A combination of low Covid rates and lifestyle changes are putting more attention on the South Australian capital
5 min
Sandstone villas and opulent mansions in South Australia’s premier inner-city suburbs have become hot property for Adelaide house hunters looking for lifestyle as well as economic security.
While there’s been plenty of activity and attention placed on rural living and lifestyle areas, Adelaide’s inner-city listings too, particularly in blue chip suburbs such as Toorak Gardens and North Adelaide, have also been snapped up for record prices in the past few months.
Several driving factors have helped pique interest and confidence, not least the city’s handling of the pandemic—with less than 600 cases in total and four deaths.
As of December, its unemployment rate of 6.4% was no longer the highest in the country and its relatively affordable median house price of $509,978 and Australia’s historically low interest rates has contributed to its appeal.
Housing is half the price of Sydney, where median house prices have passed $1 million, and more than 60% cheaper than Melbourne’s median house price of $821,904.
Fox Real Estate principal Andrew Fox said there was uncertainty in the market around March and April but confidence returned quickly and activity and prices “went from strength to strength.”
“We were very fortunate in 2020,” he said. “Many generational top-end properties changed hands for excellent prices while low interest rates and low stock levels fueled the market.”
Sotheby’s South Australia director Grant Giordano confirmed that “a lot has been happening in terms of luxury sales” around Adelaide and said it still offers great relative value compared to other cities.
“These prestige properties are incredibly attractive, I always talk about the relative value of Adelaide, when you’re buying one of these properties, you’re buying tomorrow’s value today,” he said.
“It’s a city that goes through a cyclical cycle, once one big sale occurs, they all go and reset the market’s expectations.”
He said South Australians have adjusted their lifestyle habits as a result of the pandemic.
“People have more disposable income and are limiting discretionary buys and instead investing in their day-to-day lifestyle because they’re stuck at home,” he said.
“Many buyers are thinking ‘If I’m stuck at home might as well enjoy the space which I’m currently in’,” he said.
Williams Luxury managing director Stephanie Williams said 2020 brought about a distinct shift among Adelaide’s more affluent buyers, who sought larger properties that are better suited to the current “Covid lifestyle,” that include home offices, gyms, theatre rooms and outdoor areas.
“As we are all spending more time at home our needs have broadened somewhat to require these extra living environments and our high profile clients and professionals are now working from home more than ever before,” Ms Williams said.
“We also have a strong level of international relocations and ex-pats returning to Adelaide—as it offers excellent lifestyle options with very low levels of congestion,” she said. “Extremely low-interest rates, improved lending conditions from the banks, government stimulus and an absolute lack of supply in both sales and rental properties are also key fundamentals in driving the current market.”
“It’s very close to the perfect storm for vendors right now, as everyone wants to buy and only a very low number of people actually want to sell.”
Prestige Properties
Reputable and refined, North Adelaide is known for its stunning mansions and tall terraces on leafy lined streets, where a statue of naval officer and the state’s first surveyor-general Colonel William Light stands atop Montefiore Hill, overlooking the city he planned.
North Adelaide’s charismatic old homes and well-to-do residents have long defined the suburb’s distinct social, cultural and geographic differences.
All but one of Adelaide’s 10 most expensive homes were built in the 1800s and they remain highly sought after as proven in late 2020 when the historic North Adelaide mansion at Molesworth Street went under contract within three days of hitting the market.
Sold through Sotheby’s South Australia, the $4.5 million sale price made it one of North Adelaide’s most expensive transactions on record.
Neighbourhood amenities such as grand old pubs, modern hip cafes, gourmet supermarkets and a diverse range of restaurants contribute greatly to the village atmosphere, while the impressive and revamped Adelaide Oval sporting ground lies between the suburb and the central business district.
A walk along the River Torrens leads to the Adelaide Zoo, the city’s aquatic centre, and the education facilities, such as North Adelaide Primary, are not only among the state’s oldest but with Adelaide High School, among the top performers too.
The rich selection of amenities contributes significantly to the appeal, Mr Giordano said, with buyers eager to get into the area.
“Very rarely on the city fringe do you have such green and private living so conveniently laid out. When you’re talking about the Adelaide Hills or beach lifestyle, they’re lifestyle choices at the expense of convenience,” he said. “In North Adelaide, you make no compromise. It’s the closest suburb to the city and it has some of the grandest and most historically resonant properties in Adelaide.”
