201CHe\\u2019s dead\\u201D, a court has heard. Jaiken Richard Fitzpatrick, 38, was charged with the murder of Kenneth Fitzpatrick after the 69-year-old died from serious injuries at his Berowra Heights home on September 7. New details of the allegations against Fitzpatrick were revealed at his unsuccessful bail application in Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday. The accused killer appeared via video link, while his mother sat quietly in the public gallery. Police prosecutor Nicholas Dobson said a neighbour had witnessed an argument and a \\u201Cwrestle over some car keys\\u201D. \\u201CAs a result of that, the victim\\u2019s face was covered in blood,\\u201D he said. \\u201CThe victim was heard yelling, \\u2018He\\u2019s trying to steal my car\\u2019.\\u201D The prosecutor said the accused then crashed the car into the garage and his father removed the keys from the vehicle. This was allegedly followed by a second scuffle. \\u201CThere\\u2019s yelling heard ... which then goes silent,\\u201D he said. \\u201CAt that time, someone\\u2019s heard to yell out, \\u2018He\\u2019s dead\\u2019.\\u201D He said the neighbour went to the home, called triple zero and paramedics arrived. The older man was found dead against a bookshelf near the front door, and Fitzpatrick was inside the premises, Dobson said. \\u201CThe accused then makes that admission to the paramedic that he\\u2019s had a fight with his dad,\\u201D he said. \\u201CI note the facts are silent on the exact cause of death but the rational inference to be drawn is [that] the death was the result of a fight.\\u201D A green ute with a frog logo, attached to the Little Green Truck pick-up and delivery franchise business, was towed from the property the day after the alleged murder. Arguing against bail, the prosecutor submitted that the charge of murder carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and if convicted, any sentence imposed on Fitzpatrick would likely exceed any time spent in custody on remand. Fitzpatrick\\u2019s lawyer Tania Johnson submitted it was a \\u201Cweak prosecution case\\u201D. She said the timing of the yelling heard by the neighbour was unclear, and did not necessarily show the \\u201Conly rational inference\\u201D was that the death was caused by a fight. She said there was \\u201Cambiguity\\u201D over which fight Fitzpatrick was referring to when he spoke to the paramedic. \\u201CClearly, on the police facts, there are two incidents in which Mr Fitzpatrick was having a fight with his father,\\u201D Johnson said. She said the deceased \\u201Ccould have fallen in that position\\u201D independently. Magistrate Christopher Longley noted Fitzpatrick was facing \\u201Cprobably the most serious offence\\u201D in the criminal justice system. \\u201CIt\\u2019s the Crown\\u2019s contention that the accused caused the death of his father,\\u201D he said. \\u201CIt is somewhat accepted that it is a circumstantial case.\\u201D Longley said most cases resulting in a person\\u2019s death were circumstantial \\u201Cbecause no witnesses are present, usually, when the coup de gr\\u00E2ce is alleged to have occurred, and this is one of them\\u201D. A coup de gr\\u00E2ce is defined as a \\u201Cdeath blow\\u201D. The magistrate said Fitzpatrick\\u2019s concession about a fight with his father could be attributed to one of two altercations which occurred in a short space of time, and neighbours had heard a disagreement taking place. \\u201CShortly after each of these two events, the use of the car keys, and the accused entering the house, it was discovered that his father had passed away,\\u201D he said. Longley acknowledged Fitzpatrick had domestic violence matters on his record, tendered by the prosecutor, and was placed on a community corrections order two weeks before the alleged murder. \\u201CI accept on the available evidence there are mental health issues,\\u201D the magistrate said. He said while the defence had argued Fitzpatrick needed to be on bail to prepare his case, it appeared to be a \\u201Cpretty strong circumstantial\\u201D one. \\u201CBail will be refused,\\u201D Longley said. Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . 2 min readPublished 21 December 2018 6:35pm ShareGet SBS News daily and direct to your InboxSign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.Your email address *Morning (Mon–Fri) A son charged with murdering his father by assaulting him and leaving him with critical head injuries wrote a series of bizarre social media posts before the alleged incident Jaiken Fitzpatrick, 38, has been charged over the alleged murder of his father Kenneth, 69, at the family's Berowra Heights home, in Sydney's northern outskirts Emergency services were called to the address where they found Mr Fitzpatrick senior with critical injuries Daily Mail Australia understands that both father and son worked for a removalist franchise, Little Green Truck, which operates around Gosford, on the NSW Central Coast A Little Green Truck business car was seen being towed away from the family home by police on Friday morning According to records with the corporate regulator Kenneth cancelled his franchise's business's registration in April this year the franchise was listed for sale a month earlier Jaiken's lawyer Andrew Scali told Hornsby Local Court on Friday that his client was 'extremely unsettled' and required a mental health assessment