The Importance of School Zones

School zones remain a key focus for many Australian house hunters – and one in Adelaide is among the most sought-after in the nation.

A recent report released by Domain.com.au showed Glenunga International High was the fourth most-searched school zone in Australia, ranking only behind McKinnon Secondary College in Victoria, Sydney’s Matthew Pearce Public School and Mansfield State High School in Queensland.

Glenunga International High is the largest single-site public secondary school in the state, with students from 76 different countries of birth. The school has forged a strong reputation for its diverse curriculum, including the opportunity for pupils to study for an International Baccalaureate diploma.

As a result, properties within the Glenunga International High catchment zone almost always attract keen interest from a broad cross-section of buyers.

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Sales data shows that properties in popular school zones like Glenunga are likely to enjoy a price boost, with residents in those areas also less likely to leave, resulting in limited supply.

Toop&Toop sales partner Grant Wills, who is selling a four-bedroom home at 5a Fowlers Road, Glenunga, agrees school zones can be a critical factor when buyers are narrowing their property search.

“We’re finding more and more that people are searching areas to suit their children’s education,” Wills says.

“Glenunga International High School is a classic example.

“We find that when buyers are looking in this area, it’s not only because of the easy access to the city and cosmopolitan lifestyle. The school zone is vitally important.

“When we’re showing properties in this area, the most common question we get is, ‘is this property in the Glenunga International High school zone?’.”

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Domain’s managing editor Alice Stolz describes public schools as “the next big thing in property”.

“There’s such an appetite to be in sought-after school zones,” Stolz says.

“People are now thinking I want to buy in an area with a great school in the catchment … so much so that if you go on Domain.com.au, you can actually search by listings in the [school] catchments of your choice.”

A recent study by Monash University showed that the right Sydney primary school zone could boost house prices by as much as 2.5 per cent, while properties in popular secondary school zones could enjoy a 1.4 per cent lift.

“Across the road, property prices will drop quite considerably if you’re just outside a catchment zone,” Stolz says.

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