The exclusive location and quality of housing are what attracts the suburb’s two main demographics, Ms Williams said, with families attracted to the lifestyle and close proximity to elite schools while professional couples appreciate the cosmopolitan lifestyle, golf courses, parklands and close proximity to the Adelaide Oval.
Outlook 2021
Buyer interest in Adelaide is widespread. The number of eyeballs per online listing city-wide increased dramatically between 2019 and 2020, and according to CoreLogic’s head of research Tim Lawless, the city received minimal disruption during the pandemic.
“Adelaide housing values reached a new record high in November after recording five consecutive months of growth,” Mr Lawless said in his review of the 2020 market.
“Adelaide’s housing market has seen minimal disruption through the Covid period so far, only recording one month where values dipped lower—a drop of only 0.2% in June.”
Figures released by realestate.com.au also show suburbs such as North Adelaide are among the most sought-after by online house hunters, recording a 92% increase in views per listing in 2020 compared to 2019.
One of 2020’s hottest listings was an 1878-built sandstone villa on Mills Terrace, North Adelaide, which attracted almost 18,000 views in the leadup to its Dec. 20 auction through Williams Luxury.
Six registered bidders took part in the auction of 52 Mills Terrace, North Adelaide, which sold for $3.3million on December 20.
Williams Luxury
The grand and imposing four-bedroom home occupying a 1200 square metre landscaped block on one of North Adelaide’s most prestigious streets sold at auction for $3.3million and attracted six registered local and interstate-based bidders.
“North Adelaide generally has a very low level of luxury homes available to the market and the most prestigious properties can be tightly held by the same family for generations,” Ms Williams said.
“The market conditions at the end of 2020 were very unusual for the area with several luxury homes coming onto the market around the same time,” she said. “All of these properties have now sold and we are back to experiencing traditional very low levels of new properties coming onto the market.“
CoreLogic figures for North Adelaide show the suburb’s median house price first broke the $1 million barrier in October 2020, while SQM Research listing data highlights the shortage of property available for sale, with 28 houses available in January, the lowest since June 2020.
Mr Fox remains confident about Adelaide’s outlook, particularly given its reputation as a “safe haven” when it comes to health and the economy, two contributing factors that had lured many expats back from overseas as well as new residents from interstate.
“Our inner-city, hills, regional and beachside locations have seen significant growth and are always sought-after, but we have seen demand and growth pretty much across the board,” he said.
“The prestige market is extremely strong and it’s probably the most opportune time to sell in years. Stock levels are relatively low and it’s not unusual to receive a dozen or so offers on a prestige property, and we can’t see it slowing down this year,” he added.
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Rugged coastal drives and fireside drams define a slow, indulgent journey through Scotland’s far north.
A haven for hedge-fund titans and Hollywood grandees, Greenwich is one of the world’s most expensive residential enclaves, where eye-watering prices meet unapologetic grandeur.
A haven for hedge-fund titans and Hollywood grandees, Greenwich is one of the world’s most expensive residential enclaves, where eye-watering prices meet unapologetic grandeur.
4 min
Greenwich, Connecticut, is in New England (just barely), but that doesn’t mean it’s a quaint, sleepy small town with covered bridges and white churches on the green.
It’s leafy, certainly, but it’s also a luxury-minded power centre close to New York City, with many celebrity residents (director Ron Howard, singer Diana Ross, actor Meryl Streep and, at one time, Australia’s own Mel Gibson).
The main shopping street, Greenwich Avenue, is home to brand stores such as Hermès, Kate Spade, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tiffany & Co.
And Greenwich, particularly in the “back country” north of the Merritt Parkway, is host to some of the most exclusive real estate in the world.
The average price for a single-family home in the second quarter of 2025 was USD $3.25 million (AUD $4.9 million). But that’s merely an entry point, buying a smaller home in one of the town’s less desirable neighbourhoods.
What does USD $43 million (AUD $66 million) buy in Greenwich?
Last autumn’s most expensive listing offered a 1,068-square-metre waterfront home with eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, plus “Gatsby-like lawns”, a gym, games room, party room, wine cellar, fruit orchard, pool and spa. The front and side porches have heated floors.
Prefer something more traditional and secluded? For USD $33 million (AUD $50 million), buyers could close on an 11,760-square-metre Georgian manor on 3.2 hectares, featuring eight fireplaces, an elevator, and a dumbwaiter.
