Key takeaways
Total national property listings rose 3.5% month-on-month in March to 234,734 dwellings.
Listings remain 6.7% lower year-on-year, indicating ongoing supply constraints.
Perth recorded a standout surge in listings (+12.0%), the strongest increase of all capital cities.
New listings increased 3.8% nationally and are 5.4% higher year-on-year.
Old listings rose modestly (+1.4%), though remain 13.8% below last year.
Distressed listings were broadly flat (+0.3%), remaining 29.3% lower year-on-year.
Asking prices were mixed over the month but remain 12.0% higher annually.
SQM Research’s Weekly Asking Prices Index for the week ending 30 March 2026 showed mixed short-term movements, though annual growth remains strong.
Nationally, asking prices eased slightly over the month, with houses down 0.5%, units up 0.3%, and combined dwellings falling 0.4%, while still 12.0% higher year-on-year.
Sydney (-0.8%) and Melbourne (-0.1%) recorded slight monthly declines in combined prices, though both remain higher annually.
Brisbane was broadly flat over the month and remains 20.0% higher year-on-year.
Perth continued to show strong momentum, with combined asking prices rising 3.5% over the month and 18.0% annually, reinforcing its position as one of the strongest performing markets.
Adelaide saw a short-term pullback (-2.9% monthly) but remains 11.6% higher year-on-year.
Canberra and Hobart recorded divergent monthly price movements across houses and units, indicating uneven short-term market dynamics, though annual price growth remains positive.
Darwin continued to exhibit elevated volatility, with inconsistent performance across property types.
Australia’s housing market recorded a further lift in listings during March, with total national residential stock rising 3.5% to 234,734 dwellings, reflecting a continued post-summer recovery in supply.
Sydney (+5.3%) and Melbourne (+2.9%) posted steady gains and are now both above last year’s levels.
Brisbane rose 6.3%, though remains 15.4% lower year-on-year, highlighting ongoing tightness in that market.
Perth recorded a notable surge in listings, rising 12.0% month-on-month to 12,587 dwellings, the strongest increase nationally.
Despite this sharp rebound, Perth listings remain 21.7% below March 2025 levels, underscoring how constrained supply had become prior to this lift.
Adelaide (+6.6%) also recorded a solid rise, while Canberra increased more modestly (+0.7%).
Darwin (+1.0%) and Hobart (+1.0%) were broadly steady, though both remain significantly lower than last year.
Total Listings of Properties for Sale
| City | Mar 2026 Total | Feb 2026 Total | Mar 2025 Total | Monthly change | Yearly Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 35,224 | 33,437 | 34,686 | 5.3% | 1.6% |
| Melbourne | 42,241 | 41,036 | 40,357 | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Brisbane | 13,832 | 13,016 | 16,348 | 6.3% | -15.4% |
| Perth | 12,587 | 11,236 | 16,080 | 12.0% | -21.7% |
| Adelaide | 8,326 | 7,814 | 8,488 | 6.6% | -1.9% |
| Canberra | 4,735 | 4,701 | 4,689 | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Darwin | 723 | 716 | 1,126 | 1.0% | -35.8% |
| Hobart | 2,822 | 2,795 | 3,224 | 1.0% | -12.5% |
| National | 234,734 | 226,758 | 251,605 | 3.5% | -6.7% |
Source: SQM Research
New Listings
New listings rose 3.8% nationally in March to 78,999 dwellings, with activity showing a more mixed pattern across capital cities.
Sydney (-1.5%) and Melbourne (-1.6%) recorded slight declines following strong February results.
Brisbane (+2.9%), Adelaide (+6.2%) and Perth (+10.3%) posted gains, indicating continued vendor re-engagement.
Darwin recorded a strong increase (+23.2%), while Hobart rose 7.1%, reflecting improving conditions across smaller markets. Canberra declined 3.8% for the month.
Nationally, new listings are 5.4% higher year-on-year, suggesting a gradual improvement in overall supply.
