• Property values are surging in regional Queensland due to population growth and a shortage of homes. 
• Beaches, hot weather, and “bang for your buck” properties are among the drawcards of Wide Bay. 
• Property analysts predict the trend will continue.

Queensland’s coastal region is experiencing the largest growth in property prices in Australia, as prices soar across the state.

CoreLogic’s latest report shows that property prices in the Wide Bay region, which includes Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, and Maryborough, have increased 65-75 percent in five years.

The Wide Bay has a number of “incredibly exciting ingredients”, according to property analyst Simon Pressley.

Housing costs combined with lifestyle are definitely a major draw for people looking to relocate from big, congested cities such as Sydney and Melbourne.

There is also the best weather in the country, I would argue.

“It’s an economic story, a lifestyle story, and a housing shortage story.”

Drawcard: what is it?

Locals attribute the boom to the region’s beaches, good weather, and large backyards.

After putting two houses on the market in recent years, Bundaberg builder Jake Chappel experienced the growth at work and personally.

“It was nice to be on the selling side,” he said.

Although I am sorry for some of these younger people who are buying now, I don’t think [prices] are slowing down.

In the beginning, it was probably because of cheap land and cheap properties.

“We have a good climate. It’s a bit hot at the moment, but it’s usually pretty liveable, pretty comfortable.”

In comparison to the [Gold and Sunshine] coasts and Brisbane, we still have great beaches and friendly people.”

Growth in the market

Over the past five years, Bundaberg property values soared almost 75 per cent to a median value of almost $480,000, according to a CoreLogic report.

There had been an increase of more than 67 percent in Hervey Bay to over $615,000, and an increase of almost 66 percent in Maryborough to almost $395,000.

With a median value of over $965,000, the Sunshine Coast outperformed the Gold Coast region which is sitting at more than $928,000.

A strong population growth in Queensland is fueling the high prices, according to CoreLogic’s head of research, Tim Lawless.

He explained that when housing values rise, it’s generally due to a mismatch between supply and demand.

Most of that migration is interstate, so more people are coming to Queensland from NSW and Victoria.

Also, internal migration rates are continuing to increase as more people seek regional housing or move to the regions because jobs are growing or housing is more affordable.”

However, Mr Lawless said high property prices were not good news for everyone.

Everyone who owns a home has seen their equity grow quite a bit,” he said.

On the other hand, affordability is becoming increasingly difficult for those without homes.

“Household incomes haven’t increased anywhere near that amount.”

Preparing to pay a premium

Despite the data, veteran Gold Coast real estate agent David Hamilton was not shocked.

Based on his work, he cannot see the market slowing down anytime soon.

The big jump occurred during the COVID years. The trend is expected to continue,” Hamilton said.

An increase in interstate arrivals cashing in on the Gold Coast market has only added to the already tight market, he believes.

According to Mr Hamilton, we’re no different from Byron Bay, the Sutherland Shire, or the eastern suburbs of Sydney.

People want to live here, to be close to the beach, and they’re willing to pay a premium for that.”

• The Palaszczuk Government is bringing train manufacturing back to Queensland with the $9.5 billion Queensland Train Manufacturing Program (QTMP).
• Downer’s joint venture partner Hyundai Rotem has also announced the establishment of a $30 million facility in Maryborough to make sub-components for the trains.
• Major construction has commenced on contractor Downer’s new manufacturing facility at Torbanlea, near Maryborough which will build 65 six-car passenger trains for Queenslanders.

The Palaszczuk Government’s plan to bring train manufacturing back to Queensland is being boosted by a $30 million investment by Downer partner Hyundai Rotem.

The Hyundai Rotem Corporation will establish a stand-alone local presence on the Fraser Coast with the purchase of an industrial site and plans to establish a factory to produce sub-components for train car bodies.

Roll forming involves the continuous bending of a long strip of sheet metal (typically coiled steel) to make sub-components for train car bodies.

This kind of component has been made overseas for decades but will now be made locally as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to bringing train manufacturing back to Maryborough, creating an additional 20 jobs.

The Hyundai Rotem facility is in addition to the QTMP site being built at Torbanlea and Downer’s facility at Maryborough.

Major works are underway at the Torbanlea facility to transform from a former pineapple farm into Australia’s newest state-of-the-art train manufacturing facility, which will manufacture 65 six-car passenger trains to run on the SEQ train network.

The Queensland Train Manufacturing Program will support 800 construction and manufacturing jobs.

