Sshhhh! How celebrities keep property deals private
If Byron has reached peak cool (and price point), just down the coast, along the Northern Rivers and snuggled into the hinterland, there are more celebrity housing hotspots popping up and high net worth clients are eager to get in on the action before the secret is out.
And we all know one thing about the rich and famous - they have teams of people on speed dial to do the heavy lifting when it comes to real estate.
You certainly won't spot a Hemsworth at an Open For Inspection!
Chris Hemsworth enjoying a surf at his local beach in Byron Bay via Instagram @chrishemsworth
As prestige buyers seek lifestyle, anonymity and high-touch service, buyers' agents are proving to be the quiet force behind some of the country's most exclusive real estate deals.
That's where Compass, a leading buyers' advocacy firm specialising in the Northern Rivers, Byron Bay and Tweed Coast, comes in.
Nick Goldsbrough-Reardon, Director and Buyers Advocate at Compass said: "Many of our clients are public figures or ultra-high-net-worth individuals. They don't want to be recognised at open homes or have their name linked to a property. We act as their proxy throughout."
The firm often represents celebrity clients anonymously during the buying process, coordinating private viewings and conducting pre-inspections on their behalf.
They often work under non-disclosure agreements (NDA's), taking full ownership of client confidentiality, ensuring sensitive details remain protected from listing agents, vendors, or third parties.
"Working under a non-disclosure agreement means we take full ownership of the process."
More than 70 percent of the firm's transactions are now off-market, a strategy that offers exclusivity, speed, and above all, confidentiality.
In some cases, lack of anonymity has directly impacted outcomes.
"We once saw a vendor increase the asking price after learning who the buyer was. We restructured the deal discreetly and ended up securing the home at a fairer market value."
On another occasion, Compass arranged a late-night private inspection for a high-profile celebrity client.
That client made a pre-market offer and closed the deal without attracting any public attention, a perfect outcome in an era of digital leaks and social media scrutiny.
Behind the scenes, buyers' advocates juggle far more than just property searches and A-List demands.
Goldsbrough-Reardon recalled the complexity of managing a cross-continental purchase for an overseas celebrity couple.
"One was in Austria with family. The other was on a remote island in Hawaii with barely any phone reception," he said.
"We were taking calls at 5am and midnight to make it work. They were buying the home sight unseen, so we conducted virtual inspections, brought in trades to assess the property and even navigated a regional cyclone that left us without power for five days."
Despite the cyclone, Goldsbrough-Reardon secured the deal.
"By the time they arrived in Australia three months later, the property was fully set up. We coordinated shipping of their furniture from overseas, organised all the logistics and had everything move-in ready. It's a full property concierge experience."
For high-net-worth clients, the key to a seamless transaction lies in more than just market knowledge.
Goldsbrough-Reardon says. "A good advocate also brings emotional intelligence, someone who can act as a trusted buffer and advisor across the entire buying journey."
