Suburbs: QLD’s price growth superstars of 2021 revealed

Queensland’s top-selling suburbs of 2021 have been revealed, and it is homeowners in the regions that are skipping all the way to the bank. Does your suburb make the list?

Queensland’s top selling suburbs of 2021 have been revealed and it is homeowners in the regions that are skipping all the way to the bank.

New figures from REA Group show that house and unit owners in regional Queensland saw price growth that eclipsed many of the metro Brisbane markets.

Top of the list were the Sunshine Coast suburbs of Warana and Marcoola, with house values in both suburbs soaring 57 per cent in the 12 months to November this year.

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49 Beachway Parade, Marcoola, has a price guide of $2m plus

The Sunshine Coast – arguably Australia’s hottest property market – features strongly on the top 10 list for Queensland, with eight suburbs boasting value rises of more than 47 per cent.

They include Maroochy River, Buddina, Mudjimba, Peregian Beach, Sunshine Beach and Sunrise Beach.

13 Coolahra Street, Warana, recently sold for $1.7m

The other two top performing suburbs were Cardwell (Cassowary Coast) and Elliott Heads (Bundaberg), with house values soaring 55 per cent and 47 per cent respectively.

By comparison, Woorim (Bribie Island) recorded the biggest jump in values in the Greater Brisbane region over the past 12 months, up 46 per cent to $727,500.

Offering waterfront living right at your door step, 2 McIntosh Ave, Elliott Heads, is listed for offers over $2 million

Making the most of heightened demand in Buddina is the Sunshine Coast-based Nexus Building Group, with brothers Luke and Josh Dzufer working with their father and director Laz Dzufer to establish a luxury duplex market in this once sleepy seaside town.

“The biggest reason we saw an increase in Buddina is the lifestyle on offer,” Luke Dzufer said.

“It’s in the middle of everything with one of the best beaches in Queensland but it’s not overcrowded, it’s not a tourist hot spot.”

In July 2021, Josh Dzufer and his partner, Nexus designer Jarrad Cramp, moved in to one half of their newly-built luxury duplex at 10 Boorook St, Buddina. Sydney buyers moved in to the second three-bedroom residence three months ago with the $1.9m sale setting a duplex record for Buddina that is expected to go even higher in 2022 with more luxury duplex developments being built.

“We don’t want to leave here,” Josh Dzufer said. “It’s a hidden gem. There’s Point Cartwright, beaches that are perfect for the dog, you can walk to La Balsa for coffee.”

Jarrad Cramp and Josh Dzufer of Nexus Building Group with their dog Saanda after moving in to one of the first high-end duplexes in Buddina, a once sleepy beachside town.

Ray White Kawana Waters agent Ryan Bradeley, who is selling the remaining duplex, said the once sleepy beachside holiday spot of Buddina had become a haven for seachangers.

“I think the migration to our region as a retirement style location has been happening for some time and Covid-19 brought forward a lot of these plans,’ he said.

“On top of this, the new work from home trend has meant people can live where they want to live and still earn a good income.

“This has meant a lot more young professionals moving to the coast both from close and afar.”

REA Group economic research executive manager Cameron Kusher said coastal markets had been a magnet for buyers.

“Even the top house markets that are not on the Sunshine Coast, they are coastal,” he said.

“And it is the same with the top selling unit markets, with seven of those markets coastal.”

Up north, Hinchinbrook Real Estate principal Lindsay Hallam said Cardwell had been hit hard by Cyclone Yasi in 2011, but the town was showing strong signs of recovery.

Port Hinchinbrook was devastated during Cyclone Yasi but real estate is moving once again Picture: Evan Morgan

He said listings that had been on the market for a long time were now moving.

“I would say the price growth in the older part of town is more like 15 per cent, but at the Port of Hinchinbrook development, which had some dramas around the developer, we are now seeing non-waterfront properties selling from $320,000 to waterfront ones up to $1.15 million.

“That’s still nowhere near what they (prices) were, but it is great to see sales occurring again.”

Mr Hallam said there had been a silver lining to the Covid-19 pandemic, with buyers now looking beyond to the regions.

“In a way, Covid is delivering what many politicians promised they would but didn’t – life back into the regions,” he said.

11 Cassia Cres, Cardwell, is listed for $419,000

For units, nine of the top 10 suburbs were located outside of Greater Brisbane, with only Hillcrest (Logan) making the cut.

Four Sunshine Coast unit markets made the list – Coolum Beach (+49%), Peregian Beach (+37%), Sunrise Beach (+35%) and Twin Waters (+34%).

Burleigh Heads and Currumbin were the top performers for the Gold Coast.

Listed for offers over $1.5m is unit 20a/3 Second Ave, Burleigh Heads

Hermit Park (Townsville), Kooralbyn (Scenic Rim) and Rainbow Beach (Gympie) also made the Queensland top 10 list for unit price growth.

Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee said that since the start of the pandemic, Australia had witnessed the biggest migration of people to its regions on record.

“The shift was driven by strong mining and agricultural conditions, a lifestyle shift that came about from changes to the way people work, greater demand for second homes and the search for space,” she said.

“Even with closed borders and extended lockdowns, we saw very high levels of movement of people from Sydney and Melbourne.

“It’s likely that the northern migration will continue into 2022.”

Ray White economist Nerida Conisbee. Supplied

But supply continues to be a major issue, according to Mr Kusher.

“It is likely to get even harder,” he said. “There will be even more competition (for little stock).”

Originally published as Suburbs: QLD’s price growth superstars of 2021 revealed