Melbourne apartment buyer enticements include rental guarantees, marina berths and even a boat ride, as market ripe with new offerings

As potential homebuyers are swamped for choice, property developers and builders are looking for new ways to encourage buyers through a range of incentives.

Incentives include furniture packages, rental guarantee, stamp duty savings, a marina berth and even a free boat ride.

The newest offering commenced on April 1 and includes a complimentary $40,000 Hermon & Hermon furniture package with the purchase of a Studio Nine penthouse apartment in Melbourne’s Richmond.

Buyers will receive a gift voucher, which will then be redeemable at Hermon & Hermon store that entitles them to $40,000 worth of Hermon & Hermon furniture and a free personalised styling consultation. The offer expires May 31 and the voucher must be redeemed within 12 months of settlement.

Here’s a look at other incentives currently being offered:

Bonus Marina Berth at Mirvac’s Yarra Point

For contracts signed between April 1 to April 30, Mirvac is offering buyers in the Yarra Point development in City River Park Docklands a bonus Marina Berth if the purchased apartment is over $1 million. There are only 12 berths available at Marina YE and are on a leasehold expiring December 1 2030. Million dollar residences include three bedrooms, two bathrooms and three car spaces.

5% rental guarantee

The 5% rental guarantee is not a new offer on the table but still remains popular with property developers. CBRE is offering buyers of its You and I development in Collingwood a 5% rental guarantee or up to $14,000 first home owner grant boost. You and I offers one-bedroom apartments starting from $359,000 and two-bedroom apartments starting from $512,000.

CBRE is also offering a 5% rental guarantee in April on its Lucia development in South Yarra. The incentive is only valid for contracts settled in April. Lucia offers two-bedroom apartments from $460,000 and a residents gym, swimming pool and a rooftop resident’s lounge.

Stamp duty savings

CBRE is offering stamp duty savings of up to $45,000 in their Empora development in Prahran if purchases are made before construction commences. Located on Commercial Road, one-bedroom apartments start from $370,000 and two-bedroom apartments start from $530,000. However buyers better get in quick, as demolition is now completed to pave the way for construction.

Meanwhile, Spec Property developers are offering to pay the stamp duty for apartments purchased off the plan in their Madison development in Doncaster. One-bedroom apartments start from $419,000, two-bedroom apartments start from $549,000 and three-bedroom apartments start from $745,000.

Hampton’s free boat ride

It may not be a luxury furniture package of a marina moor but property developer Hampton offered a free boat ride on the weekend for potential buyers to “experience the riverfront lifestyle for yourself”. The free boat rides were offered for three hours for those looking at purchasing in Abbotsford Haven neighbourhood. Haven offers a range of apartments and terrace homes priced from $950,000.