NSW Market Update

Explore our latest property data to discover what is happening within the New South Wales market
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New South Wales Market Update

Houses rise, strata recovers, vacant land falls back

  • Houses continue to strengthen their dominance in NSW, rising from 64.48% in Q4 2025 to 66.81% in Q1 2026, reinforcing the sustained preference for standalone homes following the rebound from earlier 2025 softness.
  • Strata properties have shown a modest recovery, lifting from 24.52% in Q4 2025 to 27.04% in Q1 2026, suggesting renewed interest after the sharp decline seen in the latter half of 2025.
  • Vacant land has reversed its gradual growth trend, declining from 11% in Q4 2025 to 6.15% in Q1 2026, indicating a cooling in new build and land banking activity, likely influenced by persistently high material and labour costs impacting construction feasibility and buyer appetite.

First Home Buyers remain with strata, but houses gain ground

  • Strata properties remain the dominant choice for First Home Buyers in NSW, accounting for 74.26% in Q1 2026, with affordability and necessity likely driving most buyers’ choices.
  • Houses continue to build momentum, rising to 23.26% in Q1 2026 from 22.58% in Q4 2025, as some First Home Buyers stretch into standalone homes, supported by recent changes to FHB schemes.
  • Vacant land represents a small but emerging segment at 2.48%, indicating limited but notable interest in building among First Home Buyers.

Regional markets continue to see growing buyer interest

  • Affordability is still the dominant driver as shown by suburbs like Port Macquarie, Dubbo and Orange being included in the list. These locations offer a lower entry price, and greater value for those seeking larger homes or land.
  • Lifestyle migration remains strong in early 2026, with rising interest rates pushing buyers to stretch further geographically to stay within budget, with Port Macquarie climbing to #1 after two quarters at #3.
  • Western Sydney growth corridors continue to dominate metro areas of interest with suburbs like Austral, Box Hill, Rouse Hill and Blacktown consistently appearing within the Top10 list.

Rising prices and affordable corridors define NSW first home buyer trends

  • First-home buyer purchases reflect a clear trend toward affordable, well-connected, and family-friendly areas in New South Wales.
  • Buyers are gravitating toward greater western Sydney growth corridors (#1 Parramatta and #2 Liverpool) and regional centres (#3 Dubbo) where entry-level prices allow them to maximise value, often taking advantage of government grants and stamp duty concessions on new builds.
  • Median property prices continue to rise with a quarter-on-quarter increase of 5.93% for Q1, mainly attributed to a strong start to the year in January.

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Industry insights on buyer activity

In Queensland emerging outer suburbs like Caboolture, Morayfield, Burpengary, Springfield Lakes, and Redbank Plains are seeing significant housing demand. These corridors are becoming key growth areas in early 2026.

Lee Bailie
Chief Operating Officer | InfoTrack
The latest data reflects a market adapting to ongoing economic pressures. Buyers are weighing costs and opportunities more carefully, with regional markets such as Port Macquarie leading the way and helping to shape the New South Wales property landscape.
Sandra Falzon
Chief Marketing Officer | InfoTrack