For the second quarter running, the Inner Brisbane precinct’s weighted average sale price registered an increase of $46,618 over the previous quarter, ending the December 2016 quarter at $673,281. This is the highest ever recorded weighted average sale price for Inner Brisbane, driven heavily by the increase in higher price-pointed product.
Mr Riga said that though similar sales rates were likely in the coming quarters, he was looking forward to seeing the emergence of an owner-occupier focused apartment market.
“We are seeing supply come down to meet demand. However, we are also seeing a change in supply and a change in what consumers are looking for.”
The number of new apartment developments approved dropped to a level like that seen at the beginning of 2014. “In the December 2016 quarter, only 1,496 apartments were approved – compare this to 5,521 apartments one year ago.”
Mr Riga noted that within those apartment approvals, the push towards an owner-occupier product was also evident, with select precincts within the Inner Brisbane registering up to 13 per cent of apartments in approval status as three-bedroom products.
However, the staple configuration remains the two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, which represented 49 per cent of total sales, and the bulk of future supply. This trend may change as more of the projects currently under construction settle into the market.
“With the delivery of increased apartment product throughout 2016, the market is now starting to change. The focus is clearly not all about interstate investors any more; it is now shifting back to locals and owner occupiers.
“Understanding what this market wants is key as they will be the drivers of the Inner Brisbane apartment market into the future,” Mr Riga said.