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7NEWS
19 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Can't afford Byron? Try these new property hotspots
Byron Bay might be famous for its surf culture and A-list appeal, but with soaring prices and limited supply, savvy property hunters are now looking beyond the bubble. According to Compass, a leading buyers' agency specialising in Northern NSW, demand is growing fast in the surrounding towns and hinterland pockets where lifestyle, space and value intersect. "Buyers want more space, stronger communities and easier access to essential services, without losing connection to the coast," said Nick Goldsbrough-Reardon, Director and Buyers Advocate at Compass. "These towns offer lifestyle without the congestion or price premium of Byron, while still delivering strong capital growth." From surf-side villages to peaceful hinterland enclaves, here are the locations attracting increasing attention: Lennox Head & Skennars Head: Just south of Byron, these laid-back coastal communities offer great surf, local schools and a tight-knit vibe that's proving irresistible for families and seachangers alike. Suffolk Park: Often dubbed Byron's quieter cousin, Suffolk offers a family-friendly layout, easy beach access and a more accessible entry point into the region. Newrybar & Tintenbar: These boutique hinterland destinations are drawing buyers looking for rural privacy with convenience. Both are within quick reach of the M1 and Byron Bay but feel worlds away. Yamba & Broadwater: Further up the coast, these emerging lifestyle towns are fast gaining traction with buyers seeking relaxed living, good surf and rising investment potential. Casuarina, Kingscliff, Cabarita Beach & Pottsville: Northern coastal hubs with booming infrastructure, appealing schools and high-end developments are luring both locals and out-of-area buyers alike. The new normal Post-COVID, the market has settled. "The heat has eased, with price growth stabilising and buyer demand becoming more measured," Goldsbrough-Reardon said. "That said, well-positioned coastal or hinterland properties are still moving fast when priced right." Cotality data confirms that since March 2020 to 2025, regional values have risen more than 56 per cent. Post pandemic boom, the regions have continued to show overall resilience. In the recent two quarters, for example, they are outperforming capital cities (1.6 per cent compared to 1.4 per cent). Many metro and regional areas are also currently experiencing record highs, according to Cotality's July Housing Chart Pack. What's trending now are homes with flexibility. Buyers are looking for dual-occupancy options, secondary dwellings, eco-conscious builds or self-contained studios that support lifestyle or rental income. Prices typically range from $1.5 million to $4 million, depending on location and land size. Predicting the next hotspot Compass 's edge lies in staying ahead of the curve. "We maintain constant dialogue with local agents, councils and developers," said Goldsbrough-Reardon. "We're tracking early indicators like school openings, retail development, DA approvals and demographic shifts." That groundwork means Compass often helps clients secure homes 12 to 24 months before an area hits the mainstream radar. For those priced out of Byron or simply looking for more value, these neighbouring suburbs may not be secret for long.
The Advertiser
21 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'Just so surreal': the moment this Aussie was asked to tour with Ozzy
"Do you want to go on tour with Ozzy Osbourne?" It is a phone call Chris Rand is still shocked he received, even though it happened 27 years ago. Back then, in 1998, the singer and bass player for metal band Segression was busy working as a tattoo artist in Wollongong, and his wife Karen was heavily pregnant with the couple's first child. But, one phone call from Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne changed everything. "We had a tattoo shop in Corrimal at the time, and the phone rang, and it was actually Sharon Osbourne, wanting to speak to my mum because my mum managed the band," Chris recalls. "I was personally invited from Sharon and Ozzy." Segression had already toured with US metal bands Machine Head and Fear Factory, and those bands, who were friends with Ozzy, recommended Segression to him as a support act. But, with Karen pregnant, Chris worried he'd miss the birth of his first child. So, after much discussion, she was induced and had baby Kiara five days before the tour started. Chris is among a legion of fans and music industry insiders who are reeling after the death of Ozzy Osbourne on July 23 following a battle with Parkinson's disease. It was just weeks after the 76-year-old performed with metal pioneers Black Sabbath for the last time at a star-studded charity benefit show titled Back to the Beginning in the United Kingdom. "I've got shivers, I've got tears, I've got everything this morning. He