Revealed: The Queensland suburb with the most pools

PUTTING in a pool could increase the value of a property by at least $50,000 as new data reveals the Queensland suburbs where homeowners are making a splash. FIND OUT WHERE

Elke, 8 and Zara Kennedy, 10 in their Burleigh Waters family home pool which their parents are selling, Picture: Nigel Hallett

PUTTING in a pool could increase the value of a property by at least $50,000 as new data reveals the Queensland suburbs where homeowners are making a splash.

Data sourced by Ray White recorded Buderim on the Sunshine Coast with a median house price of $1.06m had a massive 573 listings with a pool, followed by Upper Coomera (431 listings) and Helensvale (416 listings) on the Gold Coast respectively.

Queensland suburbs secured the top 3 spots nationally, with four out of five in the top 5.

Pools are a drawcard for families with pets. Elke, 8 and Zara Kennedy, 10 at their Burleigh Waters family home which is for sale. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Property agent Christie Turner from Karen Stehr Property said residents in Buderim pools add value to the home by saving people from the house.

“It’s a luxury to have the beach nearby here. Buderim is a popular pocket for families. When I chat to buyers, around 10 per cent don’t want to deal with the maintenance with a pool, the other 90 per cent think it’s a drawcard,” Ms Turner said.

“People are willing to pay premium with a pool. Buyers don’t want the hassle of trying to find a trade if they can find something that got the wishlist ticked off.”

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Ray White Group Analyst Jemima White said house prices could rise upwards of $50,000, a minimum by the amount they cost to build.

“The popularity of swimming pools continues to grow with nearly 300,000 additional Australians living with a swimming pool since 2018,” Ms White said.

18 Serena Close, Buderim is one of the latest houses in the area to sell under the hammer. Agent: Christie Turner, Karen Stehr Property

“Low housing supply and high demand mean house prices are at their highest, especially those with additional property features such as pools or tennis courts. Yet houses with pools aren’t hard to come by in Queensland, as 30 per cent of house listings in the past two years have been houses with pools. Therefore, the premiums that swimming pools add to house prices may not be as high as those in other states, with a lower proportion, making them slightly more affordable for Queenslanders.
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Jemima White, Ray White Data Analyst

“If you are desperate for a pool and can’t find a house with one on the market, it may be worthwhile buying and adding a pool later. Pools seem to increase the value of a home by their construction cost, so selling your house again will only put it in a better position to help achieve a higher price. With the popularity of pools growing, it seems to be not only attractive for buyers but also a good investment decision for your property.”

Finding a huge swimming pool in the backyard of an otherwise unassuming 1970s-built home sealed the deal for Krystal and Tim Kennedy.

20 Dabchick Drive, Burleigh Waters is for sale at $1.65m

After purchasing the Burleigh Waters home, they learned the outdoor gem had once been a local swim school.

“The pool was a feature we could envision the kids really enjoying in the summer, and we later found out the pool had been there since the house was built in 1975,” said Ms Kennedy.

“It is quite a big pool for the size of the block and neighbours who had been in the street for a long time told us it used to be a swim school for the local kids.”

They are selling due to a change in personal circumstances, with the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home on Dabchick Dr listed at $1.65m with Juliana Gomes, of Passos Agency. It has been renovated with reference to classic mid-century style, providing a family haven just 5 minutes’ bike ride from famous Burleigh Beach.

Ms White also said there has been a shift in demand for a pool post-Covid.

“The number of listings with swimming pools has increased quite significantly. Since 2020, the proportion of house listings with pools rose by around eight per cent nationwide, in comparison to the pre-COVID 2016-2020 period,” she said

“While these numbers may be attributable to other factors, such as re-sells of the same property, such a drastic increase may suggest an upward shift in pool demand. This is consistent with what search engines have seen, as ‘swimming pools’ have ranked number one in search terms over the past four years.”