Sydney’s long-held spring selling season appears to be losing its dominance, with new data from BresicWhitney showing buyer and seller activity in 2025 peaking well outside the traditional September–October window.
According to the agency’s annual review, some of the strongest trading days of the year occurred during winter, school holidays and long weekends, rather than in spring.
BresicWhitney recorded its biggest trading day on the eve of the October long weekend, when more than $49 million in residential property was sold across Sydney.
The agency said the day represented its highest total sales value in a single business day for 2025, with properties changing hands in suburbs including Paddington, Newtown, Balmain, Willoughby and Ryde.
Homes were sold through a mix of private treaty, prior-to-auction and off-market campaigns.
BresicWhitney CEO Thomas McGlynn said the figures highlighted a clear shift in buyer behaviour.
“In the past, it would have been unusual to see a peak before a long weekend and during the school holidays,” Mr McGlynn said.
“This tells us that Sydneysiders are staying closer to the property market than ever before, and that economic conditions are influencing decisions more than seasonal patterns or a belief in needing to time the market.”
BresicWhitney’s data shows that 40 per cent of its highest-volume sales days occurred in the final quarter of 2025, with 30 per cent in the third quarter, 20 per cent in the second quarter and just 10 per cent in the first quarter.
Interest rates remain front of mind
Interest rates continued to shape market sentiment throughout the year, according to BresicWhitney, with activity lifting after rate cuts in February, May and August; however, the agency said these periods delivered short-term improvements in engagement rather than sustained participation.
The Reserve Bank of Australia held the cash rate at 3.60 per cent in December, with inflation easing from its 2022 peak but remaining above the RBA’s 2–3 per cent target range.
Economists are now forecasting the possibility of rate increases in 2026.
“Interest rates and affordability will remain the defining theme of the Sydney property market in 2026,” Mr McGlynn said.
“If rates rise, it would slow decision-making for many Australians and add pressure for mortgage holders and aspiring buyers.”
He added that interest rates influence more than borrowing capacity: “In markets like Sydney, lower interest rates broaden participation in home ownership, which shapes sentiment and how people view their opportunities.”
Housing supply remains constrained
Housing supply, or the lack of it, remained a central issue in 2025.
BresicWhitney said the ongoing imbalance between supply and demand across metropolitan Sydney continued to underpin market conditions.
In September, the NSW Government announced a major overhaul of the planning system, launched a new Housing Delivery Authority, and reaffirmed its commitment to delivering 377,000 new homes by July 2029 under the National Housing Accord.
Proposed increases in housing density across established areas, including Woollahra and Edgecliff in the Eastern Suburbs, Chatswood on the North Shore, and parts of the Inner West such as Parramatta Road, Wentworth Park and Burwood, prompted strong public debate.
BresicWhitney said established suburbs with existing infrastructure and amenity would need to play a role in boosting supply, while stressing the importance of a long-term strategy that addresses diverse housing needs across the state.
Buyers rethink where value sits
Economic pressures also reshaped Sydney’s lifestyle map in 2025, with buyers increasingly moving between neighbouring or comparable suburbs rather than making major location changes.
BresicWhitney sales data showed increased movement between areas such as Paddington, Potts Point and Darlinghurst, as well as broader shifts including Rozelle to Marrickville, Redfern to Erskineville, and Woollahra to Mosman.
“What has shifted over 2025 is the level of strategy now embedded in these choices,” Mr McGlynn said. “Buyers are thinking more deeply about value, amenity and long-term outcomes.”
The agency expects interest in so-called “sister suburbs” to continue into 2026, with areas such as Ryde, Cremorne, Zetland, Sydenham and Chippendale increasingly viewed as deliberate alternatives rather than compromises.
Off-market sales gather momentum
The change in buyer behaviour also extended to how homes were sold.
BresicWhitney said more than 20 per cent of its residential sales in 2025 were conducted off-market, exclusively through its own website.
The agency expects off-market transactions to continue growing in 2026, citing speed, discretion and lower marketing costs for sellers, along with early access and reduced competition for buyers.
Rental reform marks a shift
Beyond sales, 2025 was also a significant year for Sydney’s rental market. NSW legislative reforms introduced protections, including the removal of “no grounds” evictions, limits on rent increases to once every 12 months, and simpler approval pathways for pets.
BresicWhitney’s Head of Property Management, Chantelle Collin, said the reforms represented meaningful progress.
“The protections now in place will support a fair and sustainable rental market,” Ms Collin said.
“At the same time, investors and owners must remain part of the conversation, as private investment is still essential to housing supply.”
While rental conditions have eased from previous peaks, further growth is expected.
Domain forecasts rental growth in Sydney of around 4 per cent for houses and 5 per cent for units in 2026, although BresicWhitney warned investor confidence could weaken if interest rates rise.
As Sydney moves into 2026, BresicWhitney said economic conditions, rather than seasonal tradition, are now driving when people buy and sell.
