Whether it’s time to upsize from a unit or downsize from a large family home, the modern townhouse is becoming a top choice for a multitude of buyers.
Forget about the old-school floorplans that dominated the market a few decades ago – today’s developers are designing townhouses with the modern buyer in mind.
These high-quality, low maintenance homes are proving to be the ideal long-term solution for many buyers, including young couples and busy families. So, what makes terrace homes so appealing?
Desirable locations
Townhouses have taken off in southern markets, particularly Melbourne, where a desire to live close to the CBD in something larger than a unit has driven increased demand.
As Brisbane’s population continues to grow, townhouses are expected to become a regular addition to higher amenity inner-city areas.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in the first 10 months of 2018, the number of townhouse approvals in the Greater Brisbane area was almost 45 per cent higher than the number approved ten years prior.
Cedar Woods’ senior development manager for Queensland, Peter Starr, said they had recognised the demand for an option other than units close to the CBD in Brisbane and as a result launched Bexley, located just 5km from the CBD.
Bexley is in close proximity to some of Brisbane’s leading private schools, as well as Kedron Brook’s bikeways and walkways, and the Shaw Park sporting fields.
It is also 400 metres from the Wooloowin train station and the attractiveness of a simpler, more convenient style of housing is expected to continue driving demand.
More amenities
Townhouses are often built in infill areas. Buying closer to the city means you are also buying into an inner-city lifestyle, without compromising on the space you are living in.
Many such homes are being developed in growth corridors where there are already established communities, so that means plenty of restaurants, shops, parks and public transport nearby.
The project is a long-term commitment by Cedar Woods to help transition Wooloowin from a traditional ‘timber and tin’ suburb to an in-demand lifestyle precinct.
Wooloowin is one of Brisbane’s older suburbs, boasting a number of heritage-listed buildings and many older, inter-war Queenslander style homes.
In recent years, traditional and heritage homes in the area have been being given a new lease of life with many of the traditional Queenslander homes being renovated and modernised.
This reinvigoration is now flowing into Wooloowin, with Bexley helping to revive the suburb by adding to the housing diversity and adding to the local open spaces by providing a new 4,000 sqm public parkland as well as new bike paths and walking trails.
The Cedar Woods team will spend up to five years on-site, allowing them to watch the vibrant community come to life.
Thoughtful design for the modern buyer
Forget everything you knew about townhouse designs. Modern terrace homes are a far cry from what was on offer in the eighties when it was a combined kitchen and lounge downstairs and two small bedrooms upstairs.
Bexley, in particular, is setting the standard when it comes to Queenslander’s expectations for this style of home.
The layouts are akin to those you could find in a stand-alone home, with front or rear yards, high ceilings and city skyline views.
Starr said with Bexley, Cedar Woods have aimed to provide a “modern, sophisticated and refined” style of housing that could be adapted to changing needs of families.
“It’s not uncommon for the bedrooms to be used for different purposes, such as a study or a studio, and its equally common for the main bedroom to be in different rooms over the life cycle of the family as parents seek to be close to, or in due course, escape from the children,” Starr said.
High-quality, low-maintenance living
Townhouses are a great option for time-poor inner-city dwellers who want to spend less time looking after their home and more time entertaining or exploring their surrounds.
With low maintenance landscaping, terrace homes cater to those who like the idea of green space around them, but sigh at the thought of weeding their garden on the weekend.
“Townhouses offer many benefits that appeal to a wide range of buyers who value their free time and are not compelled to buy a big house with an expansive yard as a status symbol,” Starr said.
When it comes to the interior, Bexley is fitted out with stone benchtops; stainless steel Bosch appliances and air-conditioning, meaning there’s no need to worry about renos or upgrades down the track.
Starr said high ceilings, plenty of natural light and generous living areas with cleverly designed storage opportunities and well-appointed kitchens and bathrooms, gave the terrace homes a feeling of spacious, luxury living.
Bexley is offering buyers two- and three-storey terrace homes with a choice of three or four bedrooms, and two car parking spaces – ideal for busy and growing families.