BRISBANE EARNED THIS

The numbers are out. And for once, they tell a story that makes sense.

Cotality's April 2026 Housing Chart Pack has landed with data that, if you've been watching Brisbane closely, won't surprise you but will reassure you. The market is not running on rumour or momentum alone. There are structural reasons why this city has held firm, and they are getting harder to ignore.

The story starts in 2020

Since the start of 2020, something fundamental has been playing out across Australia. States where building didn't keep pace with population growth saw home values surge. States where supply caught up, didn't.

Queensland accounted for more than 25% of the country's total population growth over that period. But less than 20% of all new dwellings built nationally were located here. The gap between those two numbers is where Brisbane's last six years of value growth lives.

Western Australia tells a similar story. Nearly 17% of national population growth, but just 10% of new homes completed. Perth and Brisbane have been the strongest markets in the country for a reason. That reason is not hype. It is maths.

What the data is saying right now

The national dwelling value growth rate has accelerated to 9.9% annually as of March 2026, the fastest 12-month pace since June 2022. Across the country, median time on market has tightened to 30 days, down from 33 days this time last year.

Perth continues to lead on speed, with homes there selling in just nine days. But the broader direction of travel is clear. Properties are moving. Buyers are present. And the market has not slipped back into the hesitation of 2024.

The total value of Australia's residential real estate now sits at $12.6 trillion.

Where Brisbane sits in all of this

The mid-sized capitals, Brisbane included, have carried a momentum that the larger southern markets are still working to recapture. Sydney and Melbourne are seeing the pace of growth cool a little. Brisbane is holding. That divergence matters.

Regional markets are also showing resilience. Affordability is still relative, and migration out of major cities hasn't disappeared. That continues to underpin demand in the kinds of places that drew buyers in the first place.

The rental picture

For those with investment properties, the environment remains tight. National vacancy rates sat at 1.6% in March. Gross rental yields nationally have edged up to 3.57%. These are not glamorous numbers, but they reflect a market where demand from tenants isn't going anywhere in a hurry.

A word on supply

New listings nationally are tracking below last year's levels, down 3.3% in the four weeks to early April. In Brisbane, new listings were up slightly. More sellers are choosing to move. But overall, the inventory story hasn't changed dramatically. There are still more buyers than there are quality homes to buy.

So what does this mean for you?

If you've been waiting for a signal, this data is as close to one as you're likely to get. Not a trumpet. Not a headline. Just a quiet, consistent pattern of supply falling short of demand, values holding, and a city continuing to attract people who want to live well.

Brisbane didn't get lucky. It got here through a combination of lifestyle appeal, relative affordability, and chronically under-built housing supply. Those conditions don't reverse overnight.

If you're thinking about what your next move looks like, whether that's buying, selling, or simply understanding where your property sits in all of this, let's talk.

All the best, always,
The Ethel + Florence team