Invest
Australian house prices soar 500% in 25 years
Australian house prices have surged by as much as 500 per cent in the past 25 years, according to fresh data from REIA.
Australian house prices soar 500% in 25 years
Australian house prices have surged by as much as 500 per cent in the past 25 years, according to fresh data from REIA.
The median house price has surged from $160,000 in 1996 to $825,000 in 2020, an increase of 500 per cent in 25 years, the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) has revealed.
As for other dwelling types, including units and apartments, capital values have increased by just over 400 per cent over the past decade and a half, REIA’s latest Real Estate Market Facts has shown.
This difference in growth is, however, slightly offset by the fact that units and apartments do produce higher yields.
In fact, over the 25-year period, Australian housing yields tightened from 5.1 per cent to 2.9 per cent, while other dwellings have recorded a slight drop in yields from 5.2 per cent to 3.7 per cent.
Looking at the individual capital cities, houses in Darwin recorded the highest return, averaging 4.2 per cent.
“In 1996, housing investments in Darwin were yielding 6.4 per cent. Melbourne and Sydney have always had the lowest yields, both falling from around 4 per cent in 1996 to just 1.8 per cent in 2020,” REIA president Adrian Kelly said.
“The pandemic saw Melbourne and Sydney experience rising vacancies, with Melbourne now the highest in Australia at 5 per cent while Sydney is currently at 3.7 per cent,” he added.
According to Mr Kelly, it is these losses that have led to a decline in investor activity, but the situation is on the upswing as demand continues to lift.
“Despite rising vacancies and the low yields, we are starting to see investors reemerge as they respond to a rising market with further growth expectations and low borrowing costs,” he added.
As such, in the December quarter 2020, the weighted average capital city median price for houses increased by 6.0 per cent, while other dwellings added 0.9 per cent.
This took Sydney’s median house price to the top of the pile at $1,211,488 or 46.8 per cent higher than the national average. At $490,000, Perth has the lowest median house price across Australian capital cities, 40.6 per cent lower than the national average.
Having also analysed the last five years, REIA put the overall house price growth at 25 per cent, while other dwellings rose by 10 per cent to $600,000 since 2015.
RELATED ARTICLES
Property
Hidden cost, higher prices: Why a council fee fight matters for Australia’s housing pipeline
A dispute between the Housing Industry Association and Goulburn Mulwaree Council over development cost estimates is more than a local skirmish—it spotlights a systemic pricing lever that can compound ...Read more
Property
Why Aussie homes are turning into stepping stones for the new generation
A new cohort of buyers is treating their first property as a launchpad, not a destination—and the mortgage industry is pivoting in lockstep. Read more
Property
Rate cuts ignite an upsizing wave: how to win the next phase of Australia’s housing cycle
Cheaper money is reviving borrowing capacity and confidence, and upsizers are back in force — most visibly at auctions where clearance rates have lifted to yearly highs. The ripple effects extend ...Read more
Property
Rate anxiety fades, affordability bites: What Australia’s property market shift means for business
Australian buyers are no longer driven primarily by interest rate fears; the binding constraint is affordability. New research shows price pressure, not policy moves, is shaping behaviour—forcing ...Read more
Property
South Australia's first-home buyer boom fuels a frenzy for lenders, builders and retailers
South Australia has quietly become the nation’s most active first‑home buyer market, fuelled by falling rates, generous state incentives and a responsive broker ecosystem. Read more
Property
Melbourne’s turning point: the 2025 playbook for investors—and the 2026 upside
After lagging other capitals, Melbourne is quietly moving off the floor. Prices have logged several consecutive months of growth, rental markets remain tight, and forecasts point to a sharper upswing ...Read more
Property
Brisbane hits the million-dollar mark as growth takes a detour and investors eye new opportunities
Brisbane has crossed the symbolic $1 million median for houses, but the more investable momentum is in units—and the growth curve is flattening. Read more
Property
North platform adds household reporting feature to boost adviser efficiency
AMP's North platform has launched consolidated household reporting across multiple client accounts, helping financial advisers streamline their client review processes. Read more
Property
Hidden cost, higher prices: Why a council fee fight matters for Australia’s housing pipeline
A dispute between the Housing Industry Association and Goulburn Mulwaree Council over development cost estimates is more than a local skirmish—it spotlights a systemic pricing lever that can compound ...Read more
Property
Why Aussie homes are turning into stepping stones for the new generation
A new cohort of buyers is treating their first property as a launchpad, not a destination—and the mortgage industry is pivoting in lockstep. Read more
Property
Rate cuts ignite an upsizing wave: how to win the next phase of Australia’s housing cycle
Cheaper money is reviving borrowing capacity and confidence, and upsizers are back in force — most visibly at auctions where clearance rates have lifted to yearly highs. The ripple effects extend ...Read more
Property
Rate anxiety fades, affordability bites: What Australia’s property market shift means for business
Australian buyers are no longer driven primarily by interest rate fears; the binding constraint is affordability. New research shows price pressure, not policy moves, is shaping behaviour—forcing ...Read more
Property
South Australia's first-home buyer boom fuels a frenzy for lenders, builders and retailers
South Australia has quietly become the nation’s most active first‑home buyer market, fuelled by falling rates, generous state incentives and a responsive broker ecosystem. Read more
Property
Melbourne’s turning point: the 2025 playbook for investors—and the 2026 upside
After lagging other capitals, Melbourne is quietly moving off the floor. Prices have logged several consecutive months of growth, rental markets remain tight, and forecasts point to a sharper upswing ...Read more
Property
Brisbane hits the million-dollar mark as growth takes a detour and investors eye new opportunities
Brisbane has crossed the symbolic $1 million median for houses, but the more investable momentum is in units—and the growth curve is flattening. Read more
Property
North platform adds household reporting feature to boost adviser efficiency
AMP's North platform has launched consolidated household reporting across multiple client accounts, helping financial advisers streamline their client review processes. Read more
