This savvy family added value to their portfolio with an innovative housing solution that is also helping other new international arrivals.
Bellbowrie homeowner Liezl Schoeman with children Ilse, 9, and Dawid, 7 Picture: Liam Kidston
In the few years since immigrating from South Africa to Australia, Liezl and Emil Schoeman have experienced a crash course in Queensland’s fast-paced property market.
The professional couple moved with their two children, Ilse, 9, and Dawid, 7, for career and education opportunities in 2019.
They rented for the first two years while saving for a house deposit, then bought a four-bedroom house in Bellbowrie in September 2021.
The family moved from South Africa in 2019. Picture: Liam Kidston
Five months later, the Schoemans upgraded to an acreage parcel in the same western Brisbane suburb, where they have installed a relocatable VanHome to provide accommodation for visiting family, as well as other new international arrivals.
“We have had a few other immigrants come and stay with us in the VanHome in their first few weeks. We don’t charge people for that because we know what it is like,” said Dr Schoeman, a scientist with the CSIRO.
Their first home purchase was retained as an investment property.
They loved the rural feel of the suburb and its proximity to the city
“We didn’t really know the area at all, but we started out near my work, which is in Pullenvale, and close to the kids’ school,” Dr Schoeman said.
“Bellbowrie has a rural feel, but it is still close to the city.
“It took us two years renting to get the deposit ready and then we bought our first home, but we really wanted acreage and now we have moved in and rent out the first property.”
Bellbowrie was identified by DSR Data among Brisbane’s top 10 most overvalued markets, with a typical house price of $947,000 and a demand to supply ratio of 41 out of 100. Homes in the suburb cost about $32,000 more than in surrounding areas.
Dr Schoeman is a scientist with the CSIRO. Picture: Liam Kidston
VanHomes CEO Vito Russo said demand for the company’s expandable and relocatable homes had soared as families turned to alternative solutions to accommodate adult children and ageing parents.
DSR Data analyst Jeremy Sheppard said overvalued suburbs included those on the outskirts of cities, where prices had continued to grow during last year’s interest rate rises.
“We bought with [South African] Rand so we found the property market very expensive, and I would say the growth in Bellbowrie has been quite a lot over the time we’ve been here,” Dr Schoeman said.
“It seems to have stabilised now, but I still think on our part it’s been a good investment.
VanHomes CEO Vito Russo said demand for the company’s expandable and relocatable homes had soared as families turned to alternative solutions to accommodate adult children and ageing parents.
VanHomes provide an affordable housing solution
Inside one of the relocatable homes
“Australia is facing a housing affordability crisis and backyards are being turned in to housing solutions for many people,” Mr Russo said.
“These versatile dwellings can be towed into any backyard as long as there is side access. It is a creative solution that allows families to maintain their independence while staying close to their loved ones.”
VanHomes range in price from $65,000 to $136,000.
Dr Schoeman said she took a “leap of faith”, ordering their van home off the plan.
“We wanted something that’s moveable, easy to install and good quality but not too expensive, for my parents to be able to have a little flat when they come out for about three months each year,” she said.
Originally published as Migrants reveal crash course in Qld property market