Industry News
Breaking stories, regulatory changes, market data, and major developments across Australian and New Zealand real estate.
Brisbane overtakes Sydney as national home values keep falling
Cotality's Home Value Index recorded a sixth consecutive monthly decline in September, with Brisbane now falling faster than Sydney and national values down 5.2% since March's peak.
Domain data maps six buyer personalities across the capitals
New search analysis shows Sydney buyers chasing income potential, Brisbane buyers seeking multigenerational space, and Perth listings rising…
RBA pulls the trigger: What the fourth rate rise means for property
The RBA has raised the cash rate to 4.60 per cent, its fourth hike of 2026, squeezing borrowing…
QLD leads price growth as apartments outpace houses in three capitals
Brisbane apartment values rose 21.6 per cent over the year, while apartments also outperformed houses in Sydney and…
REA Group makes $409m play for stake in Ireland’s biggest property portal
The realestate.com.au owner is expanding its international footprint with a 35 per cent stake in the business behind…
$49,500 warning as NSW tightens rental rules for agents
New laws will overhaul rental applications, restrict the personal information agents can collect and introduce penalties of up…
Why this analyst says a housing crash is the wrong call
Property analyst Michael Matusik's latest report points to vacancy rates as low as 0.7 per cent as the…
Falling prices could offset shrinking loans in some cities
While borrowing capacity keeps falling, Westpac forecasts and Cotality data suggest Sydney and Melbourne price falls may partly…
Energy ratings emerge as new value lever for agents and vendors
Almost 97 per cent of Australian property listings do not disclose a home energy rating, and new Cotality…
Builders say tax changes could push more renters toward social housing
Master Builders Australia argues Federal Budget changes to negative gearing and superannuation borrowing could reduce private rental supply,…
Households complied, governments didn’t – Koch’s message to the RBA
Compare the Market's David Koch has written to Governor Michele Bullock arguing mortgage holders are being billed for…
$3bn future beckons as one of Sydney’s biggest landholdings hits the market
A 737-hectare cattle property held for three decades has been put up for sale in Sydney's North West…
Why some listings pull tens of thousands of views, explained
A realestate.com.au economist says buyer curiosity about luxury and unique homes, not just price, drives the views behind…
39 million Australians: housing and infrastructure face a 40-year planning test
Australia is expected to add millions of residents over the next 40 years, prompting calls for a national…
Developers warn of project cancellations over trust tax changes
Five major industry bodies commissioned polling showing most small and medium developers expect the proposed changes to affect…
Why retirees with $1.1 million homes are reshaping senior living demand
New CBRE figures show over-75s hold significant home equity and superannuation, and researchers say this is pushing demand…
Sydney, Melbourne sellers withdraw stock as listings tighten
New analysis from Ray White shows owners in Australia's two largest cities are pulling properties from the market…
Housing pressures reshape how Australians rent and invest
People aged 40 and over have emerged as the largest cohort in new sharehouse research, as governments and…
House buyers still hundreds of thousands short as affordability gap shifts to dwelling type
Detached houses remain the least aligned housing type across Australia's capital cities, with new Domain research showing townhouses…
Branded residences tipped to reshape Australia’s luxury development market
Australia remains underrepresented in the global branded residences sector, but Knight Frank says a combination of rising private…
Vendors and landlords get more listing options, ACCC says
The regulator is urging agents to revisit portal choices and fees with clients.
Agent ideas put everyday problems at heart of Hackdays
Commercial marketing documents, rental inspection requests and listing preparation inspired the winning customer projects at REA Group’s 2026…
Coastal flooding risk could reshape where new housing gets built
Report authors say avoiding development in the highest-risk coastal areas is the least costly option, a finding with…
Housing tax package could cut 10,700 new homes as industry warns rents will rise
Updated independent modelling commissioned by four of Australia's peak property and construction bodies estimates the Federal Government's housing…
Bank of Mum and Dad now backs 1.8 million homeowners
Finder's 2026 Home Loan Report finds three in ten Australians relied on family money to buy, most commonly…
Real estate needs to look beyond the agent brand: BresicWhitney
The industry’s focus on individual agent profiles risks overshadowing what customers increasingly value, with BresicWhitney arguing property representation,…
Why upsizers could have the upper hand in this market
Shore Financial's Theo Chambers says buyers moving up the property ladder may gain more from negotiating a discount…
Australian housing stock loses $34bn in first quarterly fall since 2022
Australia’s residential property market shed $34.1 billion in value over the June quarter, with falling prices in NSW…
Opposition commits to Supreme Court test of stamp duty rules
REINSW says the NSW Government's refusal to seek court clarity is fuelling suspicion that thousands of taxpayers have…
Premium markets turning as investors retreat from affordable suburbs
Ray White's chief economist says buyer attendance is rebounding in Sydney and Melbourne's priciest pockets, even as investor-heavy,…
Economists and markets split on September rate call
Ten of 12 tracked economists expect the RBA to hold, but market pricing implies a 54 per cent…
Apartment building drives Queensland home construction to record $20.3bn
Apartment construction is driving Queensland’s record run, with the state accounting for almost half of Australia’s quarterly growth…
Housing affordability hits record low as rate rises squeeze buyers
Higher mortgage rates and elevated home prices have pushed affordability to its worst level on record, leaving a…
Why Tasmania’s rental squeeze has investors circling
Property managers in Hobart and regional Tasmania face a market describes as having near-zero vacancy and rents up…
The leverage problem making Sydney vendors harder to price
With Sydney's price-to-income ratio at 12.9 times earnings, agents are being urged to manage vendor expectations against gains…