Uncategorized

Renting vs Selling in Brisbane’s Inner Suburbs – What’s Right for You?

by newsteadrealty

Renting vs Selling in Brisbane’s Inner Suburbs

A 2025 Guide for Homeowners & Investors

Owning a property in one of Brisbane’s blue-chip suburbs like Newstead, Teneriffe, Bulimba or Ascot is an opportunity many dream of. But if you’re not living in the home, or you’re considering a move, you may be asking:
Should I sell now, or hold onto it and rent it out?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But by weighing up the pros and cons of selling vs renting, you can make a smart financial move in 2025.

The Case for Selling in 2025

Brisbane’s property market has cooled slightly from its 2021-2022 peak, but quality homes in sought-after suburbs still attract strong interest, especially from interstate buyers, downsizers and professionals.

When selling may be the right choice:

  • You want to unlock capital for another purchase
  • You’ve owned the property long enough to benefit from growth
  • The property needs renovation you’d rather not fund
  • You’d prefer a clean financial break
  • You’re not prepared to manage tenants or hire a property manager

Bonus Tip:

Selling in a low stock, high demand window can push your price up — especially in tightly held areas like Hawthorne, Hamilton or Norman Park.

The Case for Renting in 2025

Rents across Brisbane have risen sharply in recent years, and demand for well-located, well-maintained homes remains high. If your suburb is desirable and your property is low maintenance, leasing it out could provide steady income and long-term capital growth.

When renting may be the better option:

  • You want passive income or are not ready to sell
  • You’re waiting for better market conditions
  • You want to retain the home for future personal use
  • The property has strong rental appeal (e.g. close to shops, public transport or lifestyle precincts)

What’s the rental market like now?

Suburbs like Kelvin Grove, Woolloongabba and Spring Hill continue to attract young professionals, students and health workers, creating strong rental demand.

🔍 Comparing Costs & Returns

FactorSellingRenting
IncomeOne-time capital gainOngoing rental income
Ongoing costsNone after saleMaintenance, insurance, PM fees
Market dependencySell price depends on timingRent depends on tenant demand
Tax implicationsCGT may applyTax deductions available
Effort requiredOne-off processOngoing management

So, What’s Right for You?

There’s no “right” answer — it depends on your:

  • Financial goals
  • Timeline
  • Appetite for risk or involvement
  • Confidence in the current market

If you’re unsure, our team at Grow Property can walk you through both scenarios. We’ll assess your home, local market conditions and financial objectives to help you make a confident decision.

Talk to Someone Who Knows Your Suburb

Whether you’re leaning towards selling, renting or still undecided, the best thing you can do is talk to someone who knows your street, not just your suburb.

Book a Free Property Appraisal or Rental Estimate with Grow Property today.

Uncategorized

How Much Is Your Brisbane Home Really Worth? Appraisal Tips for 2025

by newsteadrealty

How Much Is Your Brisbane Home Really Worth?

Your 2025 Guide to Appraisals, Value & Selling with Confidence

If you’re thinking about selling, refinancing or just curious about your current equity, the first step is understanding what your home is actually worth. In 2025, Brisbane’s property market is still evolving, and getting an accurate appraisal can help you make smart, profitable decisions.

At Grow Property, we specialise in local market appraisals across Brisbane’s inner and middle-ring suburbs. Whether you live in Newstead, Teneriffe, Bulimba, Ascot or beyond, here’s what you need to know before you request your property valuation.

What Is a Property Appraisal?

A property appraisal is an estimated market value of your home, based on recent sales data, suburb demand, property features and local knowledge. Unlike a formal valuation done by a licensed valuer, appraisals are free and offered by real estate agents to give you a realistic idea of what buyers would pay.

It’s a crucial step if you’re considering:

  • Selling your home
  • Leasing out your investment
  • Refinancing with your lender
  • Tracking your equity growth

What Impacts Your Property’s Value in 2025?

Every home is different, but there are key factors influencing price in the current Brisbane market:

1. Location & Suburb Performance

Is your property in a high-demand area like New Farm, Kangaroo Point or Hamilton? Suburbs close to the river, CBD or lifestyle precincts generally command higher prices.

