ANITA Edgar knows Hamilton Island like the back of her hand.

She lived in the Whitsundays for 24 years and spent seven of those on Hamilton Island with her husband.

"I'm well entrenched in the community over there,” she said.

Having worked in real estate since 2000, Ms Edgar started Ray White Hamilton Island in 2012 carrying a strong enthusiasm and passion throughout.

"It took a while for me to set up but we've been really successful in the past year,” she said.

"We've had lots of sales. We could see since the global financial crisis that sales were slow and steady but last year we saw it started to climb.”

Ms Edgar said there was a significant increase in buyers from Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane due to the markets increasing and buyers looking for value for money.

But what is it that makes Hamilton Island such a desirable place to invest?

Apart from its key location in the Whitsundays, Ms Edgar said there were a number of qualities Hamilton Island possessed.

"There's the (qualia) resort which the Oatley family have spent so much money on marketing and making it look great,” she said.

"The difference between Hamilton Island and other islands is the fact that it has an airport which has a number of flights each day.”

And the island isn't just for those who have lots of money to spend.

"The other beauty is it's not just a set star standard,” Ms Edgar said. "You can stay in a six star like qualia or you can stay at a four star.”

It's somewhere for families to enjoy too.

Throughout the year, Hamilton Island is also a hub of activity, with events such as the Hamilton Island Triathlon and Audi Hamilton Island Race Week reeling in visitors from across the globe.

And let's not forget the number of celebrity faces stepping onto the island including Taylor Swift, Johnny Depp, Leonardo Dicaprio, Oprah and more.

Ms Edgar said Hamilton Island had undergone its fair share of stresses recently with Cyclone Debbie wreaking havoc in March.

"Prior to the cyclone, sales were going gangbusters but then the cyclone came around and threw everything into an absolute spin,” she said.

"Things have slowed down since then but we're starting to get more traction with enquiries increasing, but the whole process will be slow moving.”

HAMILTON ISLAND ON THE CLIMB

Sales have been up 40% from last year. Despite the cyclone slowing sales down, enquiry levels are very high.

February 2017 highlighted the heightened activity with seven contracts in one day.

Record prices in Whitsunday Apartments. One apartment was sold and then five months later it sold again at a growth rate of 31%. This was the beginning of good price growth on the island.

Demands for properties on the island are driven by the great returns for holiday letting. Up to 8% for some properties selling between $850,000-$1,500,000.

Whitsunday Apartments are highly sought after being in entry level price point of $400's-$500's and with phenomenal ocean views and guaranteed returns.

Southern market investors are seeing value in capital growth and great returns on investment resulting in 66% of all buyers coming from big cities in the southern market.

Enquiries for good investment properties are what the buyers are aiming for. Currently Hamilton Island is being watched as a "hot market” in real estate.

Traditionally the real estate cycle in the Whitsundays is that Hamilton Island starts the rise in prices, demand heightens and supply diminishes resulting in great real estate buying. Hamilton Island starts the charge and usually within 6-12 months the mainland then jumps on board and positive affects are felt on the mainland as well.

There are in excess of 700 properties on the island with new developments under way.

Very popular lodges opposite the beach are now achieving good prices. An unrenovated apartment was sold recently for just under $1m and fully renovated around the $1.2m.