Ray White Group Chief Economist, Nerida Conisbee, revealed that Manly and Eastern Suburbs North have broken into the top 10 suburbs by absolute dollar growth for the 12 months to August 2025, marking a significant shift from 2024 when Sydney was completely absent from the national top 10.
“Manly, with a median house price of $3.87 million, demonstrates that high-end Sydney markets are seeing a flood of new buyer activity following this year’s interest rate cuts,” Ms Conisbee said.
She said that Perth’s Cottesloe-Claremont continues to lead nationally with $275,000 in median house price growth, down from $331,000 in 2024 but still comfortably ahead of other suburbs.
“The result confirms Perth’s second consecutive year at the top of national growth rankings,” she said.
Western Australia’s dominance remains strong with five suburbs in the top 10: Cottesloe-Claremont ($275,000), South Perth ($180,000), Perth City ($176,000), Melville ($160,000), and Fremantle ($158,000).
“The continued Perth strength reflects ongoing resources sector activity and interstate migration to Western Australia,” Ms Conisbee said.
“While Cottesloe has moderated from the extreme growth in 2024, we have seen a slight re-acceleration in recent months as a result of interest rate cuts.”
Brisbane maintains a solid presence with three spots in the top 10, represented by Brisbane Inner North ($164,000), Brisbane Inner East ($158,000), and Brisbane Inner West ($155,000).
Ms Conisbee said that Sydney’s return is notable for being concentrated in established premium areas rather than representing broad market strength.
“Both Manly and Eastern Suburbs North are some of the highest value locations. The selective nature of Sydney’s comeback contrasts with the city’s previous boom periods, when growth was more widespread across the slightly more affordable premium markets,” she said.
The 2025 data shows some moderation in growth amounts compared to 2024, with fewer suburbs achieving the extreme gains seen in the previous year.
Growth ranges from $155,000 to $275,000 across the top 10, indicating less volatility than in earlier boom periods.
According to Ms Conisbee, Sydney’s return to the national growth rankings may signal a broader revival in premium markets across other major cities.
“High-end buyers are returning to established prestige locations as interest rates continue to decline,” she said.
