Invest
10 markets reversing the property trend
Despite strong national growth grabbing headlines, not all suburbs are currently booming, with the pandemic continuing to drag down markets, an industry expert has revealed.
10 markets reversing the property trend
Despite strong national growth grabbing headlines, not all suburbs are currently booming, with the pandemic continuing to drag down markets, an industry expert has revealed.

According to REA Insights, many local areas are still being impacted by falls in tourism, international migration and youth employment issues.
Nationally, the market has shown strong growth, with the latest CoreLogic figures showing overall the housing market has increased by 2.1 per cent.
The strong growth rate has economists, including Commonwealth Bank’s Gareth Aird, predicting national house prices would rise by 16 per cent over the next two years.
According to Commonwealth Bank, national housing prices will lift by 9 per cent in 2021 and a further 7 per cent in 2022.

However, REA chief economist Nerida Conisbee highlighted to investors that not all markets are currently booming.
Largest price declines by suburb
12 months to January 2021
Type |
Median |
% change |
||
CAIRNS NORTH |
QLD |
Unit |
$220,000 |
-12% |
AUBURN |
NSW |
Unit |
$500,000 |
-12% |
REDFERN |
NSW |
Unit |
$852,500 |
-10% |
BURPENGARY EAST |
QLD |
House |
$562,500 |
-9% |
TOORAK |
VIC |
Unit |
$925,000 |
-9% |
CARLTON |
VIC |
Unit |
$350,000 |
-8% |
DALYELLUP |
WA |
House |
$350,000 |
-8% |
NEWPORT |
QLD |
House |
$775,000 |
-7% |
PARRAMATTA |
NSW |
Unit |
$570,000 |
-7% |
FREMANTLE |
WA |
House |
$840,000 |
-7% |
According to Ms Conisbee, some of these regions are being impacted by border closures that are seeing a spike in unemployment and falling rental yields.
“Many of the suburbs on the list are weak rental markets. This is particularly the case for those areas that are reliant on younger renters and those more exposed to hospitality, education and tourism, as well as areas where there are typically lots of students, both international and local,” she said.
“While regional Australia is the place to be right now, Cairns is yet to receive an uplift with prices still falling overall for the city, and Cairns North units being the weakest performer at a suburb level over the past 12 months.”
The chief economist pointed out localised factors as well as changing consumer preferences, post lockdown, could also be impacting these markets.
“Premium suburbs are overall doing very well, however Melbourne’s prolonged lockdown appears to have delayed Melbourne’s luxury recovery. Median prices for houses and units have declined in toorak,” she concluded.
About the author

About the author


Property
Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more

Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more

Property
Home guarantee scheme shake-up challenges Australia’s housing market players
From 1 October 2025, the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) materially widens what first-home buyers can purchase and where. By sharply lifting price caps and relaxing eligibility settings, the ...Read more

Property
GSB’s first‑home buyer play: turning policy tailwinds into market share
Great Southern Bank’s latest results show that nearly one in three of its new mortgages now go to first‑home buyers—evidence of a fast‑moving market reshaped by government guarantees, easing rates and ...Read more

Property
Why investors are fleeing and renters are scrambling in Australia's housing maze
Australia’s rental market is tightening even as individual landlords sell down. New data points to a multi‑year investor retreat tied to higher holding costs and regulatory uncertainty, while prices ...Read more

Property
Australia's 5% deposit guarantee: Unlocking gains while balancing risks in the market share race
Can a bigger government guarantee fix housing access without fuelling prices? Australia is about to find out. The Albanese government’s expanded 5% deposit pathway aims to help 70,000 buyers, remove ...Read more

Property
Australia's bold move the 5% deposit scheme shaking up the housing market
Can a government guarantee replace lenders mortgage insurance without inflating prices or risk? Canberra’s accelerated 5% deposit scheme is a bold demand-side nudge in a supply‑constrained marketRead more

Property
When rates drop but stress sticks: exploring Australia's mortgage arrears dilemma
Headline numbers suggest arrears ease as rates come down. The reality in Australia is messier: broad measures dipped into mid‑2025, yet severe delinquencies and non‑bank portfolios remain under ...Read more

Property
Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more

Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more

Property
Home guarantee scheme shake-up challenges Australia’s housing market players
From 1 October 2025, the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) materially widens what first-home buyers can purchase and where. By sharply lifting price caps and relaxing eligibility settings, the ...Read more

Property
GSB’s first‑home buyer play: turning policy tailwinds into market share
Great Southern Bank’s latest results show that nearly one in three of its new mortgages now go to first‑home buyers—evidence of a fast‑moving market reshaped by government guarantees, easing rates and ...Read more

Property
Why investors are fleeing and renters are scrambling in Australia's housing maze
Australia’s rental market is tightening even as individual landlords sell down. New data points to a multi‑year investor retreat tied to higher holding costs and regulatory uncertainty, while prices ...Read more

Property
Australia's 5% deposit guarantee: Unlocking gains while balancing risks in the market share race
Can a bigger government guarantee fix housing access without fuelling prices? Australia is about to find out. The Albanese government’s expanded 5% deposit pathway aims to help 70,000 buyers, remove ...Read more

Property
Australia's bold move the 5% deposit scheme shaking up the housing market
Can a government guarantee replace lenders mortgage insurance without inflating prices or risk? Canberra’s accelerated 5% deposit scheme is a bold demand-side nudge in a supply‑constrained marketRead more

Property
When rates drop but stress sticks: exploring Australia's mortgage arrears dilemma
Headline numbers suggest arrears ease as rates come down. The reality in Australia is messier: broad measures dipped into mid‑2025, yet severe delinquencies and non‑bank portfolios remain under ...Read more