was probably one of the nicest people I've ever met," Chris said through tears. "I'm devastated, absolutely devastated. I've never really felt much with a celebrity death before, but because of the personal connection that I had with him ... because I toured with him and met him and knew him as a person briefly, it really hit hard, to be honest." At Segression's first gig on that tour back in 1998, the pressure on them was enormous as they hit the stage before Ozzy, who was known as the Prince of Darkness. People have "paid a lot of money to go and see Ozzy Osbourne" and back then crowds were well known to "give a little bit of curry" to support bands. "I walked out on stage and it was, I wouldn't say completely hostile, but it was certainly not warm," Chris remembers. "I walked up to the microphone and before the band started, I got them to light up the crowd and I said, 'I know that everyone's here to see Ozzy, but we're a young Australian band that's been given an opportunity, so we think it's appropriate to start our set showing Ozzy Osboune what Australia is like. So, Aussie Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi,' and then we're into it. "The crowd, they turned completely on its head, and we had an amazing tour ... it was just so surreal." During another moment on tour, Ozzy was chatting to one of Segression's roadies who had a "full body suit of tattoos". "Ozzy was just so fascinated. He said, 'Can I see you without your shirt on again?'. He took his shirt off and he said, 'it's like a road map to your life'," Chris said. "And then, funnily enough, just after that tour, Ozzy went back home and got his arms tattooed, full sleeves." The tour and getting to meet Ozzy were so significant in Chris' life that he still holds dear the backstage pass he wore each night during the tour. "My Dad [Dave] was a massive Black Sabbath fan, so it's like one of my life's proudest moments when I got to introduce my dad [to Ozzy]," Chris said of a moment on that tour. "My dad's quiet at the best of times, so he just sort of walked up and shook hands, and that was about it. They just stared at each other." He recalls everyone was starstruck around Ozzy at that time, it was the height of the Osbourne's reality television show, The Osbournes, and Ozzy was a massive star thanks to his Black Sabbath days and then successful solo career. Ozzy's reputation is huge - he was the lead singer of Black Sabbath until he was kicked out in 1979 after a long run of erratic drink and drug-fuelled behaviour, and when he bit the head off a bat onstage, he made rock history. But, underneath all the bravado, the rumour and the reality TV show, Chris simply remembers Ozzy as just being a good bloke. "When you got to be in his presence, you just felt like you were the only one there. He just had that magic about himself," he said. "He's done so many things that he's notorious for, but the person that I met was just funny and warm. "He's probably the biggest rock star on the planet, and I don't think he ever thought of it that way. He just liked playing music and enjoying himself. I don't think he was dwelling on his success at all." "Do you want to go on tour with Ozzy Osbourne?" It is a phone call Chris Rand is still shocked he received, even though it happened 27 years ago. Back then, in 1998, the singer and bass player for metal band Segression was busy working as a tattoo artist in Wollongong, and his wife Karen was heavily pregnant with the couple's first child. But, one phone call from Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne changed everything. "We had a tattoo shop in Corrimal at the time, and the phone rang, and it was actually Sharon Osbourne, wanting to speak to my mum because my mum managed the band," Chris recalls. "I was personally invited from Sharon and Ozzy." Segression had already toured with US metal bands Machine Head and Fear Factory, and those bands, who were friends with Ozzy, recommended Segression to him as a support act. But, with Karen pregnant, Chris worried he'd miss the birth of his first child. So, after much discussion, she was induced and had baby Kiara five days before the tour started. Chris is among a legion of fans and music industry insiders who are reeling after the death of Ozzy Osbourne on July 23 following a battle with Parkinson's disease. It was just weeks after the 76-year-old performed with metal pioneers Black Sabbath for the last time at a star-studded charity benefit show titled Back to the Beginning in the United Kingdom. "I've got shivers, I've got tears, I've got everything this morning. He was probably one of the nicest people I've ever met," Chris said through tears. "I'm devastated, absolutely devastated. I've never really felt much with a celebrity death before, but because of the personal connection that I had with him ... because I toured with him and met him and knew him as a person briefly, it really hit hard, to be honest." At Segression's first gig on that tour back in 