Australian property is once again in the midst of a growth cycle. After prices cooled in late 2024, 2025 has, aside from a flat January, delivered consistent gains. Much of this momentum is being fuelled by the Reserve Bank of Australia’s ongoing easing cycle, which has yet to reach its “terminal rate,” with several more rate cuts expected through the remainder of 2025 and into 2026.

Affordability has become the defining challenge in the residential real estate market. First home buyers are struggling to break in, squeezed by high entry prices, while many investors have stayed on the sidelines in recent years amid elevated interest rates and intense competition.

Yet the hunt for the next property hotspot never stops. It might not have the glamour of Bondi or Byron Bay. Still, a number of pockets within Australia’s largest capital cities are outperforming the broader market — and they’re attracting growing attention from buyers and investors alike.

We’ve looked at the best-performing SA4 regions from property data analytics firm Cotality.

Brisbane

Brisbane has been the strongest capital city property market over the last two years. The market has been supercharged by the announcement of the 2032 Brisbane Summer Olympics, but the market has been on fire since 2020, when there was an exodus from the southern states to the Sunshine States, which drove Brisbane to Australia’s second most expensive capital city.

Over the last 12 months, Brisbane dwelling values have risen by 7.3%, only bettered by growth in Darwin. There are some pockets around the city which have outperformed the market. The top five SA4s (regions) are:

Nundah (North)
Median value $988,394
Annual change +11.8%
Ipswich Hinterland (Ipswich)
Median $790,119
Annual +10.7%.
Redcliffe (Moreton Bay – North)
Median $903,286
Annual +10.0%.
Caboolture Hinterland (Moreton Bay – North)
Median $888,571
Annual +10.0%.
Ipswich Inner (Ipswich)
Median $726,560
Annual +9.9%.

Brisbane is not only posting solid citywide gains, but the strongest pockets are outside the CBD. Growth is concentrated in Moreton Bay, Ipswich and northern corridors (Nundah/Redcliffe). That pattern points to ongoing demand for more affordable family housing and lifestyle submarkets within commuting distance of the city.

Melbourne

Melbourne has been the polar opposite to Brisbane in the last few years. It has been one of the worst-performing property markets, slipping to the sixth most expensive capital city in the rankings with a median dwelling value of $803,000. Only Hobart and Darwin media dwelling values are lower.

Dwelling values are only up 0.5% year to date; however, 2025 has been more positive since the RBA started cutting rates. Dwelling values are up 2.4% year to date, and growth is becoming more consistent, something which Melbourne has struggled with since being the most locked-down city in the world during the pandemic. Struggling to respond from then.

There have been some pockets, however, where growth has been stronger over the last 12 months. The top five SA4 regions have been:

Frankston (Mornington Peninsula)
Median $793,152
Annual +6.0%.
Tullamarine–Broadmeadows (North West)
Median $709,167
Annual +5.0%.
Knox (Outer East)
Median $942,980
Annual +4.5%.
Dandenong (South East)
Median $757,195,
Annual +3.8%.
Sunbury (North West)
Median $694,151
Annual +3.8%.
These top performers show growth focused on middle-ring and growth-corridor suburbs (Mornington Peninsula, northwest and outer east). For Melbourne readers, the implication is that recovery is geographically uneven — steady gains in commuter and lifestyle belts rather than a broad inner-city surge.

Sydney

Sydney, Australia’s most expensive capital, sits somewhere between Brisbane and Melbourne in its performance. The Harbour Capital is often the most impacted during a downturn, given the relative affordability of Sydney compared to the other capital cities. But then when there are good times, Sydney usually is the strongest beneficiary.

Dwelling prices are 2.6% up year to date, but the house market is largely outstripping the unit growth. Houses were up 0.8% in April, the strongest performing capital city house market on the eastern seaboard.

Sydney’s best-performing regions have been found well outside of the postcard suburbs Sydney is known for. The five best-performing SA4s in Greater Sydney by 12-month growth are:

St Marys (Outer West & Blue Mountains)
Median $1,024,688
Annual +7.4%.
Fairfield (South West)
Median $1,189,601
Annual +7.0%.
Liverpool (South West)
Median $1,123,438
Annual +6.8%.
Richmond–Windsor (Outer West & Blue Mountains)
Median $945,556
Annual +6.7%.
Bankstown (Inner South West)
Median $1,408,088
Annual +6.6%.
Sydney’s strongest performers are dominated by the western and south-western corridors — affordable family suburbs and growth-area precincts where demand and price momentum remain strong. The much larger median values in some of these SA4s also show that even within growth suburbs, prices are high relative to national benchmarks.

Australia’s rental market has reached a new milestone, with national median advertised rents climbing to a record $670 per week in the June quarter as prices continued to rise across every capital city.

New data from realestate.com.au shows national rents increased 3.1 per cent over the quarter and 6.4 per cent over the past year, while capital city rents rose 2.2 per cent over the quarter to a median of $690 per week, up $10 from the March quarter.

REA Group economist Luc Redman said rental price growth had continued despite a small increase in vacancy rates.

“National median rents reached a new high in the June quarter, with widespread price growth across the capitals,” he said.

“The rent increases occurred despite a small increase in the rental vacancy rate over the same period.”

Melbourne and Perth recorded the strongest quarterly growth among the capitals, with rents increasing 3.5 per cent in each city. On an annual basis, Perth led the nation with rental growth of 10.3 per cent, followed by Hobart at 9.1 per cent and Darwin at 7.7 per cent.

Sydney remained Australia’s most expensive city for renters, with a median advertised rent of $800 per week, while Melbourne and Hobart were the most affordable capital cities at $600 per week.

Regional markets were more subdued, with rents holding steady over the quarter but remaining 5.3 per cent higher than a year ago, suggesting the rapid pace of growth outside the capitals has eased.

Mr Redman said the full impact of the Federal Budget’s changes to investor tax settings was yet to be seen.

“The May Federal Budget, which announced sweeping changes to investor tax settings, occurred in the middle of the quarter, so the full impact on the rental market is yet to be seen,” he said.

“While the vacancy rate has edged higher, the expected decrease in investor demand due to the budget’s tax changes could slow the pace of new supply, putting further pressure on rents.”

The report also found house rents continued to outpace units, rising 2.9 per cent across capital cities over the quarter compared with 1.5 per cent for units. Melbourne was the only capital where renting a unit was more expensive than renting a house, reflecting demand for well-located apartments.

Where to Invest in 2025: Top-Performing Suburbs in Australia’s Property Market

Australia’s market is on the move again, and not always where you’d expect. We’ve found the surprise suburbs where prices are climbing fastest.

Brisbane

Melbourne

Sydney

Australia’s median advertised rent has climbed to a record high, with every capital city recording quarterly price growth despite a slight lift in vacancy rates.