Shares Start at $175,000 for Coastal Properties
Based startup Copay has introduced an innovative co-ownership model for Australian holiday homes. This model, starting at $175,000 per household, makes owning a holiday home more accessible as property prices continue to rise.
Australia ranks second globally for holiday-home appeal, according to a global index from Compare the Market. The Gold Coast is the most searched city worldwide for second homes, making it a prime location for potential buyers. Meanwhile, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth also feature among the top ten global hotspots for second-home seekers.
Average dwelling prices in Australia have exceeded $1.07 million, pushing traditional second-home ownership out of reach for many families. As a result, Copay’s co-ownership model provides a viable alternative. The total value of Australian residential dwellings has climbed above $12.3 trillion, highlighting the growing challenge for families in securing second homes.
Copay’s model allows four to eight households to purchase shares in premium coastal properties through unit trusts. This gives owners several weeks of exclusive use each year and a proportional stake in any capital growth. 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.
Under this structure, properties are professionally managed, which eliminates the day-to-day ownership hassles. Maintenance, cleaning, insurance, and compliance are handled by specialist partners, thereby sharing running costs among co-owners.
Fractional Ownership Gains Popularity
The global fractional vacation-homes market is projected to grow by 11.3% annually from 2025 to 2032, according to industry forecasts. Copay is focusing on regions such as South-East Queensland and Northern NSW, including the Gold Coast and Byron Bay, where demand for second homes remains robust.
Himanshu Arora, founder and CEO of Copay, stated, “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 clients previously spent $10,000 to $30,000 annually on short-stay rentals. With Copay’s model, they can redirect this spending towards co-ownership, allowing them to build equity and participate in property value appreciation.
Regional markets like the Sunshine Coast have experienced nearly 10% annual price growth, further constraining supply. This trend underscores the appeal and necessity of alternative ownership models like Copay’s, which provide a more affordable entry into the holiday home market.
