Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast all post record annual median house prices in September Quarter

Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast all post record annual median house prices in September Quarter
Joel RobinsonDecember 9, 2018

Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast all posted record annual median house prices in the September quarter of the REIQ Queensland Market Monitor report. 

The Sunshine Coast was the best performer, delivering a 6.3 percent growth to a new median house price high of $595,000.

The Brisbane annual median house price grew 2.3 per cent to a new high of $675,000, while the Gold Coast grew 3.8 per cent to $629,000.

REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said the strength of growth proved that Queensland real estate was a good investment and could be relied upon to deliver capital growth.

“While other markets around the country are struggling in the face of tightened lending criteria and cooling investor appetite, the southeast corner of Queensland continues to deliver steady, sustainable growth,” Mercorella said.

“Queensland’s economy is proving itself to be a good performer, against a backdrop of national gloom, with new jobs bringing population growth and demand for housing,” she said.

“The southeast corner is our powerhouse, without a doubt, but additionally we’re seeing strong results in regions that have been struggling.

“The resources sector is improving and we’re seeing regions such as Mackay and areas of western Queensland firmly in recovery.”

The unit market has not fared so well and has delivered largely softer results across the state as this product battles against oversupply issues.

Brisbane LGA annual median unit price fell 2.2 per cent to $440,000. This market is now only 5.5 per cent stronger than it was five years ago.

The Gold Coast unit market, which is the biggest unit market in the state with more than 10,000 sales per year, fell 1.6 per cent to an annual median unit price of $425,000.

“This is the first time we’ve been clear in the post-Comms Game period and it’s encouraging to see that the market is bubbling along," Mercorella said.

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"The house market has delivered good growth and the unit market is still absorbing some small oversupply, but on the whole we remaining optimistic for this market,” Ms Mercorella said.

The Sunshine Coast SD bucked the trend, adding 3.1 per cent to the annual median unit price, to reach $430,000.

Noosa was the strongest performing house and unit market for the 12 months to September 2018. The Noosa median house price grew 8.7 per cent to a stunning $715,000. The median unit price grew a breathtaking 12.2 per cent to a new record price of $550,000.

“This market has roared up to the top of the table and completely smashed the growth trends,” Ms Mercorella said. 

“The demand for living in Noosa, either in a house or unit, seems to be almost insatiable,” she said.

It was a mixed bag for houses in the regional markets.

Whitsundays saw a huge increase of 10.8 percent over the year to see its median house price reach $360,000. Mackay roared back to post a 5.6 percent growth in the annual median house price. 

Cairns (1.2%), Fraser Coast (1.1%) and Toowoomba (0.6%) saw their median house price grow, with Bundaberg remaining steady. 

The house price markets in Rockhampton eased 0.8 percent, while Townsville (-4.5%) and Gladstone prices fell significantly again, down 8.1 percent to $266,500.

 

 

Joel Robinson

Joel Robinson is a property journalist based in Sydney. Joel has been writing about the residential real estate market for the last five years, specializing in market trends and the economics and finance behind buying and selling real estate.

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