Housing prices in Australia slowed in December, and housing prices in Sydney and Melbourne even fell slightly. The risk of the central bank restarting interest rate hikes dampened property market sentiment and overshadowed the outlook for the real estate market in 2026. Property consulting agency Cotality said on Friday that the housing price index in major Australian cities rose 0.5% month-on-month, with Sydney and Melbourne falling 0.1%. The mining hub Perth and the southern city of Adelaide led the way, with gains of 1.9%, followed by Brisbane and Darwin, which rose 1.6%.

Housing prices in Australia slowed in December, and housing prices in Sydney and Melbourne even fell slightly. The risk of the central bank restarting interest rate hikes dampened property market sentiment and overshadowed the outlook for the real estate market in 2026. Property consulting agency Cotality said on Friday that the housing price index in major Australian cities rose 0.5% month-on-month, with Sydney and Melbourne falling 0.1%. The mining hub Perth and the southern city of Adelaide led the way, with gains of 1.9%, followed by Brisbane and Darwin, which rose 1.6%.