Australia, known for its breathtaking landscapes, vibrant cities, and diverse culture, offers a real estate market as diverse as its people. With the current real estate… crisis… I wanted to explore what an $800,000 home looks like across the country. From the sun-soaked beaches of Queensland to the cosmopolitan streets of Melbourne, each region boasts its own distinctive charm and style. So, fasten your seatbelts as we delve into the captivating realm of Australian real estate, where dreams and possibly nightmares unfold.

With a budget of $800,000, potential homeowners are presented with a variety of options to suit their desires and lifestyle. Whether it's a modern urban dwelling, a peaceful suburban retreat, or a coastal oasis, Australia offers a plethora of choices to cater to diverse tastes. The ever-evolving real estate market continues to shape the landscape, introducing innovative architectural designs and sustainable living concepts.

Throughout this post, we will travel across Australia and examine the unique characteristic of $800,000 homes in different states and territories. I want to uncover the distinctive architectural styles, explore the amenities and features that come with these properties, and even gain insights into the local communities.

Note: The prices and market conditions mentioned in this blog post are based on information available up until September 2023. Prices and trends may have changed since then.

 Queensland

 Sunshine Coast

The Sunny Coast is a stunning region known for its pristine beaches, lush hinterland, and laid-back coastal lifestyle. With a diverse range of real estate options, including beachside houses, modern apartments, and tranquil acreage properties, the Sunshine Coast offers residents and buyers a slice of paradise with a perfect blend of natural beauty and urban amenities.

So what kind of place could you get for $800K?

This Buderim home is a modern design. At one level, the open plan creates a very spacious unit requiring very little maintenance. The unit has been designed to enhance natural lighting and ventilation, while being tastefully decorated with neutral tones. It includes 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 2 carports.

At 181m2, it has been designed for indoor/outdoor living with a landscaped backyard. The master bedroom includes windows that overlook the garden, situated away from the main living area for privacy.

brisbane

Brisbane is a dynamic and growing city nestled along the banks of the Brisbane River. Known for its warm climate, cultural attractions, and a mix of modern and traditional architecture, Brisbane offers a diverse range of real estate options. While doing my search for an $800,000 home, all my searches showed apartments only. Now this could have been the parameters of “inner” city but when I refined the parameters to a “house” I came up empty.

This apartment is a very modern 2 bed, 2 bath, including balconies off both bedrooms. Purchasing this home also includes appliances which I was very surprised about. It includes secure parking and is part of a secure gated complex in New Farm.

At 124m2, the modern home includes access to a communal outdoor entertaining area which includes a pool. Other features include close access to the bus and ferry as well as other amenities. Architecturally speaking the curved design of the home softens and opens up the space immensely. It is quite small so having a kitchen that is both open and uses curves to blend is a huge advantage. While aspects are certainly modern, it also has the vibe of a squished Queenslander (in my opinion) which wildly differs to the external appearance of the complex.

Gold Coast

Surrounded by the picturesque coastline of Queensland, the Gold Coast is a prominent region renowned for its stunning beaches, vibrant entertainment, and diverse real estate offerings. With a range of properties to explore, from beachfront apartments to spacious homes, the Gold Coast stands as a captivating destination for those seeking a distinctive blend of coastal living and urban amenities.

Located in Nerang, this Queenslander home is comforting and versatile. With a total of 5 bedrooms, 2 baths, and many living rooms, the house is perfect for a fixer-upper. The two stories of the home offer dual living for whoever purchases including a downstairs private entry and an upstairs retreat.  

While the outside of the house looks very 1980s brickwork, the interior has been renovated to be quite early 2000s however there would require some updating and renovation work required in certain aspects of the house.

New South Wales

Sydney

As Australia’s largest city, Sydney boasts a vibrant real estate market. From the world-famous Sydney Opera House to the golden sands of Bondi Beach, Sydney is a dynamic hub that offers an array of real estate opportunities, including contemporary city apartments, charming suburban homes, and waterfront residences.

Of course, Sydney has been making major headway for its unaffordable housing since COVID hit. So let’s see what exactly we can get for our budget.

Unsurprisingly, for the $800,000 mark in Sydney I was only really able to find tiny studio apartments. This apartment in the heart of the Sydney metropolitan is actually a heritage building with non-stop concierge service. It is a 1 bed, 1 bath apartment with city views.

It has been very generously renovated, despite being heritage listed and includes 2 storeys. It features a soft timber elements throughout – predominantly the timber beams along the entry level’s ceiling which highlight this beautiful wooden grain.

Australian Capital Territory

Canberra

Canberra stands as the country’s political and administrative epicentre. This purposefully planned city combines a serene suburban atmosphere with cultural institutions and modern living, offering a variety of real estate options.

This townhouse spans across two levels and features a centrally located kitchen, two separate living areas and 2 bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. The complex itself is surrounded by stunning gardens including an internal courtyard with an in-ground pool.

