COVID-weary expats are driving the Coast’s next property boom, with the region Australia’s top pick for international buyers desperate to flee pandemic hotspots for the Sunshine State.
Holiday hotspots Surfers Paradise, Burleigh Heads and Broadbeach were the most searched suburbs, with “Gold Coast, QLD” the most popular search term, accounting for 7 per cent of all overseas inquiry on the leading listings website.
Harcourts Coastal sales director Rob Forde said the Gold Coast arm of the multinational agency was working closely with international counterparts to source property for buyers, particularly from New Zealand and the US.
“We’ve seen a big uptick in expat numbers,” Mr Forde said.
“A lot of people are looking to move back to Australia from wherever they are, based on the way we have handled COVID.
“We’re essentially back to a normal way of life, and really when you’re looking at Australia, the one place you can imagine living is the Gold Coast in terms of the lifestyle and the value property here represents,” he said.