Townhouse. Villa.
Townhouses & Villas
Townhouse/Villa complexes on the Gold Coast generally fall into two broad categories. Those that are in small-scale complexes and those that are in larger-scale complexes. Both of these will be on a strata title and as such have an established body corporate to arrange the care of common property and maintenance of the dwelling. Found in a wide range of designs, shapes, sizes, levels of finish, ages and price points. Which style of complex will best suit you? Lets find out…
Complex Sizes:
Townhouses are packaged in 2 very different types of complexes. Small complexes (6-12 dwellings) which are more private, have lower body corporate fees and do not have any amenities(pools, tennis courts, landscaped gardens, saunas, gyms). You will find that the Larger scale complexes (12-150 dwellings) offer a community feeling that is catered by more amenities and an onsite manager which will naturally have much higher body corporate fees and tend to be not as private.
Many of the smaller-scale complexes suit buyers who prefer a quieter surrounding, more control of their lot, low body corporate fees and easy parking. Broadly speaking townhouses in these complexes demand a higher purchase price (contact us to find out what they are trading for at the moment) as the property will have a higher land-to-asset ratio, relaxed body corporate rules and most people tend to mind there own business. You can expect to be paying between and $40 to $60 per week in body corporate fees. Please note that in a lot of these smaller complexes, it is usually up to the owner to perform the maintenance on their dwelling including the internal and external (roof, pest control, decks, windows etc.)
On the other hand, the larger complexes are packed full of amenities which creates a strong community feel. As there is an onsite manager the by-laws are often enforced strictly. Common issues that clients want to avoid in these situations are strict rules on parking and pets. The body corporate fees are much higher ranging from $100p/w to $200p/w. You must conduct thorough due diligence, as some body corporates include dwelling maintenance in their responsibilities, while others leave it entirely up to the owner.
“Typical small complex found scattered through out the Gold Coast”
“Typical entrance to a gated large scale complex”
Location & Appeal
Townhouses and Villas are found in a variety of locations sprinkled throughout the Gold Coast, from the bustling beachside suburbs like Surfers Paradise, Burleigh Heads, and Coolangatta to quieter inland suburbs and more family-oriented communities like Elanora, Currumbin Waters and Burleigh Waters. Generally, they are more expensive than apartments, but less expensive than duplexes & houses, making them a great option for those wanting a bit more space and privacy than an apartment without the cost of a full house.
You will find that the purchase prices will be determined by the proximity to the beach, land-to-asset ratios, body corp fees, amenities, percentage of investor-owned properties, level of finish, single vs. dual level and a few more big factors!
If you would like to find out how much townhouses are trading for in the current market contact one of our friendly buyers agents today for some free advice.
Land to what ratio? (Land to asset ratio)
When you are purchasing a townhouse or villa it is very important to understand how much land you are in theory taking ownership of. This can have a significant impact on the capital growth of the property, the more land you own the more growth you may realise.
When you purchase a Townhouse or Villa you will be owning a certain slice of the pie so to speak. In a complex of 6, you will own 16.67%, in a complex of 12 - 8.3% so on and so forth.
Here are two examples to help you understand.
This property at 14 Twenty Fifth Avenue, Palm Beach is a small scale complex in a beachside suburb
The property sits on a generous 1,213m² landholding, shared across six townhouse lots. This means each owner effectively holds a 16.7% share of the land—equating to 202.17m² per lot. This is significant because land appreciates in value over time, meaning a larger landholding generally leads to stronger capital growth. With such a favourable land-to-asset ratio, especially within walking distance of the beach, this property represents an example of a great investment option that could be great to live in. This property would also appeal to developers in the near future as it is such a large land golding owned by only 6 people. This makes it a lot easier for them to acquire the site compared to a larger scale complex that might have 50+ owners.
Large scale townhouse complex at 527 Gold Coast Highway, Tugun
The property spans a substantial 6,561m² landholding, divided among 58 townhouses. This means each owner effectively holds a 1.7% share of the land—equating to 113.12m² per lot. This is a lower land-to-asset ratio compared to the above example, it is common in larger-scale developments to have lower land-to-asset ratios. As an investor, you may want to consider this as this property may not have as much capital growth due to the smaller slice of the pie owned. If you are looking for a property to live in it probably does not matter too much, you would want to make sure the dwelling itself suits you, and your family and feels right. Another key consideration is that these properties are unlikely to attract developers in the near future, as acquiring all lots would require unanimous agreement from all owners, which can be a lengthy and challenging process.
We hope that this has helped you understand what type of townhouse is best suited for your next purchase. If it has raised even more questions for you…. please give us a call and we can help point you in the right direction.
Berny - 0422 499 476
BernardRubin@FUTRproperty.com
Buyers Agent Gold Coast - FUTR Property
Sarah ‘Trum’ Trumble
Trum@FUTRproperty.com
0433 639 154
