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Architect Chris Klein works a little dual occupancy magic on a small inner west site. Picture: Douglas Frost

The inner city is notorious for its small block sizes, with residents often coexisting in semi-detached houses and terraces that line the suburban streets.

Narrow lots are common in St Peters, but one homeowner has doubled his property profile on a block of only 304sq m.

The secondary dwelling is a steel framed house made of brick. Pictures: Douglas Frost

Rob Lutz’s backyard provided a new site for his freestanding home. The original dwelling remained, creating additional accommodation and offering another approach to increased urban residential density.

Kreis Grennan Architecture design director Christian Grennan says a small 135sq m portion of the backyard was cut off to create a smart, three-bedroom 124sq m property.

“It’s basically three storeys, but reads as two from the street,” says Christian.

The house has been designed with felxibility in mind, allowing spaces to be used for multiple activites.

“We had to do some architectural gymnastics to make the house fit without affecting tree protection zones.

“Rob is a crafter, so it was nice to work with someone who is particular about the design and workmanship. We speak the same language in that respect. In some ways, you could say this is a straightforward humble brick dwelling with steel frames.”

The kitchen on the mid floor enjoys views of the tree canopy.

Rob, who managed the project as an owner/builder, was keen to reference the historic St Peters brickworks in the new build. His bricks use the same clay that is the source of the bricks for many buildings in the area. A selection of six brick profiles were chosen and mixed on site.

The office space is amll but enjoys good natural light.

Christian explains the building is a visually lively mix with a dark grey mortar joint.

At the rear of the project, the building is shaped like a solid block, working around the existing mature trees.

Bedrooms are compact but well-designed with plenty of storage.

“Limiting the footprint was essential to preserve the garden and the beautiful existing trees,” says Christian.

On the lower ground floor, there’s a workshop, laundry and study while the upper ground floor is an open-plan living platform connected to the street and garden. Under the roof are two bedrooms and bathrooms.

The staircase lends the house an industrial feel.

One bedroom is a flexible space suitable for exercising or for guests. Building boundary to boundary, Christian implemented some tried and tested techniques to make the compact home feel more spacious.

“We have created long sight lines, so when you walk in you look up three flights stairs and it gives you generosity in a vertical direction,” says Christian.

“Both bathrooms have flip-up roofs to get natural light in and the living room extends from front to back to capture views and allow cross-ventilation.

“The house feels generous with lots of light.”

Architect Chris Klein referenced the local brickworks when choosing building materials.

Owner/builder: Rob Lutz

Architect: Christian Grennan, Kreis Grennan Architecture, kreisgrennan.com.au

The brief: To build an additional freestanding property on a tight inner-city block.

The site: The secondary dwelling was 135sq m.

Design solution: To section off a small parcel of land in the backyard to create a compact three-storey home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

How long did it take: Nine months

THE SOURCE

Carpentry: Big Build Constructions, bigbuildconstructions.com.au

Bricklayer: Mark Jolley Bricklaying, 0414 471 683

Structural Engineer: Beukers & Ritter Consulting, 6583 2733

Lighting designer: Architectural Lighting Design, lightingdesigner.com.au

Bricks: PGH, pghbricks.com.au

Louvres: JWI Louvres, jwilouvres.com.au

Aluminium windows: Hanlon Windows, hanlonwindows.com.au

The post Architect amazes by adding second to tiny St Peters terrace appeared first on realestate.com.au.

A SOUTHSIDE treasure with drawcard panoramic views of Cairns city and surrounding mountain ranges has entered the market.

Selling agent Therese Plath of Ray White Cairns South said the Edmonton home was a “visually stunning, executive residence filled with quality finishes, glorious light-filled living and outstanding family appeal”.

The pool at 14-16 Waterfall Cl, Edmonton, incorporates those incredible views.

Swim all day in summer at 14-16 Waterfall Cl, Edmonton.

It ticks many boxes, having been recently renovated, surrounded by space and with a waterfall-edge pool. But the biggest tick of all would be the views.

“One of the biggest drawcards of this outstanding residence is the blue chip elevated position with professionally landscaped gardens,” Ms Plath said.

“You will never tire of the stunning views of Cairns city, lush picturesque mountains and rainforest. This location is simply the best.”

