Transaction activity across the housing market has remained strong, even in the face of rising property values. Recent data highlights sustained buyer demand, with nearly 560,000 properties changing hands over the past 12 months. This level of turnover demonstrates continued confidence in the housing market despite affordability pressures.
According to Cotality data, total property sales reached $576.5 billion over the 12 month period to April 2026. Transaction volumes increased by 5% nationally, signalling that demand has not been significantly dampened by higher prices or tighter borrowing conditions.
Regional markets continue to outperform metropolitan areas in terms of transaction growth. Regional locations recorded an 8.7% increase in sales activity, compared to 2.9% growth across capital city markets. This divergence highlights ongoing migration trends towards lifestyle-driven and affordability-focused regions.
Some of the strongest growth has been recorded in specific regional and outer metropolitan areas. Regional Northern Territory leads nationally with a 30.3% increase in transaction levels. Darwin closely follows at 30.2%, while Regional Victoria recorded a 29.1% increase.
Not all markets are experiencing growth. Western Australia has recorded the most significant declines in transaction activity. Perth sales have fallen by 8.1%, while Regional Western Australia has declined by 3.5%.
Other areas showing declines include Regional Queensland, down 1.1%, and Brisbane, which has seen a modest reduction of 0.3% in transaction volumes. While these declines are relatively minor, they indicate a stabilisation phase in previously high-growth markets.
Another key trend emerging from the data is improved selling speed. Homes are now selling faster on average, with the median days on market reducing to 27 days over the three months to April 2026, down from 29 days the previous year.
From a buyer’s agent perspective, this environment reinforces the importance of preparation and decisiveness. Well-located and well-priced assets are being absorbed quickly, and hesitation increasingly results in missed opportunity.
