For much of the last two years Australia’s property markets have defied expectations. Despite higher interest rates, affordability pressures, and cost-of-living concerns, property values in many parts of the country continued to push higher as strong population growth, tight rental markets, and limited housing supply kept prices resilient. But the landscape is beginning to change….
There is no doubt that our housing markets are facing challenges from all directions, but clearly, they have remained resilient. To better understand what’s happening, this monthly collection of charts from Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) paints an interesting picture. Cotality’s latest Housing Chart Pack shows conditions are easing as borrowing capacity tightens, with analysis of the Home Value…
For many Australians, getting into the property market has never been more challenging, so it’s no surprise that policies aimed at helping first-home buyers are gaining traction. According to Money.com.au, first-home buyer market could take until 2030 to return to peak levels following 5% deposit scheme expansion. First-home buyer (FHB) loans surged 9.7% in the…
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…