With a surge in demand for more remote living as a result of coronavirus, 14-16 Waterfall Close at Edmonton, could be on to a winner.

The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home features a superb chef’s kitchen with an extra wide island bench, which also functions as a breakfast bar.

Time to get the friends over for some quality entertaining at 14-16 Waterfall Cl, Edmonton.

The bright and welcoming kitchen-dining-living zone forms the heart of this home, according to Ms Plath.

The kitchen’s “flawless expression of fit and finish” is completed by black wattle timber bench tops, over-mount double sinks and a range of quality stainless-steel appliances including free-standing oven, a second integrated double oven and built-in combination microwave.

An elegant alfresco area features low maintenance tiling and lots of natural light, suitable for year-round entertaining with family and friends overlooking the resort-style saltwater swimming pool framed by lush leafy surrounds and those stunning views.

The home has been designed to create a seamless flow from one space to the next, maintained on a single level.

Need space for your boat? This home has plenty of it.

The indoor-outdoor connection is the focus, leading to an outdoor living area and swimming pool via dual sliding stacker doors.

“This home is ideal for a family that loves entertaining, having fun and enjoying everything that this property has to offer,” Ms Plath said.

The recently renovated property includes a separate parents’ retreat from the three well-proportioned bedrooms all with built-in robes. The parents’ retreat includes a comfortable media room with access to the outdoors, a large bedroom with a large walk-in robe and ensuite bathroom.

For the avid angler or caravanner, there is a separate large high-clearance powered shed with easy access via an adjoining street. With its own toilet, wash basin, ceiling fans and 3.6m high ceilings, accessed via large double folding doors, serving as the ultimate man cave.

The large block gently slopes with well-maintained lawns, established gardens and 1000 sqm of rainforest at the back of the house, which is a short walk from Isabella Falls.

The fully airconditioned home features solar panels, a security system with cameras and alarm, and an extra wide double lock garage.

The post Edmonton home with panoramic views the whole package appeared first on realestate.com.au.

40 Goodwin St, Edge Hill was a rundown property that sold for $510,000 in February above the suburb’s median price for three-bedroom homes.

BEATEN and battered, 40 Goodwin St, Edge Hill, in most buyers’ eyes was destined to be demolished. Instead it sold for above median in February and the original structure still stands.

The 1968-built home previously had one owner – a long-term Cairns family – and had been sitting vacant for about a year, withering to an unliveable condition.

Finding a property in need of a few repairs or upgrades is not an uncommon sight at Edge Hill, but what may come as a surprise is that this three-bedroom home sold for $510,000 through Ulysses Real Estate principal Donna Waldman.

Most buyer were ready to demolish 40 Goodwin St, Edge Hill but the buyer paid above median and the structure still stands.

The median price for three-bedroom houses at Edge Hill is about $480,000, according to realestate.com.au. So why would anyone pay above this, for a house they can’t immediately move in to?

Ms Waldman says Goodwin St was one of the few streets where people would make exceptions to their budgets, just to get in.

“You’ve got many people wanting to move into Edge Hill and they’re wanting to get in there as cheaply as possible,” Ms Waldman said.

“But it was the right price for the property because Goodwin St is one of the top streets in Edge Hill. It runs right behind the botanical gardens.

40 Goodwin St, Edge Hill was a couple’s entry into the elite suburb.

“You’ve got Goodwin St, Walsh St, Pine St – all these really top streets in Edge Hill right there and some of the houses there are selling for $800,000-$900,000.

“So when you look at how much they’ve (the buyers) spent on this fixer upper, and then if they spend $200,000 on it, they’re still going to come out on top.

“Generally speaking, $500,000 is actually a bargain for those streets.”

She said although the new owners would be set for a decent value gain, they weren’t planning on flipping after completing renovations.

“They wanted to purchase something to stay in long-term.

“This is their dream home. A lot of people were thinking that rather than fix it up, they’d knock it down.

“They’ve just gutted it and rebuilt inside. There was no need to pull it down and it could be easily fixed up so they took advantage of that.”

The post Edge Hill home in unliveable condition sells above median appeared first on realestate.com.au.

The Dogherty family have sold their house on 2 Quartzborough Promenade, Trinity Park. Stephen and Jude Dogherty, with kids Macey, 2, Finley, 7, and Aidan, 11. PICTURE: JACK LAWRIE.

