Confidence is edging back into the property market. The Westpac Housing Pulse shows a 10% jump in its “time to buy a dwelling” index, reflecting a significant improvement in housing-related sentiment.

This uplift has prompted Westpac economists to revise their forecasts, now predicting stronger price growth by late 2025.

Senior Economist Matthew Hassan notes that affordability remains a challenge, but buyer intent is clear. “Buyers are coming back and saying now’s the time, and sellers are slow to mobilise,” he explains.

Supporting indicators also paint a stronger outlook. Auction clearance rates are sitting above long-run averages in Sydney and Melbourne, while pre-auction withdrawals have been trending lower since March — another sign of confidence returning.

Price growth is evident across all major capitals over the past three months: Melbourne up 1%, Sydney up 1.7%, Adelaide up 2.1%, Brisbane up 3%, and Perth up 3.1%.

The data points to a market where sentiment and fundamentals are aligning, laying the groundwork for continued momentum heading into 2026.