Moffat Beach Motel placed on market in rare property sale

Southern investors from capital cities are poised to pounce on a rare property sale after the owner of the Moffat Beach Motel placed it on the market after almost 20 years.

A “cool, surfy” rare motel on a prime site in a sought-after Sunshine Coast suburb has been placed on the market with southern investors poised to pounce.

Owner of Moffat Beach Motel Dianna Mullins said her career was headed in a different direction and had chosen to sell the popular accommodation facility.

CBRE Hotels’ Hayley Manvell is marketing the property and said it was available for offers of about $3m.

The motel comes with 12 guest rooms, a swimming pool, guest laundry and undercover parking as well as a fully renovated, two-bedroom manager’s residence.

It is located on a prime 1215sq m corner freehold site, only 500m to the beach and main retail strip.

The motel had been owned by Ms Mullins for almost 20 years after she transformed it from a retro motel to a more modern stay.

Moffat Beach Motel owner Dianna Mullins with Pam Burchill from Linckia Group who ran her business from a room in the motel during the pandemic.

Ms Mullins said owning the property had allowed her to live in paradise with her children and remain a “beach girl” and businesswoman.

She said she chose to sell so she could focus on another business venture in fashion and retail.

“I’ve loved meeting all the guests, you meet so many cool and interesting people,” Ms Mullins said.

Ms Mullins, a single mother, said running the business solo had been challenging.

She said a savvy new owner could take it to the next level.

“The motel has a lot of potential as three lots and a home with a cool surfy vibe but I’m not attached like that, if the new owners want to go in another direction that’s fine,” she said.

“But it’s a great opportunity to get a leasehold and freehold, they’re very rare on the Coast.”

The Sunshine Coast's Moffat Beach Motel has been listed for sale for offers about $3m.

Ms Manvell said the motel was an attractive investment.

“The property also has a strong underlying land value and offers the potential for long term redevelopment into residential, subject to the relevant planning approvals,” Ms Manvell said.

The listing follows the recent $4m sale of Maroochydore’s Loea Boutique Hotel, which set a price per room record for regional Australia.

The Loea was purchased by a Sydney investor who beat out several parties who had shown interest.

Ms Manvell was confident they would also be attracted to the Moffat Beach Motel.

“The Sunshine Coast is currently one of the fastest growing regions in Australia and there are very limited freehold accommodation assets in the region, with any available investment opportunities highly sought after,” Ms Manvell said.

“We are seeing record numbers of interstate investors, particularly from Sydney and Melbourne, moving their capital north into Queensland, chasing value and growth potential.”

The Moffat Beach Motel is being sold through an expressions of interest campaign which closes on December 1.