Sunday, 28 June 2026 · Sydney, Australia

Sydney and Melbourne Housing Markets Diverge in Winter 2026

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Sydney and Melbourne Housing Markets Diverge in Winter 2026

National home values rose 0.3% in May according to CoreLogic, but the headline masked a widening gap between capitals. Sydney recorded a 0.5% monthly gain while Melbourne was unchanged for the third consecutive month.

Capital City Snapshot

  • Sydney median house price: A$1.42m (+0.5% m/m)
  • Melbourne median house price: A$942k (0.0% m/m)
  • Perth continues to lead annual growth at 12.4%

Market Indicators

Metric Sydney Melbourne
Days on market 28 35
Auction clearance 68% 59%
New listings (May) +4% +9%

Buyer Takeaways

  1. First-home buyers remain active in Melbourne’s outer suburbs.
  2. Sydney prestige market shows renewed interest from upgraders.
  3. Fixed-rate rollovers continue to shape borrowing capacity.

Agents expect both cities to track national rate expectations closely through the September quarter.