Australia’s housing market has entered what analysts describe as a rare “all boats rising” phase, with no major jurisdictions classified as underperforming and momentum building across both capital city and regional markets.
Hotspotting’s Autumn Price Predictor Index (PPI), reported by The Courier Mail, shows rising or steady buyer demand in all 14 major market jurisdictions, underpinned by sustained sales activity, tight listings, and population-driven demand.
“Our latest research points to broad-based strength across property markets nationwide, with buyer demand remaining elevated that has resulted in no ‘loser markets’ this edition,” Hotspotting director Tim Graham (pictured) said.
Graham added that “residential property markets throughout the nation are experiencing a level of buyer demand unprecedented in the decade that we have published the Price Predictor Index.”
Graham said 10 of the 14 jurisdictions are now classified as winners, with the remaining four considered steady – a sharp turnaround from a year earlier when the index recorded eight winners, four losers, and two steady markets.
Regional Victoria, and other “winning” markets, stand out
The PPI highlights regional Victoria as one of the standout areas, with quarterly sales volumes lifting from 9,848 to 13,299 over the year. Graham described the shift bluntly: “Regional Victoria is pumping.”
Other “winning” markets include Melbourne, Hobart, regional South Australia, Darwin, Canberra, regional New South Wales, Adelaide, Sydney, and regional Tasmania. Brisbane, regional Queensland, Perth, and regional Western Australia are classified as steady.
Structural drivers, not speculative spikes
Graham attributed the uplift to a combination of record infrastructure spending, strong first-home buyer incentives, and years of elevated migration and internal population movement, arguing these forces are creating “real, sustained demand and not speculative spikes.”
Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA) chair Cate Bakos said the data offers evidence-based reassurance for both homebuyers and investors.
“This data is telling us that most markets are strengthening for real and structural reasons,” Bakos said, noting that Victoria’s resurgence after several flat years is particularly significant.
Separate PropTrack figures, cited in The Courier Mail, show house values rising in about 70% of suburbs and unit values lifting in roughly 71% of suburbs in the March quarter, with cheaper regional locations and outer‑capital suburbs posting some of the strongest gains.
REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty said, “We’re still seeing outpaced growth at the more affordable end of the market,” even as national price growth moderates.
Against that backdrop, major banks are signalling a cooler pace ahead, with Commonwealth Bank forecasting national prices to rise 5% in 2026 and 3% in 2027, and ANZ tipping smaller gains of 2.8% and 2.1% respectively, alongside the risk of “small falls” in Sydney and Melbourne. Research commissioned by Money.com.au from Primara suggests national dwelling values may not rise in a straight line, with a baseline scenario showing prices peaking in 2027 before easing about 15% by the end of 2030, leaving average values slightly below their 2025 highs.
