An aerial view looking at the famous Snapper Rocks and Rainbow Bay at Coolangatta. Picture: Getty Images
The 2032 Olympic Games might still be six years away, but the Gold Coast property market has already decided it is time to go for gold.
If you’ve been to a local open home recently, you know the frenzy is real.
But a new joint report from iBuyNew and Hotspotting gives a glimpse into the massive economic engine kicking into gear as the Games get closer.
Just like when the Glitter Strip hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2018, the region is poised to benefit from a lasting legacy well outlasting the two weeks of sport in 2032.
Aerial view Broadbeach.
The Gold Coast is currently welcoming 400 new residents every week and is tipped to reach a population of 1 million by 2040.
We are forecast to have the fastest-growing economy in Australia over the next four years, clocking in at 10.07 per cent growth compared to the national average of 7.91 per cent.
Add to that a staggering $60b pipeline of job-creating infrastructure and development already underway or proposed, plus an expected $2b economic boost specifically from the 2032 Games, and you have a recipe for a real estate boom.
Since the Games were announced in 2021, Gold Coast house values have skyrocketed by 68 per cent, according to the report.
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The proposed Gold Coast Arena at Carey Park in Southport.
Back then, our median house price was a relatively modest $700,000. Today, it has confidently smashed the million-dollar milestone, sitting at $1.175m.
But the real market heroes are local apartments. Gold Coast units have recorded incredible 78 per cent growth since 2021 , pushing the median price from $446,750 to $785,000.
This affordability squeeze is driving buyer demand in key Olympic hotspots. In Arundel, a massive 73 per cent of unit sales over the 12 months to January 2026 went for above the asking price.
Ashmore wasn’t far behind with 62 per cent of units selling at a premium, followed by Labrador at 59 per cent.
The proposed Gold Coast Arena at Carey Park in Southport.
The report pinpointed a “golden cluster” of suburbs including Southport, Labrador, Benowa, Ashmore, Molendinar, and Arundel.
These postcodes were all set to reap the biggest rewards from Olympic infrastructure like the Southport Arena, the Benowa Athlete Village, and the Labrador Hockey Centre.
Vacancy rates in each remained well below 3 per cent, with Benowa sitting at just 1 per cent. Meanwhile, Southport houses led the local pack for recent capital growth, jumping 16 per cent in just 12 months.
8/76-80 Chichester Dr, Arundel sold for $710,000
But iBuyNew CEO Daniel Peterson warned investors to look beyond the stadium lights.
“Proximity to an Olympic venue on its own rarely sustains value,” Mr Peterson said.
“Accessibility, long-term utility and supply discipline do.”
Hotspotting managing director Tim Graham said savvy buyers were looking well past the 2032 closing ceremony, noting demographic shifts surrounding the Games would continue to play out over the next decade.
So, while the world’s best athletes won’t arrive on the Coast for another six years, the race for local real estate has already fired the starting gun.
If you’re waiting for 2032 to make your move, you might just risk spectating from the sidelines.
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