Cairns real estate and economic experts have revealed the current events that could lead to the region’s most significant property prices increase in more than a decade, while warning no one has a crystal ball.

As the nation’s major cities report double-digit capital growth in the past 12 months, Cairns has continued its decade-long trend of steady house prices with a 1.2 per cent increase, according to July’s realestate.com.au data.

In that same period, Brisbane house prices rose 3.6 per cent, Sydney’s 14.3 per cent and Melbourne’s 14 per cent.

And Far Northern homeowners would be optimistic to expect those percentages here, but as Cairns agents report high demand for houses and land sales skyrocketing while interest rates remain low, there is the potential for capital growth as well.

Real Estate Institute of Queensland’s Cairns zone chairman Tom Quaid said the capital cities had been benefiting from mass migration numbers while there wasn’t the same level of new blood in the Cairns market. He said in the absence of overwhelming demand, newer stock could help drive up prices.

REIQ zone chairman for Cairns and the Far North Tom Quaid, standing at a new housing estate in Smithfield. PICTURE: CHRIS CALCINO

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“So in a typical economy as new developments come along … the prices go up. And it gradually drags the bottom of the market up with it,” Mr Quaid said.

“In the absence of new stuff coming in to justify lifting the prices you’ve just got all the existing stock getting older and nothing to push prices up unless you get a certain level of demand. So with the grants and all the new construction that’s going on at the moment, they have the potential to set a new benchmark in pricing and lift everything up.

“Typically these new homes are going to cost more, between the house and the land, than what you’d pay for an equivalent five-year-old home in a similar area. So prices will go up on the back of that. Whether it’s a sustained increase, that’ll be the question.”

Cairns accounting firm Halpin Partners managing director Darren Halpin said population growth was fundamental for capital appreciation and, while the region wasn’t “actively pushing” for a rise in residents, it was happening in the background.

“A lot of people are moving from the capital cities to Cairns because of what lifestyle we have to offer,” he said.

“So if we as a city marketed our attractiveness as a place to come and live, if we had a co-ordinated effort, it would get results. And now is the time to do it.”

He said government spending on infrastructure and attractions would help speed up Cairns’ population growth and the northern suburbs homeowners would likely be among the first to benefit.

Trinity Park couple Stephen and Judy Doherty were able to buck the slow capital growth trend after a 10-day period saw them sell their Quartzborough Promenade home “above expectations” with Thomas Baldwin Real ­Estate. “In that same time we were able to buy our new home at Trinity Beach,” Ms Doherty said.

The post Cairns Real Estate: Property prices could rise appeared first on realestate.com.au.

From the outside 76-79 Yangoora Crescent, Ashmore is unremarkable.

On first glance from the outside, this white rendered house with a grey tiled roof presents as fairly unassuming in suburban Ashmore.

Step inside the front door, however, and you’re transported into an eclectic space that’s bursting with personality.

The owners have injected their own personality into the home.

For The Pink Flamingo Spiegelclub owners Tony Rigas and Louise Huxham, renovating their own family home was never going to be an exercise in conformity.

“Your home needs to represent your personality, who you are and what you’ve done over the years,” Mr Rigas said.

A variety of finishes have been used to create a balance of textures.

The pair, who have also operated the nightclub formerly called Shooters, Mybar, Quest, East and Love Nightlife on the Gold Coast, are experienced in hospitality fit outs and have injected that flair into the home they share with 12-year-old son Jonathan.

Having spent so much time in the city’s hottest beachside suburbs, Mr Rigas admits Ashmore wasn’t what they had in mind when the couple first set out in search of an inner city acre plot.

“For me it was the wrong postcode so I didn’t even want to look at the property,” Mr Rigas said. “It was full of trees, shrubs, bamboo and widow-makers – you couldn’t even really see the house coming up the driveway. It was rented with at least a dozen people living in the place and like six dogs.”

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The outlook from the resort-style pool is magic at twilight.

Ms Huxham saw the potential and they purchased in 2012, spending nine months ripping out root systems and knocking down walls to create their open plan oasis.

“Going to Bali and particular resorts, I wanted that feel,” Mr Rigas said. “The block sits above the roofline of your neighbours and all that is exposed is the mountains of the Hinterland. Watching the sunset every afternoon is like being in Ku De Ta in Bali.”

