Property prices in Dongara and Port Denison have risen significantly during the past 12 months as increasing numbers of retirees, and those in search of a sea change lifestyle, add to the towns’ already thriving industry and business sectors.
According to the Valuer General’s Office, the median house price in Dongara increased 40 per cent in the 12 months to 2004 and 25.6 per cent in Port Denison in the same period.
Roy Western Dongara co-owner John Cooper said those buying properties were a mix of investors, retirees, new ‘locals’, and oil and gas and industry workers who had bought because they were doing fly-in-fly-out work.
“The demand for developed blocks is very high as it is for very well priced properties,” he said.
“It was really stable for a long time, to the point where people are almost always getting the asking price [for a property].”
Shire of Irwin chief executive officer John Merrick agreed that real estate prices had “shot up”.
“Importantly, so has the development activity in the real estate market, to the extent that in the last five months council has approved five new sub-divisions of land, which are currently in the stage of development and sale.”
Mr Merrick said there had been strong interest from prospective buyers in several of the sub-divisions. On one particular sub-division, 53 people had expressed interest in the 17 blocks offered, Mr Merrick said.
