August was another strong month for the @realty network, with $576,841,423 in sales — a 15% increase compared to August last year. Nationally, property prices also continued their upward trend, with values climbing 0.5% in August. This marks the eighth consecutive month of growth and has pushed home prices to a fresh record high.
Key Highlights for August 2025
- National home prices rose 0.5% in August, bringing annual growth to 5.3% (up around $47,900 for the median home). Over five years, values have jumped 50.4%.
- Capital city markets lifted 0.5% in August, up 4.9% year-on-year, with values at record highs.
- Top performers in August: Darwin (+0.8%) and Sydney (+0.7%). Hobart was the only capital to fall (-0.5%).
- Regional leaders (annual gains): Regional SA (+13.3%), Darwin (+10.4%), Regional QLD (+9.9%) and Regional WA (+9.9%).
- Melbourne prices rose 0.3% and are now just 0.6% shy of their 2022 peak, signalling a near full recovery.
- Regional markets climbed 0.3% in August and are up 6.6% annually, continuing to outpace capital cities with stronger five-year growth (65.2% vs 46.0%).
Market Insights
The housing market continues to strengthen on the back of this year’s interest rate cuts, which have boosted borrowing capacity, improved sentiment, and brought more buyers back into the market.
- Growth is now broadening across more cities, with Sydney and Melbourne seeing renewed momentum.
- Darwin has gone from flat conditions in 2024 to leading annual growth (+10.4%) thanks to a surge in investor demand. ABS data shows investor loans in the NT doubled in Q2 2025 compared to a year earlier.
- Adelaide and Perth remain strong but growth has eased compared to last year.
Houses vs Units
- Houses: Prices rose 0.48% in August and are up 5.43% annually, adding nearly $55,000 to the median house value.
- Units: Values lifted 5.04% annually, up by around $33,600.
Outlook
With three RBA rate cuts already delivered in 2025 — and more expected — borrowing costs are easing, confidence is returning, and competition is building as we move into the spring selling season.
- Auction clearance rates are rising, and enquiries per listing have reached a three-year high.
- Buyer demand is accelerating in Melbourne, Darwin, and Hobart, while regional NSW and Victoria are also seeing stronger interest.
- Markets that previously outperformed, such as Perth, Adelaide, and Brisbane, are now stabilising as supply increases.
While affordability remains a challenge, population growth, tight housing supply, and the upcoming Home Guarantee Scheme expansion in October are expected to keep upward pressure on prices.
Overall, conditions point to continued price growth through spring, though the pace will vary across markets.