$170K in a year: Aussie suburbs defying property norms

A key number of affordable Aussie suburbs have delivered double-digit returns over the past year, outpacing the national property market, new data shows.

From Townsville to Bunbury, the latest Pulse report by Washington Brown and Hotspotting, reveals a suite of property markets where investors made substantial capital gains while still enjoying significant yields – proving that the so-called trade-off between yield and growth is anything but a rule.

Aitkenvale in Townsville, QLD led the charge, with house prices skyrocketing 40 per cent, translating to a capital gain of $170,000 on a median-priced property over the past year. Midland in WA followed closely, boasting a 35 per cent price surge and gains of $167,000, while Park Avenue in Rockhampton, QLD, climbed 33 per cent, netting $140,000.

Other standout markets included Kin Kora in Gladstone, QLD, which recorded gains of $150,000 (30 per cent), Carey Park, in Bunbury, WA ($130,000), Berserker, Rockhampton, QLD ($126,000), Balga, Stirling, WA, ($155,000), Withers, Bunbury, WA, ($125,000), Kirwan, Townsville, QLD ($136,000), and Salisbury North, SA ($140,000).

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Townsville in North Queensland has emerged as Australia’s number one investor hotspot.

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“We’ve long been told you can’t have your cake and eat it too in property – growth or yield, not both. But that’s simply not true,” Washington Brown Director Tyron Hyde said.

“The locations identified in The Pulse consistently deliver on both fronts, giving savvy investors a genuine opportunity to build wealth.”

The Pulse revealed that the average growth across its top 50 selected locations from last year was 18 per cent, at a time when the national average was just two to three per cent.

“That equates to an average investor gain of $93,000, compared to less than $25,000 nationally,” Mr Hyde said.

“These aren’t random lottery wins – they’re the result of data-led investing. And with the right advice, everyday investors can still access markets where price and yield work hand-in-hand.

“Nowhere was this more evident than in Aitkenvale in Townsville, where house prices rocketed 40 per cent – translating to a capital gain of $170,000 on a median-priced property over the past year.”

Washington Brown Director Tyron Hyde said Australia’s property market offered big gains for investors if they know where to look.

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Hotspotting Director Terry Ryder said many of the top-performing house markets were not even on the radar of mainstream property coverage, yet they’ve outpaced capital city averages by a wide margin.

“In places like Kin Kora, Withers, and Berserker, we’re seeing gains of 25 per cent to 30 per cent in one year, at a time when national growth is hovering around three per cent. It sends a strong signal that investors should be looking beyond the usual suspects,” he said.