And prestige homebuyers in these standout suburbs are tipped to reap the rewards
The Gold Coast has overtaken every Australian capital city to become the nation’s fastest-growing economy, and certain GC prestige homebuyers are set to reap the rewards, according to new industry research.
The Gold Coast Property Report 2026, a joint publication by COAST Buyer’s Agency and Hotspotting, shows the region’s economy is now expanding faster than any capital.
COAST Buyer’s Agency principal Joe Pullos said the analysis supports his belief that Gold Coast prestige is the nation’s most exciting growth market, with continued price gains to be fuelled by record migration, a $91 billion infrastructure pipeline and a jobs boom.
Mr Pullos also identified four suburbs he considers most promising for prestige gains.
“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.
The report reveals the region’s Gross Regional Product has reached $49.4 billion – $775 million above forecast – and growth of 10.07% is forecast over the next four years, well ahead of the national rate of 7.91%.
The study shows the Gold Coast’s economic base has fundamentally shifted, with construction and health care having overtaken tourism as the region’s biggest economic drivers.
“This transformation signals a maturing, diversified economy rather than a seasonal one,
“Growing up in Queensland, the saying was ‘if you’ve got any get up and go, you get up and GO!’ meaning you had to be prepared to move Sydney or Melbourne to advance your career. That’s now completely reversed. Professionals from down south and returning expats are among those moving here in droves to build businesses and enjoy the lifestyle”
Underpinning the surge is relentless population growth. More than 420 new residents arrive on the Gold Coast every week, with the largest share moving from higher-priced NSW coastal markets. This is pushing the region’s population towards one million by 2040, six years earlier than previously projected.
That demand is colliding with a severe housing shortage. The Gold Coast needs around 9250 new homes a year to keep pace, but approvals sat at just 4091 in the 2025 financial year. Rental vacancies have collapsed to 1.3%, leaving barely 900 properties available across the entire region.
“The number I’ve always watched is migration, and right now the Gold Coast is absorbing more than 400 people a week into a market that simply isn’t building enough homes
“When you’ve got too many people chasing too few houses, there’s really only one direction for prices.”
Mr Pullos said recent federal budget changes had only sharpened the appeal of premium owner-occupier homes. Under the budget’s proposed reforms, tax concessions on investment property are being wound back, while the family home retains its long-standing exemption from capital gains tax.
“With the proposed changes making investment property less tax-effective, the family home becomes an even more attractive place to build and hold wealth.
“For buyers with capital to deploy, putting it into a high-quality home in a tightly held suburb is an increasingly compelling strategy.
“We’re already seeing strong interest in certain areas from buyers with around $2 million-plus to spend on a home, and our analysis indicates there is far more growth to come.
“For buyers moving up from Sydney or Melbourne, the value equation is striking. A median house in Bondi is around $4.5 million. For a third of that, you can buy into a comparable coastal lifestyle in Surfers Paradise — and you’re buying into the fastest-growing economy in the country while you’re at it.”
Four standout prestige homebuyer suburbs
- Mermaid Beach
The Gold Coast’s most recognised trophy market and home to the prestigious “Millionaires’ Row”, Mermaid Beach recorded the strongest house price growth of any market in the report – up 32% to a median of $3.35 million in just 12 months, with five-year average annual growth of 16%.
“Mermaid Beach is where the serious money goes, and the absence of any new beachfront land means the supply of these homes is fixed.
“When you have buyers competing for a finite pool of trophy homes in a market growing this fast, the only way is up. A blue-chip address like this tends to hold and grow value through every cycle.”
- Broadbeach Waters
A long-established prestige enclave prized for its wide, north-facing canal frontages and direct Broadwater access, Broadbeach Waters has seen its median house price rise 15% to $2.575 million, accompanied by a striking 46% surge in quarterly sales transactions.
That jump in turnover is significant: in property markets, rising transaction volumes typically precede price growth, making it one of the clearest leading indicators of a market about to accelerate.
“If I had to single one out, it’s Broadbeach Waters.
“That 46% jump in transactions tells you buyers are moving with real conviction. For a prestige canal-front home that’s walking distance to the beach, the dining precinct and the light rail – with that kind of momentum behind it, the window to buy well is narrowing fast.”
- Currumbin
At the southern, more relaxed end of the Gold Coast, Currumbin offers a sought-after beachside village existence that has drawn a wave of interstate lifestyle buyers. Its median house price is up 28% to $1.8 million, placing it at the entry point of the prestige tier.
“Currumbin has that authentic, laid-back beach-town feel that’s become incredibly hard to find, and increasingly valuable.
“At this price point you’re still getting into a genuine prestige beachside market with real room to run. For buyers who want the lifestyle without the Mermaid Beach price tag, the upside here is substantial.”
- Palm Beach
Once regarded by locals as a less glamorous beachside suburb to the south, Palm Beach has undergone a dramatic transformation into one of the coast’s most desirable addresses, driven by a wave of architecturally striking beachfront apartment projects from some of the state’s leading lifestyle developers.
With a median of $1.93 million and 14% average annual growth over five years, Mr Pullos said Palm Beach arguably had the most runway left of his four picks.
“Palm Beach has matured into a true prestige destination, but it hasn’t yet fully repriced the way Burleigh or Mermaid have.
“It remains eminently affordable by comparison, which is exactly why it’s got so much growth potential as the market accelerates. For my money, it’s the one to watch.”
The report concludes that the combination of sustained migration, a diversifying economy, chronic undersupply and a vast infrastructure pipeline has created the conditions for continued price growth well beyond the 2032 Olympic Games, outweighing any short-term market noise from recent federal policy changes. “The fundamentals here are as strong as I’ve seen. This isn’t a speculative run, it’s a structural shift in where Australians want to live and work. The growth in this market outweighs any of the little blips along the way.”
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