New Listings of properties for sale (less than 30 days)
| City | Mar 2026 Total | Feb 2026 Total | Mar 2025 Total | Monthly change | Yearly Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 16,918 | 17,180 | 16,507 | -1.5% | 2.5% |
| Melbourne | 19,940 | 20,258 | 17,722 | -1.6% | 12.5% |
| Brisbane | 7,120 | 6,920 | 6,880 | 2.9% | 3.5% |
| Perth | 6,412 | 5,815 | 6,773 | 10.3% | -5.3% |
| Adelaide | 4,450 | 4,191 | 4,171 | 6.2% | 6.7% |
| Canberra | 2,127 | 2,210 | 1,904 | -3.8% | 11.7% |
| Darwin | 287 | 233 | 354 | 23.2% | -18.9% |
| Hobart | 796 | 743 | 774 | 7.1% | 2.8% |
| National | 78,999 | 76,077 | 74,951 | 3.8% | 5.4% |
Source: SQM Research
Old Listings
Older stock increased modestly by 1.4% nationally to 64,516 dwellings, though remains 13.8% lower year-on-year.
Sydney recorded a 3.5% rise, while Perth (+8.7%) and Adelaide (+9.7%) posted notable increases, indicating some accumulation of longer-dated stock following recent market strength.
Melbourne (-1.1%) and Brisbane (-1.6%) recorded small declines, while Canberra rose 4.7%. Darwin (-5.4%) and Hobart (-1.9%) continued to reduce older stock, with Darwin sitting 59.6% below last year’s levels.
| City | Mar-2026 | Feb 2026 | Mar 2025 | Monthly % change | Yearly Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 5,889 | 5,690 | 6,442 | 3.5% | -8.6% |
| Melbourne | 7,785 | 7,868 | 8,771 | -1.1% | -11.2% |
| Brisbane | 1,446 | 1,469 | 1,768 | -1.6% | -18.2% |
| Perth | 1,303 | 1,199 | 1,694 | 8.7% | -23.1% |
| Adelaide | 845 | 770 | 913 | 9.7% | -7.4% |
| Canberra | 697 | 666 | 844 | 4.7% | -17.4% |
| Darwin | 159 | 168 | 394 | -5.4% | -59.6% |
| Hobart | 945 | 963 | 1,183 | -1.9% | -20.1% |
| National | 64,516 | 63,624 | 74,877 | 1.4% | -13.8% |
Source: SQM Research
Distressed Listings
Distressed listings were broadly stable in March, rising just 0.3% to 3,512 properties, and remain 29.3% lower year-on-year.
Western Australia recorded a notable increase (+13.9%), while New South Wales declined 6.2% and South Australia fell 3.1%.
Victoria (+3.6%) and Queensland (0.0%) were relatively steady.
The ACT recorded a 6.4% decline but remains elevated compared to last year (+18.9% YoY), suggesting some ongoing localised stress.
Distressed Property Listings
Source: SQM Research
Asking Prices
Sydney Weekly Asking Prices Index
| Property type | Price ($) | Weekly Change | Monthly Change % | Annual % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Houses | 2,162.013 | -6.113 | -1.3% | 8.2% |
| All Units | 917.723 | 2.267 | 1.1% | 8.7% |
| Combined | 1,653.619 | -2.689 | -0.8% | 8.1% |
Source: SQM Research
Melbourne Weekly Asking Prices Index
| Property type | Price ($) | Weekly Change | Monthly Change % | Annual % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Houses | 1,343.311 | -2.811 | -0.1% | 6.2% |
| All Units | 681.375 | 0.518 | -0.2% | 9.3% |
| Combined | 1,133.672 | -1.756 | -0.1% | 6.7% |
Source: SQM Research
Perth Weekly Asking Prices Index
| Property type | Price ($) | Weekly Change | Monthly Change % | Annual % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Houses | 1,308.914 | 24.784 | 3.6% | 16.9% |
| All Units | 806.250 | 0.376 | 2.7% | 23.7% |
| Combined | 1,176.862 | 18.372 | 3.5% | 18.0% |
Source: SQM Research
Brisbane Weekly Asking Prices Index
| Property type | Price ($) | Weekly Change | Monthly Change % | Annual % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Houses | 1,447.907 | 2.490 | -0.5% | 19.0% |
| All Units | 895.316 | 6.884 | 2.3% | 25.5% |
| Combined | 1,308.302 | 3.600 | 0.0% | 20.0% |
Source: SQM Research.
