Interest in land surges as dream home buyers flock to Gold Coast
For buyers looking for land to build their dream home, sunshine, space and access to great lifestyle opportunities are increasingly must-haves.
The Gold Coast has long been a popular holiday destination with Australians seeking their fix of sunshine and surf. However, in recent times, it has been firmly in the sights of buyers looking for land opportunities to build their dream home.
The number of ‘highly engaged buyers’ searching for Gold Coast land on realestate.com.au saw a dramatic spike in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and a fresh surge in 2021.
The highly engaged buyer metric is influenced by factors such as increasingly viewing the same pictures multiple times, saving the listing, sharing it, or making an enquiry with an agent.
Anne Flaherty, economic analyst at REA Group, says this deep engagement with Gold Coast land listings has a lot to do with buyers wanting to live and work in new ways as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Proximity to the CBD is not as vital for a lot of people anymore, because there are new ways of working,” Flaherty says.
“People are demanding more space, so they are looking for bigger houses on bigger blocks and they’re also very interested in more scenic locations.”
A golden opportunity
The Gold Coast ticks a lot of boxes for this new wave of dream home builders, explains Flaherty, with the weather, beaches and entertainment just some of the attractions.
“There’s a lot of employment in Brisbane and now that people are working remotely more often, it’s actually more viable to live on the Gold Coast and commute into Brisbane a few days a week,” she says.
With the rise of remote working, there has been a massive shift away from metropolitan centres towards regional areas.
This trend towards working from home has seen buyers increasingly want enough rooms for a home office, Flaherty explains.
In addition, backyards and proximity to green spaces have also become increasingly prominent priorities thanks to the lockdown trend of new pets.
“Having a backyard is great for people who now have a furry friend,” she says.
The Gold Coast can also be more affordable than some of Australia’s larger cities, while still having plenty of great shops, cafes, entertainment, infrastructure, schools, rail connections and the Gold Coast Airport.
“We expect that demand for areas like the Gold Coast, that are very liveable, will continue,” says Flaherty.
Source: realestate.com.au/news