Why the Gold Coast Is Heating Up for Property Buyers in 2026

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Why December and January Are Peak Selling Months on the Coast

For most real estate markets throughout Australia, December generally signals a slowdown in buyer activity as people focus on Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and the holiday season, with many away on holidays. However, the Gold Coast is vastly different. As the lifestyle and tourism capital of Australia, over 1.4 million people travel to the Gold Coast through December and January for a holiday break. The Gold Coast Airport recorded a new December record for inbound passengers, and while January figures have not yet been released, they are expected to set new records as well. Among these 1.4 million visitors are many potential buyers interested in Gold Coast real estate, whether to move permanently, purchase a holiday home, or invest in the market. For the Gold Coast, this is the peak selling period.

The Event: Gold Coast’s Auction Tradition That Shapes the National Market

Thirty-two years ago, recognizing this influx of buyers, my brother Greg and I launched a special auction program to showcase properties for this surge in January. The marketing campaign, called The Event, has grown in stature and was once described by the Australian Financial Review as the litmus test of the Australian property market at the beginning of each year. It has a huge following and is the largest in-room auction held annually anywhere in Australia.

This year marked our 32nd The Event, and it rewrote the record books. Just over 100 properties were submitted, including a wide mix of one, two, and three-bedroom units, to prestigious apartments, homes, and even vacant land across the Gold Coast. To meet growing demand, The Event also included a wide selection of retail and industrial commercial properties. Over one-third of the properties sold prior to auction, as buyers made aggressive offers from day one of the marketing campaign. Many sellers, thrilled with the offers received, chose to accept them before auction. By the end of auction day, over 84% of the properties had sold, with the final total now exceeding 90%, realizing just over $110 million in sales. Sale prices ranged from $450,000 to $13 million. 

Why Higher Interest Rates Aren’t Cooling the Gold Coast Market

Since the auction on 25 January 2026, a 0.25% interest rate rise was introduced, intended to temper demand. Yet buyer activity remains exceptionally strong. The demand to live on the Gold Coast from people across Australia continues to grow rather than subside. For example, the Ray White Bell Group held an on-site auction following the rate rise, with bidding opening at $1 million and ultimately selling for $2.41 million—20% over the reserve price—showing no signs of an interest rate-driven slowdown. Open homes are also recording slightly higher inspection numbers. One interesting by-product of the rising interest rates is that many buyers, expecting further increases in 2026, are acting quickly to lock in fixed rates and avoid future rises. 

Lessons from The Event 2026 demonstrate that pockets of great value still exist throughout the Gold Coast. Some suburbs have experienced strong growth over the past few years, while others have been overlooked. As attention shifts to these opportunity suburbs, property values will continue to rise. For those considering a move to the Gold Coast, delaying action only increases costs due to rising property values. The Gold Coast has clearly evolved into a thriving, highly sought-after market and remains one of Australia’s most solid and desirable regions for property investment.

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