Property news
What's happening in property, and what it means for you.
Market news and plain-English guides, written for people buying a home in Australia.
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Interest Rates Where Four Rate Rises Are Biting: Australia's Mortgage Arrears Map
Loan arrears in parts of outer-suburban Melbourne and Sydney are running several times the national rate. Here is what the primary data actually shows, and the widely repeated claim about negative equity that does not hold up.
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Market Update Homes Sit Unsold for Six Months: What a 180-Day Market Means for Buyers
More than a quarter of Australian homes for sale have been on the market for six months or more. Here is what is stalling the market, where listings are going stale fastest, and what buyers and sellers should do about it.
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First Home Buyers Home Affordability: Half Say the Property Dream Is Out of Reach
Housing affordability is now the nation's second biggest concern, and more than half of aspiring first home buyers say they have given up. Here is what the numbers show, and what buyers can still control.
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Auctions Auction Clearance Rate Hits 19-Week High as Buyers Hunt Bargains
National clearance rates have hit their highest level in 19 weeks, with almost 60 per cent of homes clearing on early figures as spring stock and vendor price cuts draw buyers back. Experts warn the rebound could be wiped out if the RBA lifts rates.
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Market Update CBA Forecasts Falls in Every Capital: Sydney Down $211K, Melbourne $120K
CBA now expects every capital city to fall peak-to-trough this cycle, Sydney down about 13%, Melbourne 12%, and Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth around 8%. Here's the full forecast, and why the mid-sized capitals are only just starting to turn.
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Market Update Australia's Two-Speed Market: Melbourne Falls Back to 2021 as Perth and Brisbane Keep Climbing
House prices fell for a fifth straight month in August, and Melbourne is now worth less than it was in 2021. Here's what's driving the split between falling capitals and resilient regions, and what it means for buyers, sellers and investors.
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Market Update 'Buyer's Market, Big Time': Spring Sellers Face a Reality Check
Auction clearance rates have slipped as spring approaches, and SQM Research's Louis Christopher says sellers who don't meet the market are going into Christmas unsold, a spring shaped by vendor expectations.
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Market Update National House Prices Enter Correction: Sydney Clearance Rates Plunge to 53%
Australia's housing market is in its sharpest downturn in decades, with Sydney auction clearance rates dropping to 53% and major banks forecasting price declines of up to 14.5% through 2027.
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Investment Investors Retreat: $5.4 Billion Exit from Property Lending as Downturn Deepens
New ABS lending data reveals a sharp contraction in investor mortgage commitments, with $5.4 billion wiped from the market in a single quarter as falling prices and rising holding costs trigger portfolio sell-downs.
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Interest Rates RBA Holds at 4.35%: But Door Left Open for Further Hikes as Inflation Lingers
The Reserve Bank kept the cash rate at 4.35% at its August meeting, but Governor Michele Bullock's post-meeting statement explicitly retained a hiking bias, citing sticky services inflation and a resilient labour market.
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Suburb Spotlight Suburb Spotlight: Coburg: Melbourne's Inner-North Value Play as Prices Correct
With Melbourne house prices declining 3–5% since May, Coburg emerges as a compelling value opportunity, offering inner-ring lifestyle at a 40% discount to neighbouring Brunswick and Pascoe Vale South.
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Interest Rates Q1 CPI Surprises Higher: Third Rate Hike on the Table for May RBA Meeting
March-quarter inflation came in at 3.8% annual, materially above consensus, reviving the case for a third consecutive cash-rate hike when the RBA board meets on 5 May.
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Market Update Renters Find Rare Relief as Vacancy Rates Tick Up in Melbourne and Sydney
Rental vacancy rates have edged higher in Australia's two largest capitals for the first time in three years, as investor selling and new apartment completions bring fresh supply to a market that's been running near capacity.
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New Developments Build-to-Rent Pipeline Hits Record 32,000 Units: Victoria Leads the Way
Australia's build-to-rent pipeline has surpassed 32,000 units for the first time, with Victoria accounting for 48% of the national total.
