Palm Cove QLD Property Investment

Cairns · 4879 · Score: 56/100 · Hold

Median House Price
$1.22M
Rental Yield
3.7%
Vacancy Rate
3.0%
Median Weekly Rent
$875/wk
Median Unit Price
$627K
Population
2,450
Days on Market
63 days
Annual Growth
35.0%

Palm Cove Short-Term Rental (Airbnb) Market

Avg Nightly Rate
$531/night
Occupancy Rate
44%
Est. Annual Revenue
$85K

Estimated revenue assumes year-round availability. Non-hosted short-stays are night-capped in some councils (e.g. 60 nights across most of Byron Shire, 180 in Ballina, Muswellbrook and parts of Greater Sydney) and levied in Victoria — the legal cap can cut achievable income well below this figure. Run STR Check for the rules on a specific address.

AI Investment Analysis

Palm Cove QLD Investment Brief

## 1. Investment Verdict Hold – the median house price of $1,224,282 signals a high‑value market where price appreciation is already strong (35 % in the past 12 months) but future growth appears moderate.

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## 2. Market Overview - Median house price: $1,224,282 - Median unit price: $626,885 - 1‑yr price growth: 35.0 % (very strong) - 5‑yr CAGR: 2.9 % per year (moderate long‑term trend) - 3‑yr growth forecast: 13.5 % (expected slowdown) - Days on market: *data not supplied*

Signal: The 35 % jump in the last year shows strong recent buyer demand, but the 2.9 % long‑term CAGR and 13.5 % 3‑year forecast suggest the market is cooling. Sellers can still command premium prices, yet buyers should be cautious of a possible correction as growth eases.

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## 3. Rental Market - Median weekly rent: $875 / wk - Gross rental yield: 3.7 % - Vacancy rate: *data not supplied* - Demand rating: *cannot be quantified without vacancy data*

Implication: A 3.7 % gross yield is average for premium coastal suburbs. Without vacancy data we cannot gauge rental pressure, but the yield indicates that rental income will modestly offset holding costs.

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## 4. Short‑Term Rental (STR) Opportunity - Nightly STR rate: *data not supplied* - Occupancy rate: *data not supplied* - Estimated annual STR revenue: *cannot be calculated*

Conclusion: Because STR metrics are unavailable, we cannot compare long‑term rental (LTR) versus STR profitability. Investors should treat LTR as the default strategy until STR data becomes available.

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## 5. Infrastructure & Growth Drivers - Known projects / transport / employment base: *data not supplied*

Assessment: With no specific infrastructure or employment information, we cannot identify concrete demand drivers or constraints. The suburb’s coastal lifestyle and proximity to Cairns remain implicit attractions, but they are not quantified in the supplied data.

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## 6. Bull Case If the 3‑year growth forecast of 13.5 % materialises, the median house price could rise to around $1.39 million ( $1,224,282 × 1.135 ). That would deliver roughly $165,000 of capital gain for a property bought at today’s median price, on top of the existing 3.7 % rental yield.

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## 7. Risks | Risk | Quantified Concern | |------|--------------------| | Price correction | 35 % 1‑yr growth may be unsustainable; a reversal of even 10 % would shave $122,428 off a median house value. | | Vacancy uncertainty | No vacancy rate supplied; a rise above 5 % would erode the 3.7 % gross yield. | | Supply pipeline | No data on new builds; an unexpected influx could depress prices and yields. | | Interest‑rate sensitivity | High median price ($1.224 m) means larger loan balances; a 1 % rate rise could increase annual debt service by ~ $12,000‑$15,000 (depending on loan size), tightening cash flow. |

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## 8. The Play - Entry range: Target purchases near the median house price ($1,224,282) or median unit price ($626,885) to stay aligned with market levels. - Minimum yield target: Aim for a gross rental yield ≥ 3.7 % to match the suburb’s current benchmark. - Watch signals: 1. Any slowdown in 1‑yr price growth (e.g., falling below 20 %). 2. Emerging vacancy data – a rise above 5 % would flag rental pressure. 3. Announcements of new residential projects or infrastructure upgrades. - Recommended strategy: Maintain a Hold position. Acquire at current median levels, lock in the 3.7 % yield, and monitor the above signals. If vacancy data improves or STR opportunities emerge, consider a mixed‑use (LTR + STR) approach; otherwise, focus on long‑term capital growth.

Gentrification Index

Stable / established1.5/10
▼High SEIFA decile — already upgraded or established affluent area
▲Active development pipeline (4041 approvals) — supply attracting new residents

Growth Forecast

low confidence
1yr Forecast
2.0%
p.a.
2yr Forecast
1.8%
p.a.
5yr Forecast
1.6%
p.a.

Basis: 5yr CAGR 2.9% + 10yr CAGR 3.1%

Growth drivers
  • +Above-average population growth (2.4%/yr)
Headwinds
  • −Slow market (63 days avg) — buyer hesitancy
  • −High supply pipeline (4041 new approvals) — may cap price growth

Suburb Metric Thresholds

5 green5 yellow6 red
Rental Vacancy Rate
3 high impact
Days on Market
63 high impact
Weekly Rent (house)
875 medium impact
5yr Price CAGR
2.91 high impact
10yr Price CAGR
3.08 high impact
1yr Price Growth
35.03 medium impact
Population Growth
2.42 high impact
Median Household Income
1701 medium impact
Unemployment Rate
4.8 medium impact
Public Transport Score
3.8 medium impact
School Zone Quality
6.6 medium impact
Distance to CBD
1412.02 medium impact
SEIFA Advantage/Disadvantage
7 medium impact
Owner Occupier Rate
68.2 medium impact
Gross Rental Yield (%)
3.72 high impact
Net Rental Yield (%)
2.22 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

548

2020

1,036

2021

846

2022

913

2023

698

2025

New dwelling approvals — higher numbers mean more future supply

Socio-Economic Profile

Source: ABS Census 2021

SEIFA Index · Postcode 4879

Most disadvantagedLeast disadvantaged

Decile 7 of 10 — Average

Population

21,919

Education (IEO)

7/10

Econ. Resources (IER)

7/10

10-Year Investment Projection

Modelled on Palm Cove QLD data — rent, capital growth, tax, and depreciation over 10 years.

Pre-filled: $875/wk median rent for Palm Cove. Capital growth and rent increase are editable assumptions.

Schools

In your catchment

Tropical North Learning Academy - Trinity Beach SS
PrimaryGovernment
6/10
Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield SHS
SecondaryGovernment
5.6/10

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.