Retirement Properties on Bribie Island with a Buyer’s Agent

This lovely couple had moved from South Africa to Australia around 15 years ago, initially settling in a prestigious Brisbane suburb known for its bushland, golf course, and modern master-planned community. In 2011, they purchased a beautiful family home for $560,000, but due to some unfortunate work events and poor advice, they sold it in 2013 for $440,000—just enough to clear their mortgage and leave a modest sum.

Their experience is a testament to the risks of trying to time the market, as opposed to the benefits of time in the market. If they had held onto that property, it would likely be worth around $1,325,000 today.

Fast forward 11 years, and as they approached retirement, they found themselves priced out of many areas due to the property boom of recent years. They dreamed of a home within 300 metres of the water, ideally in Redcliffe. After missing out on a few properties, they contacted me, a buyer’s agent, to help turn their dream into reality.

---

After a brief phone chat, I sent them paperwork to review ahead of our in-person meeting. During our first meeting, we worked through the documents, and once signed, the search began. I spent time understanding their history and retirement goals, knowing how much this move meant to them.

I asked them for their top three must-haves:

1. Close to the water
2. A manageable two-bedroom or 3-bedroom (if I could find one) home
3. A budget must be under $500,000

Then we added 6–8 nice-to-haves, such as proximity to shops and medical facilities. Their one must-not-have was clear: they could not exceed their budget.

With these criteria in mind, we focused our search on Redcliffe, Deception Bay, Burpengary, Morayfield, and Caboolture.

---