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Ben Cutting in his heyday playing a shot during the T20 tour match between the Cricket Australia XI and South Africa before the pandemic. Picture; AAP Image/Darren England.
One of Australian cricket’s star internationals says never write off the Aussies, as he bounces back to full fitness in a remarkable recovery.
Globetrotting Brisbane-born cricket all-rounder Ben Cutting is back playing cricket, after two massive surgeries on his spine wiped him out of the game for the last 18 months – during which he ran a real estate buyers agency and got stuck into property development.
“I had two large spinal surgeries in the last 18 months that kept me out of the game, but am back playing now, having been to various tournaments in the last few months and more recently in Kathmandu.”
A file picture taken in a match for Australia A against England.
Ben Cutting playing for the Thunder bats during a Big Bash League match in Canberra. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images.
Ben Cutting and wife Erin Holland at the Supercars GC500 Party Under Palms on Pit Lanemore recently. Picture, Portia Large.
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Mr Cutting, who has played across the Indian, Canadian, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Caribbean T20 leagues, expects the Aussies to be far more competitive now.
“This is one of the most anticipated test series I can remember, I don’t believe the two teams are as far apart as everyone suggests after the first test.”
“We were effectively beaten by one man in Jasprit Bumrah. I expect a far more competitive affair under lights in Adelaide. Expect runs from Marnus, the great players don’t stay down and out for long.”
He and wife – Cairns-born former Miss World Australia Erin Holland – have got stuck in to developing big time.
“I have the buyers agency I have been actively running while I was injured, and more recently got my first sale away as selling agent – Jonathan Peck and I worked together on the sale of 6/16 Riddell St, Bulimba for a lovely family, achieving a record price,” he said.
“Fortunately my wife Erin also intends to complete her real estate licence and dive into this side of the business too! She has enjoyed being actively involved in the development side of the business.”
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Erin Holland and Ben Cutting have several projects planned. Picture: Instagram / Erin Holland
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The couple have two projects on the go at the moment – their Morningside rooming accommodation which will create 10 rental homes next year and their own home in nearby Hawthorne currently undergoing upgrades.
“We are nearly complete on a large scale backyard transformation. We will move into the house renovation that David Hansford from DAHA is working on after that. We are on the lookout for a further multi res project to add to our pipeline once Morningside is complete.”
Mr Cutting bought an 842sq m block with a Queenslander on it for close to a million dollars almost a decade ago, and has since transitioned it into a development project that’s been several years in the planning due to the pandemic.
“Originally I had a DA approval for five townhouses, which we intended to start and then Covid hit, bringing with it certain tenancy regulations, and pushing build costs through the roof,” he said.
“We pivoted to the rooming accommodation as it was a far more streamline process to get housing to market in a project we always intended to build to rent.”
Playing against Sri Lanka in a Commonwealth Bank Series cricket match at Adelaide Oval.
The couple’s Burleigh Heads project in a joint venture with K2 Projects and EM Design.
He was attracted to the rooming accommodation idea because of “the ability to bring affordable rental housing to market in a timely manner”.
Bit he said “it is only because we have owned the site for 10 years that we are able to bring such a high end product to market as rooming accommodation and still keep it extremely affordable”.
“These houses are designed for comfort and longevity.”
He intends to have the rooming accommodation project completed and ready to rent by the third quarter of 2025.
“We are fortunate enough to work with Kadir Muratoglu from K2 Projects on this build, who was our JV partner on Beju Residences we completed in Burleigh Heads earlier this year. Elicia Muratoglu from EM Design is our esteemed interior designer.”
Cricket all-rounder Ben Cutting and wife Erin Holland plan to remain as landlords on their rooming accommodation project.
The couple plan to remain as landlords, holding the Morningside residences long term.
“The intention with this site has always been to hold it long term as the landlord, with Place Gumdale acting as our property managers, as they do on all of our properties.”
Mr Cutting said the development journey is full of challenges especially bringing housing to market.
“We are lucky to have a diversified business, which includes a buyers agency and more recently, a selling agent role, we are able to stay closely attuned to market shifts. This flexibility allows us to navigate fluctuations effectively and adjust our projects as the market moves. Hence the shift from townhouses to rooming accommodation.”
Ben Cutting has managed to cotinue to fight back to fitness both professionally and persoally. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England.
The couple will create 10 studio apartments suitable for couples or single person households – a household type that experts see as the fastest growing segment in the country.
From the street the houses are expected to look like two houses, but inside will be ten apartments – five apiece – all individually leased.
Rent is expected to start at around $550 a week which would include all bills and internet access. Each studio will have its own bedroom, bathroom, shower, and kitchenette.
The couple have had a team of experts liaising with the Brisbane City Council over the development for the past couple of years. They plan to relocate a house that’s on the site to the north of Bundaberg to put in two specially built multi-unit houses.
The couple has had the Queenslander on short term lease at $750 a week with a social service provider this year, as they sort through paperwork around the project.
