St Helens Park NSW Property Investment
Wollongong · 2560 · Score: 59/100 · Hold
St Helens Park Short-Term Rental (Airbnb) Market
St Helens Park NSW Investment Brief
## 1. Investment Verdict Hold – the median house price of $898,323 anchors the decision.
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## 2. Market Overview - Median house price: $898,323 - Median unit price: $638,447 - 1‑yr price growth: +7.6% – recent upward momentum. - 5‑yr CAGR: ‑17.1% per year – long‑term price erosion. - 3‑yr growth forecast: +13.5% – analysts expect a rebound. - Days on market: *data not supplied*
Signal: Buyers can still negotiate on price because the 5‑yr trend is negative, but the 7.6% recent rise and 13.5% forecast give sellers confidence that the market is turning upward.
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## 3. Rental Market - Median weekly rent: $490 / wk - Gross rental yield: 2.8% - Vacancy rate: *data not supplied* - Demand rating: *data not supplied*
Implication: A 2.8% yield is modest; investors should expect limited cash‑flow upside unless rents rise or the vacancy rate falls.
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## 4. Short‑Term Rental Opportunity - STR nightly rate: *data not supplied* - Occupancy: *data not supplied* - Estimated annual STR revenue: *data not supplied*
Conclusion: With no STR metrics available, long‑term rental (LTR) remains the safer default strategy.
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## 5. Infrastructure & Growth Drivers - Known projects / transport / employment base: *data not supplied*
Drivers: The 13.5% three‑year growth forecast suggests underlying demand, but without specific infrastructure or employment data we cannot pinpoint the catalyst.
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## 6. Bull Case Assume the 13.5% three‑year forecast materialises and weekly rent stays at $490 / wk.
- Projected median house price after 3 years:
- Potential gross yield at unchanged rent:
If rent rises in line with price growth, yield could stay near 2.8% while capital value climbs above $1 m.
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## 7. Risks | Risk | Quantified Concern | |------|--------------------| | Long‑term price decline | 5‑yr CAGR of ‑17.1%/yr shows the suburb has lost value over the past half‑decade. | | Vacancy uncertainty | No vacancy data – a higher vacancy could push yield below the current 2.8%. | | Interest‑rate sensitivity | With a modest 2.8% yield, any rise in borrowing costs erodes net cash flow quickly. | | Supply pipeline unknown | Absence of data on new dwellings means a future oversupply could depress rents and prices. |
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## 8. The Play - Entry price range: Around the median house price – $880k – $920k to allow for negotiation. - Minimum yield target: ≥ 2.8% (current gross yield). - Watch signals: 1. Release of vacancy statistics for St Helens Park. 2. Confirmation of any new infrastructure or employment projects. 3. Movements in the 3‑yr growth forecast (e.g., revisions by major data providers). 4. Central bank rate decisions that affect borrowing costs. - Recommended strategy: Hold existing positions, acquire only at the lower end of the entry range, and monitor the above signals before scaling. If vacancy data shows a tight market and the 13.5% growth forecast holds, consider modest add‑on purchases; otherwise, limit exposure until more concrete rental‑market information emerges.
Gentrification Index
Growth Forecast
medium confidenceBasis: 3yr growth 6.7% (discounted)
- +Above-average population growth (1.5%/yr)
- +Low rental vacancy (2.2%) — constrained supply
- −High supply pipeline (6738 new approvals) — may cap price growth
Suburb Metric Thresholds
Macro Environment
Macro Indicators
Cash Rate
4.35%
▲ 0.25%Cash rate as at 2026-05-06 · Credit data 2026-05
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 2021SEIFA Index · Postcode 2560
Decile 2 of 10 — High disadvantage
Population
82,543
Education (IEO)
4/10
Econ. Resources (IER)
4/10
10-Year Investment Projection
Modelled on St Helens Park NSW data — rent, capital growth, tax, and depreciation over 10 years.
Pre-filled: $490/wk median rent for St Helens Park. Capital growth and rent increase are editable assumptions.
Schools
In your catchment
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.
Nearby Suburbs
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Analyse a Property →Data sourced from ABS, state government property sales, and Airbnb market analytics. For informational purposes only — not financial advice.