An aerial view over Geelong from Rippleside. Pic: Supplied
Home prices fell in Geelong in the wake of another interest rate hike and property investors’ reaction to the federal budget changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax.
New PropTrack Home Price Index data reveals a further drop in the median value of houses led to an overall fall in home values in May.
Close to $2000 was shaved from the median value of a house in Geelong last month as the median value for a house eased to $814,000.
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The median house price also fell over three months, the index fell, dragging overall dwelling values to $777,000.
PropTrack senior economist Angus Moore said home prices nationally were flat in May following a modest decline in April.
It’s the first Home Price Index data released after the Federal Government unveiled changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax in its budget.
The reforms restrict negative gearing for residential property to new builds from July 1 2027. After that, rental losses on existing residential investment properties bought after budget night can only be offset against other residential property income.
PropTrack senior economist Angus Moore expects another interest rate hike in 2026.
The 50 per cent CGT discount would be replaced with inflation-adjusted indexation to restore the taxation of real gains.
The big switches will be grandfathered for existing investments, and new builds will keep the option to use the 50 per cent discount to help boost supply.
The Reserve Bank also hiked interest rates in May back to the recent high set in 2025.
“Home price growth has clearly stalled as the effects of this year’s consecutive rate hikes flow
through,” Mr Moore said.
“The slowdown has been most notable in Sydney and Melbourne, with both cities posting their third consecutive decline in home prices.
PropTrack Home Price Index: Houses |
|||
Region |
Monthly change |
Annual change |
Median value |
| Sydney | -.2% | 2% | $1,604,000 |
| Melbourne | -.3% | -.1% | $995,000 |
| Brisbane | .1% | 15% | $1,236,000 |
| Adelaide | .3% | 13% | $1,025,000 |
| Perth | -.1% | 2% | $1,117,000 |
| Hobart | .1% | 10.7% | $798,000 |
| Geelong | -.24% | 4.21% | $814,000 |
PropTrack Home Price Index: Units |
|||
Region |
Monthly change |
Annual change |
Median value |
| Sydney | -.4% | 3% | $884,000 |
| Melbourne | -.1% | 1.7% | $625,000 |
| Brisbane | .1% | 20.5% | $865,000 |
| Adelaide | .6% | 15.3% | $709,000 |
| Perth | 0 | 23.1% | $720,000 |
| Hobart | .3% | 6.9% | $605,000 |
| Geelong | .19% | 2.73% | $593,000 |
Source: PropTrack Home Price Index, June 1, 2026
Though, these declines have been modest with prices only 1.2 per cent below where they sat in March.
“Given what rates have done this year, you’d expect to see some declines in prices,” Mr Moore said.
“With at least one further rate hike expected in 2026, and some pullback in investor demand post-Budget, prices are likely to continue to be soft.
“Even so, price declines are unlikely to be large as the labour market remains resilient, households have strong equity buffers, in turn, limiting forced sales, and high construction costs and supply constraints are limiting the volume of new homes.”
While the index data has revealed a recent softening in home price data, median house values remain about 4 per cent higher than the same time last year, growing more than $34,000.
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