Melbourne’s eastern suburbs are operating within a two-speed market where outer-suburban properties are outperforming the city median (NAB, March 2026). Strong population growth and a tight rental vacancy rate of 1.4–2.0% continue to support demand (Bamboo Routes, early 2026). However, a wide price gap persists between Melbourne and other capital cities, particularly Sydney. Results across
Rate rises in February and March 2026 have created a two-speed market, shifting competition toward the affordable segment under $800,000. First-home buyers and investors are now primarily competing for entry-level houses in outer suburbs, which are outperforming the city median. Conversely, demand for inner-city high-density apartments has softened. The rate hikes introduced in early 2026
Outer-suburban markets and high-demand houses with strong school catchments or excellent transport links are holding up best in 2026 (Bamboo Routes, early 2026). Growth is driven by affordability, with investors and first-home buyers moving into these corridors ahead of expected grant activity. These segments are currently outperforming the city median, while inner-city high-density apartments remain
Melbourne’s market is currently showing conflicting signals rather than a uniform stabilisation. While KPMG projects house prices to rise 6.6% in 2026, ANZ Research forecasts a -1.7% fall following March rate hikes. Actual data shows a 0.6% drop in values during the March 2026 quarter (PropertyUpdate/Cotality). The market is currently split between long-term growth trajectories
Approximately 60–65% of Melbourne properties are selling at or below asking price (Bamboo Routes, early 2026). Private-treaty sales typically close about 3% below the initial asking price, and auction clearance rates for the week ending 11 April 2026 have fallen to 59.1%. Market conditions in April 2026 reflect a shift toward buyer price sensitivity following
The market in Balwyn, Canterbury and Camberwell is currently defined by a two-speed dynamic where high-demand house markets with strong school catchments are among the 35–40% of properties achieving above-asking results (Bamboo Routes). However, February and March 2026 RBA rate hikes have introduced new caution and dampened buyer urgency (Domain). While these premium eastern suburbs
A median income household in Australia lost approximately $18,000 in borrowing capacity from the February 2026 rate hike alone (Cotality). With the RBA raising the cash rate twice in early 2026 to reach 4.10%, variable interest rates for many borrowers are now pushing above 6% as of April 2026. The February and March 2026 cash
Yes, growth is continuing in specific segments including Melbourne apartments, inner-suburb villa units, and houses in outer suburbs. However, these gains contrast with the broader market, where dwelling values dropped 0.6% in the March 2026 quarter (PropertyUpdate/Cotality). Rate hikes in February and March 2026 have introduced fresh uncertainty into the market. While the overall trajectory
Rate hikes in February and March 2026 have introduced uncertainty, with the cash rate rising to 4.10%. A median household lost approximately $18,000 in borrowing capacity from the February hike alone (Cotality), though affordable outer-suburban properties continue to outperform the city median. The shift from rate cuts in 2025 to consecutive hikes in early 2026
Melbourne’s eastern suburbs exhibit higher resilience than inner-city high-density sectors, with regions like Whitehorse East (+8.6%) and Knox (+7.6%) appearing in the top 10 highest-growth regions (Cotality, January 2026). While inner-city apartments face softer conditions, residential houses in the east are supported by strong population growth and a significant price discount compared to other capital
