WHERE TO FIND BRISBANE'S TOP TOWNHOUSE HOTSPOTS

Avanti Project Marketing director Chris Magick (pictured below) says Brisbane's northern and southern fringe suburbs are the places to watch for the best townhouse investment opportunities.

Internal research from Avanti, which was founded by Magick and Trent Milburn who were both formerly with 360 Project Marketing, reveals townhouses are now competing alongside the burgeoning Brisbane apartment sector as a popular choice for investors.

"We are currently seeing a shift in the market with a large number of investors looking to capitalise on the attractive investment returns and low-risk strategy the townhouse asset class offers," Magick says.

"The lack of available land within central Brisbane has driven more developers to look at medium-density townhouse markets in fringe suburbs with good infrastructure, such as Calamvale to the south and Mango Hill to the north.

"This pipeline of new housing availability, combined with the market's desire for larger living spaces, has made townhouses a perfect rental market solution investors in the affordable $300,000-$450,000 price range.

"Not everyone wants to live in an inner-city apartment, however a lot of people are wanting to move into areas that provide good transport links to the city, and many of the hotspots we've identified do just that."

Magick's top five suburbs to watch are:

Northlakes

The high-growth masterplanned community of Northlakes benefits from a range of new infrastructure and development projects, including the recent announcement of the state's second Ikea, linked to the adjacent Westfield shopping centre, and nearby Costco linked by a specialty mall with a Kmart and Event Cinemas.

The area is also close to the new North East Business Park, a 169ha site approved for a broad range of general industry, and the adjacent North Harbour residential development and marina, which are predicted to drive population growth.

Townhouses start from $360,000 and can return a gross rental yield of 5.1 per cent per annum.

Mango Hill

The adjacent suburb of Mango Hill will benefit from the same stimulus as Northlakes, but will also benefit from a new train station as part of the $1.147 billion Moreton Bay rail link, a 12.6km dual-track passenger line between Petrie and Kippa-Ring.

Townhouses start from $350,000 and can return a gross rental yield of 5.4- 5.7 per cent.

Calamvale

Brisbane's south side offers a range of townhouse investment opportunities, including Calamvale, popular with CBD commuters due to its access to rail and bus services.

Three-bedroom townhouses start from $390,000 and can return a gross rental yield of 5.1 per cent, while four-bedroom townhouses start from $440,000 and return a gross rental yield of 5.3 per cent per annum.

Kuraby

Nearby Kuraby, positioned between the Gateway and Pacific Motorways, is close to Logan City and sought after by commuters working in Springwood and Mt Gravatt.
Three-bedroom townhouses start from $395,000 and can return a gross rental yield of 5.2 per cent, while four-bedroom townhouses start from $425,000 and can return a gross rental yield of 5.3 per cent per annum.

Ellen Grove

Further to the west, the up-and-coming suburb of Ellen Grove enjoys all the infrastructure of nearby Forest Lake and is adjacent to both the M5 and M2 freeways, providing easy access to Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Three-bedroom townhouses start from $350,000 and can return a gross rental yield of 5.3 per cent, while four-bedroom townhouses start from $395,000 and can return a gross rental yield of 5.2 per cent per annum.