Australian Homeowners Stay Put: New Report Highlights Suburbs With the Longest Tenure
Here are the suburbs we love not to leave – Australia’s most tightly-held areas
4 min
Australians are holding onto their homes for longer, as a new report reveals some of the suburbs that are the most tightly held in the country. The newly released Domain Tenure Report reveals house owners are staying put for an average of nine years, up from seven years in 2013. Apartment owners are holding their homes for an average of eight years, up from six years in 2013.
There are many reasons why tenure periods are lengthening in Australia. Across the capital cities, the most consistent tenure increases have been in Sydney and Perth houses and Sydney and Melbourne units. Housing affordability challenges are likely a factor in more home owners staying put in Sydney and Melbourne. Whereas in Perth, a long period of weak market conditions may have discouraged people from changing homes until they can sell for more than they bought. It’s cheaper to buy a house today in Perth than in any other capital city bar Darwin, so the increasing period of tenure may also reflect buyers’ ability to secure a ‘forever home’ on the first purchase.
The report notes that transactional costs associated with moving, such as stamp duty, can distort housing decisions and be a disincentive to move. “The financial burden of stamp duty can be linked to people’s willingness to change homes to suit their current needs,” according to the report.
A long average tenure period can also reflect a suburb’s high desirability or aspirational nature, perhaps due to its strong community, the style of housing, or a prized school catchment zone. Domain chief of research and economics, Dr Nicola Powell says: “There are certain areas that people tend to stay at for much longer and that’s because they are committed to the community. So, what you can find is that those tightly held areas are very hard to gain access to.” Dr Powell commented that in certain areas “people almost stalk for houses to come up since it means you’ll gain access into that suburb”.
A long average tenure can also indicate a lack of variation in local housing stock. Growing families may opt to renovate and/or extend their existing homes to suit their changing needs, thereby staying put longer. Would-be downsizers may also stay in larger homes for longer periods because there is a lack of smaller homes available in the area.
The areas with the longest average tenure periods across Australia’s capital cities are profiled below.
The suburbs we love not to leave
Strathfield-Burwood-Ashfield area, NSW (average tenure 13 years – houses)
Within the Strathfield-Burwood-Ashfield area is the suburb of Strathfield, which is known for its grand modernised Federation homes on generous blocks in wide, leafy streets. The suburb has a large number of schools including Strathfield Girls High School, Trinity Grammar, Santa Sabina College and St Patrick’s College. The area attracts older families with teenage children who want to buy forever homes in their preferred school catchments. The median price for a four bedroom house in Strathfield is $3.01 million, down 6.3% in 2023.
Whitehorse-East, VIC (average tenure 13 years – houses)
Balwyn North is the most populous suburb within the Whitehorse-East area. Located about 10km east of Melbourne CBD, it is one of the city’s most affluent suburbs. It is known for its wide, leafy streets, large parcels of land and post-war homes that have been modernised or knocked down and rebuilt over the years. Balwyn North offers close proximity to some of Victoria’s best private schools. The median price for a four bedroom house in Balwyn North is $2.345 million, up 2% in 2023.
Centenary, QLD (average tenure 14 years – houses)
Within the Centenary area of Toowoomba is the suburb of Centenary Heights, about 4km from the CBD. The suburbs attracts younger families on a budget looking for homes they can renovate or extend over time. It’s a great alternative to the pricier neighbouring area of Middle Ridge, with the median price for a four bedroom house in Centenary Heights being $615,000, up 13.5% in 2023.
Port Adelaide (average tenure 11 years – units)
The suburb of Port Adelaide has a strong maritime history and is home to the Techport naval construction base. It was developed in the 1800s and showcases some of the best preserved colonial buildings in South Australia. A sizeable part of the town centre is heritage-listed. Much residential development over the past decade has provided more apartments and townhouses, thereby attracting younger buyers who are also drawn to the thriving social and sporting scene. The median apartment price in Port Adelaide is $533,500, up 23% in 2023.
Joondalup, WA (average tenure 11 years – houses)
The suburb of Joondalup is about 26km north of Perth CBD. It is the primary urban centre of the outer northern suburbs and has its own train station, many parks and a coastal zone featuring Burns Beach in the north and Beaumaris Beach in the south. Joondalup began its journey to becoming Perth’s ‘city of the north’ in the 1980s, when many houses and businesses were established in the area. The median price for a four bedroom house in Joondalup is $633,000, up 2.9% in 2023.
North Canberra, ACT (average tenure 12 years – houses)
Within the North Canberra area is the suburb of O’Connor, which borders bushland on the edge of the CBD. O’Connor is a uniquely quiet residential area with a much-loved local village, yet is only 3km from the city centre. O’Connor is gentrifying as families seize the opportunity to buy quarter-acre blocks with 1950s homes that they can replace with architecturally designed dream homes in tranquil bush surrounds. The median price for a four bedroom house in O’Connor is $1.588 million, down 27.8% in 2023.
Litchfield, NT (average tenure 13 years – houses)
The Litchfield municipality is on the eastern and southeastern outskirts of the Darwin-Palmerston urban area. Within Litchfield is the suburb of Humpty Doo, a popular tourist spot on the way between Darwin and Kakadu National Park. The town has a thriving agricultural industry and the warm climate enables top-quality mangoes to be grown and picked earlier than Queensland fruit. The median price for a three bedroom house in Humpty Doo is $650,000, up 11.5% in 2023.
Hobart Inner (average tenure 8 years – houses)
Within the Hobart Inner area is Sandy Bay, an affluent residential suburb known for its natural beauty, with many homes enjoying spectacular panoramic water views. It is just 1km from Hobart CBD and offers a mix of historical homes and contemporary residences. It is home to many prestigious schools and has a vibrant restaurant and café scene. The median price for a four bedroom house in Sandy Bay is $1.51 million, down 9.9% in 2023.
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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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