Simon Webster
Aug 3, 2026 – 9.21am
Location may still be the most important driver for homebuyers. But properties promising wellness and social connection are proving to be an increasingly big drawcard, too
Real estate is the fastest-growing sector of the wellness industry, according to the US-based Global Wellness Institute. The organisation defines wellness real estate as “built environments proactively designed, built and operated to support the holistic health of occupants, visitors and the community”. Worldwide, the sector increased from US$151 billion in 2017 to US$876 billion in 2025, and is projected to more than double to US$1.8 trillion by 2030
Australia is the fourth-biggest wellness real estate market in the world, after the US, China and the UK, with wellness property worth US$38 billion ($54 billion), having risen 16 per cent a year between 2019 and 2025, the institute says
Nat Gordon, the founder of Propoholic, a property consultancy for buyers and sellers, says Australian apartment buyers increasingly want to live in developments that offer wellness and lifestyle facilities, and spaces in which people can connect
“The shift has been significant as people have prioritised their health and wellbeing,” she says. “It has been much more noticeable since 2020 through the impacts of COVID, as buyers are looking for buildings that support their lifestyle choices
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“In practice, this means gym and fitness facilities, pools, saunas and outdoor or social spaces that are meaningfully designed with green areas and community in mind.”
Developers are responding to meet these changing demands, Gordon says, though she warns that quality varies enormously
“The better operators have grasped that wellness and connectivity are meaningful personal considerations for consumers. Social connection is increasingly part of the brief
“The developers who are getting it right are treating the project holistically as a lifestyle venue rather than just a building.”
How much effect all this is having on property prices is difficult to quantify. Cotality, Domain and the Real Estate Institute of Australia don’t track wellness facilities as a metric. In the US and UK, “wellness-focused properties” can command a premium of 10 to 25 per cent at the medium and high end of the market, the Global Wellness Institute estimates, though it acknowledges that there are many variables
Ron Bakir, the CEO of Gold Coast-based developer Homecorp, believes wellness amenities and spaces for social connection can increase property appeal and values – but only if they are designed well
“Good amenity can absolutely improve the buyer appeal and help projects stand out,” he says. “But it has to be genuinely useful. Buyers pay for amenity when it improves their daily life
“For us, amenity does not create value by itself. But useful amenity, in the right location, with good design and sensible ongoing costs, can create real value.”
Homecorp is anchoring its pipeline strategy around health and lifestyle infrastructure. Its Florence Residences, a 26-storey tower being constructed in Surfers Paradise near the Broadbeach dining precinct, features a resort-style rooftop pool, hot and cold plunge pools, spa retreat, gym, yoga and Pilates studio, residents-only lounge with private dining, rooftop bar and a hotel-style lobby lounge. The design accommodates dedicated bicycle parking and specialised, heated pet-wash facility
The formula has proved attractive. When the apartments went up for sale off the plan, buyers spent about $140 million snapping up 90 of the 120 residences in one weekend alone
Florence is a luxury development, but wellness isn’t just for the rich, Bakir says
“We’re looking at this as our base case moving forward. We’ve got a mixture of product, and we think this is absolutely going to be the future.”
Building communities is a cornerstone of Homecorp’s philosophy, Bakir says. By embracing wellness and social connection in their designs, developers can genuinely improve people’s lives, give investors confidence and leave a legacy
“We’ve got a big responsibility because we shape the environment people live in every day. It’s not enough just to deliver lots of apartments … we want to build communities that still make sense in 10, 20 and 30 years’ time.”
Gordon agrees that the wellness trend is here to stay. “In the mid-to-upper end of the market, wellness will stop being a consideration and become an expectation,” she says
Sotheby’s International Realty, which specialises in luxury real estate, supports this claim. Health, wellness and lifestyle are a priority across all age groups, Sotheby’s says in its 2026 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook report. “Wealthy homebuyers do not purchase homes for just aesthetic or investment reasons,” the report says. “Many are now seeking environments that proactively support their long-term health, resilience and overall wellbeing.”
The “ageing millionaire boom” and the associated growth of the longevity industry are proving to be particularly powerful forces, Sotheby’s says, as people seek homes that will help them live longer and age in place
“Many buyers in their late 50s, 60s and 70s are not downsizing or moving into senior housing,” the report says. “Instead, they are purchasing or staying in homes that allow them to live well for a very long time. These are clients who are highly focused on their health, longevity and quality of life.”
Gordon says buildings without lifestyle amenities will find it harder to compete as the population ages. “In 10 years, asking whether a building has wellness facilities will feel as odd as asking whether it has hot water,” she says
Gordon has first-hand experience of the appeal of high-quality wellness facilities. “I owned an apartment in a building which included a bespoke gym and infrared sauna, and it was a genuine selling point for the buyers
“When buyers are weighing up two comparable properties, the one that offers better lifestyle considerations will always be more favourable. It’s difficult to make direct value comparisons based on listing data, however real-world buyer behaviour is clear. Well-appointed buildings hold their value better in softer markets and move faster when listed.”
Wellness facilities may never oust location as the number one factor that defines a property’s appeal, but they are increasingly being factored in to buying decisions, Gordon adds
“Location is still the foundation; that has not changed and I don’t think it will,” she says. “But within a location, the hierarchy of what matters has changed. A decade ago, apartment buyers valued storage and car spaces. Now buyers are asking to see the communal facilities before they look at the car park
“A ‘good property’ used to mean the right suburb and enough bedrooms. Now it means the right suburb, enough bedrooms, and facilities that make your life easier and support how you choose to live.”
For more information, visit homecorp.com
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