Where to buy near the beach for under $500,000 in Australia

House prices in high-profile beach towns reached record levels in recent years, but it is still possible to find a beachside property on a quiet coastal town for less than $500,0000.

Buyers looking for a sea change or a holiday home don’t need to break the bank. What’s important is knowing where to look.

Take, for example, Bongaree near Brisbane, where the median price of a unit is $451,000; you can get a two-bedroom apartment for $429,000, which is a short walk from crystal blue waters. 

SOLD - $415,000

Unit 2/6 Clipper St, Bongaree QLD 4507

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Local agent James Rosenow of Sell Executive Real Estate says the area has gained popularity as time goes on, especially among retirees. 

“It’s more of a sleepy town with some nice cafes and restaurants,” he says. “A lot of people were wanting to probably move away from more metropolitan, high-density areas such as Brisbane. They were looking to get to somewhere with a bit more value, closer to water and with land value.”

One of the units he has listed is a top-floor, two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit on Toorbul Street, less than a five-minute walk from the beach, park, and bowls club.

SOLD - $510,000

28/21-29 Toorbul Street, Bongaree QLD 4507

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However, Rosenow says it’s becoming harder to find units by the water starting in the $400,000s, and most of the properties sell above $500,000.

“You’ll get some units in the mid-$400s … but a lot of the stuff we do [sell] is certainly not that low,” he says.

Domain has rounded up some affordable beach buys for under $500,000.

69/36 Higgs Street, Deception Bay

SOLD - $390,000

69/36 Higgs Street, Deception Bay QLD 4508

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Just a short walk from the waterfront and minutes from local shops and cafes, this unit sold for $390,000.

“The location is paramount … you’ve got all your services around when it comes to buses and shopping centres, service providers, schools,” says local agent Brett Reddel of Area Specialist Queensland.

“It’s a location thing, it’s transient to main highways, it’s close to Brisbane, close to Sunshine Coast. So, from the feasibility of travel, people can locate themselves there and still travel to work in a timely manner without being too far out or too far away.”

Reddell says finding a unit in Deception Bay for under $500,000 is possible. 

“It’ll be a three-bedroom townhouse or unit,” he says “but you definitely will [find something]”. 

11/43 Rockingham Beach Road, Rockingham

SOLD - $660,000

11/43 Rockingham Beach Road, Rockingham WA 6168

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In Rockingham, Western Australia, finding a beachside unit or house under $500,000 is possible. The typical apartment has a median price of $325,000, and the median house price is $450,000.

Local agent, Nola Tully of Harcourts Elite Agents, says that the area’s prices are reasonable compared to other beachside towns.

“[$500,000] might get you a three-bedroom two bathroom,” she says. 

The Rockingham Beach Road unit she currently has listed offers ample space and a balcony perfect for sunset viewing. 

56/24 Flinders Lane, Rockingham

SOLD - $400,000

56/24 Flinders Lane, Rockingham WA 6168

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A few streets away from Rockingham Beach Road, $395,000 buys a two-bedroom apartment just a walk from Palm Beach Jetty.

The building also offers facilities like a gym, barbecue facilities and a resident’s lounge.