Jaiken was refused bail and his matter will return to court at a later date The shocking allegations come just weeks after Jaiken shared a series of disturbing posts on social media the removalist - who dabbles in photography - shared a black and white picture of himself looking pensive on Facebook A friend commented that he 'looked lost' and asked what was his problem He failed to respond when the same friend continued to ask what was wrong he opened up about how he had recently contemplated suicide 'One more breath to you is a life worth saving to me One more breath to me is giving me this opportunity to hold your hand and be heard he launched an Instagram page under the handle 'beautiful pain' he posted pictures of close up shots of his face with the words 'without a beautiful death' Jaiken's other online activities suggested he shared a strong bond with his dad he helped his dad by selling a motorbike on his behalf and in another he spoke about getting out in the garden to help his dad cut trees Police will allege Jaiken murdered his dad at the family's brick townhouse while Kenneth's wife was at work Police remained at the scene on Friday afternoon with detectives seen door-knocking around the neighbourhood as officers scoured the home A friend of the family told reporters outside the home on Friday that the alleged victim was a 'nice man' Local resident George Jankowski said the man who was killed was 'a pretty quiet guy who kept to himself' 'Just hearing a truck going up and down the street is a big drama so that sort of thing happening is a big shock.' 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For the full list of indicators click here Here’s how the upper north shore performed Waitara wins the prize for most liveable suburb on the upper north shore and is sandwiched between Clovelly and Crows Nest on the overall liveability league table It is a star performer in terms of train links and shops and performs well above average for telecommunications coverage cafes and restaurants and proximity to schools All the other results are around the Sydney average The onetime home of famed architect Harry Seidler is the second most liveable suburb on the upper north shore. Killara is very well rated for its telecommunications coverage It receives average scores for just about everything else except buses with the stops quite spaced out Lindfield is the bronze medallist for liveability on the upper north shore receiving its highest mark for telecommunications coverage It’s also well ahead of the pack for proximity to employment hubs The only really low scores are for buses and main roads Just west of the M1 and Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Asquith straddles the upper north shore and Hills District It achieves its highest results for its relatively low main road congestion topographic variation and low crime it gets big ticks In the top five for liveability on the upper north shore, Roseville scores brilliantly for mobile and internet coverage It is rated very well for proximity to employment hubs The only really low numbers are for main road congestion and lack of open space Head 25 kilometres north of the city and you’ll find Hornsby which receives very good scores for telecommunications coverage Its lowest ratings are for crime and buses and the suburb outperforms Hornsby Heights on everything except leafiness Tree cover, open spaces and a low crime rate are South Turramurra’s liveability highlights It also has plenty to write home about on the telecommunications and topography fronts not to mention slightly less road congestion than neighbouring suburbs South Turramurra’s lowest ratings are for shops Its scores are about average in the other categories Significantly higher than neighbouring Pymble on the overall liveability table, West Pymble has good tree cover open spaces and telecommunications coverage It is topographically varied and being just that bit closer to Macquarie Park means it scores higher than Pymble in terms of proximity to employment hubs pipped its neighbour in the train category Normanhurst is well inside the top half of suburbs on the upper north shore for liveability proximity to employment hubs and there’s room for improvement on open space and buses St Ives receives ratings equal to or higher than St Ives Chase in most categories It is rated highly in terms of tree cover and also scores impressively for telecommunications coverage It isn’t rated particularly well for buses Granted, it’s not the sexiest liveability measure, but Gordon knocks it out of the park for telecommunications coverage water views and proximity to employment hubs For most categories created by Mother Nature, East Killara nails it with great open space It’s head and shoulders above most of Sydney for its low crime rate and telecommunications coverage retail and cafes are rated below average and it gets average scores for everything else from education to main road congestion and public transport North Wahroonga scores highly for its lack of main road congestion (compared to nearby suburbs) as well as its topographic variation and low crime rates its public transport results are average for Sydney Between Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Berowra Valley National Park, it’s no wonder Mount Kuring-Gai scores brilliantly for tree cover and topographic variation The study also awards high marks for