15 May 2017

The Gold Coast new apartment market recorded 255 unconditional sales in the March 2017 quarter, according to the latest research by property consultants Urbis. Though a decline on the previous quarter’s sales, the trend for sales on the Coastal Fringe continued. 

Urbis Senior Consultant Lynda Campbell says the Gold Coast apartment market is no longer centred on beach front locations.

“Coastal Fringe suburbs such as Robina, Varsity Lakes, Ashmore and Benowa offer buyers easy access to transport and amenity including shopping centres, university, hospitals – all within easy reach of the beaches the Gold Coast is famous for. On top of that, the lower price point makes this precinct very attractive for both investors and owner occupiers.”

The Gold Coast weighted average sale price across the four precincts decreased by $21,752 from the previous quarter, registering $632,171 – however annually a price increase of 5.9 per cent was recorded.

Coastal Fringe suburbs such as Robina, Varsity Lakes, Ashmore and Benowa offer buyers easy access to transport and amenity including shopping centres, university, hospitals – all within easy reach of the beaches the Gold Coast is famous for. On top of that, the lower price point makes this precinct very attractive for both investors and owner occupiers.

“The Coastal Fringe Precinct recorded the lowest weighted average sale price at $473,165, highlighting its affordability and boosting sales in the area,” Ms Campbell said.

For the fifth time in two years the Coastal Fringe Precinct has been the highest performer. In the March 2017 quarter, 113 sales were recorded in the Coastal Fringe Precinct – this is 44 per cent of total sales.

As well as a move away from the traditionally beach front located high rise precincts, this quarter saw medium rise projects dominate, with medium rise sales out-performing high rise sales by 25 per cent. Sixty-two per cent of medium rise projects are in the Coastal Fringe Precinct.

Only 1,373 apartments remain available for sale at the end of March 2017, which equates to one year’s supply at the current annual sales rate.

“The Gold Coast apartment market is maintaining a good balance of supply and demand,” Ms Campbell said.

“In the March 2017 quarter, four new projects were launched and four projects sold out.”

Once again, two-bedroom apartments dominated the market, making up 74 per cent of total sales. The proportion of three-bedroom-plus product dropped to 13 per cent of total sales – equalling one-bedroom product sales.

“The Gold Coast apartment market offers a variety of different products to a broad range of buyers,” Ms Campbell said.

“We see buyers spending a modest amount on a new apartment on the Coastal Fringe or over $2 million for premium luxury on the Southern Beaches, as well as everything in between.

“The variety offered will continue to attract buyers to the Gold Coast as a place to work, live and play.”

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  • 255 sales recorded in the March 2017 quarter, with 74 per cent of sales being two-bedroom product.
  • Weighted average sale price recorded at $632,171, a decrease of $21,752, however an annual increase of 5.9 per cent.
  • For the fifth time in two years, the Coastal Fringe Precinct has recorded the highest quarterly sales rate across the four Gold Coast precincts, with 113 sales during March 2017 quarter.
  • The GC Central Precinct recorded 106 sales during the March 2017 quarter, followed by Southern Beaches (30) and North Shore (6).
  • Medium rise sales out-performed high rise sales by 25 per cent.

*Coastal Fringe suburbs include Arundel, Parkwood, Molendinar, Ashmore, Benowa, Bundall, Carrara, Robina, Clear Island Waters, Merrimac and Varsity Lakes.

*North Shore suburbs include Biggera Waters, Coombabah, Helensvale, Hollywell, Hope Island, Paradise Point and Runaway Bay.

*Gold Coast Central suburbs include Labrador, Southport, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach and Broadbeach Waters.

*Southern Beaches suburbs include Bilinga, Burleigh Heads, Burleigh Waters, Casuarina, Coolangatta, Currumbin, Kingscliff, Kirra, Mermaid Beach, Mermaid Waters, Miami, Palm Beach, Tugun and Tweed Heads.