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Home Prices Jump in October as Deposit Scheme Expands, Causation Unclear

Analysts attribute the surge chiefly to rate cuts plus tight supply.

Overview

  • National home values rose 1.1% in October, the fastest monthly gain in more than two years, according to Cotality.
  • Homes priced within the deposit scheme’s caps climbed 1.2% versus 1.0% for dwellings above the caps, a premium seen across most capitals.
  • Official figures show 5,778 guarantees were issued last month, including 2,700 newly eligible under the October expansion.
  • Cotality and other researchers say the overlap in timing does not establish causation and highlight 2025 rate cuts, low listings and lending buffers pushing buyers toward lower-priced homes.
  • The opposition blames the policy for the jump, while the government cites Treasury modelling that projects only a 0.6% price lift spread over six years.