train links and open space Its proximity to employment hubs and local cafe/restaurant scene isn’t as strong as other nearby suburbs It’s not the best but Wahroonga is still far from the least liveable suburb on the north shore The strongest performances are for relatively low main road congestion tree cover and telecommunications coverage and there’s room for improvement in retail One of Sydney’s most northern suburbs, Mount Colah is also one of the highest by elevation The liveability study rates it as having little main road congestion and high tree cover shops and proximity to employment hubs are on the lower end of the scale Rated average or above average on most liveability measures, Warrawee gets its highest results for telecommunications coverage It rates as average compared with the rest of Sydney for culture and falls below average for bus links and open space Great telecommunications coverage and a low crime rate are the best bits about East Lindfield’s performance in the liveability study It also scores well for tree cover and topographic variation Despite falling in the bottom half of the upper north shore suburbs for liveability, Roseville Chase is a star performer for its topographic variation and telecommunications coverage Its results for tree cover and open spaces are well above average but there is plenty of room for improvement in terms of shops and restaurants Close to the middle of the pack for overall liveability in Sydney, Pymble is highly rated for telecommunications coverage The only real downsides identified by the study are main road congestion For open space, easy traffic, tree cover and topographic variation, Hornsby Heights is a winner The study doesn’t give it high marks for cafes and restaurants or proximity to employment hubs and the suburb achieves average scores for culture telecommunications coverage and bus services Tree cover, topographic variation and low crime are the strongest results for St Ives Chase in the study It also turns in a fine performance for main road congestion open space and telecommunications coverage but its scores are below average for proximity to schools and employment Just east of Berowra Waters, Berowra Heights is one of Sydney’s northernmost suburbs it scores well below average for its dining scene Neck-and-neck with neighbouring Berowra Heights on most scores, Berowra has great tree cover topographic variation and a low crime rate The main roads are relatively free-flowing especially if you’re heading north on the M1 but the suburb doesn’t rate highly for buses proximity to employment hubs or telecommunications coverage North Turramurra’s low scores for cafes and restaurants proximity to employment hubs and public transport drag down its overall liveability score It is one of the highest achievers on open space It also outshines most of Sydney in terms of open space and telecommunications coverage It’s a testament to the upper north shore’s relatively high standards of liveability that Turramurra is at the bottom of the table for its region despite receiving decent scores in most categories. Its strongest results are in telecommunications coverage, tree cover, topographic variation and low crime. The lowest scores are for main road congestion and a lack of cafes and restaurants. The NSW State Emergency Service is warning Sydneysiders to brace for another damaging storm season this summer as new data reveals the city's worst-hit suburbs from last year NRMA Insurance data shows last summer was the most intense storm season in four years, with 61 per cent of all home insurance claims during 2018-19 triggered by storm damage. December was the worst month, with 86 per cent of claims resulting from storms including Sydney's worst hail storm in 20 years Suburbs in Sydney's north and west were the city's most storm-affected while the Central Coast was also heavily hit Castle Hill and Chipping Norton were the top three suburbs While the Bureau of Meteorology's severe weather outlook for this summer predicts an increased risk of heatwaves and bushfires A huge hail storm with golf ball-sized hail smashed windows and battered roofs across Sydney in December.Credit: Nick Moir NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Rob McNeill said he expects this season's storms to be severe with "violent weather behaviour" predicted between October and March "We're likely to see storms that bring large hailstones localised flash flooding and damaging winds," Deputy Commissioner McNeill told the Herald He said while the storm seasons were "pretty consistent over the decades" the biggest change in recent years was the season increasing in length "What is changing is the storm season corresponds with the bushfire season which can give us some quite unusual situations like [in September] we had storms running through Sydney and also had bushfires impacting out in the Lithgow area." As Sydney grows and the city's boundaries stretch further west the expanding population means more people are impacted by damaging weather events Motorists are warned not to drive through flood waters during wild weather.Credit: Louise Kennerley "We see greater damage done due to more buildings more vehicles," Deputy Commissioner McNeill said "If a tree falls down in the middle of a paddock If it falls down in the middle of the suburbs of Wollongong or the Northern Beaches of Sydney or Katoomba there is a chance to land