There has been more positive news for the region this month with the release of the latest Sunshine Coast Business Confidence Survey.
As reported in the January edition of the Business News Update from Sunshine Coast Council, the survey revealed a consistently positive sentiment amongst businesses on the Sunshine Coast and an optimistic outlook for continued growth over the next six months.
Businesses were polled on range of topics covering profitability, capital investment and business constraints with encouraging results.
More than 88% of businesses surveyed expect the same or increased profitability levels over the next six months and 92% indicated they will maintain or increase staffing levels.
More than 90% of businesses also expect to increase or maintain capital investment over the next six months, the Sunshine Coast Council reported.
“The consistently high levels business confidence we’ve seen on the Coast since 2014 shows there is real optimism within the local business community and that our region is on track to building a sustainable economy,” Mayor Mark Jamieson was quoted as saying.
“The Sunshine Coast is rapidly becoming one of Australia’s leading city regions, providing an outstanding location for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurialism.
“Our region is already seeing some fantastic results, being recognised as one of the strongest performing regional economies in Queensland and a record decline in unemployment to below the state and national averages,’’ he said.
More than $10 billion is committed or in the pipeline for major public and private investment across the region in the coming years including the largest health infrastructure project in Australia, the $1.8 billion Sunshine Coast University Hospital at Kawana, which is due to open in April this year.
At Henzells we have certainly noticed increased levels of optimism and demand.
Our office at Currimundi, on the doorstep of the emerging world-class health project, is experiencing high numbers of walk-in enquiries and properties are being successfully sold or rented out to high-quality tenants as soon as they are listed with us.
The shift in optimism is evident across the entire southern Sunshine Coast with buyer sentiment riding high up on the back of these strong economic factors and positive jobs growth.
This is providing incentive for more interstate buyers to enter the market, while locals have realised that it is a good time to upgrade based on the values being achieved.