Homes for sale in Hampton,in Melbourne’s south-east,had more average views per listing than any other suburb in the country,new figures from Domain show – with the suburb’s appearance on this year’s season ofThe Blockputting it front and centre in buyers’ minds.
Homes in the Melbourne suburb of Hampton had the highest average views per listing this year.Greg Briggs
Annandale,in Sydney’s inner west,took out second spot – followed by nearby Balmain,then Bronte in the eastern suburbs.
For the year to date,all but three of the top 30 suburbs for average view per listing were in Sydney,with Lambton in Newcastle and Albert Park in Melbourne rounding out the list.
Domain chief of research and economics Nicola Powell was not surprised to see Sydney suburbs dominate the list,given the strong interest seen in Sydney property over the year as prices soared.
“The spotlight has been on Sydney this year;it’s seen extraordinary rates of price growth,” Dr Powell said,adding premium areas had featured prominently on the list likely due to a combination of genuine buyer interest and aspirational property searches.
Annandale had the second highest average in the country,and topped the list in NSW.Peter Rae
“Some of it is dreaming as well ... we often look towards premium areas to get ideas and have a sticky beak,” she said.
It was this combination that saw Hampton take out the top spot,with average views per listing driven up by both fans ofThe Blockand interested buyers flocking to view the five houses built by the contestants on this year’s show – which airs on Nine,owner of this masthead.
“It really ties into interest that surroundsThe Block,which is like a marketing campaign on steroids,not just from serious buyers but sticky beaks wanting to know what those homes are like,” Dr Powell said.
Selling agent Jenny Dwyer,the principal director of Belle Property Sandringham,said Hampton had always been a suburb that drew good buyer interest – particularly from family buyers drawn to the suburb for its schools,beach,transport links,restaurants,cafes and other amenities.
“It’s a really wonderful lifestyle suburb to live in,” said Ms Dwyer,who noted interest in the postcode had picked up as buyers sought out more space and lifestyle locations during the pandemic.
Ms Dwyer,who sold one of the homes on this year’s season of the show,saidThe Blockhad heightened already strong interest in the suburb,and led to more demand from out of area buyers in Hampton and surrounding suburbs.
Elsewhere,The Domain End of Year Wrapshowed homes in the Gold Coast suburb of Currumbin had the highest average views per listing in Queensland,with Dr Powell noting the region had seen strong interstate interest throughout the pandemic – with more than a quarter of enquiries coming from NSW buyers.
Launceston took out the top spot in Tasmania,as affordability constraints prompted more local and interstate buyers to look beyond Hobart – where house prices jumped more than 30 per cent over the year to September,Domain figures show.
Currumbin took out the top spot in Queensland.
Unley in Adelaide,Yarralumla in Canberra,and Fannie Bay in Darwin were the most in demand suburbs in their respective states and territories.
Back in Sydney,selling agent Tina O’Connor of Ray White Annandale was not surprised to hear the suburb took out the top spot in the Harbour City and second spot in the nation for average views per listing.
“Usually when we have a property on the market in Annandale,you would be getting about 200 email enquiries on those properties and quite a few phone calls as well,” she said.
Young couples and families – drawn to the suburb for its schools,lifestyle and eclectic community – were O’Connor’s key buyers,though she was also seeing growing interest from downsizers from the north shore and eastern suburbs. She had seen buyers who missed out on homes in the suburb often return years later,she added,as their dream was still to live in Annandale.
Homes in Launceston had higher average listing views than those in Hobart.Nic Walker
Houses offering four bedrooms,two bathrooms and two car spaces were the most in-demand nationwide over the year,the report showed,and buyers increasingly sought out properties offering more outdoors space,room to work from home,and lifestyle additions.
Keyword searches for study,garage,balcony,courtyard and garden all increased in 2021,as did searches for homes with pools and properties close to the beach or water.
There was also a jump in regional living keyword searches,with dramatic rises in rural,acreage and farm searches as the rise in remote working and affordability constraints prompted more people to consider a tree change.
“The pandemic has forced us all to use our homes differently as we spent more time than ever in them and perhaps forever made a mark on our purchasing decisions,property wish lists and architectural trends,” Dr Powell said.