As the dust begins to settle on a turbulent two years, we’ve finally got the data to confirm what we already suspected.

The property market went absolutely bonkers during what shall now be known as TCE (The COVID Era). How bonkers? 142% bonkers, to be exact.

According to REA Group’s research team PropTrack, since the dawn of TCE, five NSW suburbs experienced growth of more than 93%, with the top spot soaring an eye-watering 142% in value in just two years. Meanwhile, another 46 seeing suburbs saw medians jump by more than $1M.

But what comes up must come down, and as we turn the page on the pandemic, normality will likely return not just to the pub dancefloor, but also to the property market. The CBD will fully reopen, people will return from their regional experiments, and interest rates will rise. With The Covid Era almost behind us, price guides might actually become useful estimates again, rather than a series of imaginary numbers plucked from the sky.

In fact, it has already begun. Last month, Australia’s home price growth only increased by a modest 0.34%, the slowest pace of growth since May 2020. But we’re not here for a pity party, we’re here to celebrate the highest achieving suburbs of TCE. May they bask in the glory of their exorbitant price tags until housing affordability equalises us all.

Wyee

You mightn’t have heard of it before, but you won’t forget it now. Located 115kms from Sydney’s CBD, the NSW suburb that saw the biggest boom during covid went to Wyee, a small town in the Lake Macquarie region. Here, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, prices increased by 142% in two years. Yet its price point is just as far away from other top contending suburbs as Wyee is from the nearest post office. Between March 2020 and March 2021, Wyee’s median went from just $330,000 to $797,500.

Byron Bay

Much less surprising is the trendy northern rivers hotspot of Byron Bay breezing its way into the top 5. An influx of city-dwellers keen to live the linen lifestyle drove median house prices up 114% during TCE, with a median change from $1.414m to $3.025m, an extraordinary $1.6 million increase. Though if Byron Baes gets a season 2, these numbers could drop significantly.

Copacabana

At the Copa, Copacabana, the hottest spot north of Box Head, house values saw a 106% rise from $923,500 to $1.905m. A family friendly holiday destination and retirement mecca, the quant coastal town on the Central Coast really put the super into superannuation these past two years.

North Avoca

If the divide between North and South Avoca was deep before, it’s nearing civil war territory now. Just kidding—there’s no such thing as South Avoca, only North, and don’t you forget it. Coming in fourth with a 104% increase in value, the Central Coast beachside suburb saw house prices soar from $932,500 to $1.9m. Currently boasting one of the most expensive beach houses for sale in the state with expressions of interest starting at $13.5M, the market’s so hot here that sandcastles are due to go under the hammer next.

Box Hill

Don’t know much about Box Hill? Don’t google it for another few days. News outlets recently bestowed the suburb with an unfortunate crown: where one in two residents has Covid. Ah, how quickly Bondi forgets where this all started. Coming in at #5, this north western suburb of the hills district saw a 94% increase in home values, up $592,250 to $1.15m.