Parramatta Road draws buyer interest in post pandemic sales flurry

26 May 2023

Eight Parramatta Road sites have changed hands for a total of $41,805,000 amid increased demand from retailers seeking to expand their physical footprints post-pandemic.

In the most recent deal, a piano company has snapped up a Clyde site at 35-37 Parramatta Road with plans to open a major showroom.

CBRE’s Robert Dowdy negotiated both the Clyde transaction and the other recent sales amid heightened interest in high exposure, main road properties.

“Many of these sites are coming to market for the first time in decades, with 35 – 37 Parramatta Road attracting over 120 enquiries after being offered for sale for the first time in 20 years,” Mr Dowdy said.

The revitalisation of Parramatta Road and it’s positioning as one of Sydney’s major arterials has underpinned buyer interest, offering daily exposure to more than 30,000 cars.

This has attracted major national and international brand heavyweights including Costco, Havey Norman, Kmart, Bunnings Warehouse, Coco Republic and Fantastic Furniture.

“Main road locations like Parramatta Road provide maximum brand exposure and owner occupiers will pay a premium for that,” Mr Dowdy said.

“Despite COVID-19 and online shopping becoming more prevalent, shoppers still want to touch and feel the products, whether it’s furniture, electronics, clothing, self-storage or fast food.”

This was borne out in recent CBRE’s recent APAC Retail Flash survey, in which 83% of Australian respondents said they planned to open more stores this year, with just 8% intending to decrease their network size.

The survey also found that 61% of the Australian respondents plan to improve their store locations, while one-third intend to increase the size of their footprints to build more experiential elements into their stores.

Mr Dowdy said this was driving buyer interest in Parramatta Road opportunities, as long-time owners moved to capitalise on the benchmark sales prices being achieved.

Other transactions in the past 12 months include –

  • 211-217 Parramatta Road, Auburn sold for $7,165,000
  • 218-224 Parramatta Road, Auburn sold for $4,700,000
  • 1 / 2 Parramatta Road, Clyde sold for $3,560,000
  • 259-263 Parramatta Road, Auburn sold for $8,500,000
  • 293 – 295 Parramatta Road, Auburn sold for $3,545,000
  • 709-711 Parramatta Road, Leichhardt sold for $4,800,000
  • 147 & 149 – 151 Parramatta Road, Auburn sold for $4,775,000

The next test of the market is Phil Gilbert Toyota’s 3,174sqm landholding at 66-72 Parramatta Road. Robert Dowdy together with John Hill & Co’s Sam Hill are managing the sale via an Expressions of Interest campaign, closing 8th of June 2023.  

It is the first time the site has been offered for sale in 35 years, with the campaign expected to generate international buyer interest.