The Secret Aussie Property Investment Internationals Love: Do You Know What It Is?

Australia has a rapidly growing yet surprising new property market luring in international developers: student housing.

The country's high standard of education, coupled with the weakened Australian dollar has given it the fastest growing foreign student population in the world, and global companies are cashing in on students need for accommodation.

The current shortfall of purpose-built student accommodation in the relatively immature Australian market is leading to some of the highest returns on student housing investment in the world. 

According to Savills WorldResearch, student housing investments in Australia offer an average 7% yield as opposed to the 5% offered by the UK and 5.75% offered by the US.

These above average returns are attracting developers from China, Dubai and South Africa, who are purchasing land, apartments and housing that can be re-purposed into student accommodation.

Educational services are now Australia’s third-biggest export after mined commodities like iron ore and coal, and with the mining boom winding up, the economy is continuing to refocus on to service industries, like education, which attract the coveted Chinese dollar.

Over a quarter of the country's 645,000 overseas enrolments last year were Chinese students, and the nation's demand for both education and housing in Australia is on track for continued growth in the years to come.

6 Signs the Gold Coast is the “Pick” of Investment Areas in 2016

When asked which Australian cities are likely to boast this year’s best property market potential, property developers and market analysts are pointing to Queensland’s Gold Coast. 

1. Infrastructure investment galore

Both the government and private investors have been quietly delivering more and more infrastructure to the Gold Coast for the last few years.

The light rail and its extension to the heavy rail network that has just been approved, the sporting facilities being built for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, potential Broadwater developments and the widespread retail centre upgrades across the city are all clear indicators of economic growth.

2. Rental demand is soaring

Now is a good time to be a Gold Coast landlord. The market is tight right now, with unrelenting rental demand, some of the lowest vacancyrates in the state, and comparatively low property prices all fuelling investor confidence.

3. Culture, not just lifestyle, is becoming a selling point

A noticeable shift in the culture of the Gold Coast is taking place. While there will always be fish and chips shops, night clubs, theme parks and an on-the-water lifestyle on the Coast, there is a growing demand for a more cultivated experience.

In the last five years, the city’s restaurateurs, high-end hotels and retail outlets have been quietly stepping up their game, moving the city towards becoming a world-class cultural hub, not just a beach-side holiday destination.

4. Genuine value for Southern buyers

Sydney and Melbourne buyers – particularly first time property buyers who are looking for a lower-cost entry point in to the market – are flocking to the Gold Coast.

Southern buyers are genuinely impressed with the value that the city offers – why buy a two bedroom apartment for $1 million in Sydney when you could purchase two family homes on the Gold Coast for the same price? Or even an affordable beach front property?

5. The demographic is changing

The Gold Coast has long been renowned for housing the rich and famous of Australia. And, while the nation’s financially elite and their international counterparts certainly aren't going anywhere, the Southern influx is heralding the emergence of a new demographic.

The region’s growth means that young families buying their first homes, professionals drawn to new job opportunities, and interstate retirees will continue represent an increasing portion of the Gold Coast’s housing market in the decades to come.

6. Properties aren’t lasting long

Properties of all varieties are being snapped up quickly after being listed. Earlier this year a half-finished five-bedroom, seven-bathroom mansion in Tallai sold for $2.8 million – double what it was bought for in 2007!