MORE CASES AT NURSING HOME

GEELONG ON ALERT: Eight new infections at Highton facility as region surges to 241 active cases

TWO more staff members and six more residents from a Highton aged care facility have tested positive for coronavirus.

Opal South Valley now has seven staff and 24 residents — one of whom has died — who have been infected.

There were new infections in Geelong, Colac, Golden Plains and the Surf Coast yesterday with our region now at 241 active cases.

MORE buyers are turning their backs on the capital city amid the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing competition for Geelong property.

Leading market researcher Terry Ryder said a renewed rise in demand for Geelong homes had revealed seven future growth suburbs in a corridor from the city’s southern outskirts on to the Bellarine Peninsula.

The Hotspotting founder said the winter Price Predictor Index picked the second wave of buyer demand after the market had previously peaked in 2019.

“COVID-19 has changed that, providing a second wave of buyer demand for affordable lifestyle locations with good links to the state capital,” Mr Ryder wrote in the report.

The growth markets are Armstrong Creek, Drysdale, Geelong, Leopold, Mt Duneed, Ocean Grove and St Leonards.

Mr Ryder tracks quarterly sales volumes with a rising trend in sales pointing to future price growth.

“Geelong has this incredibly strong local economy that’s transitioned from an old economy to a new one successfully,” Mr Ryder said.

“The biggest employers in Geelong are now things like education and healthcare. (There’s also the) national headquarters of the NDIS – employment is strong there.

“(Geelong real estate) is much cheaper than real estate in Melbourne. It’s surrounded by water, so it offers a great lifestyle and great links to Melbourne. It ticks all the boxes,” he said.

Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee has long said Geelong’s commuter links to Melbourne were a driver of the market.

“If it gets that fast rail, it will only take half an hour to commute to Melbourne, so that’s likely to continue to drive activity,” she said.

Gartland Property, Geelong agent Nathan Ashton said the city’s growing medical and government sectors was creating more competition in a lot of suburbs.

A shortage of titled land had also sparked a race for established homes in Armstrong Creek and Mt Duneed, he said.

He said an auction in Geelong West proved the point last weekend, when three couples – all working for government or health agencies – contested a two-bedroom house in Hope Street, which sold for $644,000, almost $15,000 above the price range.

Realestate.com.au demand data shows buyers continue to search most for homes in Belmont, Geelong West, Geelong, Highton and Newcomb.

Mr Ashton said he believed Armstrong Creek and Mt Duneed were set for a short surge after the first stage of the Armstrong Creek Town Centre opened this week.

He said strong rental returns were having an impact on the Bellarine Peninsula.