Brisbane's western suburb bargains: Why you should buy in Darra and Inala

Brisbane’s south western suburbs are ripe for a boom, according to agents.

House prices in Durack, Inala and Darra, suburbs traditionally marred by a rough reputation and dominated by war service homes, are up to half the price of the elite suburbs on the other side of the Ipswich Motorway such as Corinda, Graceville and Sherwood.

But with median house prices in the $300,000s, these humble suburbs are tipped to rise, local agents say.

“Inala and the suburbs around it are the ones to watch this year,” says Johnson’s Real Estate director Andrew Trim.

“Buyers that are looking to get more bang for their buck should just head south-west. We’re talking good block sizes, proximity to Brisbane’s CBD and affordability – they’re the key factors,” Mr Trim says. 

“Inala has a rough reputation, but I believe the area will gentrify in the coming years and values will rise – with such close proximity to the city it can’t not.

“You can still buy homes for low to mid $300,000s in Inala – but make no mistake, the ripple effect will mean those prices won’t stay at that level.” 

In Corinda, two suburbs over from Durack, the median price for a three bedroom home is $812,453. Oxley, which is the next suburb over, has a three-bedroom house median of $548,687.

However in Durack and Inala, the median house price for a three-bedroom home is around $360,000.

Harcourts agent David Gowdie may own an agency in Graceville but he loves the south western suburbs so much he lives there himself.

“I live in Richlands and shop in Inala. I love the area because of the value it represents,” he says. “We’re also looking to buy in Durack within the next six months.”

Mr Gowdie recently sold 3 Pioneer Court, Durack, a five-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a pool on 800 square metres of land, for $560,000.

It was the third highest sale ever recorded in Durack, he says.

“The prices are ridiculous really, they’re crazy. The buyers were a downsizing couple from Wilston who had sold their $1.1 million house and moved out here because of the value. They couldn’t believe it.”

Mr Gowdie says the reputation that Brisbane’s south west suburbs have had for being rough is unfair and out of date, describing it as a vibrant cultural community.

“The area has copped it unfairly for way too long. It’s got breadth of community – people who have lived here for 60 years, young professionals, families – it’s got balance,” he says.

“You can buy renovated three-bedroom homes for around $380,000. If you’re genuinely looking for a house under $400,000, you’d be mad not to go out to Darra and, in particular, Durack.​”

The area is well serviced. While Inala and Durack have buses, shopping centres and schools, Darra is also on the train line. At only 14 kilometres from the CBD, transport advocate Robert Dow recently named it as one of Brisbane’s best suburbs for public transport.

“These prices cannot stay this low forever,” Mr Gowdie says. “Brisbane City Council has invested well and really beautified these areas … the smart people are starting to discover it.

“The reality is, these suburbs are not far away. They’re a few minutes further out than some of the western suburbs most popular and expensive areas.”