1998, the pressure on them was enormous as they hit the stage before Ozzy, who was known as the Prince of Darkness. People have "paid a lot of money to go and see Ozzy Osbourne" and back then crowds were well known to "give a little bit of curry" to support bands. "I walked out on stage and it was, I wouldn't say completely hostile, but it was certainly not warm," Chris remembers. "I walked up to the microphone and before the band started, I got them to light up the crowd and I said, 'I know that everyone's here to see Ozzy, but we're a young Australian band that's been given an opportunity, so we think it's appropriate to start our set showing Ozzy Osboune what Australia is like. So, Aussie Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi,' and then we're into it. "The crowd, they turned completely on its head, and we had an amazing tour ... it was just so surreal." During another moment on tour, Ozzy was chatting to one of Segression's roadies who had a "full body suit of tattoos". "Ozzy was just so fascinated. He said, 'Can I see you without your shirt on again?'. He took his shirt off and he said, 'it's like a road map to your life'," Chris said. "And then, funnily enough, just after that tour, Ozzy went back home and got his arms tattooed, full sleeves." The tour and getting to meet Ozzy were so significant in Chris' life that he still holds dear the backstage pass he wore each night during the tour. "My Dad [Dave] was a massive Black Sabbath fan, so it's like one of my life's proudest moments when I got to introduce my dad [to Ozzy]," Chris said of a moment on that tour. "My dad's quiet at the best of times, so he just sort of walked up and shook hands, and that was about it. They just stared at each other." He recalls everyone was starstruck around Ozzy at that time, it was the height of the Osbourne's reality television show, The Osbournes, and Ozzy was a massive star thanks to his Black Sabbath days and then successful solo career. Ozzy's reputation is huge - he was the lead singer of Black Sabbath until he was kicked out in 1979 after a long run of erratic drink and drug-fuelled behaviour, and when he bit the head off a bat onstage, he made rock history. But, underneath all the bravado, the rumour and the reality TV show, Chris simply remembers Ozzy as just being a good bloke. "When you got to be in his presence, you just felt like you were the only one there. He just had that magic about himself," he said. "He's done so many things that he's notorious for, but the person that I met was just funny and warm. "He's probably the biggest rock star on the planet, and I don't think he ever thought of it that way. He just liked playing music and enjoying himself. I don't think he was dwelling on his success at all." "Do you want to go on tour with Ozzy Osbourne?" It is a phone call Chris Rand is still shocked he received, even though it happened 27 years ago. Back then, in 1998, the singer and bass player for metal band Segression was busy working as a tattoo artist in Wollongong, and his wife Karen was heavily pregnant with the couple's first child. But, one phone call from Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne changed everything. "We had a tattoo shop in Corrimal at the time, and the phone rang, and it was actually Sharon Osbourne, wanting to speak to my mum because my mum managed the band," Chris recalls. "I was personally invited from Sharon and Ozzy." Segression had already toured with US metal bands Machine Head and Fear Factory, and those bands, who were friends with Ozzy, recommended Segression to him as a support act. But, with Karen pregnant, Chris worried he'd miss the birth of his first child. So, after much discussion, she was induced and had baby Kiara five days before the tour started. Chris is among a legion of fans and music industry insiders who are reeling after the death of Ozzy Osbourne on July 23 following a battle with Parkinson's disease. It was just weeks after the 76-year-old performed with metal pioneers Black Sabbath for the last time at a star-studded charity benefit show titled Back to the Beginning in the United Kingdom. "I've got shivers, I've got tears, I've got everything this morning. He was probably one of the nicest people I've ever met," Chris said through tears. "I'm devastated, absolutely devastated. I've never really felt much with a celebrity death before, but because of the personal connection that I had with him ... because I toured with him and met him and knew him as a person briefly, it really hit hard, to be honest." At Segression's first gig on that tour back in 1998, the pressure on them was enormous as they hit the stage before Ozzy, who was known as the Prince of Darkness. People have "paid a lot of money to go and see Ozzy Osbourne" and back then crowds were well known to "give a little bit of curry" to support bands. "I walked out on stage and it was, I wouldn't say completely hostile, but it was certainly not warm," Chris remembers. "I walked up to the microphone and before the band started, I got them to light up the crowd and I said, 'I know that everyone's here to see Ozzy, but we're a young Australian band that's been given an opportunity, so we think it's appropriate to start our set showing Ozzy Osboune what Australia is like. So, Aussie Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi,' and then we're into it. "The crowd, they turned completely on its head, and we had an amazing tour ... it was just so surreal." During another moment on tour, Ozzy was chatting to one of Segression's roadies who had a "full body suit of tattoos". "Ozzy was just so fascinated. He said, 'Can I see you without your shirt on again?'