Prospective buyers snapping-up land stock

With nothing but a drawn-up plan and a block of land, realtors are walking away with signed contracts as prospective buyers jump on the opportunity to purchase property in the area.

For one newly-wed couple from Sydney, all it took was a simple stroll overlooking the ocean at Seawide Estate in between Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie, and they were sold - this is where they would build their lives together.

And, agents say, this sort of emotional buying behaviour has not been uncommon.

"People are making decisions and making them fast," said Todd Bates, principal of McGrath Port Macquarie. "We're now selling properties before they've even started being built, a few years ago that would have been near impossible."

Port Macquarie's unique lifestyle has drawn people from across the state, he said, with 48 per cent of his buyers coming from out of the area.

Land owner Graham Cunning and marketing agent Steve Newman said the Hastings was finally being recognised as a leading regional centre.

"Tens of millions of dollars are being spent to establish projects like the airport, the hospital and university precinct and those things are translating to confidence in the area," Mr Newman said. "Available land is drying up, the demand is there and Port Macquarie is still very reasonably priced."

In October, the Port News reported home owners across the state were being attracted to the region for its affordability.

Well-priced homes were often flying off the market in 10 days or under, while more than one quarter of houses and units in the Port Macquarie-Hastings were being sold after 30 days or less, figures from PRDnationwide showed.