Barrack Heights NSW Property Investment

Wollongong · 2528 · Score: 50/100 · Hold

Median House Price
$912K
Rental Yield
3.9%
Vacancy Rate
2.5%
Median Weekly Rent
$680/wk
Median Unit Price
$638K
Population
6,003
Days on Market
42 days
Annual Growth
9.3%

Barrack Heights Short-Term Rental (Airbnb) Market

Avg Nightly Rate
$456.75/night
Occupancy Rate
40%
Est. Annual Revenue
$67K
AI Investment Analysis

Barrack Heights NSW Investment Brief

## 1. Investment Verdict Hold – the key figure is the 3.9 % gross rental yield. It signals modest cash‑flow potential, enough to justify staying in the market but not enough to trigger a buy‑now recommendation.

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## 2. Market Overview | Metric | Figure | Comment | |--------|--------|---------| | Median house price | $912,276 | Core‑city level pricing; still room for upside. | | Median unit price | $638,207 | More affordable entry point for investors. | | 1‑yr price growth | 9.3 % | Strong recent appreciation – sellers have leverage. | | 5‑yr CAGR | 6.4 % / yr | Consistent long‑term growth – buyers can still expect capital gains. | | 3‑yr growth forecast | 13.5 % (forecast) | Indicates optimism from analysts. | | Days on market | Data not provided | Unable to comment on speed of sales. |

Signal for buyers vs sellers – The 9.3 % annual rise and 6.4 % five‑year CAGR give sellers confidence that prices will keep climbing. Buyers should be prepared for competition but can still target the median price range for long‑term upside.

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## 3. Rental Market | Metric | Figure | Comment | |--------|--------|---------| | Median weekly rent | $680 / wk | Supports the 3.9 % gross yield. | | Gross rental yield | 3.9 % | Moderate – covers financing costs for many investors but leaves limited cushion for rate hikes. | | Vacancy rate | Data not provided | Cannot quantify vacancy risk. | | Demand rating | Data not provided | No explicit demand score; yield suggests steady demand. |

Investor implication – The 3.9 % yield delivers modest cash flow. Investors should ensure financing costs stay below this level to maintain a positive net return.

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## 4. Short‑Term Rental Opportunity | Metric | Figure | Comment | |--------|--------|---------| | STR nightly rate | Data not provided | | | STR occupancy | Data not provided | | | Estimated annual STR revenue | Data not provided | |

LTR vs STR – With no STR data, we cannot quantify the short‑term rental upside. Given the solid long‑term rent of $680 / wk and lack of STR evidence, long‑term rental (LTR) remains the safer, more predictable choice.

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## 5. Infrastructure & Growth Drivers | Item | Detail | |------|--------| | Known projects | Data not provided | | Transport links | Data not provided | | Employment base | Data not provided | | Demand drivers / constraints | The 13.5 % 3‑year growth forecast hints at underlying demand, but specific catalysts are not listed. |

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## 6. Bull Case Assume the 13.5 % forecast materialises over the next three years:

* Projected median house price: $912,276 × 1.135 ≈ $1,035,000. * Projected median unit price (applying the same % growth): $638,207 × 1.135 ≈ $724,000.

If weekly rent holds at $680, the gross yield would fall to roughly 2.9 % (price‑driven), but capital gains of ~ $123,000 on a house would offset the yield compression for investors focused on growth.

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## 7. Risks | Risk | Quantified aspect | Impact | |------|-------------------|--------| | Vacancy risk | Data not provided – unknown vacancy level could erode the 3.9 % yield. | | Single‑employer dependency | Data not provided – lack of diversification could amplify local economic shocks. | | Supply pipeline | Data not provided – a surge in new dwellings could pressure rents and yields. | | Rate sensitivity | Current gross yield 3.9 % leaves a thin margin; a 1 % rise in mortgage rates could push net cash flow into negative territory. |

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## 8. The Play * Entry price range – Target houses between $800,000 – $1,000,000 and units between $550,000 – $750,000 to capture value below the current median. * Minimum yield target – Aim for ≥ 4 % gross yield; consider properties with recent renovations or lower purchase price to hit this threshold. * Watch signals – * Any announced infrastructure or transport upgrades. * Changes in local vacancy data. * Interest‑rate movements that affect financing costs. * New housing supply approvals. * Recommended strategyHold existing assets and acquire selectively when price dips into the entry range and the gross yield meets the 4 % target. Prioritise long‑term rental over short‑term rental until STR data becomes available.

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*All figures are taken directly from the supplied data; no assumptions beyond the provided numbers have been made.*

Gentrification Index

Early gentrification signals4.5/10
Low socioeconomic base — classic gentrification precondition
Moderate capital growth (6.4% CAGR)
Active development pipeline (6738 approvals) — supply attracting new residents
Strong public transport infrastructure — supports walkable gentrification

Growth Forecast

low confidence
1yr Forecast
5.5%
p.a.
2yr Forecast
5.0%
p.a.
5yr Forecast
4.4%
p.a.

Basis: 5yr CAGR 6.4% + 10yr CAGR 7.8%

Headwinds
  • Population decline (-0.0%/yr) — demand headwind
  • High supply pipeline (6738 new approvals) — may cap price growth

Suburb Metric Thresholds

3 green5 yellow8 red
Rental Vacancy Rate
2.5 high impact
Days on Market
42 high impact
Weekly Rent (house)
680 medium impact
5yr Price CAGR
6.42 high impact
10yr Price CAGR
7.75 high impact
1yr Price Growth
9.3 medium impact
Population Growth
-0.03 high impact
Median Household Income
1166 medium impact
Unemployment Rate
6.2 medium impact
Public Transport Score
6.5 medium impact
School Zone Quality
4.6 medium impact
Distance to CBD
83.92 medium impact
SEIFA Advantage/Disadvantage
1 medium impact
Owner Occupier Rate
62.8 medium impact
Gross Rental Yield (%)
3.88 high impact
Net Rental Yield (%)
2.38 high impact

Macro Environment

Macro Indicators

Cash Rate

4.35%

0.25%

Cash rate as at 2026-05-06 · Credit data 2026-06

Suburb Supply & Demand

Suburb Supply Pipeline — New Dwelling Approvals

1,211

2020

1,385

2021

1,228

2022

1,346

2023

1,568

2025

New dwelling approvals — higher numbers mean more future supply

Socio-Economic Profile

Source: ABS Census 2021

SEIFA Index · Postcode 2528

Most disadvantagedLeast disadvantaged

Decile 1 of 10 — High disadvantage

Population

23,735

Education (IEO)

1/10

Econ. Resources (IER)

2/10

10-Year Investment Projection

Modelled on Barrack Heights NSW data — rent, capital growth, tax, and depreciation over 10 years.

Pre-filled: $680/wk median rent for Barrack Heights. Capital growth and rent increase are editable assumptions.

Schools

In your catchment

Warilla PS
PrimaryGovernment
4.5/10
Warilla HS
SecondaryGovernment
5.4/10

These are the government-school zones containing this suburb centroid. Specific addresses within the suburb may fall in different catchments — confirm with the school directly.

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Data sourced from ABS, state government property sales, and Airbnb market analytics. For informational purposes only — not financial advice.