Invest
Distressed sales fall to pre-pandemic levels
Urgent property sales have dropped back to pre-pandemic levels in most cities – proof of Australia’s continuous recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Distressed sales fall to pre-pandemic levels
Urgent property sales have dropped back to pre-pandemic levels in most cities – proof of Australia’s continuous recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak.

With ongoing government support measures and extended mortgage holidays providing a buffer for those facing financial difficulty, Australia has risen above its deepest economic contraction since the 1930s and recorded lesser and lesser distressed listings over the past months, based on the latest data released by Domain.
Distressed sales peaked in autumn in all cities except for Melbourne, where distressed listings peaked at 1.1 per cent in September.
Come October, distressed listings across most capital cities were at their lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, with sellers in a better position than in February even with some initial six-month mortgage holidays coming to an end.
In Sydney, distressed listings were recorded at 1.7 per cent, down from 2.0 per cent in February. Meanwhile, Melbourne recorded a 0.8 per cent distressed listings, which is the same level it saw in February.

Brisbane also saw a significant decrease from February’s 3.2 per cent to 2.5 per cent in October, while Perth is now at 1.5 per cent from 2.3 per cent in February – recording the biggest improvement over the nine-month period.
Canberra, Adelaide and Darwin also saw declines in distressed listings, with rates currently sitting at 0.8 per cent, 0.4 per cent and 2.8 per cent, respectively.
Hobart was the only city where distressed listings remained slightly high, with 0.2 per cent of listings classified as distressed compared with 0.1 per cent in February. Still, it had the lowest level of distressed sales of all the capitals.
According to Domain senior research analyst Dr Nicola Powell, the short window between the first economic impacts of COVID-19 and the introduction of government support measures and mortgage deferrals ultimately limited urgent sales.
“This reflected buyers trying to offload property quicker amid the city’s ban on private property inspections, a ban which was lifted in late September,” Dr Powell said.
However, Dr Powell said that ongoing support measures could be masking the true financial losses facing home owners.
While repayments resumed on almost half of deferred mortgages by mid-October, the Australian Banking Association found that there were still some 270,000 deferred home loans.
According to Dr Powell: “Any significant increase in distressed sales would only occur when those home owners had to resume repayments – and even then the banks would do all in their power to prevent forced sales.”
The most at-risk regions would be those with greater levels of negative equity such as parts of Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory, Dr Powell said.
“In areas such as Hobart, where wages were low and prices rose rapidly in recent years, there could be more home owners who had overextended themselves.”

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
What Adds The Most Value To Properties?
Wondering how to up the value of your property? Properties are worth a lot of money in general, but there’s always a way to maximise value. The good news is that most of the things you can do to ...Read more

Property
Centuria reports strong growth in alternative real estate sectors for FY24
Centuria Capital Group has reported significant growth in alternative real estate sectors for the 2024 financial year, driving stable performance and increased guidance for FY25. Read more

Property
How to leverage equity in your home for investment or renovation
Home equity, the value of your property minus any debts owed, is a powerful financial resource many homeowners in Australia can utilize to further their financial goals. Whether you're looking to ...Read more

Property
Exploring REITs: Real estate investment without buying property
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) offer a compelling investment alternative for those interested in the real estate market but may not want to endure the complexities and capital requirements of ...Read more

Property
Retirement communities: a pivotal element in meeting Australia's housing targets
The Retirement Living Council (RLC) has recommended that retirement communities should be considered a vital part in the Australian Government's initiative to fulfill the Housing Australia Future Fund ...Read more

Property
Australians adjust financial strategies amid changing property market dynamics
The 2023 calendar year saw Australian borrowers acquiring a total of $300.9 billion in new loans for property purchases, marking a 12.7% decrease from the previous year. Read more

Property
Split home loans unlocking doors for Aussie buyers
Australians are teaming up to dive into the real estate market and seize the advantages of home ownership, with the trend of split home loans surging as family and friends unite to buy properties ...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
What Adds The Most Value To Properties?
Wondering how to up the value of your property? Properties are worth a lot of money in general, but there’s always a way to maximise value. The good news is that most of the things you can do to ...Read more

Property
Centuria reports strong growth in alternative real estate sectors for FY24
Centuria Capital Group has reported significant growth in alternative real estate sectors for the 2024 financial year, driving stable performance and increased guidance for FY25. Read more

Property
How to leverage equity in your home for investment or renovation
Home equity, the value of your property minus any debts owed, is a powerful financial resource many homeowners in Australia can utilize to further their financial goals. Whether you're looking to ...Read more

Property
Exploring REITs: Real estate investment without buying property
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) offer a compelling investment alternative for those interested in the real estate market but may not want to endure the complexities and capital requirements of ...Read more

Property
Retirement communities: a pivotal element in meeting Australia's housing targets
The Retirement Living Council (RLC) has recommended that retirement communities should be considered a vital part in the Australian Government's initiative to fulfill the Housing Australia Future Fund ...Read more

Property
Australians adjust financial strategies amid changing property market dynamics
The 2023 calendar year saw Australian borrowers acquiring a total of $300.9 billion in new loans for property purchases, marking a 12.7% decrease from the previous year. Read more

Property
Split home loans unlocking doors for Aussie buyers
Australians are teaming up to dive into the real estate market and seize the advantages of home ownership, with the trend of split home loans surging as family and friends unite to buy properties ...Read more