PROPERTY prices in Anna Bay have reached new heights after a house sold for a residential suburb record of $2.8 million.
The seven-bedroom, four-bathroom property at 42 Ocean Avenue sold for the record-breaking with Ray White The Knaggs Group listing agents Aramis Pincovai and Tim Jurisic.
It topped the previous Anna Bay record by $200,000 which was set in September 2022 following the $2.6 million sale of three-bedroom home on the same street at 49a Ocean Avenue.
Mr Pincovai said the listing drew around 150 enquiries during the campaign, with a significant increase in buyer interest over Christmas when holidaymakers were in the region.
"We had a lot of competition on the property in the last two weeks where we were inundated with strong interest from out-of-area parties," Mr Pincovai said.
"We had a contract race between three parties who were all Sydney-based.
"People are looking up and down the coast for a coastal change or a holiday house which was the case for these buyers."
The house was reconfigured into two separate two-bedroom, one-bathroom units and there were two separate single bedroom units at the rear of the property.
"It had the ability to host holiday guests while simultaneously you could keep one of the units for yourself and use it at your leisure," he said.
"That made it highly desirable."
However, the record could be short-lived with another property in Anna Bay tipped to fetch around $4 million.
The luxury new build on 10,000 square metres at 34b Port Stephens Drive in Anna Bay hit the market in later December with PRD Port Stephens listing agent Dane Queenan who hopes to finalise the sale in the coming weeks.
Mr Pincovai said the high level of interest in the Port Stephens region was driven by the affordability it offered and the upcoming expansion of Williamtown Airport.
"With the airport expansion and future promise of international carriers, Anna Bay is going to be one of the hottest suburbs on the peninsula, in my opinion, he said.
Newcastle buyers agent Chad Dunn agreed the Port Stephens region was attracting rising levels of interest from out-of-area buyers.
"At the moment, I would say that 50 per cent of my enquiry from out of the area as a buyer's agent is coming for the Port Stephens area, particularly Anna Bay," Mr Dunn said.
"They seem more aware of the impact that something the size of an international grade airport would have on that area."
The median house value in Anna Bay is $1.03 million, according to CoreLogic.
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