A blue-themed lounge room channels LA hotel foyer vibes.

Timber veneers, stone and ceramics create a balance of textures while metallic and patterned wall papers and bold paint choices are applied with confidence throughout.

“The kitchen is most spoken about by anyone who sees it,” Mr Rigas said. “Stainless steel gives it that commercial element – you can hose down that whole area – while the over-size island bench provides a social centre when we’re entertaining.”

Crucifixes from around the world create a point of interest.

One wall is adorned with crucifixes collected from travels around the world while a blue-themed room with over-size velvet lounges screams relaxed cool.

“It’s got that cool hotel foyer in LA vibe – somewhere you can sit, read a book and be served a martini or, in our case, watch kids splashing around in the pool and listen to some music on the surround sound stereo.”

With Jonathan preferring to spend more time with mates and the couple choosing to inject funds into their business, Mr Rigas said they plan to downsize on water.

“It does sadden us a little bit to sell the house but this will be a new chapter and a new way of living which we are getting excited about,” he said.

The post Inside night club boss’s not-so-suburban home appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Gold Coast nightclub supremo Tony Rigas and partner Louise Huxham are selling their family home amid plans to relaunch cabaret club The Pink Flamingo.

The hospitality identities have listed their Ashmore acreage for $2.495 million.

The eclectic resort-style oasis occupies an elevated 4047sqm block with uninterrupted views of the Gold Coast hinterland.

The Ashmore residence occupies a 4047sqm block with hinterland views.

The couple spent nine months clearing the garden and renovating the residence, which has been their family home with 12-year-old son Jonathan for the past nine years.

“Driving past you would think it’s just a normal house, but when you come inside the gates it opens up and identifies its own little personality,” Mr Rigas said.

A longtime fixture on the Gold Coast nightclub scene, Mr Rigas has had a hand in Shooters, MyBar, Quest Lounge Bar, East, Opium and The Oriental Whiskey while Ms Huxham had popular Broadbeach haunt Love Nightlife.

Co-owner Tony Rigas, centre, is preparing to relaunch The Pink Flamingo in August.

The sale campaign comes as Mr Rigas prepares for the August 1 relaunch of The Pink Flamingo Spiegelclub at Broadbeach, which he co-owns with Sue Porrett.

The 1920s-style cabaret club was forced to close its doors in March due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

It was a major blow for the venue, which had only launched last August following a $3 million renovation.

“We spent a hell of a lot of money getting it open and ready,” Mr Rigas said.

“We did the hard first six months of getting it right and finally got it off the ground with lots of bookings between December and March, then we were shut down.

“Here we are now a year later, preparing to launch again.”

Mr Rigas and Ms Huxham spent nine months renovating the house and gardens.

Mr Rigas said the sale of their house met their need to downsize and give the Gold Coast club a cash boost before taking the concept to Sydney and Melbourne.

“One of the reasons for selling (the house) is to inject some money into that and get it up to the stage of reopening,” he said.

“There’s a bigger picture to The Pink Flamingo and that’s opening up others and hopefully taking the show, Suavé ,around the world.”

The post House sale set to boost The Pink Flamingo relaunch appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Newcomers are keen to take a residence on the southern Gold Coast.

Real estate agents battling to do business either side of the Queensland-NSW border report they have been inundated with inquiries for homes on the southern Gold Coast.

Schmith Estate Agents, with an office just six metres from the border in Marine Parade, Coolangatta, said the demand for sales and rental properties has ramped up over the past four weeks.

“Coolangatta is just booming. People are coming from everywhere,” said principal Justin Schmith.

“A lot of people I’m dealing with have moved up from Sydney and Melbourne prior to the shutdowns and from what we’re hearing more people are planning their escape to Queensland. I’ve done eight sales in two weeks.”

The Coolangatta beachside strip, back when crowded pubs were the done thing. Picture: DJ Stringer / REA

There had been a sudden spike in demand for rentals too, according to David Stringer, director and principal of DJ Stringer Property Services at Coolangatta.

“Rental inquiry has been really strong. The team can’t get enough stock,” Mr Stringer said.

“Last month we had a record month for rentals in 19 years. We leased over 40 properties for the month, which is well above our average and the demand is still very strong.”

