Prices begin to shift after two-year pause as sales surge across key cities.

The first signs of revival are beginning to show in the Regional Victoria property market, where prices have been on pause for much of the past two years.

Hotspotting analysis of sales activity in the first quarter of 2025 detected early signs of increased buyer activity in Regional Victoria, and the June Quarter data has confirmed this. Transaction levels are now rising strongly in its leading regional cities and are at the highest level since the peak of the pandemic property boom at the end of 2021.

Sales volumes are now 16% higher than a year earlier and 28% higher than the same quarter two years ago. Bendigo, Geelong, Shepparton and Wodonga are leading the charge with rising sales activity which generally leads to future price growth.

In Bendigo, sales volumes are 41% higher in the June quarter and there are similar increases in Geelong and also in Shepparton. Shepparton’s market has been on a general upward trend in the past year and the number of sales in the first half of 2025 was 35% higher than the same period in 2024.

Ballarat’s sales levels in the June quarter are 28% higher than a year earlier and the city is showing signs of a solid revival after a couple of weak years in which prices fell. Something is happening in these key markets in Regional Victoria and part of the reason is that large numbers of Melbourne residents are leaving the big city and moving to regional areas for a different and more affordable lifestyle.

A key factor is that property prices are attractive in these places, after two years in which Victoria has not seen the big capital growth that has occurred in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. So, the timing is good to get into Victoria markets, before markets become competitive and prices start to grow.

You just need to keep in mind that taxes like stamp duty and land tax are much higher in Victoria than other parts of Australia and the State Government of Victoria keeps coming up with new ways to hit property owners and businesses with new or higher taxes.

Australia’s growth hides a surge in 1,700 suburbs with double-digit rises; Tim Graham shares investor insights.

While Australia’s national growth rate hovers around 5%, that headline masks a dramatic surge in hundreds of local markets.

From Queensland to South Australia, over 1,700 suburbs have clocked double-digit growth, many still with median prices below $700,000.

Tim Graham from Hotspotting and co-host of The Property Playbook joins to break down where smart investors are focusing next.

#propertyboom #AustraliaHousing #realestate #tickernews

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New Pulse report reveals powerful growth and rental returns in overlooked markets.

Amidst a backdrop of modest national property growth, a number of affordable suburbs have defied the trend, delivering investors robust returns and healthy rental yields over the past 12 months, according to the latest Pulse report by Washington Brown and Hotspotting.

From Townsville to Bunbury, the data reveals a suite of property markets where investors made substantial capital gains while still enjoying significant yields – proving that the so-called trade-off between yield and growth is anything but a rule.

“We’ve long been told you can’t have your cake and eat it too in property – growth or yield, not both. But that’s simply not true,”
— Tyron Hyde, Director, Washington Brown

“The locations identified in The Pulse consistently deliver on both fronts, giving savvy investors a genuine opportunity to build wealth.”

The Pulse revealed that the average growth across its top 50 selected locations from last year was 18%, at a time when the national average was just two to three per cent.

“That equates to an average investor gain of $93,000, compared to less than $25,000 nationally,” Mr Hyde said.

“These aren’t random lottery wins – they’re the result of data-led investing. And with the right advice, everyday investors can still access markets where price and yield work hand-in-hand.”

“Nowhere was this more evident than in Aitkenvale in Townsville, where house prices rocketed 40% – translating to a capital gain of $170,000 on a median-priced property over the past year.”

Top 10 investment suburbs from May 2024 to May 2025

1. Aitkenvale, Townsville, QLD: Gain $170,000 (40%)

2. Midland, Swan, WA: Gain $167,000 (35%)

3. Park Avenue, Rockhampton, QLD: Gain $140,000 (33%)

4. Kin Kora, Gladstone, QLD: Gain $150,000 (30%)

5. Carey Park, Bunbury, WA: Gain $130,000 (30%)

6. Berserker, Rockhampton, QLD: Gain $126,000 (28%)

7. Balga, Stirling, WA: Gain $155,000 (27%)

8. Withers, Bunbury, WA: Gain $125,000 (27%)

9. Kirwan, Townsville, QLD: Gain $136,000 (26%)

10. Salisbury North, Salisbury, SA: Gain $140,000 (26%)

“These aren’t million-dollar suburbs, either,” Mr Hyde said.

“In places like Carey Park in WA, where the median house price was just $370,000, investors gained $130,000 in a year while accessing potential annual tax depreciation benefits of more than $5,000. That’s the power of smart property investing.”

Hotspotting Director Terry Ryder said rental yields have also remained strong across these regions, with many suburbs delivering gross yields above 6% while rents surged in tandem with price growth.

“We’re seeing sustainable double-plays – value appreciation plus rental performance,” Mr Ryder said.

“What stands out in our house market analysis is the sheer consistency of growth in regional and affordable areas because these are not one-off boom towns.

“They’re markets with real economic drivers, infrastructure investment, and increasing buyer demand.”

Mr Ryder added that many of the top-performing house markets were not even on the radar of mainstream property coverage, yet they’ve outpaced capital city averages by a wide margin.

“In places like Kin Kora, Withers, and Berserker, we’re seeing gains of 25% to 30% in one year, at a time when national growth is hovering around three per cent. It sends a strong signal that investors should be looking beyond the usual suspects,” he said.

Depreciation benefits added another layer of value for investors, particularly those purchasing newer or well-maintained properties, Mr Hyde said.

“While the scale of these benefits varies based on property type and location, the potential for annual tax savings remains a contributing factor to overall returns.”

“Depreciation isn’t a silver bullet, but it makes a meaningful difference – especially in lower-priced markets where yields are already strong.

“In locations like Aitkenvale or Carey Park, for example, the additional tax offsets can help improve cash flow and make an already solid investment even more attractive.”

How Pulse suburbs are selected

Locations included in The Pulse are chosen using multiple layers of key criteria, known as EMPIRICAL evidence:

• Economy – Must be strong & diverse

• Market size – Minimum of 50 house sales in the past 12 months

• Population – Local government area ideally above 15,000

• Infrastructure – Good existing amenities & major new projects

• Rental market – Low vacancies and rising rents

• Employment – Evidence of local job growth

• Capital growth – Strong potential over five years

• Affordability – Median house prices below $665,000

• Low risk – Avoiding volatile, high-risk markets

Bricks & Mortar Media | media@bricksandmortarmedia.com.au