Glendowie

First-home buyers and small families can thank the post-war building restrictions as they checking out the houses for sale in Glendowie.

Built around Churchill Park on land balloted to returning servicemen, most of the earliest homes had only two bedrooms because of the scarcity of building materials - and are now the perfect size and price for today's first-home hunters.

In later years, as restrictions eased, three-bedroom homes became the norm for families who moved in as long-term residents. As a result, many such homes now appear on the market as deceased estates.

An original two-bedroom home is likely to fetch about $300,000 now; an original three-bedroom home will cost an extra $10,000 to $20,000 while one renovated with a new kitchen, second bathroom and decks is likely to be closer to $380,000.

These house sit on full sites, averaging 807 sq m, which allow extensive renovations to achieve an executive-style home that might otherwise cost close to $450,000.

Cross-leased properties are more common in the area south of Riddell Rd where a home on a half site costs around $230,000.

Top-market houses sit on top of the cliff overlooking Karaka Bay on the water's edge with access to coastal walkways. Multi-million dollar properties aren't such as elusive species here either, coming on to the market two or three times a year in this quiet family-oriented suburb.