- Australia ranks second globally for holiday-home appeal with a score of 7.46/10, with the Gold Coast being the most searched city worldwide for second homes
- With average Australian dwelling prices exceeding $1.07 million, Copay offers an alternative through co-ownership of holiday homes from £175,000 per household
- The model allows 4-8 households to purchase shares in premium coastal properties through unit trusts, providing genuine equity and several weeks of exclusive use annually
- Professional management handles maintenance, cleaning, and compliance, eliminating day-to-day ownership hassles while sharing running costs
- The global fractional vacation-homes market is projected to grow 11.3% annually from 2025-2032, with Copay focusing on South-East Queensland and Northern NSW regions
BRISBANE: Australia is one of the best places on the planet to own a holiday home but the classic “buy the whole beach house” model is now out of reach for most families.
A global index from Compare the Market ranks Australia second out of 50 countries for holiday‑home appeal, with a score of 7.46/10 thanks to its climate, beaches and lifestyle amenities. Separate UK research shows the Gold Coast is the most searched city in the world for second‑home buyers, with Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth also featuring in the global top‑ten hotspots.
At the same time, the total value of Australian residential dwellings has climbed above $12.3 trillion, with mean dwelling prices now over $1.07 million, pushing traditional second‑home ownership further out of reach. Regional Queensland markets such as the Sunshine Coast have hit record highs, with almost 10% annual price growth and tight supply.
Brisbane‑based proptech startup Copay is offering a different path: small cohorts of families co‑owning premium coastal and hinterland holiday homes from around $175,000 per household, instead of taking on a full second‑home mortgage alone.
From “own it all” to “own your share”
Under Copay’s model, four to eight households buy legally structured shares in a single property, securing several weeks of exclusive use each year plus a proportional stake in any capital growth. Properties are held in unit trusts, so co‑owners receive genuine deeded equity rather than just usage points.
Copay arranges the trust structure and professional management, handling cleaning, maintenance, insurance and compliance via specialist partners. Owners share the asset and the running costs but not the day‑to‑day headaches.
“In 2026, it makes less sense for most Australians to tie up a seven‑figure sum in one holiday house they only use a few weeks a year,” says Himanshu Arora, founder and CEO of Copay. “With around $175,000, a family can now own a meaningful share of a premium coastal home and often build a small portfolio of fractional stakes across several locations instead of putting everything into a single property.”
Many Copay clients were already spending $10,000 to $30,000 a year on short‑stay rentals in places like Byron, Noosa and the Gold Coast. Over a couple of decades, that can easily add up to more than a quarter of a million dollars – with no equity at the end.
“We see people redirecting long‑term holiday spend into structured co‑ownership,” Arora says. “They still get their weeks away, but now they own part of the asset and participate in the upside rather than just paying for nights.”
A growing global shift to fractional ownership
The fractional vacation‑homes market worldwide is projected to grow at 11.3% a year between 2025 and 2032, more than doubling in size as buyers look to share the cost and management of high‑end holiday properties. In Australia, about one in five households already owns at least one property beyond their main home, confirming that multi‑property ownership is part of the national wealth‑building playbook.
Copay is initially focused on South‑East Queensland and Northern NSW including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Byron region – where global data shows strong second‑home demand and limited supply.
“Australians already understand property portfolios,” Arora says. “The next step is doing it in a smarter, more flexible way, smaller cheques, better diversification, and professional management built in from day one.”
About us:
Copay is Australia’s leading smart co‑ownership platform, specialising in the fractional ownership of luxury real estate, marine, and lifestyle assets. Based in Queensland, the platform combines legal transparency with advanced scheduling technology to make premium living financially resilient and operationally seamless.
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