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Planning NSW Government Fast-Tracks Medium-Density Housing Code
The NSW Government has introduced a new medium-density housing code allowing dual occupancies, terraces, and townhouses in R2 low-density zones across 31 LGAs.
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First Home Buyers First Home Buyer Activity Surges 18% as Banks Ease LVR Requirements
First home buyer loan commitments rose 18% in the March quarter, driven by major banks lowering LVR requirements and the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme.
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Auctions Melbourne Clearance Rates Hold in Low 60s Amid Back-to-Back Rate Hikes
Melbourne's auction market has shown resilience through early 2026 despite two consecutive RBA rate hikes, with Cotality final clearance rates tracking in the low-to-mid 60s across March.
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Interest Rates RBA Hikes Twice in 2026: Cash Rate Now 4.10% as Inflation Rebounds
The Reserve Bank has delivered back-to-back rate increases in February and March 2026, pushing the cash rate to 4.10% as renewed inflation pressures force a reversal of last year's easing cycle.
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Planning Victoria Fast-Tracks Medium-Density Housing: Dual Occupancies and Townhouses Streamlined
A suite of Victorian planning reforms is reshaping the development landscape, with faster approval pathways for dual occupancies and townhouses already in effect and a new mid-rise code launching April 2026.
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New Developments Melbourne's Greenline Project Breaks Ground: What It Means for CBD Property
Construction has commenced on the $316 million Birrarung Marr to Bolte Bridge segment of Melbourne's Greenline project, set to reshape the northern edge of the CBD.
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Suburb Spotlight Suburb Spotlight: Preston: Melbourne's Inner-North Value Play in 2026
Preston's median house price sits at approximately $1.18–1.23M, offering genuine value against comparable inner-city suburbs while sharing the same infrastructure, amenity, and planning reform uplift.
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Market Update Brisbane Median Hits $1.07M: Southeast Queensland Leads National Growth
PropTrack's March 2026 data confirms Brisbane's median home price has crossed $1 million, with 17.7% annual growth cementing Southeast Queensland's position as Australia's strongest major property market.
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First Home Buyers First Home Buyer Lending Rises as Home Guarantee Scheme Goes Unlimited
ABS data for the December 2025 quarter shows a 6.8% rise in first home buyer loan commitments, as the Home Guarantee Scheme removes all place limits and income caps from October 2025.
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New Developments Brisbane Olympics 2032 Infrastructure Pipeline: 5 Suburbs to Watch
With the Queensland Government locking in $7.1 billion in Olympic infrastructure funding, these five suburbs are positioned for the strongest capital growth through 2032.
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Market Update Regional Migration Boom: Tree-Change Hotspots Still Outperforming Capitals
Regional Australia continues to attract record numbers of internal migrants, with 12 regional LGAs recording double-digit annual population growth through 2025.
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Market Update 2025 in Review: Rate Cuts and Record Prices Reshape the Housing Market
Three RBA rate cuts improved borrowing conditions but were outpaced by price growth, leaving first home buyers better off on repayments but facing higher entry prices as the year closed.
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Market Update Australia's Rental Crisis Deepens: Vacancy Rate at 1.2%, Rents Up 43% Over Five Years
National median weekly rents hit a record $650 in December 2025 as vacancy rates held near historic lows, with households now spending 33.4% of median income on rent.
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Market Update Perth Leads the Nation in Price Growth: Median Reaches $1M as Investors Pour In
Perth's median house price reached $1 million by end of 2025, backed by 17.9% annual growth, a near-zero vacancy rate, and investor loan commitments up 30% year-on-year.
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Market Update Adelaide Joins the Million-Dollar Club: Fifth Capital to Cross the Threshold
Adelaide's median house value crossed $1 million in April 2025, cementing a remarkable transformation from Australia's most affordable capital to a genuine peer of the eastern seaboard.
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Market Update National Home Prices Hit Record $880,000: Rate Cuts Reignite Buyer Demand
Three RBA rate cuts across February, May, and August 2025 pushed the national median home price to a record $880,000 by year end, with auction clearance rates hitting a 12-month high of 74.7% in July.
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