NSW and Victoria set for property listing surge in early 2025
Listing trends for early 2025 show promise for property sellers, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne, as improved affordability and rising buyer confidence drive market activity.
Recent data from LocalAgentFinder has revealed that listing activity is projected to be 31 per cent higher in NSW and Victoria compared to Queensland and Western Australia in the new year.
Commenting on the market outlook for early next year, acting CEO of LocalAgentFinder, Suresh Raghavan, shared that the “first half of 2025 is shaping up to be a promising window to achieve strong results”.
LocalAgentFinder said that Sydney’s “high-value market typically dominates in New South Wales”, and noted that the capital city is expected to see increased selling activity in 2025 off the top of high interest rates and weakening house prices.
Improved affordability and rising buyer confidence are factors that are also expected to make the market more attractive to buyers and create opportunities for sellers to capitalise on.
Raghavan noted that growth in house sales in Melbourne will be primarily driven by the “continued distress sales of homes” caused by “financial stress and rising interest rates”.
“The increase in land tax and the changes in negative gearing has placed additional financial pressure on property owners and is expected to prompt more sales activity,” he said.
Raghavan also pointed to recent reports showing that mortgage default-related auctions rose by 36 per cent in Melbourne in 2024 compared to last year, and said that several regional areas have experienced a similar trend as the state becomes increasingly financially strained.
“The impact is also evident in increasing rental prices and pressures on affordable housing, pushing more households into economic vulnerability,” he added.
The CEO stated that ongoing interstate migration and major infrastructure projects in Brisbane are supporting house sales in Queensland, and highlighted that the state’s capital city is “experiencing a strong growth in the number of houses for sale” due to the robust market and rising property prices.
Raghavan emphasised that a combination of low vacancy rates and strong market demand in Perth has led to the “highest annual price increase”.
“Properties in Perth are seeing an upward pressure, creating a seller’s market, with many sellers holding onto their properties, hoping for even greater returns,” he said.
Looking forward, Raghavan said that the “outlook for Australia’s housing market in 2025 indicates a move towards more normal listing volumes, moving away from the intense activity seen in 2021-22”.
“While transaction levels might seem lower than those peak years, this change reflects a shift towards a more sustainable and balanced property market,” Raghavan said.
The CEO also shared that the mid-year period could present further opportunities for growth, highlighting that the Reserve Bank of Australia’s expected interest rate cut could “create an uptick in the property market”.