Property valuation and advisory company Herron Todd White's new report sought to identify "unsung hero hotspots", or under-the-radar locations to buy.

However, region director Chris McKenna said it was difficult to find an area in the Illawarra that can be deemed to be forgotten about, or that flies under the radar.

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"With recent market activity being so strong across the board in recent months, there are strong sale results in all areas," he said.

"But which suburbs get less attention?"

Instead, he name-checked some of the region's smaller suburbs that "don't get much written about them".

This included Primbee.

"While Warrawong is to the north and Windang is to the south, there is a buffer between these suburbs that makes Primbee feel like it's on its own," he said.

"The majority of the suburb comprises circa 1960s and 1970s brick houses, although modern infill housing is becoming more common, including a new three-bedroom duplex which just sold for $730,000.

"If you're after waterfront property, Primbee includes a number of houses that back directly onto Lake Illawarra along Lakeview Parade, with the most recent sale being 86 Lakeview Parade for $801,000 in September."

Among Paul Spinelli from Spinelli Real Estate Wollongong's current listings is the three-bedroom house at 17 Overhill Road, Primbee, due to be auctioned on July 10.

Sitting on 1031sqm, it has a price guide of $700,000 to $770,000.

Mr Spinelli said many people referred to Primbee as "the hidden gem", which appealed to first home buyers, investors and Sydney-siders looking for cheaper options.

"It's in a great location; it's a few kilometres south to Warilla shopping centre, and a couple of kilometres north to Warrawong," he said.

"It also has easy access to public transport."

Mr Spinelli said the suburb was also appealing because the majority of properties were on decent-sized blocks, with knockdown-rebuilds becoming a popular option.

Mr McKenna said among the region's other smaller suburbs which typically attracted less attention included Stanwell Tops, Tarrawanna and Minnamurra.

He said with Stanwell Park being one of the Illawarra's most desirable beaches, Stanwell Tops provides access to this area without having to pay "the Stanwell Park premium".

Mr McKenna said with Tarrawanna's proximity to Wollongong CBD and access to local schools, the area is a favourite of young families.

He said among Minnamurra's benefits was the mouth of the river being a popular spot for swimming, fishing and kayaking.

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