2. Property Type & Size

Detached homes, Queenslanders and riverfront apartments often attract premium buyers. Number of bedrooms, bathrooms, parking and internal space all add weight.

3. Recent Renovations or Upgrades

Kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor areas are buyer magnets in 2025. Even fresh paint and staging can impact buyer perception and appraisal outcome.

4. Current Market Conditions

Brisbane’s market is still adjusting post-COVID and during interest rate fluctuations. Supply and demand, buyer confidence and recent sales all influence your price.

Appraisal vs Valuation: What’s the Difference?

FeatureAppraisal (Agent)Valuation (Certified Valuer)
CostFree$300–$600+
PurposeSales insightLegal / financial use
Who does it?Real estate agentIndependent valuer
AccuracyMarket-basedLegally binding

If you’re selling, an appraisal is exactly what you need.
If you’re refinancing, your lender may require a valuation instead.

Why Choose Grow Property for Your Appraisal?

We know Brisbane’s inner suburbs better than anyone because we live and work here. Our team brings:

  • Detailed suburb-by-suburb insights
  • Recent local sales comparisons
  • Experience across both prestige and investment markets
  • A commitment to honest, no-pressure appraisals

Whether you’re in Paddington, Woolloongabba, or Kedron, our agents give you the clarity and confidence to move forward.

✅ Book Your Free Appraisal Today

Curious what your home is worth right now?

Book a Free Appraisal with Grow Property and one of our local experts will come to you, no strings attached.

Finance

What Is A Finance Broker?

by newsteadrealty

Let’s play a game…

Imagine for a minute you’re looking to make your dream purchase. It can be a luxury car, epic overseas holiday or spacious property.

You’ve saved some money but are looking for a line of credit in order to get the total amount required to bring your dream to fruition.

So what do you do?

Most people would stroll down to their local bank, where they’ve probably held a long-term account and have never explored other options, and get the first loan offered to them.

Yet if you think about your day-to-day purchases such as groceries, clothes, food or fuel, everyone finds the best deals before buying anything.

Which begs the question, if we’re happy to be tight with these items, why don’t more people get finance brokers to help them get the best deals with items of consequence like loans?

Unfortunately, you’d be surprised how often I come across people who have absolutely no idea what a finance broker is, yet alone how they can be of huge assistance to them.

Put simply, a finance broker is someone who negotiates with banks and other credit providers on the behalf of a client.

In other words, they’re a financial concierge whose job it is to consult, research and evaluate what the best offer and solution is for your personal requirements.

So what are the benefits of using a finance broker?

Well, a good one will get to know the client on a personal basis and will understand their unique circumstances, conditions and goals they wish to achieve.

In doing so, they’ll source products and come up with strategies that best match the needs of clients having scoured hundreds of products from multiple lenders.

Also, with banks regularly changing staff, established relationships can be broken without notice. With a finance broker, there’s comfort in knowing they won’t disappear overnight.

Now that you know what a finance broker is, the next time you require a loan, do yourself a favour and enlist their services.

Trust me, you’ll thank me later!

Lifestyle

Entrepreneur Vs. Employee – An Insightful Breakdown

by newsteadrealty

I kid you not, if I got a dollar for every time I heard someone say they were going to start their own business, I’d be a very wealthy woman. As a society we’ve fallen in love with the concept of being an entrepreneur. Literally, it’s become a buzzword all over the world. The dictionary definition of the term “entrepreneur” is a “person who sets up a business, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit”. Having once been employed and since then owned several businesses, the difference between the two shouldn’t be underestimated.

When you’re running the show, you’ve got to worry about legalities, paying wages, super, taxes and managing cash flow, all on top of actually sourcing business that makes profit. The fact of the matter is if you’re building a company and aren’t a sole trader, employees are relying on you to provide their income so you have the obligation to do just that. On the flip side as an employee, you’re relatively safe in the security of knowing that unless something drastic happens, you’ll be paid provided you complete the required work. For people who think of their job solely as a way to make money, one perk of working for someone else is that you can switch off the minute you leave the office. Contrastingly, as a business owner, work hours are 24/7. You’ll often find yourself handling business in the middle of the night like it’s normal behaviour. And because of the all-encompassing nature of running a business, there will be lonely moments when the stress of it all can become too much.

