Phenomenal surge of properties for sale in Ballarat suburbs
Buyers have their pick of homes in regional growth areas
Homebuyers are spoiled for choice in regional Victoria as listings ramp up for the spring selling season.
The number of houses for sale has at least doubled in 24 towns and suburbs across country areas in the past year, according to PropTrack research, as reported in the Herald Sun.
In the Ballarat region, Lucas, Winter Valley and Delacombe are among the areas where listing numbers have surged.
These suburbs are all growth areas with new estates and modern infrastructure, according to Barry Plant Ballarat agent Katie Sexton.
“Listings come up here all the time,” she said.
“The modern homes in new developments attract first-home buyers, young couples, families and investors.”
The number of houses for sale has jumped an incredible 344 per cent in the past 12 months in Lucas, an extension of the Ballarat suburb of Alfredton.
Established about 10 years ago, it boasts good infrastructure, including a shopping centre, schools and transport.
“It’s only a seven-minute drive from the CBD,” Ms Sexton said.
“It’s a family-oriented, ever-growing area, and Loreto College, a popular private school, is building a campus there.”
A three-bedroom house on 374sq m is up for sale at 26 Groat Street, priced at $580,000-$595,000.
The property is currently leased and attracting strong interest from local and Melbourne buyers, Ms Sexton said.
In Delacombe, where the number of homes for sale has soared 190 per cent, a four-bedroom house on 608sq m at 2 Holstein Close, is on the market for $680,000-$700,000.
“This is an ideal home for a young family, and we expect good interest from local buyers,” Ms Sexton said.
The move-in ready entertainer’s paradise is in a popular pocket, near the shopping hub that includes Kmart and Bunnings, she added.
And in Winter Valley, where listings have increased 206 per cent, two properties are being sold off-market by owners moving on to new projects.
They include a display home by a Melbourne builder and a property owned by a city investor, Ms Sexton said.
In the township of Creswick, north of Ballarat, the number of homes for sale has increased 180 per cent.
Located 122km northwest of Melbourne, the historic former gold-mining town is a haven for city buyers wanting the country lifestyle.
“It’s a little country town only a 20-minute drive from Ballarat,” Ms Sexton said.
“It offers a mix of modern and established homes.”