Buying Gold Coast

Most people renovate for lifestyle. The smart ones renovate for equity.

In this episode of, I am joined by Sounny and Alicia from The Block Season 2025 to unpack how experienced renovators think about ROI, trade-offs and long-term positioning in the Gold Coast market.

This is not a styling conversation. It is a money conversation.

We break down how to renovate strategically without overcapitalising, where families are getting caught out, and how to balance space vs location in 2026.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to renovate with ROI as the priority

• What genuinely adds value vs what just looks good

• When paying trades makes more financial sense than DIY

• Why bathrooms and high-impact upgrades create stronger returns• How to avoid overcapitalising in competitive Gold Coast suburbs

• Location vs lifestyle and how that decision impacts long-term wealth

• Their lived example of buying for space and later missing proximity

• Why being close to beaches, schools and amenities compounds in value

• The rise of dual living and granny flats as affordability tightens

• How families can use renovation to level up without blowing the budget

Connect with me

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/matt_srama/?hl=en

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@matt_srama

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-srama-b8647b1ba/?originalSubdomain=au

BGC Podcast → https://open.spotify.com/show/6ZTdnNdku9iVdkBEFrND8V

Connect with Sonny & Alicia

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/sonnyandalicia/?hl=en

Subscribe to Buying Gold Coast for weekly insights into renovating for equity, suburb strategy, development trends and practical guidance for navigating the Gold Coast property market in 2026.

#goldcoastproperty #renovating #propertystrategy #buyinggoldcoast #goldcoastrenovation #realestate2026

You do NOT need $2 million to win on the Gold Coast. Most people think you need blue-chip beachfront money to get real capital growth here. You don’t.

In this episode of Buying Gold Coast, I am joined by Brandon Dorn from our team to break down the three solid investment types under $2 million on the Gold Coast right now.

We unpack where the real opportunities are in 2026, which suburbs are quietly outperforming, and how investors can position themselves before entry prices push higher. And one of them is shifting faster than most people realise…

In this episode, we cover:

-Why beachside duplexes under $1.2M are delivering strong capital growth and balanced yields

-The power of “bridesmaid suburbs” and how to identify the next best thing

-How to add value through granny flats, cosmetic renovations, and smart positioning

-Why the $1.7M–$1.9M blue-chip bracket is moving into the low $2Ms

-The importance of land-to-asset ratio and development upside

-What makes an “X-factor” property in today’s Gold Coast market

-Real off-market case studies and current rental demand insights

Connect with me

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/matt_srama/?hl=en

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@matt_srama

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-srama-b8647b1ba/?originalSubdomain=au

BGC Podcast → https://open.spotify.com/show/6ZTdnNdku9iVdkBEFrND8V

Subscribe to Buying Gold Coast for weekly insights into Gold Coast property, buyer strategy, suburb breakdowns, development trends, and practical guidance for navigating the evolving property market in 2026.

The Gold Coast is entering a new era of vertical living. Luxury apartment developments are rising across the coastline and the way buyers approach these projects needs to evolve.

In this episode of Buying Gold Coast, I am joined by Carly Cottam from Motiv to unpack the Gold Coast vertical living boom and what buyers need to understand in 2026.

We break down how developers plan and stage new projects, how pricing and release strategies work, what drives demand in high-rise living, and the key risks and opportunities buyers should consider before committing to off-the-plan or apartment developments in today’s market.

In this episode, we cover:

-The Gold Coast vertical living boom and why it is accelerating

-How developers structure, stage, and price new projects

-The psychology behind staged releases and off-the-plan marketing

-The risks buyers overlook when purchasing off the plan

-How to assess whether a development truly stacks up before committing

Connect with me!

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/matt_srama/?hl=en

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@matt_srama

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-srama-b8647b1ba/?originalSubdomain=au

BGC Podcast → https://open.spotify.com/show/6ZTdnNdku9iVdkBEFrND8V

Connect with Carly & Motiv

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/carlycottam_motiv/?hl=en

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-cottam-8466082a/?originalSubdomain=au

Motiv Website → https://motivgroup.com.au/

Motiv Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/motiv_projectmarketing/

Subscribe to Buying Gold Coast for weekly insights into Gold Coast property, buyer strategy, prestige real estate, and real-world guidance for navigating the Gold Coast high end real estate market.