By Aussie franchise manager Kate Barnes in West Lakes

The lure of a coastal lifestyle continues to seduce western property-buyers in Adelaide, with 40 homes fetching more than $1 million in 2009.

But what I am so proud of is the suburb that is home to our Aussie store, West Lakes According to the Real Estate Institute of South Australia, this was easily the most popular suburb with luxury home buyers in the west, with 13 homes going under the hammer for more than $1 million.

It’s only been in the last 12-18 months that you could buy a brand new home on the lake.

The number of luxury homes purchased in my opinion are very much interest rate related. People are realising that even though rates started creeping up again, they are still quite low, historically speaking.

The lifestyle promised by the suburb is second to none, with the opening of the West Lakes Collection Complex in March this year seeing many people return to West Lakes in style.

Dozens have already invested in the $86 million property development. Built on the West Lakes waterfront, the complex includes 65 apartments in two eight storey towers with homes ranging from $525,000 to $3.4 million for a penthouse.