Invest
Melbourne leads surge in October listings
As COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed, capital cities saw a significant rise in property listings in October, led by a surge in Melbourne.
Melbourne leads surge in October listings
As COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed, capital cities saw a significant rise in property listings in October, led by a surge in Melbourne.
Figures released this week by SQM Research reveal national residential property listings significantly increased in October by 6.5 per cent to 308,413 listings from 289,566 listings in September 2020. Compared with 12 months ago, listings were down by 3.3 per cent.
All capital cities recorded increases in property listings over the month, with Melbourne recording a huge increase of 26.7 per cent, which equals to 44,057 total stock on market from September’s 34,771.
Both Sydney and Canberra also posted large increases of 8.4 per cent each to total stocks of 34,061 and 4,167, respectively, while Hobart posted an 8.2 per cent increase to 1,879.
Brisbane recorded a 4.6 per cent increase to 30,213, Adelaide 4.5 per cent to 14,691 and Perth 4.2 per cent to 23,203. Darwin recorded the smallest increase of 0.6 per cent to 1,450.
“It seems like we are moving back to the usual spring selling season with all capital city listings rising in October,” according to SQM Research director Louis Christopher.
“Melbourne, in particular, has bounced back in a big way after the relaxing of stage 4 restrictions. In fact, we are expecting another big rise in listings during the month of November for Melbourne.”
National year-on-year listings reveal a decrease of 3.3 per cent, with significant decreases in Darwin (24.5 per cent) and Hobart (12.1 per cent). Melbourne, on the other hand, recorded a large increase of 22.0 per cent and Sydney a 13.6 per cent increase. All other capital cities recorded declines over the 12 months.
Asking prices
Capital city average asking prices also increased by 1.8 per cent for houses and 0.1 per cent units over the month to 3 November. Average house asking price is now at $989,100, while the average unit asking price sits at $563,900.
Compared with a year ago, the capital city asking prices posted an increase of 5.2 per cent for houses but declined by 1.0 per cent for units.
Looking at each capital city, Sydney continued to record a decline in unit asking prices of 0.5 per cent but recorded an increase of 0.7 per cent for houses. Perth and Hobart also recorded declines in unit prices of 0.3 per cent and 0.4 per cent, respectively. Hobart, however, posted the largest gain in house prices of 2.5 per cent.
Following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, Melbourne has rebounded, posting increases in both house asking prices of 0.4 per cent and a 1.0 per cent increase in units.
Meanwhile, Canberra house asking prices remained stable and unit asking prices increased by 1.7 per cent.
Year-on-year, most capital cities recorded increases in house and unit asking prices, with a significant increase of 17.8 per cent in Hobart’s unit asking price and 10.1 per cent in house asking prices.
RELATED ARTICLES
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
