Brisbane to lead property price boom as surprising cities join top ranks

The home at 108 Adelaide St East, Clayfield, in Brisbane is going to auction on February 21. Picture: realestate.com.au

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The regions primed for the highest property price growth of 2026 have been revealed, with new expert analysis anointing Brisbane as Australia’s top growth leader for the year.

The Australia’s Growth Leaders report by Hotspotting looked at the country’s 14 major market jurisdictions – eight capital cities and six state regional markets – to determine where home values would shoot up the most this year.

Brisbane topped the list, followed by Hobart and regional Tasmania, while Adelaide and Perth took out fourth and fifth place respectively.

“Australia’s property market has experienced periods of extraordinary growth in the past three years,” the report said.

“While the pace of growth has slowed in some locations, there are still plenty of suburbs primed for further capital growth in 2026.”

The report used the key metrics of sales volumes, vacancy rates, days on market, rental growth, infrastructure spending and how many properties sold above asking price to determine growth leaders.

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Hotspotting founder and property analyst Terry Ryder. Picture: Supplied

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Hotspotting founder, Terry Ryder said the value of the Growth Leaders 2026 report was it identified future trends and did not rely on the past for guidance.

“The jurisdictions ranked second and third have not featured among the outperformers in the recent past – Hobart and regional Tasmania,” he said.

“But both are poised to be among the growth leaders in 2026.”

The report found a strong performance in all six metrics categories made Brisbane the most likely outperformer in the nation in the coming year.

“(Brisbane) has particularly strong numbers for sales activity trends, low days on market and the percentage of properties that have sold for above asking price,” the report said.

“Demand is also boosted by $240b in infrastructure projects.”

The report predicted Hobart’s second place position would surprise many as it had delivered only moderate price growth recently, but the Tasmania capital was poised for another period of strong growth.

“It rates as one of the nation’s leading markets of the past 20 years and, after a pause following its most recent growth spurt, is now on the cusp of another up-cycle,” the report said.

“Hobart ranks first or second on three of the six key metrics (sales activity, above asking price sales and vacancy rates) and is weak on only one of them – infrastructure investment per capita.

“Its appeal includes having the cheapest real estate in capital city Australia, except for Darwin.”

The property at 77 Mannata St, Lauderdale, in Hobart is for sale for $1.345m+ Picture: realestate.com.au

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Regional Tasmania ranked the highest among all the regional markets for price growth prospects in 2026.

“It has high rankings in five of the six key metrics – and second or third on three of them,” the report said.

“Its only weak ranking is days on market, which is likely to improve given rising sales activity and growing interest from investors in markets such as Launceston, Devonport and Burnie.

“Regional Tasmania is particularly strong on vacancy rates and rental growth, as well as the level of infrastructure investment relative to its population.”

Louis “Lucky” Velasquez, Finance Better and Property Avenue founder, said Australia looked set for a year of widespread price growth, with universal strength in markets nationwide the standout feature of the Growth Leaders 2026 report.

“All 14 jurisdictions have demand drivers that will put upward pressure on dwelling values in 2026,” he said.

“The broad strength in markets across Australia is seen even in the lowest-ranked markets.

“For example, Canberra overall ranks 13th in this analysis, yet the indicators suggest the market is rising and will deliver price growth this year:

“Over 60 per cent of Canberra suburbs have positive trends with sales activity, often a precursor to price growth.”

Finance Better and Property Avenue founder, Louis “Lucky” Velasquez. Picture: Supplied

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Mr Velasquez said while Canberra was poised for price growth it ranked 13th out of 14 jurisdictions due to the strength in the other markets across Australia.

“This underlines the potential for value growth in the top-ranked jurisdictions, including Brisbane, Hobart, regional Tasmania and Adelaide,” he said.

Darwin topped the list for jurisdictions with the highest level of positive markets in terms of transaction levels at 74 per cent, while Hobart lead the country for markets where properties sold for above asking price, with 98 per cent of its markets achieving this feat.

Adelaide has the highest number of suburbs with low days on market, Perth had the highest number of suburbs with solid rental increases, Hobart had the most suburbs with a sub 1.5 per cent vacancy rate and regional Western Australia chalked up the highest level of infrastructure spending per capita.

At a suburb level, the unit market in Birtinya on the Sunshine Coast was expected to see the highest levels of growth in 2026.

“The Sunshine Coast is a ‘second wind market’, which is rising again after a post-boom pause in price growth,” the report found.

“It’s an expensive market.

“Most of the affordable options with growth prospects are in its apartment markets – such as Birtinya, which has the considerable advantage of hosting the Sunshine Coast University Hospital medical precinct and sits between major green space and waterfrontage.”

Next was the Claremont house market in Tasmania, the Deception Bay unit market in Queensland, the Edmonton house market in Far North Queensland and the Moonah house market in Tasmania.

The home at 7 York St, Henley Beach, in Adelaide is for sale via best offer. Picture: realestate.com.au

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AUSTRALIA’S GROWTH LEADERS 2026

(SOURCE: Hotspotting)