by Meighan Hetherington of Property Pursuit www.propertypursuit.com.au
About 3km from the Brisbane CBD, East Brisbane's proximity to the city has secured its popularity with empty nesters and young professionals. Confirming its position as a popular suburb for tenants, and consequently a good suburb for investment, almost every second house is rented.
Located between Kangaroo Point and Norman Park on the Brisbane River, an increase in demand for housing close to the city has seen a number of apartment and townhouse complexes developed in recent years.
Surrounding suburbs service the educational requirements of East Brisbane residents. Anglican Church Grammar School is the only school within the suburbs boundaries and is supplemented by public and private schools in nearby Coorparoo, Hawthorne, Camp Hill, and South Brisbane.
Although there is no train station in East Brisbane (the closest is at Coorparoo) excellent bus services run regularly into and from the city centre and major shopping centres. Residents also have easy access to the Southeast Freeway, making a weekend drive to the Gold Coast hassle free.
Major supermarkets and retailers are available in the city's Queen Street Mall, along Old Cleveland Road in Coorparoo, in the retail outlet precinct of Stones Corner and a little further away at Carindale Shopping Centre.
Mowbray Park provides some good picnic spots along the Brisbane River while Heath Park also provides waterfront parkland, located on the banks of Norman Creek.
East Brisbane's superb location and access to local amenities will ensure that the suburb remains popular with young professionals and workers sick of the peak hour drive into the city. The suburb has seen steady growth over the last five years and that looks likely to continue as demand for inner city living results in a more limited supply.
The median house price for the September quarter was $541,000 - a change of 7.5%. The median price for the 12 months to end of September was $553,000. The median unit and town house prices for the September quarter was $371,250 - a change of 23.8% . The median for 12 months to end of September was $310,000. (source REIQ)
