If a picture paints a thousand words, then this collection of charts should do a pretty good job of painting the landscape as it affects our economy and our property markets. Each month the RBA summarises macroeconomic and financial market trends in Australia by providing a detailed chart pack. World Economy Australia’s economy doesn’t operate in…
Low vacancy rates have continued to predictably drive house rents higher over April with most capital cities again reporting higher results. Unit rents however reported generally lower rents and higher vacancy rates reflecting the seasonal effects of the lengthy April holiday month. Hobart was the top performer with house rents up by 3.2% over the…
Stubbornly above-target inflation and the risk of pass-through from higher oil prices means this may not be the peak of the rate cycle. In line with expectations, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) hiked rates for the third time in 2026, lifting the cash rate to 4.35% (from 4.1% previously). This fully reversed the rate cuts…
SQM Research’s Weekly Asking Prices Index for the week ending 27 April 2026 showed mixed price movements across capital cities. Nationally, asking prices eased slightly over the month, with houses down 0.3%, units up 0.3%, and combined dwellings slipping 0.2%, while remaining 11.5% higher year-on-year. Sydney (-0.5%) and Brisbane (-1.3%) recorded monthly declines in combined…
Cotality’s national home value index rose 0.3% in April, the slowest pace of growth since January 2025, just ahead of last year’s rate-cutting cycle. The national result was dragged lower by Sydney and Melbourne, where values fell 0.6% over the month. Every month, investors, homeowners, and would-be buyers turn to the latest median property price…
After an extended period of strong growth, the latest data suggests Australia’s housing markets are beginning to move into a new phase, with the early signs of fatigue now becoming evident in Sydney and Melbourne. Australia’s two largest housing markets are showing clear signs of strain, with Sydney and Melbourne recording their first quarterly house…
It’s shaping up to be another uncomfortable week for borrowers, with most economists expecting the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates yet again. In this month’s Finder RBA Cash Rate Survey™, 36 experts and economists weighed in on future cash rate moves and other issues relating to the state of the economy. Three-quarters of the…
National home prices in April marks a turning point in the housing cycle according to PropTrack, which reports that national home prices fell 0.1% in April, marking the first monthly decline in 2026, and taking the national median home value to $910,000. However, prices remain 8.5% higher than a year ago, adding about $92,200 to…
Cotality’s national home value index rose 0.3% in April, the slowest pace of growth since January 2025, just ahead of last year’s rate-cutting cycle. The national result was dragged lower by Sydney and Melbourne, where values fell 0.6% over the month. Sydney home values are now 1.0% below their November peak, while Melbourne values are…
Capital city home prices have continued to rise over April despite higher interest rates and the continued uncertainty over the outlook for inflation and the global economy. Growth rates however have eased, reflecting also the usual subduing effect of the lengthy April holiday month The national capital city median house price increased marginally by 0.3%…
