The latest Hotspotting National Top Ten Best Buys for 2017 nominated four Queensland locations, Moreton, Sunshine Coast, Redcliffe and Townsville as being among the ten places nationally that were the “pick of the crop’’.
Each was selected, according to report author, Terry Ryder, because they were locations with growth drivers that would achieve capital growth above the norm in the future.
“They are places on the cusp of a phase of good capital growth,’’ he said.
“They’re locations with identifiable drivers of demand for real estate, which will place
pressure on prices and rents.
Mr Ryder was not surprised to see so many Queensland locations in his top ten.
“I think it’s an evolution of the market from the situation that predominated for the last few years when we were talking all about Sydney and then Melbourne. Sydney is very much past its peak and is winding down, Melbourne is still producing good figures but it’s past its peak as well, I think,’’ he said.
As a result people had started to look for alternatives and one of the big factors was affordability.
“There is lots of evidence of people looking toward Brisbane and south east Queensland for affordable alternatives and better rental yields. I think that’s where people are expecting is where they are going to find the growth moving forward.
Mr Ryder also included Townsville in that category.
“If you look at the current and recent number you wouldn’t buy there, buy we always look to the future and Townsville is shaping up for a very strong recovery from maybe three years where it was affected by locally felt factors – the impact of the downturn in the resources sector, the closure of Clive Palmer’s Nickel refinery and all of those things.
“But it is really starting to fight back strongly and I think 12 months from now its numbers will start to look a lot more positive. Smart investors will buy while markets are down, knowing that they will improve in the near future.’’
Mr Ryder selected the Moreton Bay region because it had affordable housing and there was $980 million in spending on new infrastructure destined for the area.
“The sales volumes in the suburbs of the Moreton Bay region show the importance of affordability in residential real estate,’’ he said.
“Four of the core suburbs of this region have each sold over 390 houses in the past 12 months. Three of the four have median house prices below $370,000. The Moreton Bay Region, which covers the Brisbane metropolitan area’s urban sprawl in the northern growth corridor heading to the Sunshine Coast, offers affordable housing as well as good rail and road links to Brisbane to the south and the Sunshine Coast (and beyond) to the north.
The Sunshine Coast was on the list for its strong population growth, billions in infrastructure development including the university hospital, light rail proposal and the airport upgrade
“Having previously been hampered by a struggling tourism economy, an over-supply of dwellings and poor affordability, the coast moved into a strong growth phase, which continued in 2015 and 2016,’’ Mr Ryder said.
“The tourism industry is stronger; the market is more balanced in terms of supply–demand; previous price decline has made property more affordable; apartments are increasing in popularity with both home-buyers and investors; and some serious infrastructure is being built in the area. ‘’
He said the Redcliffe Peninsula was still affordable for houses and units, it had big infrastructure spending, including the new Moreton Bay regional University Precinct.
Mr Ryder said it was one of the fastest developing places in Australia.
“The Peninsula offers affordable dwellings, proximity to Brisbane and the laid-back atmosphere of a bayside village,’’ he said.