Managing Director Alex Ouwens shares his top five predictions around the South Australian property market in 2021. The ongoing COVID pandemic did not stop most of us from breathing a sigh of relief at the end of 2020, and a cautious but renewed sense of optimism about what 2021 will bring.
Within the real estate market, 2021 certainly points towards the positive. Adelaide’s property prices increased by 5.3 per cent in 2020 easily outstripping our counterparts in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Prices in regional SA soared by 8.1 per cent, the third-highest in the country.
Buoyed by State and Federal Government support into the sector, South Australia’s land and property sales soared in the second half of 2020 with many people taking the year to reassess their priorities in all aspects of their lives.
What will 2021 hold?
Without a doubt, Australia is in an enviable position when it comes to COVID. We have accepted outbreaks are likely to continue to occur in the short-term and recognise the response of state governments. As a result, our ability to ebb and flow to this new normal is becoming more and more finessed.
As well as making us more adaptable, 2020 has fundamentally changed the way many of us work, study and live. As such here are our top five predictions and expectations for 2021:
1. Regional sales will strengthen even further
As people reassess their lifestyle and their need for space, fresh air and light, we anticipate properties in regions like the Adelaide Hills, Barossa, McLaren Vale and Victor Harbor/Goolwa regions will prove ever more popular. In addition, the inability to holiday abroad and uncertainty about travelling interstate will also see a boost in holiday homes to locals.
2. Three/four bedroom is a must
The kitchen bench or dining room table no longer cuts it for a home office. With many professionals taking the opportunity to move to a hybrid model of working, with at least a few days from home, a separate, professional home set-up will become a major priority.
3. Backyard dreaming
Lock up and leave is perfect for travellers, but with international travel off the cards for at least the first half of 2021, and the continued uncertainty of swift border closures when it comes to domestic travel, people are craving more breathing space at home and the opportunity for quality time outdoors within the boundaries of their property. For units and apartments, this equates to a decent sized balcony or courtyard space.
4. Community is king
2020 demonstrated to all of us just how quickly people’s lives and livelihoods can change. The generosity and empathy of strangers to each other was one of the few highlights of lockdown – from people checking in on neighbours living on their own, to those who went grocery shopping for the elderly in their community. A community-minded neighbourhood with well-kept play areas for children, locally owned cafes and shops and high-quality education and childcare options has become more important than ever for homebuyers.
5. Sea breeze
There is nothing like a long walk along the coast to bring some peace and perspective during times of turmoil. Coastal suburbs will continue to be amongst the most popular in 2021, with many properties ticking all the boxes mentioned above.
At Ouwens Casserly we remain cautiously optimistic that 2021 will prove a stellar year when it comes to property sales – both in terms of the quality and quantity of properties on offer. We anticipate many people will have taken 2020 as an opportunity to review and reassess what they want from their home and will now take the plunge to find the perfect property that meets their needs. With a property market that is showing no signs of cooling down anytime soon, it’s an exciting time to get involved!
Check out the properties currently available here, or contact us now to discuss how we can help.
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Alex Ouwens and Nathan Casserly have a genuine passion for real estate and love to help people achieve their goals and dreams through property. Find out more about OC here.
Interested in a career at Ouwens Casserly Real Estate? Check out our opportunities here.