on a car or damage some property." with NRMA Insurance manager Alex Mazzoni saying "prevention is key" to mitigate the risks of storm damage clear your gutters and secure loose items in your garden on your balcony so these little actions can make a big difference," Mr Mazzoni said "What we're seeing is there’s an increased risk of storms along coast of NSW A long-term trend that we're seeing is the risk of hail storms shifting south from more northerly areas [like northern NSW] to areas with larger populations like Newcastle Deputy Commissioner McNeill lists three thing to watch out for this storm season: falling trees ensuring loose items are tied down in strong winds "Keep away from flood waters in general because they're extremely dangerous So many times each year people think they can drive through floodwaters and that trouble can be quite serious trouble," he said The NSW State Emergency Service is warning Sydneysiders to brace for another damaging storm season this summer as new data reveals the city's worst-hit suburbs from last year NRMA Insurance data shows last summer was the most intense storm season in four years with 61 per cent of all home insurance claims during 2018-19 triggered by storm damage with 86 per cent of claims resulting from storms including Sydney's Suburbs in Sydney's north and west were the city's most storm-affected While the Bureau of Meteorology's severe weather outlook for this summer predicts an NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Rob McNeill said he expects this season's storms to be severe with \\\"violent weather behaviour\\\" predicted between October and March \\\"We're likely to see storms that bring large hailstones localised flash flooding and damaging winds,\\\" Deputy Commissioner McNeill told the Herald He said while the storm seasons were \\\"pretty consistent over the decades\\\" \\\"What is changing is the storm season corresponds with the bushfire season which can give us some quite unusual situations like [in September] we had storms running through Sydney and also had bushfires impacting out in the Lithgow area.\\\" As Sydney grows and the city's boundaries stretch further west \\\"We see greater damage done due to more buildings more vehicles,\\\" Deputy Commissioner McNeill said \\\"If a tree falls down in the middle of a paddock there is a chance to land on a car or damage some property.\\\" with NRMA Insurance manager Alex Mazzoni saying \\\"prevention is key\\\" to mitigate the risks of storm damage so these little actions can make a big difference,\\\" Mr Mazzoni said \\\"What we're seeing is there\\u2019s an increased risk of storms along coast of NSW A long-term trend that we're seeing is the risk of hail storms shifting south from more northerly areas [like northern NSW] to areas with larger populations like Newcastle \\\"Keep away from flood waters in general because they're extremely dangerous and that trouble can be quite serious trouble,\\\" he said Residents in the suburbs of Sydney worst-hit by Thursday’s severe hail storm may have had cars destroyed windows smashed and even Christmas presents ruined narrowly avoided being struck in the face by shards of hard plastic when her kitchen skylight was smashed by 8cm hailstones The damage to her home has been "horrific" she said – but she’s just grateful her children weren’t hurt Homes in the Hornsby area were the worst hit by the hail storm When a second skylight in the hallway also smashed Ms Street said she ended up stuck near the front door cradling her 10-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son According to data compiled so far by the Insurance Council of Australia the suburb of NSW worst-affected by the storm was Hornsby (which includes Berowra Heights) in Sydney’s north That was followed by Liverpool in the city’s south-west Tamworth in the state’s central north and Lithgow in the Blue Mountains Many homes in Berowra Heights sustained damage in the hail storm.Credit: Wolter Peeters While those suburbs have been making the most insurance claims due to storm damage according to Ausgrid it is the Central Coast that is bearing the brunt of ongoing storm-related blackouts While 16,000 customers were without electricity at the peak of the blackouts on Thursday almost 2000 customers remain without power and may not have it restored until Sunday due to the "complex nature" of repairs with poles and wires needing to be replaced SES spokesman Phil Schafer said the agency had received more than 3600 calls on Thursday which translated into more than 2400 jobs that volunteers were working through well into Friday and homeowners should get in contact with their insurance companies as soon as possible to get a more permanent fix with thousands of homeowners (and even more car owners) lodging claims A spokesman for Ambulance NSW said paramedics were called to two incidences of people requiring medical attention after being hit with the large hailstones – a man in his 30s at Barangaroo and a man in his 40s at Darlinghurst Both were taken to hospital in a stable condition residents nursing a few bumps and some sizeable repair bills are grateful that's all I can ask for," said Ms Street who also had two cars written off – including one that was filled with the family's Christmas presents along with a badly damaged roof that allowed water to seep into two rooms He said he felt "fairly lucky" that the damage