Confidence builds for Coast tradies post-pandemic

Coast construction firms have predicted a fruitful six months of trade on the back of government stimulus and renewed buyer confidence.

Local builders who are gearing up for six months of sustained boom after mass land sales in Harmony. Pictured, Frank Gentile Director of Costa Homes. Photo Patrick Woods / Sunshine Coast Daily.

COAST construction firms have predicted a fruitful six months of trade on the back of government stimulus packages and renewed buyer confidence.

Since the Federal Government's $25,000 HomeBuilder scheme kicked in, buyers have raced to snap up vacant land on the Coast.

Entire stages offering more than 50 lots combined sold in just days at two prominent sites, Palmview's Harmony Estate and Azure Forest Glen.

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The sale success has resulted in further land releases being brought forward to keep up with the demand.

It comes after comments made last month by Queensland Housing and Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni, who said there had been a 40 per cent decline in new housing contracts in the wake of the pandemic crisis.

Coast firms now forecast hope for the hard-hit sector.

Costa Homes, in business for 50 years this year, reported that inquiry rates inside Harmony had been huge since the scheme was established.

Aerial shots of Palmview's Harmony Estate where 33 lots of land sold in a three-day rush period.

Owner Frank Gentile said he was confident the industry would be secure for the next six months.

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"We are selling to mums and dads getting their first or second home and are entering the market with much more confidence," Mr Gentile said.

"That hesitation they previously had has left.

"At the higher end, it has been going strong for us for at least 12 months.

"We are quietly confident that this momentum will continue and play out well."

Mr Gentile said being part of building Harmony Estate was a "nice outlook".

"We have only just tipped the iceberg," Mr Gentile said.

"Harmony has so much to offer with its decent-sized streets and verges."

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Murphy Builders director Brooke Bastien said there was now a "definite sense of optimism" in the industry, heading into the post-pandemic world.

She said while the company enjoyed a "positive" start to the year, March onwards had been "tough", particularly when display homes were forced to close.

"The first weekend we reopened we had such high numbers, the volume was substantially higher than prior weekends before the lockdown," Ms Bastien said.

"We had contracts get put on hold but now reignited and moved forward. There has been a shift.

"That market positivity is there and while it's a unique time, we are optimistic."

Local builders who are gearing up for six months of sustained boom after mass land sales in Harmony. Costa Homes designer luxury.Photo Patrick Woods / Sunshine Coast Daily.

Mr Gentile pointed to his "stunning" display home with a rooftop terrace as an example of how a smaller 10 by 30sq m block could be used.

"It's a real talking point for us, people flock to this home to see what it looks like in the flesh," he said.

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