Cairns Property Market Update August 2019

When it comes to property fundamentals, location is the primary consideration.

Cairns can be roughly divided into five areas, being the northern beaches, western suburbs, southern corridor, CBD and middle ring. As the area develops, more facilities become available closer to where people live rather than having to travel into the Cairns CBD. This is a good thing as the links between the fastest growing areas and the city centre have become major bottlenecks.

Your choice of location will therefore be influenced by the services (schools, shopping, recreation) available in the area which falls within your budget. For example, people who appreciate the beach lifestyle or are involved with surf lifesaving are probably going to live on the Cairns northern beaches. If you are after a rural lifestyle or have horses, you are more likely to live on rural residential in Gordonvale or Redlynch.

The secondary consideration is the characteristics of the actual residence. We can gain an insight into the characteristics which are most valued by looking at renovation trends and what people are doing to improve existing properties. Based on our daily interactions with renovators, the most important features are still kitchens and bathrooms as these are the first things to be modernised. Following on might be air-conditioning, addition of outdoor areas and changes to the layout to embrace more of our tropical lifestyle. More major projects may include increasing floor areas or lifting Queenslanders to create an additional level.

At the end of the day, Cairns is still an affordable option and has locations and property types which will suit most people. Buyers just need to decide which area suits their lifestyle and family best.

Speak with a Cairns Mortgage Broker today.