Sunshine Coast rentals: Bokarina family talks of housing search

New real estate data has revealed the stark reality of housing struggles on the Sunshine Coast, with one family revealing their desperate attempt to find a home.

New data has revealed the stark reality of the Sunshine Coast real estate market, with one family revealing their battle to secure a home as availability plummets to frightening levels.

Property statistics revealed the top 10 Sunshine Coast suburbs that recorded the biggest decline in the total number of rental properties listed on realestate.com.au in September, year-on-year.

REA Group revealed Caloundra West saw the biggest decline, recording 45.7 per cent drop in homes listed online, followed by Mooloolaba at 40.8 per cent and Mount Coolum’s 40.6 per cent.

PropTrack‘s’s Cameron Kusher said a combination of fewer investors purchasing homes and limited supply, coupled with a strong demand was behind the drop.

Bokarina man Don Campbell said his family had been hit hard by the rental crisis and were forced to move into a relative’s unit following a rise in rent at their previous home.

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Nadine and Don Campbell with their children Tiana, Aleah and Sharni.

Mr Campbell’s wife Nadine is undergoing treatment for stage four metastatic cancer after being diagnosed in October.

He said the family had since delayed house hunting, which had become impossible for their family of five.

Mr Campbell claims he witnessed some real estate agencies raising rent by hundreds of dollars, and called for the government to intervene and require large hikes to be justified by such things as proof of renovations.

Mrs Campbell previously told this publication the family had been knocked back from “hundreds of inspections” during their search for accommodation.

“People are struggling right now and that’s the reality of it at the moment,” Mr Campbell said.

“There’s two sides to this at the moment and people trying to rent are on the wrong side.”

Blue Moon Realty’s Justin Voss said despite the data, on the ground it appeared the rental market was returning to normal after the whirlwind impact of interstate migrations.

Caloundra West rental stock listed on realestate.com.au had decreased by 45.7 per cent in September year-on-year. Picture: Contributed

Mr Voss said Mooloolaba, however was virtually “landlocked” with no prospects of new developments coming onto the market.

LJ Hooker Caloundra West’s Paul O’Brien said the data was skewed.

He said he’d seen a large drop in inspection numbers but said his patch had been “built out”, with the only new developments to occur in nearby suburbs of Nirimba and Banya.

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Top 10 Sunshine Coast suburbs recording biggest decline in no. of properties listed for rent in September year-on-year

1. Caloundra West (-45.7 per cent year-on-year change)

2. Mooloolaba (-40.8 per cent year-on-year change)

3. Mount Coolum (-40.6 per cent year-on-year change)

4. Peregian Springs (-31.4 per cent year-on-year change)

5. Peregian Beach (-30.8 per cent year-on-year change)

6. Sippy Downs (-25.0 per cent year-on-year change)

7. Nambour (-24.1 per cent year-on-year change)

8. Sunshine Beach (-23.5 per cent year-on-year change)

9. Little Mountain (-22.2 per cent year-on-year change)

10. Palmwoods (-21.7 per cent year-on-year change)