News Corp Australia
Updated 25 Jun 2026, 5:09pm
First published 25 Jun 2026, 1:35pm
Kollosche agent Josh Finch
Kollosche agent Josh Finch says a younger buyer demographic is squaring up against older buyers to get into the Gold Coast’s gated estates. Here’s why
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Gated estates on the northern Gold Coast have always offered something rare – private marina access, resort-style amenity and a genuine sense of community that is hard to replicate anywhere else on the Gold Coast.
While existing, mainly older residents have always known of its appeal, there is a new cohort starting to see the attraction.
Over the past five years, as more people look to move to the city, a vastly different buyer demographic has been integrating into northern corridor gated communities.
Young professionals and families are being drawn to these superior waterfront living pockets as they discover what long-term residents have always known.
Looking at sales in Sanctuary Cove across the past 12 months, the buyer demographic was split almost evenly between those aged over and under 45.
This represents a meaningful shift away from historical trends, where the largest percentage of buyers were aged over 45. The impact of this on long-term price growth has the potential to be significant, with those already living inside the gates embracing the changes.
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Sanctuary Cove
The Gated Appeal
Security has always been a key driver when it comes to gated estate living. Residents have access to 24/7 protection, which carries real weight in a world where personal safety is increasingly front of mind.
Add to this the sense of community, easy waterfront access and elevated level of amenity, and the attraction to gated living is compelling.
The value proposition is another factor. Compared to central Gold Coast precincts that have experienced extraordinary growth over the past four to five years, Sanctuary Cove still represents incredible buying value.
At a comparable price point to premium central suburbs, Sanctuary Cove buyers get significantly more land, wider waterfront access, and security and lifestyle infrastructure that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere.
Given the current economic conditions and shift towards investing in a primary place of residence, the value for money aspect is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Land of Opportunity
What many people may not be aware of is the depth of opportunity that still exists within gated estates.
While land opportunities have all but disappeared across most of the central and southern Gold Coast, Sanctuary Cove continues to release fresh waterfront and dry blocks.
With further development actively in the pipeline, for those buying in today, the runway for future growth within the estate is considerable.
The clearest measure of life behind the gates, however, is resident retention.
Once behind the gates, a significant proportion of residents never leave. They simply upsize or downsize within the estate as their circumstances change.
This is not inertia. It is a signal of genuine lifestyle satisfaction and it creates a consistent pressure on supply that will underpin price growth for generations to come.
*Josh Finch is a sales agent at Kollosche specialising in the Sanctuary Cove and northern Gold Coast market.
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