New data reveals Brisbane’s inner-city suburbs are popular with interstate movers
Interstate house-hunters armed with deep pockets are dominating Brisbane’s inner suburbs, leaving locals to retreat to the outer-northern fringes for mortgage relief.
New relocation data tracking more than 250,000 house moves reveals former Melburnians and Sydneysiders are targeting fashionable pockets like New Farm, Newstead, and the CBD, triggering a wave of property upgrades.
The suburb-level data from national removalist platform Find a Mover sheds new light on where interstate buyers are landing, as latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show Queensland clocked 97,705 interstate arrivals in 12 months. By contrast, New South Wales bled 23,353 residents.
The study positioned Brisbane as a city of upgraders, with 15 of its 20 most popular relocation destinations recording positive property ladder gaps, meaning more people moved into higher-median areas than lower-median ones.
Howe Tran of removalist platform Find A Mover
West End was ranked the most popular suburb overall, recording 420 tracked moves since 2023. It was followed by Fortitude Valley (408 moves), Caboolture (404 moves), Newstead (382 moves), and the Moreton Bay corridor of Morayfield (376 moves).
Find a Mover founder and director Howe Tran said Melbourne had been “rock solid” for property upgraders with 12 consecutive positive quarters, but Brisbane was close behind with 11 out of 12 positive quarters.
“People selling in those expensive southern markets are moving up the property ladder when they buy into Brisbane because they’re getting significantly more for their money,” Mr Tran said.
“That steady flow props up the numbers in a way that Sydney and Adelaide just don’t have … Brisbane sits in a sweet spot.”
The data shows former Melbourne Inner and the Sydney Inner West residents made up the largest groups moving into the CBD and New Farm, outside of local inner-city movers.
Buyers Agent Melinda Jennison. Photo: Supplied
Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia (REBAA) president Melinda Jennison said interstate buyers had a distinct financial edge that was squeezing locals out of the premium market.
“Buyers coming from higher-priced markets may have built up more equity, and some may be moving from employment markets where incomes have been higher,” Ms Jennison said.
“By comparison, local buyers may not always view Brisbane as affordable, especially when local household incomes are taken into account.”
She said young professionals and downsizers were flocking to these inner-city suburbs, prepared to trade large blocks for “lock-up-and-leave” properties near the river.
Buyer’s agent Jordan Navybox agreed, noting inquiries from interstate clients were matching the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They were ready to upgrade in Sydney and they are still happy to upgrade and spend more because they want a really beautiful property,” Mr Navybox said.
“With Sydney prices still much higher than Brisbane … what they get could be quadruple the value.”
West End was the most popular suburb overall
But everyday Queenslanders shuffling around the outer suburbs followed a different path.
In outer-northern areas like Morayfield and Caboolture, nearly half of all incoming movers were downgrading their housing. The largest groups relocating to these suburbs were locals from North Brisbane and the broader Moreton Bay area.
Place Caboolture and Ningi sales agent Melissa Brooker said interest rates and the cost of living were coming up “constantly” with buyers looking to trade down.
“A lot of people are moving further out because it allows them to still own a family home, but with less financial stress hanging over them,” Ms Brooker said.
“We’re seeing a lot of families coming from higher-priced parts of North Brisbane and Moreton Bay who still want a house, just without the same level of financial pressure.
“There are also downsizers and retirees who are cashing in equity from more expensive suburbs and realising they can still get a great lifestyle here while freeing up money.”
Buyers agent Jordan Navybox, of Cohen Handler. Pic: Jamie Hanson
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Mr Tran noted that outer Moreton Bay suburbs were the only major pockets trending negative, driven by affordability.
“With rates now at 4.35 per cent, those outer pockets like Moreton Bay become even more in demand as buyers get priced out of Australia’s southern capitals,” Mr Tran said.
While these moves registered as a financial step down, Ms Brooker said buyers were gaining lifestyle benefits by sacrificing a closer commute.
“They’re often moving into bigger homes on larger blocks, sometimes newer homes, and getting things they couldn’t afford closer to Brisbane like extra bedrooms, sheds, pools or room for caravans and boats,” she said.
Caboolture attracted families looking to reduce financial stress
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