Only an hour north of Brisbane, the Sunny Coast has long been an ideal location for people chasing a beach lifestyle while still looking for proximity to a major city.

The COVID work-from-home craze has seemingly accelerated demand for this lifestyle, with vacancy rates in such locations at decade-low levels.

Note: This article is for 2021. Check out our Sunshine Coast suburbs to watch in 2022.

Buying a home or looking to refinance? The table below features home loans with some of the lowest interest rates on the market for owner occupiers.

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LenderHome LoanInterest Rate Comparison Rate* Monthly Repayment Repayment type Rate Type Offset Redraw Ongoing Fees Upfront Fees LVR Lump Sum Repayment Additional Repayments Split Loan Option TagsFeaturesLinkCompare
6.04% p.a.
6.06% p.a.
$2,408
Principal & Interest
Variable
$0
$530
70%
 Featured Online ExclusiveUp To $4K Cashback
  • Immediate cashback upon settlement
  • $2,000 for loans up to $700,000
  • $4,000 for loans over $700,000
5.99% p.a.
5.90% p.a.
$2,396
Principal & Interest
Variable
$0
$0
80%
 Featured Apply In Minutes
  • No application or ongoing fees. Annual rate discount
  • Unlimited redraws & additional repayments. LVR <80%
  • A low-rate variable home loan from a 100% online lender. Backed by the Commonwealth Bank.
6.14% p.a.
6.16% p.a.
$2,434
Principal & Interest
Variable
$0
$250
60%
 Featured Unlimited Redraws
  • No annual fees - None!
  • Get fast pre-approval
  • Unlimited additional repayments free of charge
  • Redraw freely - Access your additional payments when you need them
  • Home loan specialists available today
Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

Base criteria of: a $400,000 loan amount, variable, fixed, principal and interest (P&I) home loans with an LVR (loan-to-value) ratio of at least 80%. However, the ‘Compare Home Loans’ table allows for calculations to be made on variables as selected and input by the user. Some products will be marked as promoted, featured or sponsored and may appear prominently in the tables regardless of their attributes. All products will list the LVR with the product and rate which are clearly published on the product provider’s website. Monthly repayments, once the base criteria are altered by the user, will be based on the selected products’ advertised rates and determined by the loan amount, repayment type, loan term and LVR as input by the user/you. *The Comparison rate is based on a $150,000 loan over 25 years. Warning: this comparison rate is true only for this example and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Rates correct as of . View disclaimer.

Director of The McGill Group, Mark McGill, said 2021 is an excellent year to buy property on the Sunshine Coast.

“2021 is as good a year as any, prices always look cheaper in retrospect and given the limited stock and the high desirability of the area there is no sign of things slowing down anytime soon,” Mr McGill told Savings.com.au.

Principal of Hugo Alexander Property Group, Adam Nobel, said the Sunshine Coast was experiencing a massive boom.

“Buyers from New South Wales and Victoria are flocking north for a better lifestyle, due to COVID and the ability of more and more people being able to work remotely,” Mr Nobel told Savings.com.au.

So what may be the best suburbs to buy property on the Sunshine Coast if you’re looking for growth? We asked the experts for their picks.

Sunshine Coast suburbs tipped for growth in 2021:

Noosaville

Mr Nobel said Noosaville looked like a great place to buy this year, which is far more affordable than it’s pricey Noosa neighbour.

“Here a four-bed, two-bath, two-car will start from $625,000. This is excellent value given it’s only a 12-minute drive to Hastings Street (Main Beach), and the same time to Sunshine Beach.”

Doonan

Mr Nobel said Doonan represented excellent value, given the large blocks of land available, as did neighbouring suburbs.

“Here you can buy land where you can then subdivide that land into two or three lots. Land in Cooroy and all the way to Pomona also offer excellent value.”

“The hinterland and acreage areas are also performing well because of improved technology allowing people to work from home, and also the affordability of getting more property for less dollars.”

Alexandra Headland

Mr McGill said Alexandra Headland was popular for buyers looking to live there for the long haul and had strong future prospects.

“Always a blue-chip performer and is strong in any market due to the limited number of houses and not much room for further development. Average years of ownership is approaching 20 years, meaning once you live here, you stay.”

Rosemount

Close proximity to Maroochydore and big houses and blocks of land meant Rosemount was a great place to buy this year, according to Mr McGill.

“Rosemount offers nice acreage blocks and larger block sizes with big houses and room for the caravan and the boat, but is only 10 to 15 minutes away from the Maroochydore CBD and all the convenience that comes with it. It’s still a bit of a hidden gem the locals are only just discovering.”

Currumundi

Mr McGill said the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, as well as other infrastructure, meant Currumundi was in for a boom in the near future.

“Traditionally an area known for fibro beach houses and historically a housing commission area, I feel it is only a matter of time before this area booms. Great position with an easy walk to the beach and benefiting from substantial infrastructure being built at Bokarina beach and the hospital. I think there are some excellent opportunities in this suburb, as already we are seeing a number of renovations happening in the area.”

Mudjimba

A small leafy suburb, close to the Maroochydore CBD, Mr McGill said Mudjimba could be a hidden gem this year.

“Mudjimba is a quiet little beachside pocket which is pretty much a locals only. Traditionally people always want to live close to the beach so the beachside suburbs are showing strong growth.”

Stock levels and vacancy rate at record-low levels

Whether you’re looking to buy or invest on the Sunshine Coast, you may face an uphill battle.

According to SQM Research, the number of properties for sale on the Sunshine Coast hit a decade low of 7,252 in December, compared to 12,230 in 2010.

The rental market is in even more dire straits, with vacancy rates falling to a 15-year low of 0.4% in December, down from an April high of 2.4%.

Mr McGill said the Sunny Coast has traditionally always been undersupplied, with the chance of this being rectified in 2021 nigh impossible.

“Since the Global Financial Crisis, the development market pulled away from investing in the Sunshine Coast for a multitude of reasons, mainly being the town plan limited potential development yield making projects not feasible in the market at the time.

“Now we are playing catch up, the market prices are there but the development process typically takes a few years to get a project from start to completion.

“As a best-case scenario, we don’t foresee stock levels catching up with market demand in the immediate 2-3 year future.”

He added greater owner-occupier activity than investor amongst new developments in recent years meant the undersupply issues had been heightened.

“Many of the state government policies are limiting investors from buying such as higher stamp duty than an owner-occupier, and bank lending policies favouring homeowners over investors.

“As a result owner-occupier buyers are forcing tenants out of rental properties and this is something we have been witnessing for the last 4 years and is becoming exacerbated now.”

Photo by Nick Sarvari on Unsplash



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