 Both internal and external design are extremely modern even with the brick features on the external balcony. I think this really highlights the design of the townhouse and adds an interesting layer. The kitchen has a sleek design with flush cabinets and modern appliances.

Victoria

Melbourne

Melbourne, the cultural capital of Australia, exudes a distinct charm that seamlessly blends history, art, and modernity. From its iconic laneways adorned with street art to its renowned coffee culture, Melbourne’s real estate market mirrors this diversity.

Unlike Sydney, to my surprise, I was able to find 2 bedroom apartments in the inner city, however a lot of the real estate listings had a large price range. This apartment was designed and built by a city focused architectural firm who specialise in urban thought. The façade has an art nouveau design which is absolutely stunning for the price point, paying homage to both original textures and forms. As the real estate agents say “a unique fusion of the classic and modern.”

I absolutely love the colour scheme of the home. The soft wooden grains combined with the white just scream elegance to me. Even though it is quite small, for the price it’s a little insane and I was honestly so surprised.

South Australia

Adelaide

Surrounded by rolling hills and picturesque vineyards, Adelaide is a city that embodies the perfect blend of heritage and modernity. The city offers a diverse real estate landscape, from heritage-listed homes in leafy suburbs to contemporary properties in thriving urban precincts.

The stunning thing to me, is this apartment is smaller than the one in Melbourne. I think it is also interesting how often you’ll see an apartment or unit that is less than 100m2 and the real estate description is talking about how much space you’d have.

This apartment (once again an apartment which says a lot about the rental market), is right in the centre of the Adelaide CBD. The 2 bedroom, 2 bath residence features both a car park and exclusive storage unit. There’s quite a lot to be said about the all-glass exterior of the building which adds such a modern character to the design of the unit, creating a bold statement in the city – of course you wouldn’t experience this from within. There is quite a lot of city views through the all-glass exterior so privacy could be an issue, depending on the glazing and height of the building.

Tasmania

Hobart

Hobart is a captivating blend of natural beauty, historical charm, and contemporary living. Surrounded by rugged mountains and serene waters, the real estate market showcases a unique mix of historic districts and modern properties, making it an enticing destination for those seeking an enriching lifestyle.

While the listing says this home is a house, it is actually a city apartment. It is located in the heart of Hobart with uninterrupted city and mountain views. The apartment has 3 bedrooms all with built-in robes. It has quite a modern feel throughout with stunning timber flooring, although quite small in living room size. The open plan living creates an inviting, entertainment feel for residents. The exterior of the apartment is interesting – the outside design itself is incredibly up-to-date with charcoal and white rendered finishes, however the retaining wall separating the complex from the street is a very outdate stone and brick wall akin to cottage core English.

Launceston

Launceston is a city brimming with historical character and natural beauty. The real estate scene that mirrors its charm, offering a range of housing options, all set against a backdrop of lush landscapes and a vibrant cultural environment.

I actually couldn’t find a property available in Launceston for the price I was looking at to even compare it to other cities around Australia.

Western Australia

Perth

In the sun-soaked capital of WA, Perth is a city that balances urban sophistication with a laid-back coastal lifestyle. The real estate market reflects this diverse charm, featuring many sleek city apartments and stunning beachside properties.

This apartment is located on the 23rd floor and offers stunning views of the Perth CBD. It is fully featured with high-tech appliances and mechanisms throughout making it an extremely modern design. The glass façade creates beautiful views within the interior. The living spaces can also be divided by a glass bifold door – something I haven’t seen before in interior design.

Northern Territory

Darwin

Darwin embraces tropical living and unique multicultural influences. The real estate market offers an interesting mix of spacious homes featuring tropical gardens, modern waterfront apartments, and properties in gated communities.

This 4 bed, 2 bath home is designed for the family, captivating you with the high ceilings and wide hallway which creates a sense of openness and luxury from within. The heart of the home is a modern kitchen which features a stone benchtop and complimentary cabinetry. The design of the home offers residents versatility and comfort. The entire house flows effectively making excellent use of the space within.

My overall takeaway? A lot of the homes I found were apartments. Considering $800,000 isn’t exactly cheap it blows my mind a little that the best you can do in the cities are apartments. Now I imagine (hopefully) you could expand some of the parameters and end up with a house somewhere a little on the outskirts. The other interesting fact was that the homes were all relatively updated.

For some extra fun little tid-bits, I thought I would include the average (median) cost of a home in each city covered.

Sunshine – $972, 891

Brisbane - $742, 500

Gold Coast - $1.6 million

Sydney - $1.3 million

Canberra - $871, 949

Melbourne - $836, 809

Adelaide - $445, 000

Hobart - $648, 310

Launceston - $750, 000

Perth - $540, 000

Darwin - $565, 000