Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
Business

As rates rise again, Australia's average property prices are falling. Here's how steeply home prices are dropping across the nation

Australia's median property values dropped 1.2 per cent in October, to $721,018, a figure including both houses and apartments.

The rate of falls has eased in Sydney and in Melbourne but has "gathered momentum" in Brisbane, where home values are now falling the most rapidly of any capital city or rest-of-state region, according to Tim Lawless, the research director for property data and analytics firm CoreLogic.

Here's a breakdown of Australia's latest home price data for each capital city.

Adelaide

Change: 0.3 per cent decrease in October

Adelaide median house value:  $706,154

Median unit value: $436,462

CoreLogic data shows Adelaide values recorded a COVID-19 "trough to peak" growth of 44.7 per cent. 

Since peaking in July, values have dropped 0.6 per cent. 

Brisbane

Change: 2 per cent drop in October

Brisbane median house value: $817,684 

Median unit value: $494,785 

Brisbane recorded the largest monthly decline, with home values now falling the most rapidly of any capital city or rest-of-state region.

Since peaking in June, values have dropped 6.2 per cent. 

CoreLogic data shows house values are roughly $64,000 lower since moving through a peak. 

In July, Brisbane edged into negative territory for the first time since August 2020. 

Canberra

Change: 1 per cent drop in October

Canberra median house value: $990,851

Media unit value: $608,653

Darwin

Average change: 0.8 per cent drop

Darwin median house value: $588,053

Median unit value: $376,428

Hobart

Change: 1.1 per cent decrease

Hobart median house value: $754,640

Median unit value: $556,100

Since peaking in May this year, Hobart values have recorded a 5.7 per cent drop. 

Melbourne

Change: 0.8 per cent decrease in October. 

Melbourne median house value: $924,492

Median unit value: $597,533

The rate of falls has eased over the past three months in Melbourne.

Melbourne values are down 6.4 per cent since February, after rising 17.3 per cent.

House values are roughly $76,000 lower since moving through a peak, according to the data.

Perth

Change: 0.2 per cent drop in October

Perth median house value: $584,232

Median unit value: $410,467

Dwelling values nudged 0.2 lower.

Looking at annual figures, Perth dwellings have recorded a 4 per cent increase.

Sydney

Average change: 1.3 per cent decrease in October

Sydney median house value: $1,257,625 

Median unit value: $783,406

Sydney home values are down 10.2 per cent since peaking in January.

CoreLogic figures show Sydney house values have fallen about $160,000 since moving through a peak.

Mr Lawless says the rate of falls has eased over the past two months across the nation's most expensive capital city.

With interest rates going up, will house prices drop further?

On Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of Australia increased the cash rate by 0.25 of a percentage point.

That means the cash rate is now 2.85 per cent.

It is the seventh month in a row that the RBA has lifted its cash-rate target. 

CoreLogic's head of Australian research, Eliza Owen, said it was too early to say the worst of the home price falls were over, with rising interest rates and inflation running at annual rate of 7.3 per cent.

"I think it's important to keep in mind that inflation is sticking around, and this has the potential to see further lifts in the cash rate," she said. 

"So, there is some risk that this downturn could really accelerate." 

CoreLogic said home prices were likely to keep falling until interest rates found a ceiling. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.