Glen Innes is the affordable treechange. The town has become an attractive area to enter the property market demonstrated by a steady rise in the price of houses and developer confidence in the town.

Century 21 Say and Co sales consultant Brian Orvad said that the impact of interest rates have slowed sales in some coastal areas due to the mortgage required to buy homes. Glen Innes on the other hand has become an attractive area to retire and for young people to enter the market.

“Historically interest rates go up,” he said. “However properties are still selling provided houses are priced competitively. Glen Innes continues to remain strong; we don’t see the great leaps or drops in the market, Glen Innes weathers the storm quite well. With the projects that are going on around town at the moment it shows that there is developer confidence in the town.”

Figures released by the Australian Property Monitors late last week indicated that across the board the Northern Tablelands has experienced a significant growth in property values.

By far the largest recorded growth area in the state was Uralla where property prices have risen by 35 per cent in the past 12 months. Glen Innes and Armidale also recorded significant property hikes with Glen Innes experiencing a 13 per cent rise in the market while Armidale experienced a 12 per cent growth.

“The median house price in Glen Innes is $158,000,” Australian Property Monitors General Manager Michael McNamara said. “This is a 13 per cent rise over the past 12 months and a 32 per cent increase during the last three years.”

Although property prices in the town have risen the Northern Tablelands and in particular Glen Innes is still considered affordable compared with other regional areas across the state.

“Property values in the Northern Tablelands have come up from a low base but nevertheless we are really back in the picture and I believe this tree change trend will continue for some time,” Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay said. “Everywhere I went people were talking about the exodus of people with young families and retirees from Sydney putting pressure on the local property market. Now we have the figures to prove it.”

“We live in one of the most beautiful regions of the state and it is no wonder that people want to get out of Sydney to invest in our great quality of life,” he said.