Weekend Gold Coast Bulletin

Coast’s skyrocketing suburbs

The Gold Coast has been crowned Australia’s fastest-growing economy, and a new property report has pinpointed the four luxury suburbs where buyers are primed to cash in.

The Gold Coast Property Report 2026 by Coast Buyer’s Agency and Hotspotting reveals the region’s Gross Regional Product (GRP) has soared to $49.4bn, outstripping every capital city in the country.

The boom is underpinned by high migration, with more than 420 new residents arriving every week. It’s creating a severe housing crisis with the city falling more than 50 per cent short of its annual build target, the report found.

Coast Buyer’s Agency principal Joe Pullos said the region’s appeal for cashed-up interstate migrants, coupled with low housing supply, meant premium property owners stood to gain the most.

“The big winners from this wave of economic activity will be prestige homebuyers, with particular suburbs set to outperform the wider market,” Mr Pullos said.

He tipped four standout frontrunners for major prestige gains:

Mermaid Beach — The Coast’s ultimate trophy market, known as Multi-Millionaires’ Row, recorded the strongest house price growth in the region, jumping 32 per cent in just 12 months to a median of $3.35 million.

“Mermaid Beach is where the serious money goes, and the absence of any new beachfront land means the supply of these homes is fixed,” Mr Pullos said.

“A blue-chip address like this tends to hold and grow value through every cycle.”

Broadbeach Waters — Prized for its north-facing canal frontages, the median house price rose 15 per cent to $2.575 million, with a massive 46 per cent surge in quarterly sales transactions.

“If I had to single one out, it’s Broadbeach Waters,” Mr Pullos said. “That 46 per cent jump in transactions tells you buyers are moving with real conviction… with that kind of momentum behind it, the window to buy well is narrowing fast.”

Currumbin — Positioned at the southern end’s prestige entry point, house prices here jumped 28 per cent to a $1.8 million median.

“Currumbin has that authentic, laid-back beach-town feel that’s become incredibly hard to find,” Mr Pullos said.

“For buyers who want the lifestyle without the Mermaid Beach price tag, the upside here is substantial.”

Palm Beach — Transformed by luxury beachfront apartment projects, this hotspot has maintained an average annual growth rate of 14 per cent over five years, bringing its median to $1.93m.

“Palm Beach has matured into a true prestige destination, but it hasn’t yet fully repriced the way Burleigh or Mermaid have,” he said. “It remains eminently affordable by comparison… for my money, it’s the one to watch.”

The big winners from this wave of economic activity will be prestige homebuyers, with particular suburbs set to outperform the wider market.