Lockdowns drive rural super boom
CITY buyers seeking to secure a safe haven in the event of further COVID-19 lockdowns are driving a “super boom” in rural real estate.
Inquiries on rural holdings in the southern Gold Coast hinterland and Tweed Valley have risen sharply as buyers act on plans for a pandemicproof lifestyle.
“There has been a super boom in rural property inquiries,” said Christie’s Prestige director Alex Caraco.
“We’ve had a 300 to 400 per cent rise during COVID-19 on vacant rural land in the Tallebudgera, Currumbin, Numinbah and Tweed valleys.”
Mr Caraco said those inquiries were coming from city buyers looking for a self-sustainable secondary residence to retreat to in the event of further lockdowns.
“People’s thought process is as follows: ‘Why would I want to be locked up like people are unfortunately being locked up in Melbourne in a block of apartments,’” he said.
“The inquiries we’re getting are from people who want to own a second property in the country where they can be self-sufficient should another lockdown occur. They can then move there as their principal place of residence, not be constrained, and grow their own organic food. “
Mr Caraco said several rural holdings which had been on the market for some time were now suddenly under contract.
“Be it on a small scale or a large scale, people are moving quickly on rural properties,” he said. “When you look at rural listings on realestate.com.au, many are now under contract.”
Just over the Queensland border in the NSW Northern Rivers pocket of Mount Burrell, a 259ha parcel at 3222 Kyogle Rd attracted huge interest at auction on June 19.
The original threebedroom home is in poor condition, however the property boasts freshwater Tweed River frontage, high rainfall, dams, timber assets, grazing paddocks and subdivision potential – all within 63km to Gold Coast Airport and 73km to Byron Bay.
“The property was expected to sell in the early one millions,” Mr Caraco said.
“There were 42 registered bidders and the property sold for $2 million.”
First National Real Estate – Murwillumbah agent Paul Stobbie said his office had received a spike in inquiries for rural properties since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
He said Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne buyers wanted country ‘getaways’ for $700,000 to $900,000.
“They want to get away from people, grow their own veggies and be selfsustainable,” he said. “I think everyone is planning for the end of the world now.”
He said a sprawling 20 acre property surrounded by mountains at 63 Braeside Dr, Uki near Mount Warning, 30 minutes from the Gold Coast, was attracting huge interest at $639,000.
WITH ALEISHA DAWSON & JANELLE ESTREICH