It’s been a big month in property—not just because of the numbers, but because of the noise.
In our latest episode of The Property Frontline – Market Watch, I sat down with Scott Hochgesang to not only review the March 2025 results across the country, but also to introduce something new—Location Watch.
Location Watch has come about by special request, so in this episode we’re sharing our Top 10 Locations to Buy Right Now. Our list is different though – as we’ll cover the top ten locations for existing properties and top ten for new property – both with a focus on entry level price brackets.
But first, let’s get into the market summary.
National Property Performance – March 2025
Using our go-to data sources—CoreLogic (who have just rebranded to Cotality), SQM Research, and PropTrack—we looked at how the key capitals performed.
Price adjustments were mostly positive, though minimal. The sales results (see the table below) reflect improvements but nothing radical, though of course on a more detailed level there’s always some suburbs bounding ahead and some stalling.
There is an outlier this month and that area is Canberra. CoreLogic had sales prices up +0.3%, but SQM showed a sharp -1.2% drop for ‘asking prices’ which relates to the guide prices vendors are asking when they put their properties on the market.
One of the drivers behind the Canberra market activity could be Peter Dutton’s threat to send Federal Government workers back to the office – no more working from home – plus Dutton announced he would be cutting Federal workers . . most of whom work in Canberra.
This is one of the main reasons I don’t like Canberra as an investment purchase. There’s one main employer – the Government – and when they cut staff it immediately impacts prices.
Generally, the market is moving ahead, fuelled largely by the RBA cash rate drop in February. We’re expecting prices to receive a positive bump given the Trump Tariff turmoil, and expectations that the RBA will reduce the cash rate again when it meets in May (the next announcement is due on 20 May 2025).
Other influences
During the episode we also touched on the global picture because the last few weeks have been notes for the record books.
In case you missed it, the U.S. shook global markets when Trump imposed sweeping tariffs (some over 100%) on hundreds of countries. Australia, thankfully, only copped a 10% hit.
While uncertainty is rising (global stock markets dipped 5% in a day, and there was even a late-night scare with U.S. Treasury bonds), the key takeaway is that the Australian property market is traditionally very resilient to global financial volatility, and in the past major global financial shocks it became a safe haven.
That’s not to say the Australian property market can’t be impacted, particularly if China starts to dramatically contract impacting employment here. Here’s hoping all will be well.
LOCATION WATCH: Our Top 10 Picks
Let’s get to the good stuff—where we’d buy right now.
We put this list together based on information that should form location selection – and that is forward looking information, not historical information (sales prices and purchasing activity) which can distort where prices will head. It’s great to consider sales prices, but past sale prices are not a leading indicator of where sales prices will head. The locations that made our shortlist offer:
✅ Affordability
✅ Infrastructure growth
✅ Low vacancy rates
✅ Growing population
Deb’s Top Picks (Focused on existing homes)
- Inverell, NSW – Yes, houses under $350K still exist. Strong infrastructure, a growing community, and that sweet spot “in the gap” between larger centres.
- Gatton, QLD – Between Toowoomba and Brisbane. Low prices, rising demand, and strong rental returns.
- Rockhampton, QLD – A big cattle town with multiple industries offering a diverse range of employment, growing population and great infrastructure.
- Toowoomba, QLD – The “Garden City.” Now edging up in price, but still one of the best regional lifestyle buys.
- Maitland, NSW – Close to the Hunter Valley and boosted by a major hospital. Great mix of jobs and infrastructure and now suburbs almost connecting through to Newcastle.
- Nowra, NSW – With the new international airport coming, Sydney’s southward creep makes Nowra a strategic buy.
- Coffs Harbour, NSW – North coast lifestyle with strong growth signals, starting to be a little on the pricey side but there’s still some good bargains available.
- Casino, NSW – Another lifestyle region with affordability and regional infrastructure wins.
- Armadale, WA – Poised for a boost thanks to Perth’s heavy rail upgrades.
- Mandurah, WA – Excellent value near the coast and strong first home buyer activity.
A few points to remember = always tailor your location to your goals and budget. “Hot lists” are a starting point, not a rulebook. In addition, check flood mapping as some of these areas have properties that could be impacted.
Scott’s Picks (New builds + dual income options)
Scott’s focus was on new properties:
- Western Melbourne – Affordable new builds with amenities and infrastructure.
- Glen Eagle, QLD – Near Yarrabilba, offering house-and-land packages under $700K with good yields.
- Yanchep, WA – North of Perth with new train access.
- Narangba + Caboolture West, QLD – Northern Brisbane growth corridor.
- Hervey Bay, QLD – Coastal lifestyle, more affordable than Sunshine Coast.
- Sunshine Coast, QLD – Yes, still worth it. Olympic upgrades, transport boosts.
- Hunter Valley, NSW – Build new for under $800K on a decent block.
- Dual income properties (e.g. Jimboomba, Glenvale, WA) – Smart for high yields and future resale to first home buyers.
Election Promises – What’s Coming for Buyers?
With the May election looming, both major parties dropped big housing policies this week:
Labor
Offering an enhancement to the current ‘Help to Buy’ scheme where the government covers up to 15% of a property deposit so buyers only need 5% deposit for their purchase. The scheme will be expanded to all first time buyers with no caps on income. The purchase price caps have been lifted (check the list below to see the new limits). This is available to both existing and new property purchases. Labor will also contribute government funds to boost construction and supply of ‘build-ready’ land.
Liberal:
The Liberal Party’s policy is to expand upon their current plan to allow first time buyers to access up to$50,000 from their Super to use for their deposit. The headline announcement though is to allow first time buyers to claim tax concessions on their mortgage interest (limited to up to a period of five years, and to a cap of $650,000 of a loan). The tax deduction option will only be available for new properties. The Liberals have already announced a major focus on spending funds to speed up the roll out of infrastructure (such as stormwater) to facilitate the construction of new properties.
Scott and I agree—more supply is what will really make a difference. But housing is clearly a key platform for the election.
Scott and I agree—more supply is what will really make a difference to easing the housing crisis. So it’s good to see both major parties trying to add to supply as well as providing financial assistance.
Other news
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Check out the video via the link below, and we’ll see you soon for the next Market Watch.
About the author
Debra Beck-Mewing is the Editor of the Property Portfolio Magazine and CEO of The Property Frontline. She has more than 20 years’ experience in buying property Australia-wide and has extensive experience in helping buyers use a range of strategies including renovating, granny flats, sub-division and development. Debra is a skilled property strategist, and a master in identifying tailored opportunities, homes and sourcing properties that have multiple uses. She is a Qualified Property Investment Advisor, licensed real estate agent and also holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Business. As a passionate advocate for increasing transparency in the property and wealth industries, Debra is a popular speaker on these topics. She is also an author, podcast host, and participates on numerous committees including the Property Owners’ Association.
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Disclaimer – This information is of a general nature only and does not constitute professional advice. We strongly recommend you seek your own professional advice in relation to your particular circumstances.
