Overview
- National values rose at the fastest monthly pace since mid‑2023 in October, with the Cotality index up 1.1% and roughly $54,000 added to prices since rate cuts began.
- Banks passed the Reserve Bank’s third rate cut through to mortgage holders in October, reinforcing demand at lower price points.
- Investor activity has intensified, with about 38% of new loans going to investors and credit to landlords growing at the quickest rate in a decade, prompting warnings of possible lending rule tightening.
- Financial markets now expect the RBA to hold rates this week and see further easing pushed to mid‑next year after inflation firmed, including a 1.2% quarterly rise in new‑home construction costs.
- Regional and smaller‑capital markets are leading gains—Perth rose 1.9% in October—and annual increases are strongest in places like Albany (+22.2%) and Mildura (+18.7%) as listings track about 18% below average and the 5% deposit guarantee lifts entry‑level demand.