24 May, 2011

Early cold snap set to create heat for Snowy Mountains real estate

As many parts of New South Wales shiver through unseasonably cold May weather, the early cold snap is set to create increased demand for Snowy Mountains property according to leading real estate firm Raine & Horne.

Raine & Horne Snowy Mountains principal Tony Freeth said last week’s announcement that Perisher had opened its Front Valley slopes for skiing meant this was one of the earliest starts to the season in recent memory.

“Not surprisingly we have already seen an increase in calls and enquiries from potential home buyers, and this bodes well for a good selling season this year, Mr Freeth said.

“In fact, we have never opened in May in the 26 years I’ve been here,” said Mr Freeth, who also owns and operates several ski hire businesses in the area.

He said the combination of natural snow falls and successful snow-making had created promising early season ski conditions in Perisher, while Blue Cow also had good snow cover for skiers.

With more snow falls expected in coming weeks, Mr Freeth believes Thredbo is set to follow Perisher’s lead and open early, although not until a week ahead of the official ski season launch on June 13.

As a result, cashed-up mountain enthusiasts are gravitating towards the best available homes.

“People are looking to see what’s on offer with the hope of getting into a property as soon as possible, and after three marginal years of snowfalls, this spike in activity shows buyer faith and interest in Snowy Mountains property is returning."

Already, lifestyle-oriented buyers are snapping up Thredbo home units under $500,000.

However Mr Freeth considers some of the best opportunities available in Jindabyne, a popular hub for investors, where one bedroom, one bathroom units are available from $100,000, and four bedroom homes typically sell for between $400,000 and $500,000.

Despite the early season interest, Mr Freeth said July was generally the big month for sales, while Thredbo and Jindabyne also enjoyed a traditionally robust selling season between September and Christmas.

“My advice to aspiring homebuyers is to get your skates on soon, because those buyers who have held off over the last three years are now returning to Thredbo and Jindabyne. This will create strong competition for quality homes and some price pressures,” he said.

For all your property needs contact Raine & Horne Jindabyne on (02) 6456 2999, or Raine & Horne Thredbo on (02) 6457 6387.

Raine & Horne is an iconic Australian property firm, with more than 360 offices worldwide. Also an established Superbrand along with the likes of Qantas, Vegemite, Woolworths and Myer, the company has four distinct property service brands including Raine & Horne Residential, Raine & Horne Commercial, Raine & Horne Financial Services and Raine & Horne Rural.

-ENDS-

For further media information contact:

Tony Freeth, Principal Raine & Horne Jindabyne / Raine & Horne Thredbo, 0412 544 241

Anna Truman, National Marketing & Communications Co-ordinator, 02 9258 5448