News

FOMO is driving a hot auction market in Sydney

PR Newswire

Sydney, Feb. 16, 2021 /Medianet/ --

Extremely strong demand for houses in Greater Sydney and regional areas in NSW with double-digit growth expected in the next 12 months, demand for units remains softer, according to the latest quarterly Risks & Opportunities Report from Riskwise Property Research. 


Houses in NSW enjoy very strong demand, driven by ultra-low interest rates and very strong buyer sentiment. FOMO is a major driver in consumer behaviour both in Greater Sydney and in popular regional areas of NSW.  


Pete Wargent, co-founder of property buying services company BuyersBuyers.com.au confirmed that buyer sentiment has turned around very rapidly. 


“We’re seeing plenty of buyers who put their searches on hold in 2020 suddenly rushing back to buy. Stock levels are very low and auction markets in particularly are very competitive” Mr Wargent said.  


Doron Peleg, CEO of Riskwise Property Research, said that the recovery was broadly in with what had been projected by the research house late last year. “Historically there has been a strong correlation between movements in interest rates, investor activity, and property price growth, and as we forecast last year, the correlation will reassert itself this year leading to strong price growth in Sydney and regional New South Wales, especially for family-suitable properties” Mr Peleg said.  


Mr Wargent of BuyersBuyers.com.au said that prospective buyers in 2021 need to be well organised, well-researched, and act decisively. “A-grade properties in Sydney are selling quickly or with lots of competition at auction, so buyers need to prepare a game plan. There are still plenty of first homebuyers around, but now the investors are coming back too” Mr Wargent said.  


Riskwise Risks & Opportunities report summary 

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index in relation to House Price Expectations has surged sharply in the past four months by almost 32 per cent. House price expectations are already being reflected in auction clearance rates figures, with preliminary auction clearance rates in the last week of January 2021 showing results of nearly 83 per cent in Sydney. It should be noted, however, that a clear distinction should be made between houses and units. The average preliminary clearance rates for houses during the last week of January 2021 were 84 per cent, while for units only 81 per cent. 


In addition to being a preferred dwelling option by owner-occupiers, houses are also perceived as a preferred a preferred investment alternative and generally carry materially lower level of risk than rental apartments. Consequently, the demand for houses is strong by both cohorts of owner-occupiers and investors.  


Clearance rates in Sydney are highly likely to remain high at a similar or a higher rate than their pre-pandemic levels.  


It should be noted that Regional NSW enjoys strong demand and delivered capital growth of 4.7 per cent over the past 3 months, substantially higher than Greater Sydney with 1.6 per cent over the same period.  


As expected, areas attracting lifestyle buyers include Byron Bay, the Central Coast (North Avoca, Terrigal, and Wamberal), the Hunter Valley, Wollongong, and the NSW South Coast. Beachside suburbs especially are outperforming the wider market. The increased popularity of lifestyle areas in NSW started well before COVID-19 and is likely to continue over the medium and long term, with lower and more sustainable price increases.  


Houses 

With only a low availability of stock of quality assets in popular areas across NSW, double-digit growth is likely for houses in Sydney and in most lifestyle areas over the next 12 months, with housing prices breaking record highs.  

Some greenfield areas carry a higher level of risk for houses in the short term, due to an elevated level of supply. A prime example of this is Sydney – South West with the potential addition of 6,090 houses over the next 24 months, being a 5.7 per cent uplift on the established stock. However, while the short-term risk is elevated, over the medium to long term no dramatic price reductions are expected and houses still present a significantly lower level of risk than is associated with high-rise units.  


Units 

It should be noted that houses and units, particularly rental apartments, have a completely different risk profile. The inherent risks of these two dwelling types that represent different buyer cohorts, have been realised, with rental apartments carrying materially higher risk than houses.  Family-suitable apartments that are an affordable alternative to houses and units in popular areas, such as the Eastern Suburbs and the Northern Beaches, are likely to enjoy strong demand and material price increases.  


However, rental units in high supply areas, present a higher level of risk. Irrespective of COVID-19, there are areas in Sydney that have experienced major unit oversupply in recent years. The risks associated with existing rental apartments has increased materially, particularly in SA4s that have a large concentration of young renters, such as City and Inner South, Inner South West and Inner West. Young renters are more vulnerable to the increasing unemployment and this is reflected in a sharp rise in vacancy rates not only in Sydney, but also across other CBDs in the country. 

 

While buyer sentiment has improved substantially, the realisation of risks associated with high supply areas including price movements, constructions defects, and now high vacancy rates, make these properties, that are generally bought by investors, a high-risk endeavour. 

 

Uncertainty surrounding external migration substantially increases the risk in the rental apartment segment, particularly in high-supply areas. The risks associated with these areas is likely to be mitigated over time with increased population.  


Vacancy rates have noticeably increased in some areas, such as in Sydney CBD, increasing the serviceability risk, particularly for highly leveraged investors relying on rental income and taxation planning to service their mortgage payments. The following SA4 areas have experienced large drops in rent: Sydney – City and Inner South, North Sydney and Hornsby and Sydney – Inner West. Mortgage arrears in those high-supply areas should be closely monitored.  

 

ENDS 

 

For all media enquiries, contact BuyersBuyers.com.au Media Phil Bathols on 0419 565 193 or email phil@buyersbuyers.com.au 

Back to News