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An influx of new residents are keen on Coolagatta. Picture: DJ Stringer / REA

The influx comes as agents battle the logistics of doing business on both sides of the border.

“We are licensed in both states so I’ve got staff working either side of the border every day and it’s just a nightmare,” said Mr Schmith.

He said locals were frustrated “trying to live here and do business here’’.

Getting to open homes on time has been tricky. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Steve Holland

Mr Stringer had faced similar challenges trying to operate between Currumbin and northern NSW.

“Staff getting to the office has been a big problem and we’re having to reshuffle our open homes either side of the border because we just don’t know how long it’s going to take to get across,” he said.

“From a buyer’s perspective, I think they’re working around it as best they can and allow themselves plenty of time.

“Time will tell (this) weekend with open homes.”

The post High demand for real estate just over the Qld border appeared first on realestate.com.au.

IT looks like a property from hit movie Gone with the Wind but this sprawling estate is actually on the hilltops of Tallai on the Gold Coast.

Annarbor, at 529 The Panorama, is on the market for the first time since it was built and is attracting plenty of interest.

529 The Panorama, Tallai.

529 The Panorama, Tallai.

Vendor Adam Felton’s parents – the late Neil and Ann Felton – paid a “couple of hundred thousand dollars” for the block in 1985 when The Panorama was just a dirt track.

The pair, after extensively travelling the world with Ann’s work as a top fashion model, wanted to retire on the Gold Coast and were immediately sold on the spectacular city view from Tallai.

“My dad designed the house. He’s not an architect but he used technical drawing he learnt from the army,” Adam Felton said.

“He basically took inspiration from New England, Europe and the Mediterranean.

“They took what they loved from each place and tried to capture that in the house.”

529 The Panorama, Tallai.

The estate, name Annarbor, is a combination of both Ann Felton’s name and an arbor.

“Arbor is from the trees – they have planted a large number of trees on the property and of course Ann, it’s a tribute to my mum,” Mr Felton said.

The grand brick manor is on a sprawling 6.15ha property with 180 degree views across the Coast.

A floor to ceiling fireplace, banquet-sized dining room, tennis court and pool with a diving board are among its features while pillars, bay windows and a sweeping staircase add to the classic elegance of the five-bedroom house.

529 The Panorama, Tallai.

529 The Panorama, Tallai.

Mr Felton, who was 15 when his family moved in, had many fond memories.

“I remember being with my brothers in the pool, running the mountains and falling asleep and waking up to the view,” he said.

“The view is like when you fly into the airport on a plane and you’ve got the city underneath you.”

Mr Felton has been living in the house with his family – wife Annika and children Linnea, 14, and Freya, 12 – since he returned from Sweden in January to care for his dad.

529 The Panorama, Tallai.

529 The Panorama, Tallai.

He said the sale would be bittersweet for the family.

“It’s a mixture of emotions,” he said. “I know how much my parents put into this place and we have lots of memories here.”

Amir Prestige agent Colleen Brunt, who is marketing the property with colleague Nick Zhang through an expressions of interest campaign, said it was a “one-of-a-kind showplace”.

“We are getting really good interest from prospective Brisbane, Gold Coast, interstate and international buyers,” Ms Brunt said.

The post Grand Gold Coast estate attracting international interest appeared first on realestate.com.au.

9 Richmond Road, Westbourne Park. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly Real Estate

Looking for your dream home but finding it hard to find something both unique and good for the environment? Call off the search. This Westbourne Park home ticks all of these boxes, and has so much more going for it.

Michelle Kewell and Megan Roodenrys bought the home in 2000 and have since renovated and extended it, taking it from a small dark home to the breathtaking open-plan entertainer it is today.

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“We bought it because the block had potential and I think we’ve realised the potential now,” Ms Kewell says. “My partner Megan Roodenrys is excellent with aesthetics, and an artist, and she worked with Troppo architects to transform it under her eye. She helped design that back room and the gardens, too. It’s a lovely home and a work of art, and it’s time to move on.”

9 Richmond Road, Westbourne Park. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly Real Estate

The couple have a history of taking tired spaces and transforming them, starting businesses like the Flinders St Project and The Pantry on Eggmont, before selling them and moving on to repeat the process again somewhere else. They simply applied the same process to this home, resulting in a home that just works.

