RBA reverses course to regain control over inflation, but a single hike is unlikely to alter the housing market balance. At its first meeting for 2026, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lifted the cash rate to 3.85% (from 3.6% previously). This decision came in the wake of a surprise tightening in the labour market…
National home values increased in January, but a looming rate rise weighed on price growth, according to PropTrack. The report shows Sydney and Melbourne have seen home price growth soften in recent months. Melbourne has posted three months of modest declines, and while Sydney prices were up in January, they are below their recent peak….
Australian home values rose by 0.8% in January according to Cotality’s Home Value Index, a subtle acceleration from the 0.6% increase recorded in December. While every capital city and broad rest of state region recorded an increase in home values through the month, the start of the year returned a mixed result. Sydney and Melbourne…
Housing markets have predictably steadied into 2026 as the usual holiday impacts on buyer and seller numbers together with sharply reduced auction activity act to place downward pressure on prices following a booming 2025. The national capital city median house price increased marginally by 0.1% over the January quarter to $1,279,800 compared to the December…
Inflation has risen further above the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2–3% target. There is now a very real prospect the Reserve Bank will feel it needs to increase interest rates at its meeting next week, with an announcement due on Tuesday afternoon. Inflation rose 3.8% in the year to December, up from 3.4% in the…
Confidence across Australia’s housing market remains strong entering 2026, but the mood is splitting along state lines as affordability and interest rate jitters reshape the landscape, new Cotality research shows. Findings from the Decoding 2026 report, based on responses from real estate agents and financial professionals across the property and finance sectors, show 87% of…
For the past few years, Australia’s rental market has been in overdrive. Investors have seen record returns, renters have felt the pinch, and headlines have been dominated by “crisis” talk. But now, as we begin a new year, something’s shifted. No, rents haven’t crashed. In fact, they’re still sitting near record highs in most capital…
If you feel like your daily commute is getting longer, more frustrating, and more expensive, you’re not alone. New research reported by realestate.com.au, combining data from the ABS and Census, confirms what many of us experience every morning on the road: Australia’s congestion problem has quietly grown into a major economic and social issue, and…
SQM Research released its latest data on residential property vacancy rates. Australia’s national residential vacancy rate increased to 1.4% in December 2025, up from 1.3% in November. The total number of residential vacancies rose to 43,850 dwellings, reflecting a typical seasonal lift in available rental stock toward the end of the year. Despite the increase,…
New analysis from Cotality shows that since September last year, lower-priced homes – that is those under the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme price caps – have generally recorded stronger growth than higher-priced homes. Growth in home values has diverged based on whether properties fall under or above the scheme’s price caps. Quarterly Growth Trends Homes under…
