Central. Convenient. Accessible. As a real estate agent when we ask our clients what they look for in a property… more often than not, these are the three words we hear back. Making it vastly apparent that in the twenty-first century, properties have become all about convenience. So, guess it should come as no surprise that the suburb currently dominating apartment sales in Queensland is the one that offers the greatest convenience of them all – the Brisbane CBD!

 According to the latest Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) data report, Queensland’s suburb with the highest number of apartment sales was Brisbane CBD. The CBD trumped the list with 108 transactions for the December quarter.

Here at HS Brisbane Property, we feel this is a sure sign of things to come for the Brisbane CBD property market…

Once upon a time it seemed that living the Australian dream consisted of having a detached home with a big yard… where a veranda and thousand square metre block was highly sought after. It was all about space!

Nowadays we are witnessing a shift in what people are looking for when it comes to their perfect home. Our ideals have changed. Sure it is still about space but nowadays that word carries a different meaning. Today, space has become more about proximity than size.

 We live in a society where compared to 30 years ago, more people per household are in the workforce, and we are working much longer hours. More work, less play means our personal time has become much more precious. People want to spend less time commuting to work or driving to the shops. They want to walk out their front door and have everything right there – from the local supermarket, stores, cafés and restaurants.

 REIQ chief executive Antonia Mercorella agrees with this notion, saying that the REIQ data revealed the apartment market was thriving in Brisbane and more generally that it reflected a demographic shift in Queensland.

“We are seeing Queenslanders embrace apartment living and we know they are now adopting a lifestyle that gives them proximity to work, transport and entertainment,” she said.

“Where the dream once was to live in a detached home… we are now seeing a modern shift towards a more convenient focused style of living, where homes are smaller… and shops, restaurants and public transport are within walking distance.”

At HSBP we are also finding that in addition to convenience, lifestyle is also high on the agenda. The size of a property needs to be manageable. Buyers don’t want to spend their downtime mowing the lawn or working on the upkeep of a massive block. Instead, they want to stroll through beautiful manicured gardens, relax with a cuppa in a bustling café or chill out on a balcony and enjoy a stunning view.

“Water views are always popular when purchasing property, and nine out of the 10 most valuable apartment suburbs all line the Brisbane River, so apartments purchased in these suburbs potentially offer stunning river views,” Mercorella agrees.

From verandas to balconies and lawns to parks… evidently we are witnessing a strong shift in what people are looking for in a home. Ease of living has become the new Australian dream. A lifestyle choice that means property is now more about downtime than upkeep.

This is understandably why Brisbane CBD is REIQ’s number one suburb for apartment sales. After all, the CBD offers everything that this new modern lifestyle demands - making it the perfect location for a new generation of buyers who want it all, and then some.

As our lifestyles become even more hectic, the push for convenience will expectedly continue to grow. Meaning apartments in the Brisbane CBD will always be considered highly sought after, and therefore a strong investment for both owner-occupiers and investors alike.

To source the most central, convenient and accessible CBD properties Brisbane has to offer, call the HSBP team on 0419 782 133 and schedule an appointment.