PHOTO: Real estate agent Louisa Bambling says couples like Chris and Meredith Stacey (pictured) are moving to Monto for a stress-free lifestyle. (Supplied: Louisa Bambling)
Regional Queensland is experiencing a real estate boom, with the market so hot some buyers are purchasing houses without even seeing them in person.
Key points:
- Buyers are purchasing houses in the Wide Bay sight unseen
- One real estate agent in the North Burnett has sold 40 properties so far this year
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Demand is high but prices are yet to rise
Sold signs are littered across Bundaberg, a dramatic turnaround from a few years ago when some homes sat on the market for up to 12 months.
Third-generation real estate agent Kurt Dempsey said he had never seen the market so busy, with interest coming from around the country and overseas.
Mr Dempsey said the coronavirus pandemic was playing a major role, as city dwellers looked to move away from inner-city density for a more relaxed, open-air regional lifestyle.
“The real estate in Bundaberg is going off,” he said.
“I think Bundaberg has so much to offer, and with all the madness that’s going on in the [capital] cities, people are making the change to move to regional areas.”
With its coastal location and proximity to Brisbane, Mr Dempsey believed it was not just rum and ginger beer that Bundaberg had to offer.
The region produces 25 per cent of Australia’s small crops, has consistently mild weather, and easy access to natural wonders like Fraser Island (K’gari) and the southern Great Barrier Reef.
A median house price of $280,000 is also hard to beat.
“Now we are selling properties sight unseen; we are doing Skype tours,” Mr Dempsey said.
READ MORE MORE VIA ABC
