Buyers are increasingly turning their attention to affordable regional suburbs, with new realestate.com.au data showing some areas have experienced enquiry growth of more than 300 per cent in the past year.
Woodstock in regional Victoria recorded the biggest increase in buyer enquiries per listing nationally, with demand surging 313 per cent year-on-year to March 2026.
The small suburb near Ballarat was followed by Risdon Vale in Tasmania (up 265 per cent) and Sebastopol, also near Ballarat (up 255 per cent).
The pattern suggests buyers priced out of capital city markets are seeking value in regional areas, with Victoria and Tasmania dominating the list of fastest-growing suburbs for house enquiries.
For units, Portland in Victoria led the way with a 178 per cent increase in enquiries, followed by Ropes Crossing in Sydney’s west (156 per cent) and Howrah in Tasmania (154 per cent).
Queensland suburbs lead on total demand
While regional Victoria dominated growth rates, Queensland suburbs attracted the highest raw volume of enquiries per listing.
Rocklea in Brisbane’s south recorded 162.3 key enquiries per listing over the year – the highest in the country for houses. St Marys in Sydney’s west followed with 158.6 enquiries, and West Tamworth in regional NSW attracted 138.3.
For units, Rochedale South in Brisbane led with 117.8 enquiries per listing, ahead of Spring Hill (116.3) and Girraween in Sydney’s west (115.1).
State-by-state breakdown
In New South Wales, Glenfield Park recorded the highest growth in house enquiries at 212 per cent, while Ropes Crossing led for units.
Victorian regional towns dominated the state’s list, with Woodstock, Sebastopol and Wendouree all recording growth above 250 per cent for houses.
Queensland’s growth was more modest, with Mossman in Far North Queensland leading for houses at 136 per cent and Parkinson in Brisbane’s south topping units at 102 per cent.
Western Australia saw Dampier – a mining town in the Pilbara – surge 166 per cent for house enquiries, while South Australia’s growth was led by established suburbs including Kensington Gardens (94 per cent for houses).
In the ACT, Whitlam led for houses with 64 per cent growth, while Holt topped units at 70 per cent.
REA Group Senior Economist, Angus Moore, said he’s seen solid increases in demand, in terms of enquiries per listing, for homes across Australia.
“That’s been particularly true for more affordable areas, which dominate among the areas seeing the biggest increases in enquiries per listing, as well as regional areas,” Mr Moore said.
“That’s consistent with buyers responding to the very challenging state of housing affordability by looking in more affordable areas.
He said the deterioration in affordability we’ve seen in the past few years has been driven by strong growth in home prices in the smaller states, coupled with rapidly rising interest rates in 2022 and 2023.
“Increased buyer demand in more affordable regions is also consistent with the high level of investor activity we’ve been seeing in the past couple of years, because investors tend to skew towards more affordable homes,” he said.
“The share of loans going to investors is at its highest level since 2017 nationally, and near-record levels in many states”.