Housing Supply Falling Along The East Coast

A dire undersupply of new housing lots is on the horizon due to construction delays and is expected to dire up the price of house-and-land packages on the Australian east coast this year following a surge in prices in 2021.

Housing analyst Colin Keane, a director at Research4 expects months of delay.

“It has no supply and customers are still lining up,” said Mr Keane.

Surprisingly, Sydney didn’t take top prize for the most lot sales but did take the ribbon when it came to price growth, up 34% in 2021 from $534,000 from $430,000 for house-and-land packages.

According to Mr Keane, a lack of active supply drove a 50% drop in sales volumes in the latter half of 2021 following record sales volumes in the first half of the year.

“The lack of supply resulted in an estimated nine months of demand being left on the table.

’The number of active [housing] estates dropped from 150 to 75 in one quarter, with a further 21 expected to end in early 2022. [This is] a massive impact on capacity to supply [new lots], he told Financial Review.

Further, the average size of a Sydney housing estate had slumped from a long-term average of 275 to just 78 lots in 2021.

Melbourne, the country’s biggest residential land market, saw 21,000 lot sales in 2021. Prices increased 15% as first home buyers and others priced out of established housing headed to outer suburbs.

Elsewhere on the east coast, south-east Queensland developers are benefitting from the undersupply situation in Sydney and influx of Melbourne buyers.

“Average land sales for 2021 were 41 per cent higher than the past seven-year average … and prices went up 16%” Mr Keane said.

South-east Queensland loot sales approached Melbourne levels with 1900 per month in the June quarter, there was still not enough to meet demand with Mr Keane estimating four months of demand left in the market that he expects will drive up prices in the short term.

Tucked away in Byron Bay’s coveted hinterland, Whimsy Farm is a traditional rural homestead surrounded by more than 16ha of lush fertile grounds with equestrian facilities and a host of whimsical additions including a fairytale-inspired maze.

Just listed with Sotheby’s International Realty Byron Bay, agents Denzil Lloyd and Will Phillips are running an expressions of interest campaign on the glamorous getaway with a price guide of $5.25 million to $5.75 million.

The romantic estate in Federal, 25 kms from Byron Bay dates back more than a century, but has been meticulously renovated by its current owners to attain modern day dream home status.

Back in 2016, the enviable property even featured on Foxtel’s short-lived reality TV show I Own Australia’s Best Home. The picturesque parcel has also been appreciated by location scouts and has appeared in a long list of fashion brand and magazine shoots such as Country Style and Queensland Homes.

Owner Melinda Boundy, founder of boutique interiors firm Melinda Boundy Design, was instrumental in reviving the historic Federal homestead. She has described the rural property as a “a respite from the world” where she and her husband have raised their two sons over the past decade.

“I brought my boys down 10 years ago to nurture their creativity, their boyhood,” Boundy said in a recent Instagram post announcing the impending sale.

“We found our farm with its double-storey treehouse and 40 acres the perfect place for two young boys to thrive.”

In addition to hiring out the estate for formal events, Boundy said the family had celebrated several milestones at the address.

“Many parties, sleepovers, friends staying and events have been held [here]. It has seen the filming of a TV show or two, music videos, location shoots and weddings,” she added.

“Now it’s time to pass the baton to another family to share the magic and wonderment of this beautiful compound.”

Lloyd agreed that the listing is a magical estate, ripe for the picking.

“It’s a wonderland. There’s the maze, but it’s also got the treehouse, teepee, dams, beautiful established veggie gardens and it’s perfect for those who love horse riding,” Mr Lloyd said.

“It really is an oasis with plenty of classical charm as well. It’s not an ostentatious home; it’s an original Queenslander from 1910.”

Living up to its storybook name, Whimsy Farm is home to a preserved traditional Queenslander residence with five bedrooms, plus a freestanding guest cottage. There is also a separate pool house and a combined shed or office on site, all capturing scenic hinterland views.

The main single-storey residence has a choice of entertaining spaces inside and out as well as bedrooms opening to private alfresco areas. A grand kitchen and the large living room both open to a vast terrace and pool area.

In the primary bedrooms suite there is a bay window overlooking the natural surrounds, an ensuite with double vanities, and out on the covered deck an outdoor bathtub is an idyllic spot for soaking under the stars.

The playful property has also operated as a holiday rental and offers up unique bonus features including a solar-heated semi circle pool, a double-storey treehouse, a teepee, horse stables, paddocks and a an Olympic-sized dressage arena.

A true tree change destination, the Federal address is home to 10 acres of regenerated forest, eight water tanks, two lagoons, extensive raised veggie gardens and a citrus orchard.

It is conveniently located a scenic 30-minute drive to Byron Bay and 20 minutes to Bangalow.

Whimsy Farm at 711 Federal Dr, Federal is listed through Sotheby’s International Realty Byron Bay through an expressions of interest campaign closing February 20, 5pm.

Housing Supply Falling Along The East Coast

Supply-chain issues are affecting house-and-land packages.

Whimsy Farm is a playful period estate positioned in Byron Bay’s picturesque hinterland.