The premium coastal and near-coastal suburbs north of Perth, in Trigg, Kallaroo, Padbury, Duncraig, and Carine continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience and high demand. Over the last three months, the buying environment has maintained its intensity, particularly for move-in ready, family-friendly properties with good proximity to the coast and sought-after school catchments.

What Buyers Need To Know

The fundamental challenge in Perth norther coastal corridor remains the crictically low level of available stock.

• Scarcity is the norm: Suburbs like Trigg, North Beach, Waterman’s Bay, Marmion, Sorrento, Hillarys and Kallaroo are seeing minimal listings, often resulting in properties selling within 2 weeks, if not days. Even high-performing, inland coastal-fringe areas like Carine and Duncraig are experiencing a significant undersupply relative to buyer demand. 
• Days on market is low: In Carine and Duncraig, homes are routinely moving within days. When quality homes hit the market, they are often met with immediate multi-offer scenarios. This speed is a direct reflection of buyer eagerness combined with limited choice.
• The "Upgrader" bottleneck: Many potential sellers (the upsisers and downsizers) are reluctant to list until they secure their next home, further constricting the market and ensuring that the few homes that do list face overwhelming competition.

Local Insights

Padbury's profile as a family-friendly suburb has often been influenced from it's outer ring. Demographics from east of the freeway or the coastal overflow have ebbed and flowed through this suburb.

Local real estate agent Tyson Barry from Davey Real Estate, said there are two key reasons for market popularity among homebuyers.

"The main driving force is absolutely the schooling system, which brings in all the families. Padbury is currently the high-value 'spillover' suburb. We're seeing two main types of buyers. The local family looking to upgrade and still retain strong school catchment zones and the coastal value hunter looking land value with close proximity to the beaches." he said.

He mentioned that schools play a large part of the non-negotiable criteria in buyers.

"The absolute non-negotiable factor for nearly everyone is the Duncraig Senior High School catchment. It's the biggest driver of demand and premium pricing here. It's why the suburb is full of owner-occupiers now. They're looking after their homes, their front yards, and it just gives the whole area a fantastic community feel.

As for the property, the renovation level is secondary to securing the postcode. We do get top dollar for houses that are fully completed, but for a lot of buyers, the goal is simply getting into the area for the family benefits." he said.

The Competitive Buying Process

The market remains fiercely competitive, characterised by high growth and decisive action.

• Aggressive Price Negotiation: Due to low stock and high demand (especially in suburbs like Trigg, which has seen strong annual growth over 20%), properties are frequently selling above the initial asking price or at the top end of the quoted range.
• Limited Negotiation Time: In such a hot market environment, Buyers must be prepared to act with conviction and speed.                                                                                                                            
  
• Subject-to-Sale Offers: In most cases, an offer conditional on the sale of another property is highly unattractive to sellers right now and is likely to be bypassed by cash or pre-approved finance buyers.                                                                                                 

Tyson further mentions the sale methods that sales agents are currtly using to maximise result for their clients.

"I'm a massive fan of the End Date Sale (Set Date Sale). Look, Private Treaty works, of course, but in a hot market, it can be a bit lazy, you just sit back and wait for an offer you're happy with.

The End Date Sale is proactive. It creates a real sense of urgency and competitive buzz. Buyers see that deadline and know they need to get their best offer in fast." he said.

This method has three key advantages: 

• Price Max: It forces everyone to submit their highest and best price simultaneously, so you know you've tested the market ceiling.
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• Seller Comfort: Sellers see we’re actively managing the campaign to a structured deadline, which shows clear effort and strategy.                                                                                                                            
  
• Faster Outcome: By setting a deadline, we streamline the whole negotiation phase, making the path to contract much cleaner and faster.                                         

Strategies To Become a Competitive Buyer

To successfully purchase in this environment, buyers must present offers that minimise risk and maximise certainty for the seller:

• Pre-Approved Finance: Have unconditional finance approval secured before searching. Being able to offer a short finance clause or, ideally, none at all, is a significant advantage.
• Short Settlement Terms: Offering a settlement period that aligns with the seller's preference, often shorter than the standard 30 or 60 days, can make your offer stand out. On the other hand, with many off market properties, flexibility on longer settlements or rent back situations is still preferable.
• Clean Contract: Minimise special conditions and property inspections to only the essentials. A "clean" contract is often preferred over a higher price with multiple complicated clauses.                                                                                                

The Off-Market Advantage

In a market defined by scarcity and competition, accessing properties before they are advertised publicly has become the single most effective way to secure a coastal home this quarter.

Our specialised approach, focusing solely on these northern coastal precincts, has allowed us to secure a significant number of off-market properties for our clients over the past three months. By tapping into local agent networks and cultivating direct relationships with sellers, we are able to present homes to our buyers before they ever reach major portals.

For example, a recent sale in Mason Way, Padbury was handled completely off-market. The seller needed to buy their next property, but they were trapped and no one wanted their 'subject-to-sale' offer. By selling off-market to a pre-qualified buyer (like one we found through a specialised buyers' agent network), the seller gained three massive advantages:

• Instant Cash Status: They secured a quick sale with no subject-to-sale clause.
• Favourable Terms: The buyer agreed to a rent-back, meaning the sellers didn't have to move out until their next home was ready.
• Competitive Edge: The seller immediately used their cash-in-bank status to become an unconditional buyer in the next suburb, putting them in the strongest possible position to secure their dream home instantly.

It's all about solving the seller's biggest problem, and in this market, off-market is the perfect tool for that.

Lana Smit

Northern Coastal Area Specialist

Contact Lana below:
Email: lana@vervebuyersagency.com
Phone: 0423 976 626

About Lana