Update, October 2026: this article was written in February 2026. Since then the cash rate has risen to 4.60%. For our latest view, read Is now a good time to invest in property? and Australia’s property market isn’t crashing or booming, it’s splitting.
Australian Property in 2026: Why the Media Keep Getting It Wrong — and How to Spot the Next Data Driven Growth Locations
“Every January, we see the same headlines.”
“Property prices set to fall.”
“Interest rates will stall the market.”
“Growth to be flat this year.”
And year after year, those predictions are proven wrong.
According to Terry Ryder’s Growth Leaders Report 2026, produced by Hotspotting, Australia is heading into a year of widespread property price growth potential — not just in one or two hotspots, but across every major market jurisdiction nationwide.
What makes this report different?
Unlike most media commentary, this report doesn’t rely on speculation, sentiment, or Reserve Bank guesswork.
Instead, Hotspotting analyses 14 major market jurisdictions — the 8 capital cities and 6 state regional markets — using six forward-looking metrics designed to identify future price growth, not explain the past.
The conclusion is striking:
All 14 jurisdictions show sufficient demand drivers to place upward pressure on dwelling values in 2026.
Even the lowest-ranked markets are still expected to grow.
A powerful example: Regional Victoria & Canberra
Canberra ranks 13th out of 14 jurisdictions — yet:
- Over 60% of suburbs show rising sales activity
- Homes are selling in under 40 days
- A growing number of properties are selling above asking price
Those are classic lead indicators of price growth.
Victoria
Similarly, Regional Victoria, ranked last overall, still contains strong individual markets such as Geelong and Bendigo, both expected to see price growth in 2026 amongst others.
This is exactly why headlines based on averages and broad brush thinking can be so misleading.
Why economists keep missing the mark
Terry Ryder highlights a recurring flaw in mainstream forecasting: “the belief that interest rates are the primary driver of property prices.”
History tells a different story:
- 2023: Economists predicted falls → prices rose
- 2024: Predicted declines again → prices rose
- 2025: Forecast 2–3% growth → actual growth was 9–10% nationally, with multiple markets exceeding 10%
Australian Property Price Prediction 2026
Yet here we are again in early 2026, hearing claims that a soft December means the market is stalling — once more blamed on “interest rate fears”.
The data simply doesn’t support that narrative. Never really has.
How to actually identify the next growth locations
The Growth Leaders 2026 Report focuses on six forward-looking metrics that reveal:
- Where demand is strengthening
- Where supply is tightening
- Where sales activity is accelerating
- Which markets are positioned before price growth becomes obvious
Interestingly, some of the top-ranked growth jurisdictions for 2026 — such as Hobart and Regional Tasmania — have not been recent stand-out performers, making them easy to miss if you rely on rear-view-mirror data.
Want the full report?
The Growth Leaders 2026 Report by Terry Ryder (Hotspotting) is available to clients and readers who want to base their property decisions on evidence, not headlines.
👉 Contact us to request access to the full report, including:
- Rankings of all 14 jurisdictions
- Breakdown of the six growth metrics
- Insight into which markets are positioned before the next upswing
If you’re serious about building wealth through property — this is the kind of research the media never talks about.
data driven devoid of media hype and speculation
Related reading: Investment Property Australia Wide · Autumn 2026 property market insights · Free guide: The New Property Premium
