Families are Pining for new homes Houses snapped up in record time

PACIFIC Pines is shredding its investor image, bringing a new generation of young families to the city’s northwest

Homes in the suburb have become the fastest-selling on the Gold Coast with houses lasting an average of 18 days on the market, down from 51 days at the same time the previous year.

CoreLogic figures show the city’s average is 35 days on the market.

LJ Hooker Pacific Pines principal Pascal Pierre said Pacific Pines had transformed from an investor-driven area to a family haven.

“We’re getting a lot more owner-occupiers rather than investors,” Mr Pierre said.

“Pacific Pines is what they call a master-built suburb. Stockland was behind the development which was designed all around attracting families for sustainability.

“When you look at what you’ve got, you have schools, public transport, a shopping centre and sporting clubs – everything someone would need that is living here.”

Mr Pierre said there was not enough stock to meet buyer demand with people often missing out on properties.

“We had an interstate buyer who put in an offer without seeing the property, then came and viewed the property with their offer on the table and ended up buying it,” he said.

“It was a multiple offer scenario and they paid more than the local buyer.”

Ball Realty Pacific Pines principal Tina Ball shared a similar view.

“Pacific Pines is really being seen now as a place where families want to live,” she said.

“There’s a lot of newer and larger homes that are good value.”

She said buyers were trying to inspect homes midweek before the weekend open homes in a bid to beat their competition.

“They don’t want to miss out,” she said.

“We recently sold a property for more than $1 million and a few years ago you wouldn’t be saying that.”

Chris Reiner and Kate Stuart bought a property in Pacific Pines in 2014 and have been surprised at the suburb’s transformation.

“There are lots of new houses and estates as well as shops and eateries,” Ms Stuart said.

“We have also noticed more owner-occupiers move in.

“It’s definitely a safe, friendly, family-orientated suburb.”

The latest Census data reveals Pacific Pines has a population of 16,700, up 2000 over five years.

The median age is 31 while children up to 14 made up a quarter of the population.