Mackay, Toowoomba and the Whitsunday area have earned places in a Top 10 list of Australia’s stand-out regions for affordable property investment.

The PRD report naming the nation’s Top 10 affordable regional areas took into account growth factors as well as median property prices, rental yields and occupancy rates.

It estimated the value of developments being rolled out in the Whitsunday local government area in 2021 at almost $1.5 billion (construction cost), while Toowoomba is expected to see about $1.36 billion in property development activity and Mackay $1.1 billion.

The report noted a high influx of first home buyers entering the property market in 2020, resulting in a growth of 50.4 per cent between the December quarters of 2019 and 2020.

Federal and State Government incentives boosted an already strong market with record low interest rates and increasingly lenient bank lending policies, PRD said.

With housing affordability a major problem within metro capital cities, investment in regional areas had become an increasingly enticing option – particularly with the flexible remote working conditions introduced in many quarters as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions.

Below are the key property market indicators for Mackay, Whitsunday and Toowoomba regions as presented by PRD.

Mackay LGA profile — Whitsunday LGA profile

Toowoomba LGA profile