Downer was awarded the Design Build Maintain Contract (DBM) for the QTMP earlier this year and has partnered with the Hyundai Rotem Corporation (HRC) for the manufacturing of the 65 new trains.

Once the first QTMP train has been built in 2026, it will begin testing before entering passenger services in 2027. All 65 trains are expected to be in service in time for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games while helping to run additional services that will be delivered by the Cross River Rail and Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail projects.

A co-design process is ongoing with the disability sector to inform the design of the new QTMP trains.

This will shape the design of the 65 new passenger trains to ensure they are compliant, functional, and accessible for all passengers.

Early works to upgrade local intersections within Torbanlea started in August 2022 ahead of the start of construction on the train manufacturing facility.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey:

“We welcome Hyundai Rotem’s additional investment in this steel roll forming facility.

Queensland Train Program Boosts Maryborough Investment

Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services The Honourable Mark Bailey

• The Palaszczuk Government is bringing train manufacturing back to Queensland with the $9.5 billion Queensland Train Manufacturing Program (QTMP).
• Downer’s joint venture partner Hyundai Rotem has also announced the establishment of a $30 million facility in Maryborough to make sub-components for the trains.
• Major construction has commenced on contractor Downer’s new manufacturing facility at Torbanlea, near Maryborough which will build 65 six-car passenger trains for Queenslanders.

The Palaszczuk Government’s plan to bring train manufacturing back to Queensland is being boosted by a $30 million investment by Downer partner Hyundai Rotem.

The Hyundai Rotem Corporation will establish a stand-alone local presence on the Fraser Coast with the purchase of an industrial site and plans to establish a factory to produce sub-components for train car bodies.

Roll forming involves the continuous bending of a long strip of sheet metal (typically coiled steel) to make sub-components for train car bodies.

This kind of component has been made overseas for decades but will now be made locally as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to bringing train manufacturing back to Maryborough, creating an additional 20 jobs.

The Hyundai Rotem facility is in addition to the QTMP site being built at Torbanlea and Downer’s facility at Maryborough.

Major works are underway at the Torbanlea facility to transform from a former pineapple farm into Australia’s newest state-of-the-art train manufacturing facility, which will manufacture 65 six-car passenger trains to run on the SEQ train network.

The Queensland Train Manufacturing Program will support 800 construction and manufacturing jobs.

Downer was awarded the Design Build Maintain Contract (DBM) for the QTMP earlier this year and has partnered with the Hyundai Rotem Corporation (HRC) for the manufacturing of the 65 new trains.

Once the first QTMP train has been built in 2026, it will begin testing before entering passenger services in 2027. All 65 trains are expected to be in service in time for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games while helping to run additional services that will be delivered by the Cross River Rail and Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail projects.

A co-design process is ongoing with the disability sector to inform the design of the new QTMP trains.

This will shape the design of the 65 new passenger trains to ensure they are compliant, functional, and accessible for all passengers.

Early works to upgrade local intersections within Torbanlea started in August 2022 ahead of the start of construction on the train manufacturing facility.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey:

“We welcome Hyundai Rotem’s additional investment in this steel roll forming facility.

“Our commitment to bring train manufacturing to Queensland is attracting additional investment.

“This is an exciting time for QTMP, which will create hundreds of long-term Queensland jobs and reinvigorate train manufacturing in Queensland.

“This project will train a new generation of highly-skilled Queensland workers in train manufacturing, which will have long-term benefits to our economy, transport infrastructure and manufacturing industry.

“It is truly historic to be here today at the start of what will be a rail manufacturing revolution for Maryborough, which will remain the birthplace of Queensland trains for years to come.”

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Train Manufacturing and Regional Roads and Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders:

“This is a landmark day for Maryborough and the broader Fraser Coast region.

“It’s truly special to be here today at the start of major construction on a project I fought hard to help deliver.

“In the coming months, we will start to see a brand-new manufacturing facility rise from the ground up.

“The first trains will complete manufacturing and commence testing in late 2026, with all 65 trains expected to be in service by 2032.

Queensland Train Program Boosts Maryborough Investment

Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services The Honourable Mark Bailey

• The Palaszczuk Government is bringing train manufacturing back to Queensland with the $9.5 billion Queensland Train Manufacturing Program (QTMP).
• Downer’s joint venture partner Hyundai Rotem has also announced the establishment of a $30 million facility in Maryborough to make sub-components for the trains.
• Major construction has commenced on contractor Downer’s new manufacturing facility at Torbanlea, near Maryborough which will build 65 six-car passenger trains for Queenslanders.

