Community & Business
27 June, 2022
A top place to call home
As house hunters side-step the cities in search of a quieter pace, many are finding Pittsworth ticks a lot of boxes as a place to call home.
Ray White Rural agent Kathy Hohns says she is fielding more inquiries than ever these days from people outside the region - even some from outside the state.
The town’s country feel, sense of community and proximity to Toowoomba are among the drawcards.
And for Con and Rachel Anagnostopoulos, who bought their house here six months ago, it’s the weather too.
The couple had previously renovated a house in Oberon, NSW, where the winter average can be 10 degrees lower than in Pittsworth.
Initially they were looking for houses nearer to the coast but one particularly cold day in Oberon Rachel broadened her online search to include all of southern Queensland “and this house popped up.”
“That was during lockdown and so we couldn’t come and inspect it but we did a bit of research on Pittsworth and thought it seemed like a nice community.
“We did a video walk-through and loved it and bought it.”
And Pittsworth in the flesh didn’t disappoint once the family was able to move here.
“The people have been fantastic,” Con said.
“Very impressed.”
“And to see kids walking with bikes and scooters to school, it feels like we’re back in time.”
The couple was able to move with their business, Dream Gig, a support platform that helps remote workers find employment.
Kathy Hohns says while the majority of house sales last year were still to locals, she is noticing far more enquiries from further afield this year.
“I think the lifestyle is a big factor.
“A lot of people on the coast are feeling that life is getting very busy. Many can sell there and buy in a better price range and have money left over.”
“And certainly prices are increasing here too which is what happens when you have multiple buyers for some properties.”
Interestingly, the tiny Southbrook township to the east of Pittsworth has also been getting attention.
“It’s like a light bulb’s gone off.
“We’ve had over ten sales there since the last half of last year and the majority of those have been to Toowoomba people.
“I think people are realising just how close it is to Toowoomba.”
Pittsworth’s median house price over the past 12 months, according to realestate.com.was $341,250.
By comparison, for the same 12 months in Toowoomba City, the median house price was $435,000.
Hannah Geldmacher has just moved into her first home - in Pittsworth - this month with partner Sam, leaving the Lockyer Valley behind.
She said she had thought Pittsworth was a “cute town” after driving through a few times on her way to work.
“I liked that there were a lot of older houses but they were all so neat, with nice gardens.
“And the shops - I didn’t think Pittsworth would have shops like that,” she said of the boutiques and specialty stores lining Yandilla street.
Hannah had been in serious house-hunting mode since February and was searching across the entire Toowoomba region.
She was completely smitten once she stepped inside the renovated four-bedroom she would end up taking the keys to earlier this month.
“There’s everything here I need in Pittsworth - if you didn’t want to you wouldn’t ever need to go to Toowoomba, even though it’s only half an hour away.
“It’s still a small enough town that you get that country feel.
“I love it - I can take the dogs for a walk to the end of the street and be walking beside paddocks. “
Kathy said another new couple to town had made the move from beachy Bargara, near Bundaberg, while many inquiries were coming from the Gold and Sunshine coasts.
Nearby Millmerran was also proving popular with retirees who had sold up in metropolitan areas.
A number of new subdivisions around Pittsworth would increase the options on offer for prospective buyers.
