Many people in the general public have been following the property market closely and for a good reason. There have been significant changes in the Gold Coast real estate sector in the previous quarter. Particular focus has been on the Australian Reserve Bank and the increase in interest rates. Numbers provided by CoreLogic data back our review. From where the GPC team and working directly in our local Gold Coast markets, we hear both the buyer’s/seller’s reasons for motivation and contemplation.
We know that FOMO (fear of missing out) has turned to FOBE (fear of buying early). The corrected real estate market has slightly declined property values in the past six months. We are seeing that the most prominent hit has already been, with median home values in suburbs such as Broadbeach on the upward motion again. No one can ever predict the bottom of the market; however, timing is everything. Investors will still be doing well if they buy in at 5% on either side of the market. Gold Coast real estate investors would be more appropriately advised to buy now rather than trying to time the market bottom. Trying to wait to time the market can be a mistake- with people too often missing out on real estate opportunities with a lack of action due to fear of losing money. Real estate is a long-term game, and what we are currently experiencing (in the scheme of things) is a relatively short-term economic phase coming out of one of the century’s most significant events- Covid-19.
Now that we have reached spring, buyers are more frequent and are more likely to put in serious offers with the thought of summer and Christmas on the horizon. It is always a good indicator of increased sales figures and clearance rates during the warmer months in real estate. Whilst the Gold Coast real estate has been affected (going through a slight price correction compared to the achieved figures of that last year), our part of the map tends not to follow the typical trends of competing major Australian cities. The Gold Coast is an exceptionally unique market that tends to perform differently than the national trend. This is due to our year-round weather and the vast number of international and interstate buyers and visitors travelling here. A healthy number of multi-million dollar homes are currently up for grabs on the Gold Coast, which keeps our values strong and steady amongst a nationwide property dip.
It also pays to mention that although we had ease of buyer demand, Gold Coast house prices remain high compared to the 5-year average. Amid substantial interest rate increases, investors are still reaping the gains, with values continuing to climb to 0.9% throughout July this year. This is a season in which rent values have exceeded the growth of home values. Compared to last year, Australian rents are almost 10% higher than the previous year’s. The Gold Coasts’ real estate market grew greater than Brisbane during the pandemic, which has ultimately accelerated the housing sector in construction and raised home values. The Gold Coast has continued to outperform Adelaide, Darwin and Perth. As a first-home buyer, lending is becoming tighter and thus will be looking for homes or units that can work within their allocated budget- nothing new here. A unique situation we will be seeing is that people coming into the Gold Coast property market for the first time will not be as shocked by the responsibility of mortgage repayments. Paying a mortgage will typically be less than renting in an overinflated market.
The recent $22 million unit sale unit in Burleigh, Gold Coast has set the record for the highest amount for an off-the-plan real estate purchase in QLD. There is still such a strong demand for high-end residential beachfront units, with a tremendous amount of development sites set to be completed in the next 12-24 months along the Gold Coast shoreline. According to the latest census data, 41.4 per cent of Gold Coasters live in an apartment or townhouse. Looking at the growing population in the Gold Coast rental market, an analysis can only say the supply cannot keep up with the demand. Favouring the theory that renters eventually become buyers, we see the Gold Coast as a safe zone as we advance with healthy and stable real estate prices. Here it is all about lifestyle, and that is something that money can’t buy. The luxury Gold Coast real estate market here is much more affordable than compared to Sydney and Melbourne. With the Gold Coast’s population set to reach one million people in 10 years, we are in an expanding market where there are only ever going to be more reasons to buy and live here.
Gold Coast real estate demand, is becoming more consistent, rather than relying on the seasonal influx during school holidays and summer. The latest Gold Coast home and land package project is building a new township called ‘SkyRidge’ and is set to be completed in 2036, which will house 3,500 new homes. This will be shapeshifting in a way that brings a new community away from the coastline, establishing more inland and green living. Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads and Coolangatta are the top three Gold Coast suburbs that Good Property Collective predict are going to have further accelerated growth in time to come. Corelogic highlights that suburbs along the light rail strip will be low-risk investments with no option but to increase in value soon. In the past 12 months, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads recorded a +32.4% increase, with Coolangatta increasing at +32%.
When looking to purchase your next Gold Coast real estate investment, there are some critical strategies to take into consideration, such as the following:
1. How long has the home been on the market?
2. What is your rental yield?
3. Research auction clearance rates in the suburb?
4. What are the local vacancy rates?
It is a vital component when looking to expand your property portfolio that there is some calculated groundwork covered when it comes to selecting location-specific homes. The well-regarded saying – ‘location, location, location is one of the most important decisions when buying Gold Coast real estate. We have reached a critical point where fewer Development applications are handed to the Gold Coast City Council. We know we are heading into a real estate market that will increase in population, with limited housing options (particularly in the affordable housing market, such as apartment blocks). The domino effect that will come from this, is that the buyer demographic will change, essentially pricing out groups such as low/single-income families, pensioners and first-home buyers with limited buying capacity. On the flip side, current homeowners will continue to make steady rental income (which will only increase with house values) and selling into today’s market will also benefit vendors that can buy back in with relatively less competition as previously experienced
Clients buying Gold Coast real estate always have specific requirements and wish lists. PropTrack researchers compared the most popular search terms on realestate.com.au and have seen that the rise of living impacts what buyers are searching for, with ‘top floor, nobody corporate, development and dual income’ all having extra interest. The top 3 searched terms for Queensland homes for 2021 and 2022 are the following:
Pool
Garage
Air- Conditioning
Homes that don’t tick the boxes for trending demands and public interest will generally be on the spectrum of listing for longer days and enter the possibility of not selling at all. Allowing enough preparation before any real estate marketing campaign ensures that your home is presented well and that the process is managed with a specific buyer demographic in mind. Getting market-ready and putting your best foot forward requires knowing what the market wants and catering to the demand. Vendor education needs to be a priority by the listing agent so that they know what their home is worth in the current Gold Coast real estate market. Setting realistic expectations during any real estate campaign is vital to transacting your Gold Coast home in under 30 days or less this spring.
For a free property appraisal, please call our Good Property Team on 1300 10 60 20