During these times the only thing that keeps entrepreneurs going is a passion for their work, so make sure you love what you do! Then there’s the change in the definition of holidays. As an employee on vacation, your biggest concern is how many cocktails you’ll be able to indulge in by the pool. When you’re an entrepreneur on holidays, in between moments of slight relaxation, you’ll still be checking emails, taking calls and doing deals albeit from a remote location. Now that you know some of the differences between running a business and being an employee, do you still think you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Or have I given you a newfound appreciation and respect for your boss?

Property

Melbournians flock to Geelong to buy property

by newsteadrealty

Rising Melbourne property prices have forced Gen Y investors to turn their back on the capital city in favour of the more affordable Geelong.

Realestate.com.au recently released data which revealed that four Geelong suburbs placed in the state’s top 10 most in-demand areas.

Economist Nerida Conisbee said that due to Melbourne’s median price of $730,000 and Geelong’s transport and jobs, the port city’s popularity would continue to soar.

She also added that Gen Y buyers were increasingly looking towards older homes in Geelong with potential for renovation.

“Anything located on the train line [from Geelong] to Melbourne seems to be incredibly popular,” she told www.news.com.au.

“You can get housing like that in Geelong, lots of period homes and older style homes that younger people quite like the opportunity to do up.”

Gen Y’s leading Australian property expert Ayda Shabanz said that as property prices across the country continued to rise, alternative investment locations would grow in desirability.

“Generally speaking, people have a misconception that Gen Y are uninterested in entering the property market but the reality is that couldn’t be further from the truth,” she said.

“A lot of them want to buy property but they have been priced out of entering the market in main areas, which is forcing them towards alternative locations.

“In future I predict first home buyers will continue to look at investment options that they can afford – whether that’s further out or other cities – and rent where they want to live.”

Ayda Shabanz hosts The Road to Property Ownership workshop on Tuesday May 15th 2018 at CUB Club in Melbourne, Victoria. Visit www.growevents.com.au to secure your seat at the FREE event.

Location

Where In Australia Should You Buy Property According To Data?

by newsteadrealty

Australian property experts have tipped Brisbane to be the country’s only prosperous market over the next 12 months.

Renowned property market analysers CoreLogic released data in early April that showed property prices in Sydney and Melbourne were down by 1.9% and 0.5% respectively.

Contrastingly, Brisbane’s market is surging with the same report revealing that property in Queensland’s capital has risen 1.1% in value over the past 12 months.

Speaking exclusively to News Corp Australia, AMP Capital Chief Economist Dr. Shane Oliver said property prices outside of Brisbane would fall further in years to come.

“Home prices in Perth and Darwin are either at or close to the bottom [and] price growth is likely to be moderate in Adelaide and Canberra,” he said.

“But it may pick up a bit in Brisbane thanks to stronger population growth.”

Dr. Oliver also said that claims that Australia was on the verge of a housing crash that would result in property prices decreasing by up to 20% were false.

He argued that property supply in Australia had not kept up with population growth and housing demand, a factor which continued to make cities like Brisbane an attraction location.

“A crash remains unlikely,” Dr. Oliver predicted.

Ayda Shabanz hosts The Road to Property Ownership workshop on Tuesday May 15th 2018 at CUB Club in Melbourne, Victoria. Visit www.growevents.com.au to secure your seat at the FREE event.

Property

First Home Buyers Rapidly Entering The Qld Property Market

by newsteadrealty

Queensland’s first homebuyer numbers have surged 18.5% in comparison to last year, according to the latest PRDnationwide key market indicators report.

Dr Diaswati Mardiasmo, PRDnationwide’s National Research Manager, said 6271 loans were given to first home buyers in Queensland during the September quarter.

“18.5 per cent is quite significant (growth),” she said. “It is not the highest percentage growth across the states but for Queensland it is quite good.”

Whilst Queensland’s property market has become more affordable in the past year, Dr Mardiasmo said other factors were also attracting more first home buyers.

One of which was developers offering incentives which make entering the property market a more enticing proposition.

“I have seen developers where they will match the first home buyers grant accordingly,” Dr Mardiasmo told The Courier-Mail.

“Developers themselves are attracting first homebuyer loans using these methods and because of that it is stimulating first home buyers to actually get into the market.”

