Cronulla is one of the Sutherland Shire’s most famous tourist spots, and a favourite of locals too. This beachy village is one of Sydney’s quintessential seaside suburbs, and it’s growing more popular each year.
But, Sydney’s Shire, Northern Beaches and Eastern Suburbs all contain great coastal property markets, so what makes Cronulla different? Well, for starters it’s generally a lot more affordable despite featuring the same ocean views, golden beaches, and vibrant dining and nightlife cultures as other popular spots. Plus it’s very well connected to the rest of the city, a claim not many other seaside suburbs can make.
Today, let’s look at all the things which make Cronulla special, and what’s happening in the property market right now.
As we write this article, Cronulla is looking like a hot buyer’s market.
- Median house price: $3,052,500
- Median unit price: $985,000
Sources: All data in this article from realestate.com.au and Your Investment Property Mag
Cronulla property price trends
Don’t be fooled by the ups and downs of the Sydney property market – when you look at it from a long-term historic point of view, Cronulla is way up.
Check this out: In 2016, Cronulla’s median house price was $1,960,000. Compared to today’s median, that’s a 56% increase. The median unit price was $802,525 (23% increase).
This is a very popular suburb, with a lot of appeal for both young professionals and families alike – especially surfers, walkers and anyone else who loves the outdoors. We’ll cover the drivers of Cronulla’s growth later in this article so you can see what’s going on in this trendy place.
Learn more: Real estate for sale in Cronulla
Comparing Cronulla to other beach suburbs of Sydney
Sydney has plenty of excellent beachy suburbs, so what makes Cronulla stand out compared to other famous sites such as, say, Manly or Bondi?
Here’s the short answer: affordability without compromise.
Comparing nine-year price trends across other popular seaside suburbs:
| Suburb | Price compared to Cronulla | Growth since 2016 |
| Cronulla | – | 56% |
| Bondi | +30% | 66% |
| Coogee | +27% | 65% |
| Dee Why | -4% | 76% |
| Manly | +40% | 66% |
| Maroubra | +5% | 82% |
| Mosman | +63% | 70% |
| Narrabeen | +8% | 52% |
What are we looking at here?
When it comes to investing in property on a Sydney beach, Cronulla is one of your top prospects. Compared to the rest of the coastal market it’s practically a secret, with significantly more affordable property prices than other spots while still experiencing strong historic growth.
What has driven Cronulla’s growth and appeal to buyers?
We have to mention, past performance in real estate never equals future performance – we don’t truly know what will come next for Cronulla, or Sydney as a whole, but we can say from personal experience that the area has grown because it’s a fantastic place to live.
These are some of the top factors driving people to make the move to Cronulla over other Sydney beaches:
1. The lifestyle
Cronulla is a very appealing part of the Sutherland Shire because it balances both access to the surf and access to the city – something missing in parts of the Northern Beaches especially.
The local train station connects you right the way across the Shire, past the hospital, Westfield Miranda, council and sporting facilities, weekend activities galore, and then on towards the airport and CBD. In fact, this is the only suburb in Sydney with direct train access to the beach.
Given its location on the eastern side of the Shire, you’re also right next door to Kurnell Peninsula as well as a short drive from the Royal National Park, two of the best natural playgrounds in the city.
And if you don’t want to leave, you don’t have to! Cronulla town centre has a great cafe and dining scene as well as a very active nightlife, plus all the shops and things you would generally need day to day.
2. Diverse real estate options
Cronulla is popular with quite a range of people because the property options here give you a lot of choice.
Looking for something small like an apartment on the beach? There’s loads on the market, plus more on the way.
Need something larger? The Shire is very family-friendly, with houses of three to five bedrooms a common feature of the market.
There’s also a good mix of owner-occupiers and renters in Cronulla, so whether you’re buying to live or investing to rent, there’s probably an option we can talk about.
Learn more: Top 12 beginners tips for buying a first home
3. Council upgrades and developments
One of the signs that a suburb is likely to grow is whether or not its slated for any upgrades. In our experience, big development projects and new community amenities are often tied to increased property value.
Take a look at the Sutherland Shire’s featured projects and you’ll get a good idea as to why people have loved (and still love) places like Cronulla – they’re seeing a lot of investment in projects like…
- Cronulla town centre upgrades
- Upgrades to local walks
- New playgrounds
- New library facilities
- Improved parking
- New and improved sporting facilities
- And more!
So long as the Sutherland Shire Council keeps investing in Cronulla, it’ll probably remain an excellent place to live.
4. Fewer crowds
As a quick final note, we can’t leave without pointing out that residents’ love Cronulla because it doesn’t get as busy as the big names like Bondi, Coogee or Manly. Locals here get all the benefits of a massive Sydney beach without fighting the crowds every sunny day.
Add that to the lower prices, plus everything we’ve mentioned above, and we might just get in trouble for revealing this well-kept secret to the rest of the city.
Need help finding a Cronulla property of your own? Talk to the experts
You can probably tell we’re passionate about the Sutherland Shire – it’s our home too!
We’re the experts when it comes to Cronulla’s real estate market and we’re here to help. Check out why people choose MattBlak here, or contact our team to talk about your needs and let’s start hunting.