The Palaszczuk Government’s plan to bring train manufacturing back to Queensland is being boosted by a $30 million investment by Downer partner Hyundai Rotem.

The Hyundai Rotem Corporation will establish a stand-alone local presence on the Fraser Coast with the purchase of an industrial site and plans to establish a factory to produce sub-components for train car bodies.

Roll forming involves the continuous bending of a long strip of sheet metal (typically coiled steel) to make sub-components for train car bodies.

This kind of component has been made overseas for decades but will now be made locally as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to bringing train manufacturing back to Maryborough, creating an additional 20 jobs.

The Hyundai Rotem facility is in addition to the QTMP site being built at Torbanlea and Downer’s facility at Maryborough.

Major works are underway at the Torbanlea facility to transform from a former pineapple farm into Australia’s newest state-of-the-art train manufacturing facility, which will manufacture 65 six-car passenger trains to run on the SEQ train network.

The Queensland Train Manufacturing Program will support 800 construction and manufacturing jobs.

Downer was awarded the Design Build Maintain Contract (DBM) for the QTMP earlier this year and has partnered with the Hyundai Rotem Corporation (HRC) for the manufacturing of the 65 new trains.

Once the first QTMP train has been built in 2026, it will begin testing before entering passenger services in 2027. All 65 trains are expected to be in service in time for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games while helping to run additional services that will be delivered by the Cross River Rail and Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail projects.

A co-design process is ongoing with the disability sector to inform the design of the new QTMP trains.

This will shape the design of the 65 new passenger trains to ensure they are compliant, functional, and accessible for all passengers.

Early works to upgrade local intersections within Torbanlea started in August 2022 ahead of the start of construction on the train manufacturing facility.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey:

“We welcome Hyundai Rotem’s additional investment in this steel roll forming facility.

“Our commitment to bring train manufacturing to Queensland is attracting additional investment.

“This is an exciting time for QTMP, which will create hundreds of long-term Queensland jobs and reinvigorate train manufacturing in Queensland.

“This project will train a new generation of highly-skilled Queensland workers in train manufacturing, which will have long-term benefits to our economy, transport infrastructure and manufacturing industry.

“It is truly historic to be here today at the start of what will be a rail manufacturing revolution for Maryborough, which will remain the birthplace of Queensland trains for years to come.”

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Train Manufacturing and Regional Roads and Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders:

“This is a landmark day for Maryborough and the broader Fraser Coast region.

“It’s truly special to be here today at the start of major construction on a project I fought hard to help deliver.

“In the coming months, we will start to see a brand-new manufacturing facility rise from the ground up.

“The first trains will complete manufacturing and commence testing in late 2026, with all 65 trains expected to be in service by 2032.

“These 65 new trains will support South East Queensland’s population boom, as well as Cross River Rail and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Quotes attributable to Downer Head of Rail and Transit Systems Steve Kakavas:

“The construction works now underway will involve installing site offices, undertaking geotechnical testing, connecting services including water and electricity connections, clearing vegetation and undertaking bulk earthworks.”

Quotes attributable to Hyundai Rotem CEO Yong-Bae Lee:

“Hyundai Rotem’s Maryborough factory will be operational in 2025 and will provide the roll forming to be used for rail car bodies at the Torbanlea train manufacturing facility.

“Queensland does not currently have roll forming capability, and such components have historically been made overseas. We believe this investment strengthens Queensland’s rail manufacturing capabilities while creating new jobs in the region.”

Fast facts (QTMP Torbanlea facility):

• The footprint of the train manufacturing facility is approximately 30,000m2, almost three times the size of Suncorp Stadium.
• Approximately 2,400 tonnes of structural steel will be used in the construction of the manufacturing facility.
• More than 20,000 cubic metres of concrete will be used to construct slabs for the manufacturing facility.
• Around 2.3km of new road will be constructed from the facility gatehouse to the manufacturing facility.

There are four suburbs in south-east Queensland, demonstrating the region’s resilience.

According to Hello Haus, nine suburbs are well-positioned to withstand short- and medium-term economic uncertainty.

These suburbs have a homeownership rate higher than 55%, a median days-on-market below 60, and a growth rate of more than 6% annually.

According to Hello Haus founder Scott Aggett, these suburbs have the right fundamentals for values to remain stable or even rise despite a possible slump in the Australian economy.