Ayda Shabanz hosts The Road to Property Ownership workshop on Tuesday March 20th 2018 at the Queens Arms Hotel in Brisbane, Queensland. Visit www.growevents.com.au to secure your seat at the FREE event.

Property

Brisbane’s Property Prices Expected To Experience Huge Growth

by newsteadrealty

Property prices in Brisbane are expected to rise by up to 20 percent in coming years as buyers from Sydney and Melbourne enter the local market, a prominent real estate figure said.

Speaking to The Courier Mail, John McGrath said Brisbane’s just over halfway in its property cycle meaning local investors stand to benefit from the slowdown affecting southern states.

“There have been huge capital gains in Sydney and Melbourne and not only has it made it unaffordable, it’s certainly made people look for better value elsewhere in Australia,” he said.

Research stated that Brisbane’s average property price was in some cases half of what Sydneysiders and Melbournians are paying, which demonstrates great affordability.

A city on the rise, world-class developments en route to Brisbane in forthcoming years include Queen’s Wharf, Brisbane Live and Brisbane Metro.

Mr McGrath said notable upcoming developments and the fact southerners were being priced out of their local markets would be driving forces behind Brisbane’s predicted growth.

“There’s no doubt in my mind there will continue to be growth in south-east Queensland,” he said.

Ayda Shabanz is hosting The Road to Property Ownership workshop on Tuesday November 14th 2017 at the CUB Club in Sydney, New South Wales. Visit www.growevents.com.au to secure your seat at the FREE event.

Property

Why Are Interstate Buyers Eyeing Off Brisbane Property?

by newsteadrealty

As the price of property in Sydney and Melbourne continues to rise in price, savvy investors from these cities are making inroads into the Brisbane market.

Beautiful one day and perfect the next, Brisbane has emerged as a leading location for investors looking for affordable property close to the CBD.

Co-Founder and Director of Grow Property Group, Ayda Shabanz, said there were several reasons why Brisbane was attracting interstate investment.

“The climate is wonderful and there’s a tremendous focus on living an active outdoor lifestyle in Brisbane so this has resulted in many people wanting real estate up north,” she said.

“The defining factor is that property in Brisbane is generally cheaper and providing higher yields than other capital cities across Australia, which means there’s still bang for buck.”

One popular strategy being utilised by first-home buyers based outside of Brisbane is to buy an inner-city property as an investment in Queensland’s capital and hold onto it long-term.

“When interstate buyers do this they have an option to use equity in their Brisbane property down the track to help them buy a home where they want to live,” she said.

For these reasons Ayda Shabanz said that she anticipated more interstate buyers would look towards investing in Brisbane over forthcoming years.

“There have been major infrastructure advancements in Brisbane and when you couple that with really high yields in property it will continue to be an attractive proposition,” she said.

Ayda Shabanz is hosting The Road to Property Ownership workshop on Tuesday February 20th 2018 at WeWork – Pyrmont in Sydney, New South Wales. Visit www.growevents.com.au to secure your seat at the FREE event.

Market

Brisbane Tipped To Become Australia’s Top Property Market

by newsteadrealty

A renowned Australian property expert has predicted that Brisbane will soon emerge as the best performing capital city for housing in the country.

CoreLogic’s Tim Lawless said that a key factor behind his property forecast was the fact that people are migrating to Brisbane more than anywhere else Down Under.

“Higher migration rates implies more demand for housing, which should help to support an improvement in capital gains,” he told The Courier-Mail.

Mr. Lawless said the timeframe in which Brisbane would become the nation’s leading property market was within the next five years.

He also stated that factors such as enhanced affordability and increasing job prospects in the Sunshine State would help to propel Brisbane’s property market.

“Jobs are an essential component of a healthy housing market and a strong labour force has been a key missing ingredient from the Brisbane housing market up until recently,” he said.

“The improved jobs sector, together with high rates of migration and an affordable mix of housing is a solid recipe for stronger housing market conditions.”

Ayda Shabanz hosts The Road to Property Ownership workshop on Tuesday March 20th 2018 at the Queens Arms Hotel in Brisbane, Queensland. Visit www.growevents.com.au to secure your seat at the FREE event.