Agents bracing for rush to Gold Coast

GOLD COAST real estate agents are bracing for a sales rush as interstate buyers line up for Queensland’s borders to reopen.

Excluding Victoria, the state’s borders will be reopened to travel from July 10.

“When the announcement was made (to reopen the borders) I received six calls in one day from buyers advising me when they are flying to the Gold Coast and a list of properties they want to view,” said Tolemy Stevens, of Harcourts Coastal.

“They are coming to the Gold Coast to buy a property.

“I think we are bracing ourselves for a fantastic quarter where we see sales spike.

“It will be a fantastic time on the Coast in the next couple of months.”

Inquiry from interstate buyers has also picked up for Amir Mian, of Amir Prestige.

“I have spoken to a lady who sold her property in Sydney recently and as soon as the borders are open she is coming up to the Coast with a plan to buy a property,” he said. “Another couple I have spoken to are selling their home in Victoria, and obviously they can’t come up, but the whole family is planning to relocate here.”

He said the borders reopening provided “light at the end of the tunnel” for many buyers and sellers.

“As soon as our restrictions started easing, our locals were out buying,” he said.

“That will be topped up with interstate inquiry that will eventuate and materialise into sales now that the borders are opening.

“To me, that’s a very healthy market to work with.”

Demand for property in regional Australia, including the Gold Coast, continues to soar, according to REA Group chief economist Nerida Conisbee.

“Search activity on realestate.com.au has seen a bigger jump in views per listing for regional parts of Australia than for capital cities,” she said.

“This is likely to be explained by COVID-19 as people are perhaps looking for bigger places to live and aren’t tied to a central workplace.”

REIQ Gold Coast zone chair Andrew Henderson said having a date for borders to reopen was important for both sellers and buyers.

“People need clarity and direction and a date has given buyers and sellers just that,” Mr Henderson said.

“It will be great to have those southerners up here.

“The workforce has realised they can be a lot more flexible and that has given people the opportunity to live here for the lifestyle.”

He said having more active buyers would give sellers more confidence to list their properties and create more momentum in the market.

“It all depends on stock levels and people’s confidence to put their property on the market,” he said.

“Not having the opportunity to move or buy another property prevents someone from putting their property up for sale.”