The Australian property market includes a wide range of locations, price points, and types of properties – even though overall values are down, the right investment will continue to yield excellent returns, whether you are a homeowner or an investor.

“Four of the nine locations selected are in south-east Queensland, highlighting the region’s resilience on a national level – we have analyzed key metrics for each and selected areas that exceed our benchmarks.”

The following nine suburbs are recession-proof:

Banksia Park, South Australia

Median house price: $654,500
Days on market: 25
Gross yield: 3.57%
Rental vacancy rate: 0.81%
10-Year Compound rate: 7.1%

Banksia Park is located 16 kilometres north-east of Adelaide’s CBD. It is set to benefit from the $6bn worth of infrastructure projects, including the Adelaide Airport expansion.

Around 89% of the suburb’s population are homeowners. This suburb is dominated by 30- to 40-year-old brick homes on traditional size allotments.

East Toowoomba, Queensland

Median house price: $727,500
Days on market: 42
Gross yield: 3.54%
Rental vacancy rate: 1.2%
10-Year Compound rate: 6.45%

East Toowoomba is blessed with established infrastructure and planned rail and road network upgrades, which would bode well for its local housing market.

It is located 1.5 kilometres east of Toowoomba’s city-centre and only 90 minutes away from Brisbane.

Homeowners make up more than half (57%) of East Toowoomba’s population.

East Albury, New South Wales

Median house price: $699,000
Days on market: 31
Gross yield: 3.42%
Rental vacancy rate: 1.73%
10-Year Compound rate: 8.5%

East Albury appears to have a relatively easy access to other states — it is three hours’ drive from Melbourne, six hours from Sydney, nine from Adelaide, and more than three houses from Canberra.

The suburb is home to a lot of housing options, from contemporary and established dwellings to attached housing.

Around 66% of East Albury’s population are homeowners.

Burleigh Waters, Queensland

Median house price: $1.4 million
Days on market: 47
Gross yield: 3.53%
Rental vacancy rate: 1.09%
10-Year Compound rate: 11.50%

Burleigh Waters is one of Gold Coast’s prime hotspots — many southern buyers set their sales to this suburb, boosting its net internal migration.

Around 80% of Burleigh Waters’ population own their own home.

Thornlands, Queensland

Median house price: $850,000
Days on market: 25
Gross yield: 3.67%
Rental vacancy rate: 1.7%
10-Year Compound rate: 6.8%

Nestled in Brisbane’s bayside, Thornlands is roughly 32 kilometres south-east of the CBD.

Thornlands population, 74% of which are homeowners, are set to benefit from the $300m infrastructure spending.

Reedy Creek, Queensland

Median house price: $1.31 million
Days on market: 39
Gross yield: 3.86%
Rental vacancy rate: 0.95%
10-Year Compound rate: 11.25%

Property buyers flock to Reedy Creek to check out modern lifestyle homes. Roughly 82% of the population in this suburb are homeowners.

Reedy Creek provides easy access to several points of interest like the Pacific Motorway. It is positioned just 25 kilometres south-west of the Southport CBD and 85 kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD.

The $7b infrastructure budget for the M1 Varsity Lakes to Tugun upgrade would boost Reedy Creek’s market.

Leichhardt, New South Wales

Median house price: $1.73 million
Days on market: 24
Gross yield: 2.50%
Rental vacancy rate: 1.03%
10-Year Compound rate: 7.30%

Comprising 60% of Leichhardt’s population are homeowners, who are in good position to benefit from nearby infrastructure projects like the $3.9bn Rozelle interchange and the $750m Royal Prince Alfred Hospital redevelopment.

At its median price, Leichhardt offers a relatively low entry-level point to the inner west of the Sydney property market.

Bulli, New South Wales

Median house price: $1.58 million
Days on market: 25
Gross yield: 2.73%
Rental vacancy rate: 1.13%
10-Year Compound rate: 11%

Bulli is a beachfront suburb services by the Princess Highway. The suburb is 10 kilometres north of Wollongong’s CBD.

Bulli Beach is a go-to destination for beachgoers, making it also attractive for sea-change buyers.

Approximately 79% of Bulli’s population are homeowners.

Lilyfield, New South Wales

Median house price: $2.1 million
Days on market: 25
Gross yield: 2.21%
Rental vacancy rate: 1.03%
10-Year Compound rate: 8.5%

Situated in the inner west of Sydney, Lilyfield is six kilometres away form CBD and is fronting the Parramatta River.