. He took his shirt off and he said, 'it's like a road map to your life'," Chris said. "And then, funnily enough, just after that tour, Ozzy went back home and got his arms tattooed, full sleeves." The tour and getting to meet Ozzy were so significant in Chris' life that he still holds dear the backstage pass he wore each night during the tour. "My Dad [Dave] was a massive Black Sabbath fan, so it's like one of my life's proudest moments when I got to introduce my dad [to Ozzy]," Chris said of a moment on that tour. "My dad's quiet at the best of times, so he just sort of walked up and shook hands, and that was about it. They just stared at each other." He recalls everyone was starstruck around Ozzy at that time, it was the height of the Osbourne's reality television show, The Osbournes, and Ozzy was a massive star thanks to his Black Sabbath days and then successful solo career. Ozzy's reputation is huge - he was the lead singer of Black Sabbath until he was kicked out in 1979 after a long run of erratic drink and drug-fuelled behaviour, and when he bit the head off a bat onstage, he made rock history. But, underneath all the bravado, the rumour and the reality TV show, Chris simply remembers Ozzy as just being a good bloke. "When you got to be in his presence, you just felt like you were the only one there. He just had that magic about himself," he said. "He's done so many things that he's notorious for, but the person that I met was just funny and warm. "He's probably the biggest rock star on the planet, and I don't think he ever thought of it that way. He just liked playing music and enjoying himself. I don't think he was dwelling on his success at all." "Do you want to go on tour with Ozzy Osbourne?" It is a phone call Chris Rand is still shocked he received, even though it happened 27 years ago. Back then, in 1998, the singer and bass player for metal band Segression was busy working as a tattoo artist in Wollongong, and his wife Karen was heavily pregnant with the couple's first child. But, one phone call from Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne changed everything. "We had a tattoo shop in Corrimal at the time, and the phone rang, and it was actually Sharon Osbourne, wanting to speak to my mum because my mum managed the band," Chris recalls. "I was personally invited from Sharon and Ozzy." Segression had already toured with US metal bands Machine Head and Fear Factory, and those bands, who were friends with Ozzy, recommended Segression to him as a support act. But, with Karen pregnant, Chris worried he'd miss the birth of his first child. So, after much discussion, she was induced and had baby Kiara five days before the tour started. Chris is among a legion of fans and music industry insiders who are reeling after the death of Ozzy Osbourne on July 23 following a battle with Parkinson's disease. It was just weeks after the 76-year-old performed with metal pioneers Black Sabbath for the last time at a star-studded charity benefit show titled Back to the Beginning in the United Kingdom. "I've got shivers, I've got tears, I've got everything this morning. He was probably one of the nicest people I've ever met," Chris said through tears. "I'm devastated, absolutely devastated. I've never really felt much with a celebrity death before, but because of the personal connection that I had with him ... because I toured with him and met him and knew him as a person briefly, it really hit hard, to be honest." At Segression's first gig on that tour back in 1998, the pressure on them was enormous as they hit the stage before Ozzy, who was known as the Prince of Darkness. People have "paid a lot of money to go and see Ozzy Osbourne" and back then crowds were well known to "give a little bit of curry" to support bands. "I walked out on stage and it was, I wouldn't say completely hostile, but it was certainly not warm," Chris remembers. "I walked up to the microphone and before the band started, I got them to light up the crowd and I said, 'I know that everyone's here to see Ozzy, but we're a young Australian band that's been given an opportunity, so we think it's appropriate to start our set showing Ozzy Osboune what Australia is like. So, Aussie Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi,' and then we're into it. "The crowd, they turned completely on its head, and we had an amazing tour ... it was just so surreal." During another moment on tour, Ozzy was chatting to one of Segression's roadies who had a "full body suit of tattoos". "Ozzy was just so fascinated. He said, 'Can I see you without your shirt on again?'