Where you can buy a beach house for as little as $250k

These are some of Australia’s most affordable seaside suburbs, where you can buy a beach house on a budget.

Queensland’s cheapest seaside suburbs have been revealed, with new research showing it is still possible to buy a beach house in the state for as little as $250,000.

Data from PropTrack reveals the median house price in East Innisfail, in the state’s north, is still only $253,000, despite having gained 3.1 per cent in the past 12 months.

This three-bedroom house at 68 Mary St, East Innisfail, is on the market for $287,000.

Buyers priced out of the usual holiday hotspots should also look to Barney Point in the Gladstone region, or Forrest Beach, north of Townsville, where the median house price has risen more than 7 per cent in the past year to hit $303,000.

Mary Venables of Venables Real Estate said Forrest Beach, with its 12km stretch of pristine sandy beach, had only recently been “discovered”.

This four-bedroom house overlooking the beach at 29 The Esplanade, Barney Point, is on the market for offers over $800,000.

“The word is out that you must come to Forrest Beach,” she said. “The RVs come around April through to the end of October, from all over Australia.

“On really good days from my place, and I am on the beach and have been since ‘77 — looking straight across the ocean to the south, you can see parts of Magnetic Island out of Townsville, so we’re not really that far away. We also look out over the Palm Island group of islands, including Orpheus Island.”

This three-bedroom house at 5 Pine St, Forrest Beach, is on the market for $395,000.

Ms Venables said home prices had started rising, with retirees and also families realising the value in the area.

“The prices of vacant land have gone up. I remember the days when it was $40,000 for a block of land, but now we’re up around about the $70,000 mark, which is dirt cheap to you fellows down south,” she said.

MORE PROPERTY NEWS:

Inside stunning house that overturned top home of the year

“I sold a house over $1 million last year — a beautiful, highset home on the beachfront on a 1.5 acre block.”

Forrest Beach, north of Townsville, still has many affordable housing options by the beach.

Closer to Brisbane, it is still possible to buy a beachside bargain for less than $800,000 in suburbs like Deception Bay, Toorbul, Beachmere, Sandstone Point, and Margate.

Hotspotting managing director Terry Ryder said many of these suburbs were in the Moreton Bay region, which was experiencing strong sales activity and had the potential for further capital growth — particularly for apartments.

This four-bedroom house at 18 Dorunda Ave, Beachmere, is on the market for offers over $779,000.

“One of the big trends we’re noticing is the rise in demand for apartments, and I’m coming across more and more suburbs across the country where apartments are starting to outperform houses in terms of capital growth,” Mr Ryder said.

“I think Margate’s a good location. The Redcliffe Peninsula has definitely come a long way in the last 10 years.”

This three-bedroom house at 229 Victoria Ave, Margate, is on the market for offers over $670,000.

Mr Ryder said the median house prices in Beachmere, Toorbul, and Sandstone Point were all in the $600,000s to $700,000s, with strong, 10-year average capital growth rates of between eight and 11 per cent.

“If your value is growing 10 per cent a year, that’s pretty good,” he said.

While Deception Bay has had a poor reputation in the past, Mr Ryder said it was improving and the data showed units in the suburb were selling within 13 days.

This three-bedroom house at 4 Marxsen St, Toorbul, is on the market for offers in the mid to high $500,000s.

Brisbane-based developer, Rogerscorp, is building a luxury apartment project in Margate to capitalise on the area’s potential for growth.

Rogerscorp director Simon Rogers said Margate had seen “remarkable growth” in recent times, with the pandemic prompting more people to look to the area to live or invest in property.

“As we bring ‘Nautica’ to market, we’re mindful of Margate’s unique village feel,” Mr Rogers said.

New developments like The Sebel on Margate Beach with its rooftop bar have made beachside suburbs like Margate more attractive.

“The development is designed to blend seamlessly within this quaint atmosphere, offering a modern living experience while preserving the local community charm.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted priorities, with more people seeking sea-change lifestyles. The project caters to this new wave, focusing on wellness and quality of life in a stunning beachfront setting, with local shops, restaurants, and the beach all within walking distance.”