Lilyfield relatively offers a cheaper median price compared to other suburbs within 10 kilometres of the CBD that also have over 2% gross yield and low supply of detached houses.

Homeowners make up 64% of Lilyfield’s population.

A BIG country town famous for its golden guitar, another dubbed the beef capital, and a holiday hotspot ranked the country’s least liveable city have been named in a list of cheapest places in Australia to buy property.

A new report by leading property analyst and Hotspotting director Terry Ryder suggests investors seeking affordable property with prospects in the next six months should look further afield than their own backyards.

The Hotspotting report names five regional ‘cheapies with prospects’ across the country that meet the criteria of having affordable buy-in prices, solid rental returns, potential for price growth and growing populations.

It comes as new figures show Australia faces a population boom fuelled by a rise in net overseas migration of up to 1.755 million by 2028.

Regional areas are predicted to grow at phenomenal speeds, particularly in Queensland as migrants form NSW and Victoria seek out more affordable living options.

Hotspotting director Terry Ryder said the report featured five regional locations where investors could readily find properties in the $200,000s or $300,000s, and which also had solid growth potential.

“They’re not that hard to find because regional Australia is full of locations with good growth prospects and solid properties in the $200,000, $300,000, and $400,000 price brackets,” Mr Ryder said.

“They are regional centres which share characteristics of low prices, solid rental returns, and the potential for price growth. In fact, many of these areas can match the best capital cities for capital growth over time.”

Hotspotting general manager Tim Graham said many regional areas had outperformed the big cities in the past three years.

“Affordable prices, higher yields and superior growth: it’s a win-win-win situation for investors,” Mr Graham said.

“Of course, not every regional centre in the nation is a future hotspot. A location needs to have more to offer than cheap real estate to be featured in this report — it must also have growth drivers likely to lead to capital growth over time.”

Dr Laura Crommelin, Senior Lecturer in City Planning at the School of Built Environment at the UNSW said some regions had experienced a significant influx of new residents in recent years motivated by cheaper, more spacious housing on offer.

“Some who are priced out of the city housing markets may be able to afford a more spacious, standalone dwelling in a regional area,” Dr Crommelin said.

“Those regional areas within striking distance of the city are increasingly popular with those who still might commute once or twice a week to the city for work, but spend most of their time living by the coast.”

Dr Crommelin said demand for affordable rental properties was also exceptionally high in some regions.

-AUSTRALIA’S TOP 5 CHEAPIES WITH PROSPECTS-

Rockhampton, Central Qld

• Affordable housing
• Revitalised CBD
• Billions in renewable energy projects
• $2.5 billion Shoalwater Bay Military Training Centre redevelopment
• $1.1 billion Rockhampton Ring Road
• $983 million River Fitzroy to Gladstone water pipeline
• $495 million Lower Fitzroy River weir
• $575 million master planned estate.

Mr Graham said Rockhampton’s affordable property market had been relatively unaffected by the pandemic.

“This resilience, plus the roll-out of several significant construction projects, are turning Rockhampton into a magnet for southern migrants, first homebuyers and investors,” he said.

“Demand for properties is high and vacancies are tight — below 1.5 per cent in most Rockhampton postcodes.”

Mr Graham said Rockhampton’s diverse economy was being boosted by the resources sector with construction of the Bravus (formerly Adani) coal mine well under way.

Tamworth, Regional NSW

• Strong future as regional freight hub
• High population growth
• $210 million hospital upgrade
• $1.3 billion Dungowan Dam project
• $37 million University of New England Tamworth CBD campus

Mr Ryder said Tamworth continued to grow, with billion-dollar infrastructure projects rolling

out.

“With its intermodal freight hub, Tamworth Global Gateway Park is set to be one of the engine rooms of the New England economy,” Mr Ryder said.

“The city is also part of a significant emerging region for renewable energy developments, with projects worth more than $10b on the horizon, including a Tamworth Big Battery.”

Mr Ryder said Tamworth was also appealing for its affordability and rural lifestyle, and along with its space and established facilities.

“A wave of new residential developments is also now under way, or in the pipeline, throughout the LGA and in nearby areas,” he said. “The Tamworth property market is strong, with low vacancies and the consistent delivery of high rental yields continuing to attract investors. Units are also recording double-digit annual growth of 20 per cent and above.”

Mount Gambier, Limestone Coast, SA

• Affordable housing
• Low vacancies and rising rents
• $120 million renewable energy plant
• Forestry industry development hub
• Timber plant expansions
• Hotel upgrades

Mr Graham said Mount Gambier was rated one of the best regional centres in South Australia for property investment due to its affordable housing, lifestyle opportunities and employment growth.

