Swimmer Ivan Cunningham dives into beach home ownership amid 73km swim for charity

Hobart’s housing market is shifting towards growth, but opportunities still abound for buyers like Ivan Cunningham, who netted this Primrose Sands house amid a punishing month of charity swims.

Hobart’s busiest bloke has secured a beachy home amid a market that is slowly turning toward growth.

Throughout November, sans wetsuit, Ivan Cunningham made a splash around Tassie’s waterways swimming 22 times (73km) in 22 days to raise funds and awareness for men’s mental health.

While crisscrossing the state, the 63-year-old counsellor also squeezed in his work commitments and jumped through the necessary hoops for his bank to acquire a new home in Primrose Sands.

He and his partner will shift from renting in Taroona to the Southern Beaches area in January. 

Mr Cunningham said proximity to the water was high on their wishlist while house-hunting.

“For my mental health and for work, a suburb near the water is ideal. I swim daily and often when counselling I’ll ‘walk and talk’ at the beach,” he said.

“Primrose Sands was also appealing because our house offered space to grow our own vegetables, and a sense of community was important to us.”

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Ivan Cunningham pops the sold sticker on home for sale signage. Picture: Supplied

22 swims across the state over 22 days. Picture: Tia Ewen

The latest PropTrack Home Price Index, released Friday, shows another month of small gains in Hobart with a 0.03 per cent uptick in November.

PropTrack senior economist Eleanor Creagh said Hobart is still Australia’s weakest performing city market, down 2.92 per cent annually.

“This comes after years of outperformance, as well as strong growth during the pandemic,” she said.

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Eleanor Creagh, PropTrack senior economist.

Hobart home pricing remains 37.9 per cent higher than at the start of the Covid pandemic, and 6.63 per cent lower than its most recent peak price in March 2022.

Regional Tasmania’s values also grew in November by 0.08 per cent, with the median now $501,000 for all dwellings. Hobart’s median is $656,000.

Petrusma Property’s Anita Fitze said over the past couple of months, choice has improved in greater Hobart’s housing market.

This is back by PropTrack data that shows a 17 per cent monthly increase and 7 per cent annually for new Hobart for sale listings.

“People are looking at more options before making a move on their property of choice,” Mrs Fitze said.

“Properties are still selling and there are many buyers looking to purchase, including investors.”

Property representative at Petrusma Property, Anita Fitze.

Mrs Fitze said there can often be a November rush with people buying and selling before Christmas.

“Purchasers this year are trying to get their new home locked and loaded before a predicted property increase that has been forecast for Tasmania in 2024,” she said.

Mr Cunningham has raised close to $6000, and people can still donate here.

HOME PRICE INDEX NOVEMBER

Monthly growth, annual growth, change from peak, change from March 2020, median value

Sydney 0.32% 8.4% At peak 32.5% $1.065m

Melbourne 0.04% 1.39% -3.71% 16.7% $807,000

Brisbane 0.2% 8.85% At peak 54.9% $775,000

Adelaide 0.34% 9.74% At peak 56.7% $703,000

Perth 0.74% 12.76% At peak 45% $622,000

Hobart 0.03% -2.92% -6.63% 37.9% $656,000

Darwin -0.12% -1.75% -2.74% 24.9% $486,000

ACT 0.32% 0.97% -4.49% 37.2% $846,000

Source: PropTrack