The top five most popular places to buy a house in 2020

A review of NSW property market activity during 2020 has revealed the most popular suburbs for home buyers in New South Wales during 2020. As inner-Sydney property prices have continued to surge beyond the reach of many Australian families, this list reveals that the best places to buy a house in NSW are increasingly further from the city.

The review, conducted by realestate.com, points to a key change in buyer preferences, families and young people are trading small city houses or apartments for larger ones further away, closer to beaches and the untouched bushland of national parks.

An economist at realestate.com.au attributtes this change in part to the huge lifestyle changes that Covid-19 lockdowns triggered, sending tens of thousands of office workers home to work remotely. This experience could have influenced the collective search for a sea- or tree-change, as many people saw greater value in being closer to nature than in a short commute to the office.

Here are the top five most popular suburbs to buy a house in NSW based on property transaction data from the last year.

Most popular suburbs in NSW for home buyers

1. Wamberal, NSW 2101

A coastal suburb of NSW’s Central Coast region, Wamberal isn’t just the most popular suburb to buy a house in in NSW, but in all of Australia.

With Wamberal Lagoon and beautiful beaches accessible within minutes, and the sprawling Northern Rivers and national parks within an hour or two’s drive, Wamberal is an up-and-coming neighbourhood for families and first-home buyers.

Wamberal Beach, NSW

2. Newport, NSW 2106

Located in northern Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches, Newport also offers stunning natural surroundings featuring beaches, rivers and the nearby Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park.

Newport, NSW

3. North Narrabeen, NSW 2101

Another of the Northern Beaches region’s most livable suburbs, North Narrabeen offers an enviable lifestyle for its residents. Within minutes of the beach and just 25 kilometres north of Sydney’s CBD, surfers, hikers, nature lovers and young families alike are flocking to North Narrabeen for more affordable and larger homes.

4. Glenbrook, NSW 2773

A township of the Lower Blue Mountains region, Glenbrook is situated among the stunning bushland and nature tracks of one of NSW’s most popular and famed national parks. A 50-minute drive to Sydney, Glenbrook is also accessible by public transport, with a train running from Sydney around every 30 minutes on weekdays.

5. Gymea Bay, NSW 2227

Located in southern Sydney and 27 kilometres from the CBD, Gymea Bay takes its name from the small and beautiful bay on its northern side. Home to the heritage-listed Gymea Baths and just 10 minutes’ drive to Royal National Park and Cronulla Beach, this small town provides ample opportunities for outdoor recreation.