Kiwis obsessed with the Gold Coast

KIWIS are searching for surf, sand and sunshine with New Zealanders making up the biggest portion of overseas searches for the Gold Coast. House-hunting from across the ditch made up almost 40 per cent of overseasbased searches for the Glitter Strip, according to PropTrack data over the past three months.

The UK came in second with a 14.5 per cent share while the US made up 8.7 per cent.

Surfers Paradise was the most popular suburb followed by Burleigh Heads, Southport, Hope Island and Robina.

REIQ Gold Coast chairman Andrew Henderson said it wasn’t surprising to see so much interest from New Zealanders.

“We’ve definitely seen an increase in inquiry level and purchasing from New Zealand,” Mr Henderson said.

“After experiencing heavier lockdowns over the pandemic a lot of are potentially wanting to move here for the lifestyle, to retire or to study.”

At Siera’s Tapestry development in Surfers Paradise, one in five inquiries were heralding from New Zealand.

Among those were David and Karen Dovey from Mt Maunganui in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty, who bought a twobedroom apartment.

“We fell in love with Tapestry while holidaying on the Gold Coast,” Mr Dovey said. “The calm environment of Chevron Island, so close to the hub of Surfers Paradise, gives us the best of both worlds, all within walking distance of the beach.

“Karen and I have retired after building a very busy franchise business and we are looking for an adventure.”

He said Tapestry and the “Australian lifestyle” attracted them to the Coast.

“Given the vitality of the Gold Coast, it is a big contrast to where we live currently in Mt Maunganui.”

Founder of Siera Brent Thompson, said the Gold Coast’s subtropical lifestyle and affordability was attracting an increasing number of New Zealanders.

“The strength of New Zealand’s property market is enabling more people to capitalise on the value of their home and achieve a higher level of lifestyle opportunity, and lower cost of living on the Gold Coast,” Mr Thompson said.

John Cole of Lucy Cole Prestige Properties said the level of demand from expatriates wanting to secure a slice of home was keeping the Gold Coast market stronger than Sydney and Melbourne.

“A lot of expats are starting to look at returning home after spending years away during the Covid-pandemic and are now experiencing life overseas in a time of increasing global uncertainty,’’ he said.