We reveal the beachside suburbs experiencing the strongest buyer demand.
Beachside apartments in Sydney’s eastern suburbs are among the most in demand in Australia, realestate.com.au data reveals – with both Tamarama and Bronte making the top 10 suburbs nationally for buyer demand.
These two prestige suburbs offer an unbeatable lifestyle and consistently strong capital gains over recent years. We explore what the apartment market looks like in these two similar – but also very different – suburbs.
Tamarama apartments: scarce but popular
Realestate.com.au’s data shows that Tamarama apartments were the fourth most in demand in Australia, with an average of 95 key enquiries per property listing.
Median apartment prices in Tamarama have risen 10.5% over the past 12 months to hit a high of $2.32 million. Tamarama is a tiny suburb and apartments here are limited, so part of their value comes down to scarcity.
2021 Census data reveals that of the 684 homes in Tamarama, 62%, or just 338, are apartments. They’re also tightly held, with realestate.com.au reporting that only 13 have sold in the last year.
It’s also worth noting that rents for Tamarama apartments have risen 64% in just three years to an average of $1,395 a week. This makes them popular with investors, who receive a healthy yield of 3.1%.
Record breaking success for Tamarama apartments
While Tamarama may not have many apartments, it does have a diversity of styles, from Art Deco and mid-century through to 1980s and 1990s developments.
The suburb’s most famous apartment block is undoubtedly the brutalist, Harry Seidler-designed Glenview Court. If you can’t find it today, don’t worry. It was renamed Skye Tamarama a couple of years ago, following a multimillion dollar strata renovation – the largest ever of its kind when it was completed.
In recent years, a handful of prestige developments have drawn attention to Tamarama, with a penthouse smashing the suburb record when it sold in 2024 for $20 million. Unfortunately, however, these developments haven’t significantly changed stock levels.
Not all sales in Tamarama go to auction though. Earlier this year, an entire apartment block sold for around $6.9 million in an off-market transaction.
If you’re looking to buy a Tamarama apartment, we currently have 15/360 Birrell Street on the market. This two-bedroom apartment with a lock up garage and level access, offers views over Tamarama Beach and the Pacific ocean. Situated just steps from the beach, it features east-facing interiors, a wide balcony and additional toilet and internal laundry.
Bronte apartments may just take the spotlight off houses
Bronte houses have been some of Sydney property’s standout performers over the last five years, with the suburb’s median house value rising 75% since August 2020. And that growth trajectory hasn’t slowed down. Between March and May this year alone, Bronte’s median house price gained 5.8%: equivalent to $342,500, or an average of $5,615 dollars every day.
Now it looks like the suburb’s apartments are about to step into the spotlight.
Bronte apartments placed sixth nationally on realestate.com.au’s list of the most in demand suburbs, receiving 91 key enquiries per property listing. This demonstrates the enduring popularity of this beachside suburb across demographics, sub-markets and pricepoints.
The median apartment price in Bronte is currently $1.7 million (it rose 11.1% in the last year), compared to the house price which sits over three times that, at $6.025 million. Rents have increased 34% in the last five years.
Bronte offers great appeal and a wide range of apartments
Bronte is known for being home to one of Sydney’s most stunning beaches and a thriving food, cafe and restaurant scene. The world famous Bronte to Bondi walk snakes along its coastline, which also features the historic and picturesque Waverley Cemetery.
Just seven kilometres from the city, with easy access to great schools (St Clare’s, St Catherine’s and Waverley College among them), Bronte is family-friendly with a great sense of community and feels more secluded and quieter than Bondi.
But it’s still very close to the action, with excellent transport links to Bondi Junction. Meanwhile, major workplaces like UNSW, Sydney airport and Prince of Wales Hospital are close by – even though you’ll feel like life is a permanent holiday when you’re on the beach or sipping a flat white in the park.
Almost half (49.4%) of Bronte’s housing stock is apartments, and there is a wide variety to choose from. These include converted houses, early 1900s federation apartments, designer contemporary penthouses, apartments over shops and commercial buildings, art deco classics and mid century marvels.
When we listed 13/414 Bronte Road, Bronte last year, it received enormous buyer interest. This two-bedroom apartment with parking and district views sold for $1,475,000. We also sold a two-bedroom apartment at 5/5 Andrew Street, Bronte, for $1.38 million.
Investors looking at Bronte often favour one-bedroom apartments for their yields (currently a solid 3.4%). Larger apartments are a rare commodity but this may change, with a few prestige Bronte developments in the works. When listed, they tend to attract downsizers and families.
Read about the history of Bronte’s iconic Bogey Hole in our article here.
Eastern suburbs houses remain in high demand too
The high-demand carries across to houses, with four suburbs in Sydney’s east making it into the top 10 for buyer demand: Coogee, Rose Bay, Bellevue Hill and Clovelly.
This harbourside and beachside mix shows the lifestyle focus with buyers of all kinds seeking convenience, views and waterside locations.
Want more?
If you’re considering buying or selling in Sydney’s East, contact my team for expert
