Central Coast seeing more stability in the residential market: HTW

Central Coast seeing more stability in the residential market: HTW
Staff reporterDecember 7, 2020

Moving towards the latter part of 2019, the Central Coast region is seeing a little more stability in the residential market, according to the latest Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report.

The valuation firm took a look at rental yields across the nation. 

The report notes there is still the occasional outlier sale, but stability can be seen across all phases of the market.

The stability brings a good opportunity to look at where values are sitting and in the case of this month’s submission, where yields are sitting, the valuation firm said. 

"We generalise yields across several sectors of the market to include normal residential, prestige market and the holiday letting market," it said.

"No surprises that normal residential dwellings and units in the suburbs provide the bulk of rental accommodation."

Four-bedroom, new or newish project style dwellings towards the northern end of the region in suburbs that include Hamlyn Terrace, Woongarrah and Wadalba are showing yields in the vicinity of 4.5% to 5% gross.

In the older established locations and closer to the lakes and beaches, such as Bateau Bay, gross rental yield varies from 3.5% in the higher value bracket to 6% in the lower priced property segment.

The report suggests the unit market across the Central Coast Region is well established and like most of the eastern seaboard, it is expanding.

New developments are a prominent feature in the Gosford CBD and we can see that gross yields of between 4% and 5% can be expected.

The beachside suburb of Terrigal is a popular tourist and weekend destination, but it is also home to many living and working on the coast.

Gross yields on units seem to be hovering around the 4% mark at present.

"The Wyong unit market has traditionally been a solid investment choice and at the moment we are seeing gross yields varying anywhere from 5% to 7%," the valuation firm added. 

House and granny flat (secondary dwellings) have been popular in the peninsula suburbs of Umina Beach and Woy Woy for several years now.

This type of property is typified by an older dwelling, sometimes renovated and sometimes not, with a new granny flat erected within the rear yard area and accessed via the rear lane way.

A sample of this property from our records indicates that yields are around 5% to 6%.

"There have been some instances of 7% being obtained, but we believe a more representative level of yield to be slightly lower than this," the valuation firm said. 

In regard to the holiday letting market, getting a true market yield depends on a number of factors, least of which is disclosure of income to the market and that is a rare thing.

Other factors that can affect yields include the location, user reviews of a particular property, non-availability due to repairs and of course, occupancy rates.  

"There are more factors, but these are the ones we hear the most about," the valuation firm stated. 

"We hear and see yields ranging from sub-4% to well over the 10% mark.

"The end result for holiday lettings is that we find that the data is limited and too unreliable to make a call on yields." 

Editor's Picks