Enjoy a sea change in 10 bargain 'burbs at beach - Sound Telegraph

Homebuyers chasing a coastal lifestyle can still find properties within 5km of the beach for $200.000 below Perth's median house price, new data shows.

Real Estate Institute of WA figures for the greater Perth area show Warnbro. Waikiki, Port Kennedy and Golden Bay within the City of Rockingham are all coastal suburbs with median house prices of $430,000 or less.

Mandurah is the cheapest coastal suburb with a median house price of $320,000, compared to Perth's $527,000.

In Merriwa, about 36km north of the CBD, beach lovers can also find homes below $400,000, with its median $386,388 making it the second most affordable. Warnbro, in Perth's south, came in third at $395,000.

While the 10 most budget-friendly coastal suburbs are all 30km or more from the CBD, REIWA president Damian Collins said these areas were becoming more attractive to buyers, in part thanks to COVID's working from home.

"I certainly think in the medium term we will see those coastal areas roughly an hour or more away from the city become more popular simply because if you're coming into the office two days a week, the hour-and-a-half grind each way is not too bad when you've got the rest of the week in a beautiful spot, near a beach," Mr Collins said.

Realmark Mandurah agent Simon Wroth said the area had been undervalued but was confident that would change.

"We've had the highest volume of sales we've had in a long time over that COVID period and more recently, even with interest rate rises, people are seeing the affordability here," he said.

"You've got the train line to Perth and you've got this natural beauty down here with one of the biggest inland waterways in Australia and pristine beaches, it's a great lifestyle.

According to Mr Wroth, many Perth buyers were now turning their attention to Mandurah.

"They're all going: 'Let's buy something close to the beach. Let's sell our place in Canning Vale for $800,000, get something close to the beach for $500,000, put money in the bank and live a better lifestyle," he said.

For Jonathan Hatfield. who has recently had an offer on a family home accepted, there was nowhere else he has wanted to live, saying Mandurah felt like a "24/7" holiday.

"We've got two little kids and a small dog so we head down to the beach for a lot of dog walking; we more just like the feel of of where we are," he said.

Top 10 cheapest coastal suburbs less than 5km from the coast by median house price

Mandurah: $320,000

Merriwa: $386,388

Warnbro: $395,000

Butler: $410.000

Ridgewood: $414,000

Lakelands: $420,500

Waikiki: $424,000

Golden Bay: $425,000

Port Kennedy: $430,000

Falcon: $430.000

Source: REIWA

Article originally published in Sound Telegraph 28 September 2022.

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