9 Richmond Road, Westbourne Park. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly Real Estate

“We just love making things beautiful and comfortable and we travel a lot and we’re always bringing home ideas for projects,” Ms Kewell says. “This home was really inspired by natural materials and we wanted to make it north facing to embrace the sun and make it feel like you’re outside and inside at the same time.

9 Richmond Road, Westbourne Park. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly Real Estate

“It’s been lovely – we’ve raised kids here and we walked them around to the primary school and had other people’s kids around after school all the time, so it’s a very friendly, inviting place. We’ve had weddings here, New Years parties and we’ve been part of the Open Gardens scheme and we’ve also opened our house for Sustainable House Day.

9 Richmond Road, Westbourne Park. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly Real Estate

“We’ve always invited people in and we’ve enjoyed sharing it. Because we’ve set up three commercial kitchens prior, we had an eye for commercial functions, so we’ve had multiple chefs working in here doing pastries and cooking and it all works and all flows. There are two ovens here and a butler’s pantry so you can have plenty of people working in here prepping multiple dishes and it functions really well.”

9 Richmond Road, Westbourne Park. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly Real Estate

The front of the home has been set up as luxe Airbnb accommodation Two Birds Bungalow and features two bedrooms, a lounge, a kitchen and meals area – easily converted to a bedroom – and a spacious bathroom. A hallway door leads to the main home which features the master suite with a dressing room, a study, a bathroom and large laundry and a generous open-plan kitchen, dining and living area overlooking the yard. Numerous decks surround the home, and the property also has a large shed and a separate studio or guest bedroom.

9 Richmond Road, Westbourne Park. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly Real Estate

“We looked at what usable space we needed and no more, because you’ve got to consider the environment and your energy needs,” Ms Kewell says. “We’ve got this house on solar panels and because we’ve had the panels since 2010 we’re on a really good sell-back rate. We’ve also got 45,0000L of rainwater storage and all the materials we used are as good for the environment as possible. It’s important we reduce our reliance on the grid and the environment.”

With the couple having found their next project, it’s time to move on.

“Megan says, it’s like an artwork – you finish it, you’re happy with it and then you sell it to a new owner and move on to your next work,” Ms Kewell says. “Our three kids have all grown up and are young adults and are moving on. We’ve only got one left here now and it’s more than we need and it’s taken us 20 years, and now we’re finished and done it.”

9 Richmond Road, Westbourne Park. Supplied by Ouwens Casserly Real Estate

9 Richmond Rd, Westbourne Park

$1.45 million

Agent: Ouwens Casserly Real Estate, Sharon Gray 0418 835 322.

Land size: 1253sqm.

Auction: Saturday, August 1 at 10.30am.

The post Elegance and practicality at one with its surrounds appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Aussie expat Sandy McFadden at the unit she has just bought in New Farm after returning from the United States. Picture: Annette Dew.

QUEENSLAND’S reputation as a safe haven from COVID-19 and global unrest is fuelling a spike in inquiries for property from overseas expats.

International searches for buying property on Realestate.com.au has jumped 22 per cent year-on-year, while local agents are reporting there is strong interest from Queensland expats, especially from Hong Kong.

One Gold Coast real estate agent said the combination of COVID-19 and political instability had been a “call to come home” for many overseas expats.

“They’re mainly long-term residents who have witnessed a lot of change and unease, and just want to come back to Queensland,” sad John Pirie, sales manager at Mantra Realty Broadbeach.

An aerial view of the Surfers Paradise skyline on a clear day in Queensland, Australia.

“There is also zn element of these expats seeing value in the properties available on the Gold Coast. For example, I’m selling high-end units for about $10,000 a square metre at the moment and I’ve got a client in Hong Kong who told me she had paid $60,000 a square metre.”

Mr Pirie said the number of properties being sold “sight unseen” had also increased.

“Buyers are very educated now, and measures such as online videos allow them to do virtual inspections from the safety of their own homes, rather than travel to see them first-hand,” he said.

“While most of my business is in south-east Asia, I’ve been contacted by expats in the US who want to come home because they see Queensland as a safe destination.”

Brisbane CBD featuring the Queen’s Wharf development under construction. Picture: Richard Walker.

Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee said there was strong anecdotal evidence many expats were re-evaluating their circumstances due to the coronavirus, and the low Australian dollar and record low interest rates proved an attractive value proposition.

“It makes sense given how we’ve been impacted by COVID-19, it’s pretty light on,” Ms Conisbee said.

“That means our economic recovery will be quicker. Also, the dollar is fairly weak, which makes Australian property more attractive.”

Ms Conisbee said the majority of people searching for property in Queensland were based in New Zealand, the UK, the US and Hong Kong.

REA Group chief economist Nerida Conisbee.

She said beach locations Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast and Noosa on the Sunshine Coast were the most in-demand among overseas buyers.

“Brisbane doesn’t see a lot of overseas searches,” Ms Conisbee said. “When people think of Queensland, they think of the beaches.”

Tom Offermann, principal of Tom Offermann Real Estate, who sells prestige property in Noosa, said about 5 per cent of his buyers were from overseas, mostly Asian expats.

“While the percentage is low, expat buyers typically have larger budgets and have made quite an impact to the value of prestige property,” Mr Offermann said.

“Recent events in Hong Kong are likely to drive more expats to invest back home.”

An aerial photo of Noosa’s Main Beach.

Place Estate Agents managing director Sarah Hackett said a growing number of Hong Kong buyers were looking to diversify their portfolios and secure a home now for when they eventually returned to Brisbane.

“I’m excited about (Brisbane’s) top-end market and what is to come,” Mrs Hackett said.

“We are currently working with a number of buyer’s agents in Hong Kong to help secure opportunities.”

Josh Cross of LJ Hooker Brisbane City Residential said he had been inundated with inquiries from expats since COVID-19 struck.

Mr Cross said he had shown a number of Hong Kong expats through some of his high-end rentals, with many prepared to pay up to $1500 a week for an apartment.

“I’m also actively finding a home for a couple and their daughter returning from New York who can’t wait to get home,” Mr Cross said.

“COVID and political unrest are making them eager to come back. School catchments are important to them and I find they’re looking towards Bowen Hills, Spring Hill, West End.

“Before COVID, it was all Melbourne buyers, which is still happening as well.

“I’ve spoken to probably 20 people in the last week from Melbourne saying; ‘We’re selling, we’re done, we’re moving to Queensland.”

His client Sandy McFadden has just bought a unit in New Farm after living in San Francisco on and off for more than 20 years.

The cafe scene at New Farm, where expats are looking to buy. Picture: Annette Dew.

Ms McFadden said she had been toying with the idea of investing in Brisbane and returning to the US in March, but decided to stay.

“I have to say I am very, very pleased to be here during this period because Brisbane’s an amazing city,” Ms McFadden said.

“My mother lives in Hervey Bay so I’ve been coming back and forth to Queensland for a very long time.

“Things started getting crazy in the San Francisco Bay area, both politically and environmentally, so I’m very glad I’m here.”

Ms McFadden said the only reason she could afford to buy a property in New Farm was because of the weak Australian dollar.

Her only challenge has been finding work in her field of architecture, engineering and construction.

QLD’S 10 MOST SEARCHED SUBURBS FOR PROPERTY BY OVERSEAS BUYERS

1. Brisbane City

2. Surfers Paradise

3. Noosa Heads

4. Noosa

5. Burleigh Heads

6. Mooloolaba

7. Broadbeach

8. Coolum Beach

9. Southport

10. New Farm

(Source: Realestate.com.au)

THE TOP COUNTRIES SEARCHING FOR PROPERTY IN QLD

1. New Zealand

2. United Kingdom

3. United States

4. Hong Kong/China

5. Canada

(Source: Realestate.com.au)

QLD’S 10 MOST SEARCHED DEVELOPMENTS BY OVERSEAS BUYERS

1. Queen’s Wharf Residences, Brisbane CBD

2. Brisbane 1 South Brisbane, South Brisbane

3. Lot 923 Astor Street, Newport

4. 21 Ironbark Ave, Park Ridge

5. Halo, South Brisbane

6. Magnoli Apartments, Palm Beach

7. 1/47 Lysaght Drive, Pimpama

8. 116 Brookbent Road, Pallara

9. Natura, Burleigh Heads

10. 14 Tranquillity Way, Palm View

(Source: Realestate.com.au)

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