. He took his shirt off and he said, 'it's like a road map to your life'," Chris said. "And then, funnily enough, just after that tour, Ozzy went back home and got his arms tattooed, full sleeves." The tour and getting to meet Ozzy were so significant in Chris' life that he still holds dear the backstage pass he wore each night during the tour. "My Dad [Dave] was a massive Black Sabbath fan, so it's like one of my life's proudest moments when I got to introduce my dad [to Ozzy]," Chris said of a moment on that tour. "My dad's quiet at the best of times, so he just sort of walked up and shook hands, and that was about it. They just stared at each other." He recalls everyone was starstruck around Ozzy at that time, it was the height of the Osbourne's reality television show, The Osbournes, and Ozzy was a massive star thanks to his Black Sabbath days and then successful solo career. Ozzy's reputation is huge - he was the lead singer of Black Sabbath until he was kicked out in 1979 after a long run of erratic drink and drug-fuelled behaviour, and when he bit the head off a bat onstage, he made rock history. But, underneath all the bravado, the rumour and the reality TV show, Chris simply remembers Ozzy as just being a good bloke. "When you got to be in his presence, you just felt like you were the only one there. He just had that magic about himself," he said. "He's done so many things that he's notorious for, but the person that I met was just funny and warm. "He's probably the biggest rock star on the planet, and I don't think he ever thought of it that way. He just liked playing music and enjoying himself. I don't think he was dwelling on his success at all."
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Chris Cornell's pals create tribute supergroup King Ultramega
Chris Cornell's friends have created a tribute supergroup called King Ultramega to release covers of his songs to raise money for charity. The Soundgarden frontman - who died in 2017 - is being remembered by pals and former bandmates with the King Ultramega project which will feature a rotating line-up of musicians recording new versions of his tracks to bring in funds for the the MusiCares organisation. Metal Allegiance rocker Mark Menghi, who organised the project, said "There is not a singular moment in time that led to this project. It was a trail of events that led to the formation of King Ultramega and the evolving creation to pay tribute to the voice of a generation." The first iteration of King Ultramega features Menghi on bass with Alice In Chains frontman William DuVall taking on vocal duties, Mastodon rocker Bill Kelliher plays guitar and Anthrax's Charlie Benante behind the drums. They have recorded a cover of Rusty Cage, which featured on Soundgarden's 1991 album Badmotorfinger. The next line-up will include Cornell's Soundgarden bandmate Kim Thayil, who said: "I'm super honored to record alongside all the amazing musicians appearing on the King Ultramega project. "I'm equally proud that it celebrates Soundgarden in this tribute to the songwriting of Chris. Ultra-admirably, everyone's participation is supporting the work of the MusiCares Foundation." The news comes after it was revealed new Soundgarden album featuring Cornell could finallt see the light of day. On the eighth anniversary of the Grunge legend's death (18.05.25), bassist Ben Shepherd has revealed there is an album they made with the Black Hole Sun singer before his passing, which is "yet to be named", suggesting it could be released in the future. In a post on Instagram on the anniversary, Shepherd wrote : "As I wait for my son Noah to get out of school today I'm thinking about … well actually it's stuck in my head and's been there since early this morning like a proud spring bird dammit. 'Its a song Chris and Matt wrote The Road Less Traveled for our album that has yet to be named, just hearing Chris' voice helps, I know he did that for everyone he knew … help them, he did for me, filled with self doubt and indebtedness and in just his tone knew what I was going through and forgave me like he always did even when he was older. "It's at this point of recording all of our previous albums I'd get this overwhelming hit of awe, camaraderie, power of creativity, majesty even, and love, from the music, and my bandmates ... and I guess just pure life force. 'I can tell you, it feels good and invigorating to hear Chris singing from over that horizon and hear the mighty… mighty life, of souls sharing. To hear, as a fan … and band member, a song or two Chris brought in a few years ago turn before my very ears and finger blisters into a full blown Soundgarden tune is like feeling a glacier fall away off your chest."
