Navigating the Shifting Tides
The Australian property market in Q3 2025 is in a critical transition. The RBA's cautious easing cycle is reshaping dynamics, creating a complex, multi-speed market. This dashboard provides brokers with the key data and talking points needed to guide clients through this landscape of varied risks and opportunities.
RBA Cash Rate
3.60%
↓ 75 bps in 2025
Annual Headline CPI
2.1%
Within RBA target band
National Value Growth
+0.6%
in July, 6th straight month
National Listings
~20%
Below 5-year average
The Widening Gap: Houses vs. Units
Since the pandemic, house values have significantly outpaced units, creating a record price gap. This trend is now making the unit market increasingly attractive for affordability-focused buyers, suggesting a potential market inflection point.
Capital City Deep Dive
The national story masks significant local differences. A multi-speed market has emerged, with varied performance across capital cities. Select a city below to explore its specific drivers, performance metrics, and market status.
The Lending Environment
Financing is shaped by the dual forces of RBA easing and APRA's prudential oversight. This section explores the interest rate landscape, bank sentiment, and the regulatory guardrails that are critical for brokers to understand and explain to clients.
The Fixed vs. Variable Conundrum
Lenders are pricing 3-year fixed rates below 1-year rates, a strong signal they expect the RBA to continue cutting. This creates a key strategic choice for borrowers between locking in certainty or riding the variable rate down.
Regulatory Watch: APRA's Steady Hand
Mortgage Serviceability Buffer
APRA has maintained the 3% serviceability buffer, acting as a crucial handbrake on borrowing capacity. While RBA cuts stimulate demand, this prudential guardrail ensures lending standards remain sound, preventing the market from overheating and providing long-term stability. This is a key reason why serviceability remains the primary hurdle for loan approval.
Major Bank Growth Forecasts (2025)
While all major banks show an appetite to lend, their forecasts for 2025 reveal differing levels of optimism, reflecting the market's general uncertainty.
Client Opportunity Horizon
In this fragmented market, generic advice is redundant. The broker's value lies in translating data into tailored strategies. This section outlines key opportunities for different buyer segments, providing actionable talking points for client conversations.