Detached homes within 15km of a CBD are still the top choice of house hunters, according to a new survey - with coastal or regional properties a close second.
Results from a PRD Nationwide poll of 1,500 buyers has revealed that 37% of respondents considered a detached house on a 600 square metre block within the inner 15km-ring of a CBD as the most preferable type of home. A further third of buyers considered a coastal or regional property the most desirable, while 18% wanted to live in a townhouse located 6kms from the CBD. The remaining 12% preferred apartments less than 3km from the City.
"The house is still king," said PRDnationwide researcher Josh Brown. "A growing number of purchasers are drawn to the low maintenance lifestyle that comes with living in a unit or townhouse but Australians have always loved their own space and a backyard is still one of the most requested attributes of a property."
The researcher addded that the fact that 30% of respondents would prefer to live in a multi-unit dwelling being either a townhouse or apartment is significant, however.
“This figure is much greater than it would have been ten years ago and is proof of the changing paradigm of the great Australian dream to lower maintenance properties in the capital cities,” he said.
“With older residents looking to downsize and younger more mobile residents looking for a hassle free dwelling, units and townhouses have become a sought after residence.Also these types of properties are often more affordable to purchase and therefore a larger segment of the market are now considering this as their preferred purchase.”
Brown added it was not surprising that a third of respondents wanted to reside in a property away from the the inner city.
“Not all residents are dependent on the CBD for employment or other needs, and so living away from the CBD offers a number of advantages. Firstly, it means cheaper housing so larger lot sizes and better quality residences are more achievable in this area,” he said. “Also, the quality of life in these areas can be alluring when you’re surrounded by the environment and serenity rather than building and noisy suburbs.”
