Off the rails! Queensland home with converted train carriage for sale
Hilltop charm meets railway nostalgia at this quirky Queensland acreage featuring a converted Sunlander carriage.
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A quirky wooden Queensland hilltop home has hit the market with a converted train carriage on site.
The five-bedroom two-bathroom property at 52 Ray Booker Court, Kobble Creek in Moreton Bay is being marketed by Vicki Pain, selling principal at Ray White Rural Dayboro and Eumundi.
Ms Pain has been selling real estate in the area for the last 20 years and said it was the first time she had listed a property with a train carriage.
“This home is very unique,” Ms Pain said. “It’s not often something like this comes to market – there’s certainly some charm and uniqueness to this property.
“It is only 42km from Brisbane’s CBD and creates one of the best lifestyle property markets, attracting retirees looking for space or families with great schools and an excellent local community.”
Known as ‘Twin Peaks’, the property is owned by Peter and Zena Martin, who lived there for 15 years before moving to Agnes Waters for a change of lifestyle.
Mr Martin said the converted train carriage was always a talking point among those who drove past or visited their home.
“I was running my own business from home and started with one bedroom being converted into an office,” Mr Martin said. “Converting a shed was an enormous amount of money so I found the train carriage online.
“There’s a lot of history to it – it’s an original staff sleeper carriage, number 1471, from Queensland Railways’ The Sunlander (1952) which now sits at the front of the property with privacy hedging.”
Mr Martin said the carriage had top and bottom bunks; however, the bottom bunks were removed and replaced with custom-made desks.
He said the original bunks were still in storage at the property.
Mr Martin also had a wall cut out within the carriage to make it a meeting room with five offices.
He said another young family would be best suited to the “quirky wooden home”.
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Buyer demand, seller confidence and the First Home Guarantee Scheme are setting up a frantic spring, with activity likely to run through Christmas.
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The spring property market is shaping up as the most active in recent memory, according to property experts Two Red Shoes.
Mortgage brokers Rebecca Jarrett-Dalton and Brett Sutton point to a potent mix of pent-up buyer demand, robust seller confidence and the First Home Guarantee Scheme as catalysts for a sustained run.
“We’re seeing an unprecedented level of activity, with high auction numbers already a clear indicator of the market’s trajectory,” said Sutton. “Last week, Sydney saw its second-highest number of auctions for the year. This kind of volume, even before the new First Home Guarantee Scheme (FHGS) changes take effect, signals a powerful market run.”
Rebecca Jarrett-Dalton added a note of caution. “While inquiries are at an all-time high, the big question is whether we will have enough stock to meet this demand. The market is incredibly hot, and this could lead to a highly competitive environment for buyers, with many homes selling for hundreds of thousands above their reserve.”
“With listings not keeping pace with buyer demand, buyers are needing to compromise faster and bid harder.”
Two Red Shoes identifies several spring trends. The First Home Guarantee Scheme is expected to unlock a wave of first-time buyers by enabling eligible purchasers to enter with deposits as low as 5 per cent. The firm notes this supports entry and reduces rent leakage, but it is a demand-side fix that risks pushing prices higher around the relevant caps.
Buyer behaviour is shifting toward flexibility. With competition intense, purchasers are prioritising what they can afford over ideal suburb or land size. Two Red Shoes expects the common first-home target price to rise to between $1 and $1.2 million over the next six months.
Affordable corridors are drawing attention. The team highlights Hawkesbury, Claremont Meadows and growth areas such as Austral, with Glenbrook in the Lower Blue Mountains posting standout results. Preliminary Sydney auction clearance rates are holding above 70 per cent despite increased listings, underscoring the depth of demand.
The heat is not without friction. Reports of gazumping have risen, including instances where contract statements were withheld while agents continued to receive offers, reflecting the pressure on buyers in fast-moving campaigns.
Rates are steady, yet some banks are quietly trimming variable and fixed products. Many borrowers are maintaining higher repayments to accelerate principal reduction. “We’re also seeing a strong trend in rent-vesting, where owner-occupiers are investing in a property with the eventual goal of moving into it,” said Jarrett-Dalton.
“This is a smart strategy for safeguarding one’s future in this competitive market, where all signs point to an exceptionally busy and action-packed season.”
Two Red Shoes expects momentum to carry through the holiday period and into the new year, with competition remaining elevated while stock lags demand.
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