Insights · Market Update · Queensland
South East Queensland Property Market: What Investors Need to Know
Population growth, tight supply and rising costs are shaping the next phase of SEQ.
An investor summary of our full South East Queensland market outlook.
South East Queensland has been one of Australia’s strongest property markets over the past five years. Those gains may not repeat at the same pace, but the forces behind them haven’t gone away.
Sources: ShapingSEQ 2023 Update; industry commentary; RBA via CommBank, September 2026.
The short version
- People keep coming. The pandemic shift from New South Wales and Victoria has outlasted the first surge, helped by flexible work.
- Supply can’t keep up. Limited development-ready land, slow approvals, rising build costs and a small pool of larger builders are holding back new housing.
- Affordable apartments are scarce. Some high-end projects now cost more than about $22,000 per square metre to build and sell, so new stock is aimed at a narrow slice of buyers.
- More land isn’t a quick fix. Expanding the urban footprint under ShapingSEQ still means zoning, servicing and approvals before any homes get built.
- Growth is possible, not guaranteed. One industry scenario puts SEQ growth at 35–40% over the next five years. Treat that as an outlook, not a forecast.
- Affordability is the main risk. Brisbane’s price gap with Melbourne has narrowed, borrowing capacity is tighter, and yields can fall when prices outrun rents.
The next phase of the SEQ market may be more selective than the last.
What to check before you buy
Start with research, not a listing. Look at population and household growth, employment diversity, rental demand, competing new supply nearby, whether infrastructure is funded and under construction, and whether the price stacks up against the rent and holding costs.
Our approach stays the same:
The full outlook covers supply, planning, the growth case, affordability and an investor checklist: South East Queensland Property Market: Population Growth, Housing Shortages and the Outlook for Investors.
Strategy Before Property
Is South East Queensland Right for You?
Every purchase still needs to stand on its own merits. Talk to us about your goals first, then the location.
- Investment Property Queensland, South East Queensland property market outlook
- Queensland Government, ShapingSEQ 2023 Update
- Hotspotting, Supply and demand 101
- properT network, Australia’s housing shortage and property investors
- properT network, Strategy Before Property
General information only. properT network does not provide personal financial, tax, legal or lending advice. Growth scenarios quoted are individual market outlooks, not forecasts. Seek independent professional advice before making any investment decision.
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