Australian property buyers the winners in a spring market

Australian property buyers have been the big winners this spring, according to new data released this week, with more stock available and a drop in sales volumes.

CoreLogic’s Housing Chart Pack for December showed sales were down 4 percent on the historic average while total listings volumes nationally increased 10.6 percent during spring.

Homes also took longer to sell through spring. The national median number of days on market in the three months to November was 32 days, up from 27 days for the same period last year.

CoreLogic economist Kaytin Ezzy said the trends combined to create a more favourable market for buyers rather than sellers.

“Between higher stock levels and lower-than-usual sales volumes, the data for the end of November shows that buyers were the winners this spring (just), and sellers generally saw softer market conditions over the past few months,” she said. “The increase in selling times has coincided with higher stock levels, and softer sales volumes year-on-year.

“The median time on market increased by four days year-on-year across both the combined capital cities and regional market.”

The best performing areas for home value growth continued to be in the 25 percent most affordable markets of Adelaide, up 4.7 percent, Perth (4.5 percent) and Brisbane. At the other end, the top quarter of homes in Darwin (-2.7 percent), Melbourne (-1.4 percent) and Sydney (-1.6 percent) saw the greatest falls over the same period.

In good news for renters — and less welcome for existing investors — the report found rental growth also slowed this year. Rents increased by 5.3 percent over the year to November, the slowest increase since April 2021. At the same time, the RBA reported the average household size has risen across Australia’s capital cities, suggesting more renters are moving into shared housing to offset cost of living concerns.

“The gradual slowdown in net overseas migration could also be contributing to the stabilising in rent values, and as the backlog of Homebuilder work moves into completion, this could also take some demand out of the rental market,” Ms Ezzy said.

“Rental growth may rebound a little through the seasonally strong first quarter of 2025, but beyond any seasonality, it looks increasingly like the rental boom is over.”

Property has always been about more than buying and selling. A home can represent a fresh start, a long-term investment, an architectural idea or a connection to a particular neighbourhood. Even when people are not planning a move, many still enjoy following the market, researching local areas and discovering the stories behind remarkable homes.

Atlas Real Estate is responding to that wider interest by creating more ways for people to engage with property. Bringing listings, market information, local perspectives and lifestyle stories together, Atlas offers a destination for anyone curious about homes and the communities surrounding them.

It reflects the reality that people approach real estate with different needs and motivations. One visitor might be actively searching for a new home, while another may want to understand recent results in their suburb. Others might be keeping an eye on changing market conditions, exploring an unfamiliar area or simply appreciating thoughtful architecture and premium residential design.

At atlas.com.au, those interests meet in one place. Visitors can browse properties for sale and recent results, while also exploring market insights, featured homes, local stories and introductions to the people behind Atlas. The result is an experience designed to remain relevant before, during and after a traditional property transaction.

“We’re reimagining real estate around how people actually engage with property today — bringing together market insight, exceptional homes, local perspective and lifestyle in a way that feels more relevant and useful,” says Michael Coombs, Director of Atlas Real Estate.

That approach recognises that an interest in property rarely begins on the day someone decides to buy or sell. A future buyer may spend months learning about suburbs, monitoring prices and refining their sense of what they want. A homeowner might follow nearby sales to understand the changing value and character of their area. An investor may be looking for broader market context, while a design enthusiast may be drawn to an exceptional renovation or a distinctive piece of architecture.

By accommodating those different forms of curiosity, Atlas aims to make engaging with real estate feel less transactional and more connected to everyday life. Property is shaped by its surroundings: the streets, businesses, landscapes and people that give a place its identity. Understanding a home therefore means looking beyond its floor plan or sales history to consider the lifestyle and community that come with it.

This broader perspective also gives local stories a meaningful role. Suburbs are constantly evolving, influenced by new businesses, changing demographics, design trends and the people who choose to make them home. Content that explores these forces can help readers build a richer understanding of an area, whether they are preparing to move there or simply want to stay informed about their own neighbourhood.

The same is true of market information. Sales results and property data are most useful when they are accessible and supported by context. Bringing recent results together with insights and local knowledge can help people follow the market on their own terms, without suggesting that every visit must lead immediately to a transaction.

For Atlas, this thinking forms part of “Real Estate, Reimagined”, its broader brand campaign focused on using brand, creativity and technology to deliver a more relevant, useful and human real estate experience. Rather than treating technology as an end in itself, the emphasis is on how it can make property easier and more engaging to explore.

That human focus matters because real estate decisions are often closely tied to significant moments in people’s lives. A move may be connected to a growing family, a new job, a change in lifestyle or a long-held ambition. Even outside those milestones, homes and neighbourhoods remain a source of interest because they reflect how people live and how communities develop.

Atlas’s approach makes room for both the practical and aspirational sides of that interest. Readers can seek out information with a clear goal in mind or browse simply because a property, place or story captures their attention. In either case, they can move easily between homes, results, market perspectives and local inspiration.

The ambition is not to redefine why people care about property, but to reflect the many reasons they already do. By combining useful information with engaging editorial content, Atlas is creating a place for buyers, sellers, homeowners, investors and the property-curious alike.

Whatever brings you to property, discover more at atlas.com.au

Australian property buyers the winners in a spring market

A new report has revealed properties are taking longer to sell with more stock coming onto the market

Atlas Real Estate is reimagining how people connect with property, combining listings, market insights, local stories and lifestyle content in one destination for those buying, selling or simply exploring the market.