Real estate agent Scott Collins with a print of the original Cunningham Plains settlement. The subdivision was held on Wednesday December 11 at midday at 12 noon in 1907. It was crucial to the development of the area.
The twin town’s of Harden Murrumburrah and surrounds, seem to be attracting renewed interest from prospective real estate buyers. Local agent Scott Collins said, “There seems to be quite a bit of interest from city investors from Sydney, Wollongong and Canberra. I think they are looking for a lifestyle change.” “For those who have lived here all their lives it may be easy to miss the points which make the twin towns desirable to buyers. We have the doctors, the hospital, the new ambulance station and the railway which are all strong draw cards.” he said. On top of this, pressure on prices in Canberra, Murrumbateman, Yass and Binalong is causing a flow on effect on the market. Scott said, “They are casting their gaze a bit further. If we look at the radius out from Canberra, Harden falls within or near that 1 hour mark. Any further and it gets a bit too far to commute.”
He highlighted the country lifestyle as being another drawcard. “People can often work from home now and they are realising that it’s a great place to raise children.” The houses priced between $150,000 and $200,000 are in short supply, however they are moving well. Scott said rural properties seem to have really risen over the last 12 months with prices jumping from around $2,000 and acre to up to $2,800 and beyond. “They don’t often hit the market and are sold over the fence to neighbours. It comes down to the commodity prices with good returns on lambs, cattle and cropping. If you are looking to get a foothold in your local area you have to be quick, the trade is very brisk, it doesn’t hang around long.” Scott said that he thinks Harden will reach the same prices as Coota and Young eventually but highlighted that due to the proximity to Canberra it was a different scenario for Harden- Murrumburrah. He said “I had 3 gentlemen walk in today who were on their way to Temora to look at property, there are lots of people coming out from the city. City buyers are seeing our prices on the internet and becoming interested.”
Rents are now often nudging $250 a week and some are higher. The median property price is now $203,000 after being $151,000 in 2011. Although not a huge jump in price, the interest in the local market seems to be on the rise and this is culminating in sales. There have been 17 properties sold this year which is nearly 6 a month. Scott said local investors and first home buyers should think about Harden, “It’s just too hard with a median price of a million dollars in Sydney, it makes sense to look at a place like Harden, you don’t need to be making 2 grand a week if your mortgage is $200,000. There is town spirit and you know who your neighbours are. It’s not like the city, in the bush you know everyone and they know you and it is a lifestyle choice. It’s a nice place to come home to and you feel welcome. Whilst the industry continues to evolve and embraces technology the future of real estate could be very different in 5 to 10 years. Scott said “The industry has changed from traditional agent listings in the window and print media to more of a web based presence. With the rise of the internet the game has changed a lot to get a broader audience. Online auctions and virtual offices are becoming more prevalent