wasn't worse and grateful for how the community had come together to help one another out Residents in the suburbs of Sydney worst-hit by Thursday\\u2019s severe hail storm may have had cars destroyed The damage to her home has been \\\"horrific\\\" she said \\u2013 but she\\u2019s just grateful her children weren\\u2019t hurt the suburb of NSW worst-affected by the storm was Hornsby (which includes Berowra Heights) in Sydney\\u2019s north That was followed by Liverpool in the city\\u2019s south-west Tamworth in the state\\u2019s central north and Lithgow in the Blue Mountains almost 2000 customers remain without power and may not have it restored until Sunday due to the \\\"complex nature\\\" of repairs A spokesman for Ambulance NSW said paramedics were called to two incidences of people requiring medical attention after being hit with the large hailstones \\u2013 a man in his 30s at Barangaroo and a man in his 40s at Darlinghurst that's all I can ask for,\\\" said Ms Street who also had two cars written off \\u2013 including one that was filled with the family's Christmas presents He said he felt \\\"fairly lucky\\\" that the damage wasn't worse Error: no decision tree source folder detected A $100,000 reward is on offer for information on the 1979 disappearance of a couple in northern NSW Alan Fox and his girlfriend Anneke Adriaansen were last seen on 15 January 1979 hitch-hiking from Sydney to the Mid-North Coast 1979 and hitchhiked to Kempsey and Byron Bay It is believed they intended to travel on to Upper Burringbar to buy land Despite an extensive investigation into their disappearance the State Government offered a $50,000 reward for any information leading to their location the Deputy State Coroner Carl Milovanovich held an inquest into the couple's disappearance and issued death certificates for both before handing down an open finding as to the date He also asked that consideration be given to re-initiating rewards for information that helps police find their bodies and arrest those responsible approved a doubling of the reward to $100,000 in the hope that further information may be forthcoming Police believe the couple have died in suspicious circumstances It is hoped that somebody who was afraid to come forward with information at the time may now feel they can help police with this matter Click here for more information on Alan Martin Fox on the NSW Police Force Missing Persons Enquiry System Click here for more information on Anneke Nicolette Adriaansen on the NSW Police Force Missing Persons Enquiry System Any information you have about this is worth giving to police no matter how small or insignificant it may seem You can provide information to police via any of the methods below: Any information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence Your help may give police the clue they need to close this case and provide some comfort for the families of victims causing significant damage to thousands of vehicles and homes Images posted to social media show broken windshields The windows and roofs of homes were damaged by the what the Australia Bureau of Meteorology is calling the "worst hailstorm in 20 years," the Associated Press reports The Insurance Council of Australia said it expects damage costs from the hail to top $125 million Some hailstones that fell in western Sydney and its suburbs were more than 3 inches in diameter Penny Street of hard-hit Berowra Heights told the Sydney Morning Herald that all her family could do during the storm was take cover as hail took out skylights above sending shards of plexiglass into the home's hallway (MORE: Northwest Storm Causes Damage, Road Closures in Washington; 1 Killed in British Columbia) The family's home suffered "horrific" damage and the family's two vehicles were also severely damaged including one filled with the family's Christmas presents Some 16,000 customers were without power at the height of the storm Some homes were so severely damaged that they were uninhabitable More than 25,000 claims were filed as of Friday More than 75 percent of those claims were for vehicle damage The organization said they expect many more in the days to come although some did receive a few bumps and bruises Surfers on Sydney's famed Bondi Beach took cover under their surfboards that's all I can ask for," Street said We recognize our responsibility to use data and technology for good We may use or share your data with our data vendors The Weather Channel is the world's most accurate forecaster according to ForecastWatch, Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview The windows and roofs of homes were damaged by the what the Australia Bureau of Meteorology is calling the \\\"worst hailstorm in 20 years,\\\" the Associated Press reports The Insurance Council of Australia said it expects damage costs from the hail to top $125 million Penny Street of hard-hit Berowra Heights told the Sydney Morning Herald that all her family could do during the storm was take cover as hail took out skylights above sending shards of plexiglass into the home's hallway (MORE: Northwest Storm Causes Damage, Road Closures in Washington; 1 Killed in British Columbia) The family's home suffered \\\"horrific\\\" damage and the family's two vehicles were also severely damaged including one filled with the family's Christmas presents Surfers on Sydney's famed Bondi Beach took cover under their surfboards