Goodna tops market

FLOOD-RAVAGED Goodna has bounced back and topped the list for average house price rises in Ipswich, according to the latest quarterly figures from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland.

Goodna was the hardest hit suburb in south-east Queensland in the flood of January 2011 with 600 homes destroyed.

Property prices plummeted immediately with homes sold for as little as $100,000.

But the average price now was $272,000 - a whopping 32.7% jump during the past quarter.

Goodna councillor Paul Tully, who lost his own home in the flood, said the latest price rises were fantastic news for the suburb.

"We are slowly bouncing back from the devastation of 2011," Cr Tully said. "Businesses are getting back to normal and 90% of homes have been reoccupied. There is a new spirit of optimism in Goodna as the latest house prices boost the momentum of recovery."

Other suburbs to increase in value were North Ipswich (up 10%), Yamanto (up 8.8%), Camira (up 3.2%), Springfield (up 2.7%) and Raceview (up 2.1%).

Suburbs to decline in median house prices included Augustine Heights (down 16.7%), Bundamba (down 16.4%) and Brassall (down 7.4%).

REIQ chief Anton Kardash said the state's improving results showed it was beginning to recover from a devastating 2011.

"Last year was a very tough one in Queensland, with the series of natural disasters having a drastic impact on our economy as well as on confidence levels overall," Mr Kardash said.

"With the first anniversary of these events now passed, it certainly appears that Queenslanders are feeling more optimistic about the future.

"This is starting to have a positive effect on our property market."