The first floor features a three-storey cascading chandelier. For bibliophiles, there’s a two-storey mahogany library. If bocce is more your pace, a similar USD $25 million compound on 7.5 hectares, built for a liquor magnate in 2009, may appeal. Fourteen bathrooms should suffice.
The Greenwich market is strong, but not without challenges.
“The big problem is that there’s no inventory,” said Evangela Brock, an agent with Douglas Elliman. “It’s extremely low at all price points.”
In November, just 15 properties under USD $1 million (AUD $1.52 million) were listed without contracts, compared with 23 above USD $10 million (AUD $15.2 million). Of those, six had contracts pending. Greenwich has more than 17,000 single-family homes.
Kanebridge Quarterly toured two mid-priced houses in Greenwich. “You don’t lose money in Greenwich real estate,” said Beth MacGillivray, a realtor with the Higgins Group. “This is the hot spot.”
MacGillivray opened the door to a 733.9-square-metre Georgian colonial in the Sherwood Farms Association development her family built in 2005. The house was expected to sell for about USD $5 million (AUD $7,743,535).
The six-bedroom, four-level house is move-in ready, with staged furniture showing its potential and many of the amenities that buyers in this range expect.
Visitors enter through a two-storey foyer with a marble floor. A circular staircase leads to an airy living room with double-height ceilings.
There’s a main bedroom with his-and-hers bathrooms, a cherry-panelled library with cigar-smoke venting, five fireplaces, and a state-of-the-art kitchen with a breakfast nook by Greenwich-based designer Christopher Peacock.
Most rooms have huge walk-in wardrobes. Even the laundry room has granite countertops. Custom millwork, cabinetry and fixtures are evident throughout.
The drawbacks? A smaller yard and no pool. Still, refugees from the city would marvel at the abundant interior space.
Not far away, an entirely different house was on the market for USD $2.66 million.
The imposing 696.7-square-metre, nine-bedroom, seven-bath Georgian/Federal home on Shady Lane in the Glenville neighbourhood was built in 1900. Its good bones and inherent grandeur were apparent, as was a clear need for updating.
“It’s a good project for someone,” said realtor Kaori Higgins. “It needs the right buyer, someone who is looking to return it to its stately original condition.”
Given the hot market, some buyers may be tempted to tear it down and build anew.
But the house is filled with charming period details, including hand-built stone fireplaces, reading nooks, pocket doors, leaded windows and beautiful original millwork.
The second floor offers a vast veranda with views of Long Island Sound and a built-in swimming pool.
The drawbacks? Bathrooms that were awkwardly redesigned in the 1970s, unsightly flooring on the upper levels, and crumbling exterior elements.
Higgins noted that a nearby sister property, fully renovated, sold for USD $11 million (AUD $17 million). Any buyer of Shady Lane’s faded elegance would need both imagination and deep pockets.
For contrast, Kanebridge Quarterly left Greenwich for nearby Fairfield’s upscale Greenfield Hill neighbourhood to visit Lion’s Gate, a 595 square metre Tudor Revival home built as a modest dwelling in the 1920s but extensively expanded and remodelled in 2000.
With three acres of land, a guest cottage, an artist’s studio and a pool house, the asking price is USD $3.3 million (AUD $5 million). Like the Sherwood home, Lion’s Gate is flawlessly move-in ready, with designer touches throughout.
The entire second floor was added during the renovation and features parquet flooring, a massive main suite, arched doorways and 2.74-metre ceilings.
Many rooms include walk-in wardrobes, extensive carved millwork and built-ins. The wood-panelled library (on the site of the former stable) is warm and inviting.
The expansive kitchen includes a window seat with a hand-painted ceiling, a wine cooler and a butler’s pantry.
Realtor Lorelei Atwood said Fairfield faces the same inventory shortage as Greenwich.
“Demand is growing as more New York-based executives are being told they have to report to the office,” she said. “Fairfield has always been a commuter town.”
Why is this home USD $3.3 million (AUD $5 million), and the Sherwood property around USD $5 million (AUD $7,743,535)?
Location. Greenfield Hill is lovely, but Greenwich real estate occupies a rarefied class of its own.
Note: Thanks to realtor Sherri Steeneck for chaperoning.
This story appeared in the Autumn issue of Kanebridge Quarterly, which you can buy here.
