The Property Planner’s Monthly Market Update: March 2026

Welcome to the Property Planner’s Monthly Market Update, your comprehensive resource for the latest insights and trends in the real estate and economic landscape!

Stay informed and ahead of the curve with our expert analysis, helping you make well-informed decisions in the ever-evolving property market.

The Market Is Still Booming… Just Not Everywhere

The property market continues to show resilience, with national growth sitting just shy of 10% annually.

Although we are seeing a clear split across the country.

While the mid-tier markets are still going full steam ahead, Sydney and Melbourne are stagnant seemingly weighed-down by their much larger top end market.

Source: Cotality

Two-Speed Market Is Now Crystal Clear

Lower-priced properties are outperforming, while the top end is slowing.

The trend is most stark in Sydney, where there’s a 3.6% performance gap in just one quarter between the top and bottom quartiles.

Why? Borrowing capacity...

Buyers are being squeezed and it’s showing up in where demand is strongest.

It’s why now is the time to reach out to us and review your mortgage strategy before rising rates start closing doors.

Source: Cotality

Homes Are Still Selling Fast

Even with all the noise, the market hasn’t stalled.

Properties are still moving quickly, with days on market dropping to 30 days (down from 33).

Fewer listings, steady demand… it’s a tight market, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Source: Cotality

Perth Powers On

Perth continues to defy expectations, with values jumping 2.5% over March and 24% annually.

Source: Cotality

After breaking through a $1M median house price, Perth has now overtaken Canberra to take the third highest median value for houses, behind Sydney and Brisbane.

Source: Cotality

A Rare Buyer Opportunity

Confidence has dropped… hard.

Consumer sentiment has taken its biggest hit since COVID, with overall sentiment sitting around 80 (near historic lows).

People are nervous. And when people get nervous, they pause.

But here’s the twist: When others hesitate, opportunities open up.

Less competition = more negotiating power and better buying conditions.

As Warren Buffett famously said, be greedy when others are fearful.

History shows these moments are often the best times to buy!

Source: Westpac-Melbourne Institute

Supply Is Still the Biggest Problem

Even with softer sentiment, the underlying driver of growth hasn’t changed.

There simply aren’t enough properties.

Listings remain well below the 5-year average

• Perth listings are down 21 YoY

• Brisbane down 15 YoY

• Darwin down 35 YoY

Until supply catches up, prices will continue to find support.

Source: SQM Research

Rental Pressure Is Back

If you’re a renter, this is where things get tough.

• Vacancy rates are sitting around ~1% (vs ~2.5% long-term average)

• Rents rose 2.1% in the last quarter alone

• That’s 8.4% annualised growth

And here’s the kicker… rents make up 6.6% of CPI, meaning this will continue feeding into inflation for months to come, which isn’t great news for inflation, cost of living and the outlook for interest rates.

Source: Cotality

Want to learn more? Listen to the Property Trio Podcast

Reach Out to Us

If you would like to discuss your next steps, property plans, and mortgage strategy, get in touch with us today. Our team of experts is here to guide you through the complexities of the market and help you achieve your property goals.