This article is contributed by Lily Chong, Head of IQI Australia, who brings nearly 13 years of real estate expertise and a commitment to uplifting professionals globally.
In September, Australia’s dwelling values experienced a modest increase of 0.4%, similar to the 0.3% growth in July and August, signaling a continued slowing of momentum. Nationally, housing values rose by 1.0% in the September quarter, marking the smallest quarterly rise in the Home Value Index (HVI) since March 2023, when the market first began its current upward trend.
Interestingly, four capital cities saw a decline in dwelling values during this period. Melbourne led with a 1.1% drop, followed by Canberra, Hobart, and Darwin. In contrast, Perth experienced the highest growth at 4.7%. Sydney maintained positive growth, but its 0.5% rise in the September quarter was the slowest since February 2023.
Meanwhile, mid-sized capitals, which had been leading in capital gains, are also starting to slow. Adelaide’s growth appears to be plateauing at 4.0%, while Brisbane recorded its lowest quarterly rise (2.7%) since April 2022. Perth’s property market Spring selling season has kicked off with a notable increase in active listings, rising by 8.4% in September and reaching 3,952 by month-end.
According to REIWA CEO Cath Hart, the Spring season has brought a boost in new listings, as anticipated. “Spring is traditionally one of the busiest times for sales, and our members are seeing more properties come to market, with new listings outpacing sales over the past month,” she shared.
Despite this increase in listings, properties are still selling quickly, keeping active listings relatively low. Compared to this time last year, active listings are down 19.0%, though this represents a marked improvement. Between November 2023 and May 2024, listing volumes were 40% lower year-on-year, with every month since May still showing a 30% decline compared to the previous year.
These trends highlight the continued strength of the Perth market despite low stock availability.
Data extracted in September 2024