Australian Property Market 2026 — House Prices, Forecasts and City Trends
Australia’s property market is still rising in 2026, but it is no longer moving as one market. Cotality recorded a 0.7% national rise in March, while Perth and Brisbane remained strong and Sydney and Melbourne softened. Buyers should assess city-level data, not only the national average.
Last updated: 26 April 2026
PropertyWiki uses official market data and independent analysis. This page is educational only and does not provide personal financial, tax or investment advice.
This is the evergreen PropertyWiki hub for the Australian property market. It should be updated every month after Cotality and PropTrack release home-price index data, and after each RBA cash-rate decision. Monthly bulletins should link back to this page rather than competing with it.
Market snapshot — March 2026 data
Cotality reported that national dwelling values rose 0.7% in March 2026, taking values 2.1% higher over the first quarter. PropTrack recorded a smaller 0.3% national monthly rise, taking the national median home value to $908,000.
The key point is not the exact index difference. Both sources point to the same structural picture: national growth is still positive, but the market is no longer moving as one cycle.
| Metric | Current reading | Source | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| National dwelling value change | +0.7% month / +2.1% quarter | Cotality | Positive national growth, slower than late 2025 |
| National median dwelling value | $933,137 | Cotality | Index-based national dwelling median |
| National median home value | $908,000 | PropTrack | PropTrack HPI median, up 9.4% year-on-year |
| RBA cash rate target | 4.10% effective 18 Mar 2026 | RBA | Borrowing-cost pressure increased after the March rise |
| Total residential dwelling value | $12.307 trillion, Dec Q 2025 | ABS | Official quarterly size of the Australian dwelling stock |
Capital-city comparison
The strongest markets in the March data were not Sydney or Melbourne. Perth, Brisbane, Darwin and Adelaide were the positive-growth markets; Sydney and Melbourne were already showing mild monthly and quarterly weakness.
This is why a national market page should always link to city pages. The national average hides the real buying risk.
| City | Month | Quarter | Annual | Median dwelling value | PropertyWiki reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | -0.1% | -0.2% | 4.8% | $1,295,387 | Softening |
| Melbourne | -0.2% | -0.6% | 3.4% | $828,249 | Softening |
| Brisbane | 1.8% | 5.1% | 19.0% | $1,101,151 | Strong growth |
| Adelaide | 1.2% | 3.6% | 11.4% | $937,021 | Positive but monitor affordability |
| Perth | 2.5% | 7.3% | 24.3% | $1,017,698 | Strong growth |
| Hobart | 0.8% | 2.5% | 7.8% | $737,742 | Positive but monitor affordability |
| Darwin | 1.6% | 3.4% | 19.7% | $618,596 | Strong growth |
| Canberra | 0.4% | 1.4% | 6.1% | $892,800 | Positive but monitor affordability |
What is driving the market?
- Interest rates: the RBA cash rate rose to 4.10% in March 2026, reducing borrowing capacity and increasing repayment sensitivity.
- Supply: Perth and Brisbane continue to be supported by low advertised supply and population demand.
- Affordability: demand is being pushed toward lower-priced stock, particularly units and lower-quartile homes.
- City divergence: investors and buyers should compare local supply, price growth, days on market, rental demand and borrowing constraints.
- Regional resilience: regional markets outpaced combined capitals in Cotality’s March data.
How to use this hub
Use this page as the national overview, then move to the specific page that matches your decision: house prices for data, forecast for risk, RBA for borrowing-cost pressure, and city pages for local context.
Data methodology
Cotality and PropTrack are monthly price-index sources. ABS dwelling data is official and quarterly, so it is slower but useful for the total size of the market and state-level mean prices. PropertyWiki uses them together rather than treating one source as a complete picture.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Australian property market rising in 2026?
As of March 2026, national dwelling values were still rising, with Cotality reporting a 0.7% monthly increase and a 2.1% March-quarter increase. The market is not uniform: Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide were rising quickly, while Sydney and Melbourne showed early signs of softening.
Which Australian property market is strongest in 2026?
Perth was the strongest capital city in the March 2026 Cotality data, with values up 2.5% for the month, 7.3% for the quarter and 24.3% over the year. Brisbane and Darwin were also strong, while Sydney and Melbourne were softer.
Is Australia in a housing downturn?
Australia is not in a single national downturn. The March 2026 data shows a split market: Sydney and Melbourne were edging lower, while the mid-sized capitals continued to rise. Buyers should assess city-level conditions rather than relying on a national headline.
What data should I use to track the Australian property market?
Use at least three data layers: monthly price indexes such as Cotality and PropTrack, RBA cash-rate decisions for borrowing-cost pressure, and ABS dwelling-stock data for official quarterly market size and mean-price context.
How often should this page be updated?
The national hub should be updated monthly after Cotality and PropTrack release home-price data, and again after each RBA cash-rate decision. The supporting monthly bulletin should link back to this evergreen hub.
Sources and official references
- Cotality Home Value Index — April 2026, results as at 31 March 2026 — city dwelling value changes, national HVI, median dwelling values
- PropTrack Home Price Index — March 2026 — national median home value, capital-city and regional growth context
- RBA Cash Rate Target — cash rate target and rate-change history
- ABS Total Value of Dwellings — December Quarter 2025 — total dwelling stock value, dwelling count and mean dwelling prices
- RBA Board Meeting Schedules — RBA meeting cadence and update timing
Published by PropertyWiki Team · Last updated 26 April 2026
PropertyWiki uses official market data and independent analysis. This page is educational only and does not provide personal financial, tax or investment advice.