Time to buy: Rockhampton the most affordable in Queensland

Capricorn Coast continues to drawn in buyers, with figures showing an increase in median house prices in the past quarter.

THERE'S no shortage of possibilities for people looking to take their first steps into the property market.

That's according to Cooke Property Agents owner Stan Cooke, who believes Rockhampton is still firmly a buyer's market with plenty of opportunities and sellers.

Latest Real Estate Institute of Queensland figures show the median house price for Rockhampton fell by 5.9% to $273,000 in the last quarter, making the city the most affordable amongst its regional counterparts.

Bundaberg jumped by 14.1%, while Gladstone and Mackay fell by 3.2% and 0.2% respectively.

Rockhampton's median price value drop in the past quarter comes after an 11% increase in the September quarter, which was the first positive growth in five quarters of negative results.

Mr Cooke said despite the figures, the market had remained "essentially unchanged over a long period of time" and that an increase of that magnitude had not been reflective of the market as he viewed it.

He said therefore the 5.9% fall in the December quarter was not reflective of disinterest in the Rockhampton market.

"We see the market as fairly steady, pretty flat with some green shoots in the future and a lot of potential employment and jobs," Mr Cooke said.

"There has certainly be noticeable interest, but as quickly as it happens it drops off again. That's the sign of a patchy market.

"At the moment it is definitely a buyer's market.

"If I was a buyer, I'd be looking to buy in the short term.

"There are plenty of opportunities for people looking to enter the housing market.

"There are value buys from about $200,000 upwards and it's probably about $300,000 upwards in Yeppoon."

Keppel Real Estate agent Adam de Jong at 36 The Esplanade, Cooee Bay which is up for auction.Photo: Chris Ison / The Morning Bulletin. Picture: Chris Ison ROK240913cauction1

The Capricorn Coast continues to perform well, with average median house prices rising by 2.8% in the December quarter to $370,000.

Keppel Real Estate's Adam de Jong said many people felt more confident about entering the property market, which had increased activity in Livingstone.

"I think people have become more conscious of why they're buying," he said.

"People are probably taking their time.

"They're doing their homework.

"They're doing a lot of market research before they approach real estate agents to buy.

"When both buyers and sellers enter the market they have a lot more knowledge."

Mr de Jong said there were positive signs on the horizon, but for now he believed the market would remain stable.

He said the Capricorn Coast would continue to attract buyers looking to make the lifestyle switch to the beach.

"We still have a large portion of people who live on the coast and work in Rockhampton, so they still want that lifestyle," Mr de Jong said.

Originally published as Time to buy: Rockhampton the most affordable in Queensland