REBAA president Melinda Jennison (pictured right) said the latest figures point to a structural, rather than seasonal, tightening in supply that is being felt by buyers across the country. “We’re not just dealing with seasonal fluctuations because there is a structural shortage of listings and buyers are feeling the pressure nationwide,” she said.
Jennison noted that the sharper falls in Brisbane, Perth and Darwin mirror what buyers’ agents are seeing on the ground, with reduced choice for purchasers competing for a smaller pool of properties. “When listings fall nearly 20% or more in a year, as they have in Brisbane and Darwin, buyers simply don’t have enough choice,” she pointed out.
According to REBAA, the current imbalance between supply and demand is prompting more buyers to turn to professional intermediaries to secure properties that never appear on public listing portals. “In a tight‑supply environment, access is everything,” Jennison said. “Our members are securing quiet, pre‑market, and off‑market listings because selling agents know they bring qualified, ready buyers to the table.”
SQM Research data also show national asking prices have increased 12.8% over the past year, reinforcing affordability pressures even as demand remains firm.
“Good properties are always in strong demand, regardless of broader market conditions and supply constraints,” Jennison said. “When national stock levels are this low, that demand becomes even more concentrated.