As more people return to city offices for work, tree changers are dealing with less competition when it comes to securing their dream acreage away from the hustle and bustle.
Fewer buyers are in the market for larger properties often situated outside of, but within commuting distance, from larger centres according to a senior lifestyle sales agent.
"It's an odd time," Forbes Global Properties senior associate Deborah Cullen said.
"There hasn't been enough buyers out there buying, therefore it's very negotiable at what they're prepared to let it go at."
In the past year, Ms Cullen has observed a slowing down of buyers compared to the market during the pandemic.
Unique acreages for buyers looking for a lifestyle buy
Inside larger lifestyle properties that are attracting buyers looking for a lifestyle change. Pictures supplied
But she said there are plenty of people selling acreages meaning buyers have more negotiating power.
"It's certainly more of a buyer's market," Ms Cullen said.
"There's lots to look out there for, if you are looking for something regionally whether it's on the coast or in the country."
She said many of the current buyers are those who have always wanted to purchase a home outside of the larger cities and don't mind "taking the time to find it".
"It's those people who have always had it on their shopping list to do it," she said.
"They are more considered in their purchasing, hence why it's a little more slower."
Sandstone in the valley
Ms Cullen works with clients in the top end of the acreage market searching for luxury homes at price points above $5 million.
One of her listings is "Mountain Springs" in the Kangaroo Valley, NSW, which has was designed by architect Scott Buscall and built on a five-acre property.
"You stare at that incredibly beautiful ancient landscape, the sun and the light just bounce off," she said.
"This house was designed in stone and wood to match the colours of that escarpment."
A slice of history in the Hunter
A historic village icon in a small town 30 minutes from Newcastle is awaiting new owners after 50 years.
The Paterson home "Kalimna" was built in 1902 as a solid double brick and timber house with no detail left behind.
Original decorated gables, cornicing, wide verandahs and cedar trimmings are still in good condition and have made the home a much-loved icon.
Set on 45 acres along the Paterson River, the price guide for the home is $2.25 million.
Sales agent Andrew Wall said properties of this kind are rarely put on the market but tend to take longer to find a buyer because of its uniqueness.
He expects new owners to renovate the back part of the home while keeping the original elements preserved.
"It's not been built with small pokey rooms, it does have big grand open living areas," he said.
"You'd paint and do a new carpet and a modern kitchen."
He said tree changers tend to look at the quality of the home as well as the location.
"When people are looking at this property, they're not looking at what they're going to have to spend on it and what it's going to be worth after that," he said.
"Internally, it's all structurally perfect ... out the back, you'd probably knock down the old kitchen and do an open plan kitchen living modern set up."
Since the property came onto the market in May 2024, Mr Wall said he's seen a majority of interest from Newcastle and Sydney buyers on the hunt for a lifestyle out of the city.
Reassembling a 19th century timber cottage
Builders dismantled a 1870s homestead and numbered its timber beams so it could be reassembled hundreds of kilometres away on the slops of Barrengarry Mountain near Fitzroy Falls, NSW.
The rustic property is on the market for $1,695,000 and offers an eco-friendly lifestyle to a buyer looking to live off-the-grid.
With timber walls, floors and ceilings, the home has a rustic feel hidden among bushland near the Kangaroo Valley.
Views from atop a hill
"Hill Climb" is an aptly named modern homestead built on top of a hill near Wagga Wagga has been designed to accommodate a rural lifestyle.
The five-bedroom home is complete with a large outdoor entertainment area with unobstructed views towards the south.
With more than 30 hectares, the property offers grazing opportunities for a small herd of cattle and is listed for $2 million.
Home on the coastal hills
A modern steel framed home overlooking a Sunshine Coast river is an appealing option for a buyer torn between a sea change and tree change.
Just 12 minutes from Coolum beach on the Sunshine Coast, this hillside residence is set overlooking the Maroochy River from an elevated point a stone's throw from Mount Ninderry.
The Maroochy River residence has been finished with polished concrete floors, high ceilings and a woodburning fireplace.
The 3.9 hectare property also includes a self-contained studio set away from the main residence offering a second private dwelling space.
The gardens are blooming with native and tropical plants, fruit trees and vegetable patches creating an environment suitable for self-sustainable living.
Wisteria adorns a farmhouse
A 1920s farmhouse near Castlemaine in Victoria's goldfields country is filled with character and original touches.
Set on 25 acres at the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, the home offers a quiet lifestyle a 15 minute drive from Castlemaine or 50 minutes to Bendigo.
The Wisteria-clad timber home is listed for $1,375,000 and has two spacious living areas and a country kitchen with views to Mount Franklin.
Goldfield country's timber manor
A completely unique house in Leigh Creek, Victoria, offers a regional lifestyle just eight kilometres from the heart of Ballarat.
The open living room is unlike any other home, with parquetry flooring, a fireplace, feature chandelier, a 360-degrees mezzanine and exposed timber beams.
The property also includes an 11-metre indoor pool, gallery style kitchen and spa bath as well as sweeping views towards the Grampians.
