Opportunities for smaller investors with Noosa shops and suites from $800,000 to $2 million

Self-managed super funds and smaller commercial investors punting on a recovery in the Noosa property market could have an opportunity, with a number of shops on the Noosa retail strip listed for sale around the $2 million mark and under in a market that has been dormant for the past two years.

Currently tenanted, the retail properties are offering yields of around 7% and 8% with the potential for capital gains should the market start improving.

The heavily tourism-dependent Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast markets have struggled in the last few years, having not received the flow-on benefits of the mining boom and have been hurt by the high Australian dollar.

However, Paul Butler, director of Ray White Commercial Noosa, says he is seeing an increase in confidence from buyers for properties with good lease covenants.

“Super funds are becoming particularly active as buyers look for stable returns outside of the stock market,” Butler tells Property Observer.

“Retail leasing is gaining some momentum again after a prolonged period of limited activity,” he adds.

Butler says food outlets and coffee shops have been the strong achievers in the current market.

Last month, Colliers International agents Nick Dowling and Brad Moore marketed 27/40 Hastings Street, with 65 square metres of retail space with an additional exclusive-use outdoor area of 51 square metres, currently occupied by fashion store Venetian Laundry. RP Data records show it sold for $1.57 million.

Dowling says that while there are a number of assets on the market in Hastings Street at present, retail sales activity on the strip had been non-existent for at least the past two years.

Other recent sales on Hastings Street include a mixed-use development at 11 Hastings Street measuring 949 square metres, incorporating La Vida restaurant on the ground floor and guest accommodation and office spaces on the second floor, which sold for $10.8 million in July. Office space from 66 square metres to 167 square metres is available for lease at 11 Hastings Street at $450 per square metre.

Further down Hastings Street at number 18, a medical suite measuring 58 square metres changed hands for $370,000. It las sold for $561,000 in January 2005.