“Forestry is also one of the key industries in the region with expansion plans in the pipeline for several of the region’s largest employers,” he said.

“The region has also become popular with interstate and intrastate residents moving to the Limestone Coast.”

With a median house price of $375,000 and yields above five per cent, Mount Gambier is a location worth considering by investors seeking affordability, notable cash flow and prospects for growth, plus rental availability is extremely tight, with vacancies staying below one per cent since 2020, he said.

Lockyer Valley, Regional Qld

Strategic location between Ipswich and Toowoomba, with good road links

Strong, diverse economy including manufacturing, agriculture, tourism,

resources, and government admin

• $11 billion Inland Rail Project
• $245 million water distribution plan
• $180 million food processing plant
• $110 million Equine Precinct
• $100 million Lockyer Energy Project

The population in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley, halfway between Brisbane and Toowoomba, is expected to grow by more than 37 per cent by 2046, jumping from 41,000 now to 57,000, according to new population figures.

Mr Ryder said the region was rated among the top 10 most fertile farming areas in the world.

“The area is also home to light industry and a Queensland University campus, is at the gateway to the Surat Basin mining precinct and has a growing renewables sector,” he said.

Good road links and a scenic backdrop of the steep hills and mountains meant the area’s natural beauty and rural charm attracted visitors and residents from across the state and beyond, he said.

Geraldton, Regional WA

• WA’s second largest port
• Largest WA city north of Perth
• Australia’s windsurfing capital
• Major mining centre
• High-speed train to Perth proposed
• Commercial activity hub
• Affordability and rising sales activity
• Very low vacancies

The only city on Western Australia’s Coral Coast, and the largest north of Perth, Geraldton is a key regional centre that has grown swiftly in recent years, in line with growth in Perth and the State overall.

“With an increasing population and growing economy, there has been a notable increase in the LGA’s property market,” Mr Ryder said.

“Geraldton experienced a marked uplift in sales activity in this period that was partly due to budget prices when compared to Perth, with houses typically priced in the $300,000s.”

Earlier this year, Geraldton came last in a study by Avenue Perth of the most liveable cities in Australia, based on safety, average cost of living, number of banks and number of restaurants.

The award-winning master plan community of North Lakes can be an ideal place to raise a family. This peaceful and spacious suburb features many new properties and amenities for any lifestyle. Residents of North Lakes can already enjoy over 60 parks, a Westfield regional shopping centre, and an 18-hole championship golf course, while plans for future development are already underway.

While you can’t go wrong with a property in North Lakes, there are certain factors to keep in mind if you want to invest in a home that will support your family for years to come. To know what to look out for when buying a home in the North Lakes area, keep in mind the following important factors.

Location

Of all the things to consider when investing in a property, location is one of the most important elements. Location can make the difference between spending years on a busy street or surrounded by spacious tranquillity.

In addition to the neighbourhood itself, you also want to consider location in terms of convenience. For example, if you have children or plan to have them in the future, it is a good idea to be on the lookout for nearby schools in the area. North Lakes hosts several private and public schools, including North Lakes State College and Lakes College, and there are also several childcare centres for smaller children.

Minimising work commute is also an important factor for many. Brisbane’s business centre is only 26 km south of North Lakes, and plans for a train stop have already been approved to facilitate easier access to the city. The North Lakes business park is also rapidly expanding and is projected to create many jobs for residents who prefer to work locally.

Long Term Potential

North Lakes offers one of the greatest selections of new home types of any suburb in the Moreton Bay Region. When shopping for a home, it is important to choose a property type that will support your family long-term. For some, this may mean investing in a single-family home with enough rooms for future children, while, for others, it may mean thinking about the retirement potential of a property.

Depending on where you are in life, you may prefer a large home with many rooms and a spacious garden, like an elite golf side home in Club North; Or, for those looking to downgrade, smaller properties and town homes, like those in SoLa and Circa, offer modern living with minimal maintenance.

Thinking about your long term needs can help you choose a home with will remain a dream home into the future.

Return on Investment

For the past decade, North Lakes home values have been pretty stable as new developments were constantly under constructions to meet demand. However, as space for expansion is starting to run out in North lakes, new constructions are already slowing to a halt—making current properties even more valuable. For this reason, investing in a home in North Lakes now can produce an attractive return if you ever decide to sell your property in the future.