READY-TO-MOVE-IN HOMES HOT PROPERTY

SELLERS of move-in-ready homes are set to be the winners of the post-pandemic property slowdown.

Gold Coast couple Jason and Kate Cantrell are among hundreds of Queenslanders who have relisted properties they bought fewer than two years ago. But while some are copping losses after buying at the height of the boom, the Cantrells are on track to come out on top.

“There was a fiveminute lull in the property market when Covid hit and everyone thought the sky was going to fall in, and we were very lucky to get in then before prices went up,” said Ms Cantrell, a lawyer. With a track record of building and selling more than 10 houses, the Cantrells believe – with the building crisis – the time is right to sell and tap into the demand for newly renovated homes. The couple has listed their luxury home in sought-after Tallebudgera Valley on the southern Gold Coast. The Cantrells settled on their purchase of an 8000sq m parcel of vacant land in June 2020 and built two houses after subdividing the semi-rural block. Mr Cantrell is a builder, and the couple has three children – 10-year-old twins, Liam and Callum, and Daphne, 7.

The family will retain ownership of one of the properties, known as “the white house”, while the new house, a contemporary six-bedroom, fourbathroom dual-living estate dubbed Absolute, goes under the hammer on March 8.

It is marketed by Katrina Walsh, of Harcourts Coastal.

“At the moment, the demand for homes in Tallebudgera is still really high as the listings now have definitely diminished, and it is rare for renovated or new properties to become available in this area,” Ms Cantrell said.

The couple was not immune from supply-chain issues plaguing the construction industry, with the build time for Absolute stretching to more than a year and several late changes to finishes required.

“It’s been a big few months, I can tell you,” Ms Cantrell said. “I think we had to change the stone we had selected five times because when it came close, they’d run out. To sign the build contract today, compared to when we signed, there would be a difference of $300,000 and that’s another reason people would be a little more apprehensive of going into a build contract as fixed price contracts are rarely seen now.”

She said the contrasting palettes of the two neighbouring houses was intentional.

“We were keen to go bold when designing this home,” Ms Cantrell said. “The polished concrete flooring and 3m-high ceilings throughout create a sense of grandeur, while the wide-span glass windows are positioned perfectly to make the most of the incredible sunsets over the valley ridge.”

Absolute comprises the main family home and a smaller second residence, with a central entertainment pad.