A surge in for-sale listings tipped to dampen home price growth
The forecast slowdown comes on the back of sharp increases in home values
3 min
The number of new for-sale listings has been stubbornly sluggish for much of the year, but there are growing signs would-be vendors are finally feeling confident to go to market.
New analysis indicates this surge in supply is likely to put the brakes on a renewed boom in property prices being seen across much of the country.
According to data from research firm CoreLogic, national home values rose 2.9 percent in the three months to July – the highest quarterly movement since January.
Across the capital cities, values were up 0.8 percent last month – down slightly from a 1.2 percent lift seen in June.
Prices are rising fastest in Sydney, with a whopping 4.5 percent jump in the three months to July.
Prices rose 4.2 percent in Brisbane in the quarter, while Adelaide and Perth each recorded a 3.2 per cent increase. Values in Melbourne were up two per cent.
“Home values are down 3.4 percent annually, but declines are quickly subsiding from an eight per cent drop in the year to March,” Eliza Owen, head of residential research at CoreLogic, observed.
Data shows the number of new listings nationally hit 33,616 in the four weeks to 30 July, trending slightly higher through the month, which she noted is unusual for this time of year.
“The flow of new listings added to the market has been rising since mid-June, in contrast to the usual seasonal trend where new vendor activity would be trending lower through the colder months.”
With more homes hitting the market ahead of the traditionally busy spring selling season, Paul Ryan, economist at data house PropTrack, said price growth could dampen in the months ahead.
“There have been some tentative signs that sellers are responding to continued strong buyer demand and higher prices by bringing more listings to market,” Mr Ryan said.
PropTrack modelling shows a low level of new listings could be responsible for as much as a quarter of the price growth seen this year, and the impact of low supply can be felt within a few months.
“This analysis suggests that a stronger flow of listings could weigh on home price growth later this year as the market gears up for the spring selling season,” Mr Ryan said.
“And importantly, it shows the impact on prices is likely to be felt quite quickly after any new listings are brought to market – within one to two months.”
Mr Ryan said property markets have “displayed a remarkable turnaround in 2023”.
“Home prices fell persistently over 2022, down 4.1 percent from April to December, during the sharpest episode of interest rate increases ever implemented by the Reserve Bank,” he said.
“But 2023 has seen national home prices increase each month, up 2.8 percent so far this year, despite continued increases in interest rates.”
One major factor for the rapid turnaround in price movements is the low supply of new listings hitting the market, he said. Buyer demand has remained strong.
“The flow of new listings over the first half of 2023 was around 15 percent below the level seen over the same period in 2022, which represents a significant decrease.
“By contrast, the total number of homes on the market has mostly drifted upward as homes take longer to sell compared to the strong market conditions in 2021.”
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Strong consumer spending and tight supply have driven retail to the top of commercial property, but signs of pressure are starting to emerge.
2 min
Australia’s retail property sector entered 2026 as the strongest performing commercial asset class, but rising geopolitical risks and cost pressures are beginning to test its resilience, according to new research from Knight Frank.
The latest Australian Retail Review shows the sector rode a wave of consumer spending and constrained supply through 2025, delivering total returns of 9.2 per cent and driving transaction volumes up 43 per cent year-on-year to $14.4 billion.
That momentum carried into early 2026, with around $3.6 billion in deals recorded in the first quarter alone.
“Retail clearly emerged as the standout commercial property performer in 2025,” said Knight Frank Senior Economist, Research & Consulting Alistair Read.
“Improving household spending, limited new supply and stronger leasing fundamentals combined to drive better income growth and renewed investor confidence in the sector.”
Spending rebound drives retail strength
A lift in household spending has been central to the sector’s performance. Consumer spending rose 4.6 per cent year-on-year to February 2026, supported by easing inflation and improving real incomes.
That shift flowed directly into retailer performance, with average EBIT margins across major retailers rising to 8.9 per cent in the first half of 2026, their strongest level in several years.
“Stronger consumer spending was critical in restoring momentum to the retail sector,” Mr Read said.
“Retailers have generally been better able to absorb costs, rebuild margins and support sustainable rental outcomes, particularly in higher-quality centres.”
Improved trading conditions also pushed leasing spreads up 4.2 per cent in 2025, reinforcing income growth and supporting capital values.
Geopolitical tensions begin to bite
But the outlook has become more complicated. The report warns that escalating conflict in the Middle East and its impact on fuel prices, supply chains and interest rates could weigh heavily on consumer spending.
“Higher fuel prices, flow-on cost pressures across supply chains, and recent interest rate increases are collectively squeezing household budgets, and early consumer sentiment data suggests confidence is already softening,” Mr Read said.
“While household balance sheets remain generally resilient, heightened uncertainty over future costs is likely to weigh on spending — particularly in discretionary categories — in the months ahead.”
The impact is already being felt in investment activity. While the year began strongly, transaction volumes slowed in March as investors paused amid the uncertainty.
“Early indicators suggest elevated uncertainty has already begun to affect the market. While retail investment enjoyed its strongest start to a year in a decade, with nearly $3 billion transacted by the end of February, activity stalled in March, as investors took a pause amid elevated uncertainty,” Mr Read said.
Solid foundations support medium-term outlook
Despite the near-term headwinds, Knight Frank maintains that the sector’s underlying fundamentals remain strong. Limited new supply, high construction costs and population growth are expected to continue supporting rental growth over the medium term.
“Retail has entered this period of uncertainty from a position of strength,” Mr Read said.
“Supply-side constraints, population growth and improving income fundamentals remain powerful structural supports for the sector.”
The report highlights several trends shaping the year ahead, including steady yields as interest rates rise, mounting pressure on tenant margins, continued outperformance of prime centres, the growing need for logistics integration, and risks linked to underinvestment in capital expenditure.
For now, retail remains a sector with momentum, but one increasingly at the mercy of forces far beyond the shopping centre.
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