Interstate and overseas buyers swoop on properties at Pelican Waters

Interstate buyers have been swooping on luxury homes at Pelican Waters on the Sunshine Coast in recent months with some selling above the listing price within days of being placed on the market.

One four-bedroomhome was bought by a Melbourne buyer who shelled out more than $820,000 sightunseen for the property as Victorians continue to face the harshestrestrictions to personal movements in the country.

LindaFeltman, a multi award-winning agent at McGrath Estate Agents in Caloundra,said buyer activity at Pelican Waters, a major suburb with a mix of luxurywaterfront homes and apartments, had spiked over the past month led byinquiries from interstate and overseas.

“We’vefielded inquiries from the US, France, Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai, alongwith local and interstate buyers looking to secure a foothold in the SunshineCoast market,” said Ms Feltman.

“Manyof these inquiries have translated into sales with prices ranging from the low$700,000s to more than $2 million.

“Notably,some properties were only on the market for two or three days before securing acontract and some have been selling well above the asking price which is aclear signal of underlying demand for properties at Pelican Waters and theSunshine Coast generally.”

South-eastQueensland buyers have also been highly active, but according to Ms Feltman themost surprising deal came from a Melbourne buyer who was unable to physicallyinspect the home.

“Thepurchase of this home sight unseen is a clear indicator of the pent-up demandthat has been building all year among interstate buyers who have been lookingto relocate to Queensland,” she said.

“Lifestyleis topmost on the minds of many buyers, and if the activity we have seen atPelican Waters is any indication, the Sunshine Coast market is high on the listof people seeking a sea change.”

PelicanWaters, located near Caloundra, is one of the Sunshine Coast’s largestmaster-planned communities that has evolved over the past 30 years to become asuburb in its own right.

Developedover four generations on a site owned by the Henzell family since the 1930s,the Pelican Waters story continues with the construction of the $20 millionPelican Waters Town Centre and Marina currently under way and due forcompletion end of 2021.

The Henzells have also recently embarked on a$200 million world-class residential project known as The Cove, adjacent to theTown Centre precinct. The apartment project, to be delivered over four stages,will comprise 220 luxuryresidences for the exclusive Pelican waters enclave known as The Island.

Whilethe project is awaiting development approval, Henzell Property Groups salesdirector Marcus Muir says the interest from interstate and local downsizers wasvery strong.

“We’vegot plenty of people who want to downsize and have placed a hold on some of theresidences we will be creating,” said Mr Muir.

“We’vegot local homeowners who love Pelican Waters who want to downsize and we’ve gotinterstate buyers who know the Pelican Waters brand, and the Sunshine Coast,that also want to purchase.

“TheCove is code assessible, making the approval process a formality, and we willbe commencing as soon as approval is given.”

MsFeltman, who has lived and worked in the Pelican Waters market for more than 20years, said the recent sales activity highlights the enduring appeal of themaster-planned community.

“Forinternational buyers, Australia is still seen as a safe haven for their capitaland a desirable place to relocate their families,” she said.

“Fornational buyers the Sunshine Coast is among the country’s premier aspirationalproperty markets. I may be biased, but when it comes to Sunshine Coastproperty, Pelican Waters has proven to be a consistent performer because itcombines a sought-after waterfront lifestyle with all the amenities amaster-planned urban community offers.

“Thelevel of inquiry we have received in recent months shows that this isincreasingly being recognised by buyers domestically and around the world.”