Adelaide Weekly Asking Prices Index
| Property type | Price ($) | Weekly Change | Monthly Change % | Annual % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Houses | 1,131.924 | -3.924 | -3.0% | 11.4% |
| All Units | 611.107 | -5.707 | -1.9% | 13.8% |
| Combined | 1,038.088 | -4.245 | -2.9% | 11.6% |
Source: SQM Research
Canberra Weekly Asking Prices Index
| Property type | Price ($) | Weekly Change | Monthly Change % | Annual % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Houses | 1,274.779 | 4.783 | 1.1% | 9.4% |
| All Units | 604.831 | -0.019 | -0.9% | 1.0% |
| Combined | 1,021.100 | 2.964 | 0.6% | 6.9% |
Source: SQM Research
Darwin Weekly Asking Prices Index
| Property type | Price ($) | Weekly Change | Monthly Change % | Annual % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Houses | 835.313 | 5.687 | 2.3% | 13.6% |
| All Units | 479.207 | 9.543 | 2.1% | 19.6% |
| Combined | 695.238 | 7.204 | 2.2% | 15.1% |
Source: SQM Research
Hobart Weekly Asking Prices Index
| Property type | Price ($) | Weekly Change | Monthly Change % | Annual % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Houses | 903.721 | 2.079 | 1.3% | 9.8% |
| All Units | 512.242 | 0.358 | -1.8% | 1.5% |
| Combined | 843.829 | 1.815 | 1.0% | 9.0% |
Source: SQM Research
National Weekly Asking Prices Index
| Property type | Price ($) | Weekly Change | Monthly Change % | Annual % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Houses | 1,090.709 | -0.928 | -0.5% | 12.0% |
| All Units | 653.731 | 2.964 | 0.3% | 12.8% |
| Combined | 995.690 | -0.082 | -0.4% | 12.0% |
Source: SQM Research
Capital City Average Weekly Asking Prices Index
| Property type | Price ($) | Weekly Change | Monthly Change % | Annual % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Houses | 1,588.627 | 4.024 | -0.4% | 12.0% |
| All Units | 813.108 | 1.111 | 0.9% | 11.6% |
| Combined | 1,356.341 | 3.151 | -0.2% | 10.4% |
Source: SQM Research
Final note...
March’s figures highlight what is becoming an increasingly complex housing market.
On the one hand, we are seeing a steady lift in listings nationally, and particularly strong rebounds in markets like Perth.
That surge in Perth listings is notable and reflects how tight that market had become.
At the same time, the data is quite mixed. Some cities are seeing rising new listings, others are pulling back slightly, and price movements are uneven on a month-to-month basis.
Importantly, total listings are still below last year’s levels, and distressed listings remain low. That combination continues to support prices, even as we start to see more supply come back into the market.”
The key question over the coming months will be whether this increase in listings gathers pace. If it does, we may see some moderation in price growth. If not, the current supply constraints are likely to persist
- Also read:Latest Property Price Forecasts Revealed. Australian Property Market Outlook 2026: Where To Now After The Rate Rise.
- Also read:March Home Prices Still Rising | Latest stats from Dr. Andrew Wilson
- Also read:National Weekly Auction Report – March 28th 2026 | Auction Clearance Rates Still Fading Over Super Week of Listings
- Also read:RBA raises interest rates again. Here’s what this means for property. | Property Insiders
- Also read:This week’s Australian Property Market Update – Latest Data, State by State March 24th 2026
