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Daily example: $600,000 · 80% LVR · Owner-occupied · Variable · P&I · Purchase

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Feed checked 30 Oct 2026. This is the dataset check date, not a separate verification date for each product.

Property & lending

Market updates

The changes worth knowing about. Short, practical updates on housing, property rules, borrowing and buyer costs, with the dates and detail that matter.

Australian economic and property updates
13 updates
AustraliaRBA credit data · September 2026

Housing credit grows 7.0% over the year

Published
RBA release
· September data

What changed

Housing credit grew 0.4% in September and 7.0% over the year. Total credit grew 0.6% over the month and 8.4% over the year.

These RBA growth rates are seasonally and break adjusted. The release includes historical revisions, so the figures should not be calculated from unadjusted credit levels.

Why it matters

The figures show growth in outstanding borrowing across the economy. They provide context for buyers and borrowers, but do not show whether an individual loan will be approved.

Credit growth is not a cash-rate decision or a house-price forecast. Assess your own repayments, costs and cash buffer rather than treating stronger borrowing as a reason to borrow more.

Official source

Reference period: September 2026. Released 30 October 2026, 11:30am AEDT; figures checked at 12:14pm AEDT that day. Historical figures may be revised.

AustraliaRBA commentary · October 2026

RBA flags a higher inflation outlook

Published
RBA testimony

What changed

In testimony on 28 October, the RBA Governor said inflation was likely to be higher than the August base case. At its next meeting, the Board will assess whether the tightening already in place is sufficient.

Why it matters

Borrowers reviewing repayment budgets should allow for uncertainty about future rates.

This is RBA commentary, not a new cash-rate decision or a prediction of the next decision.

Official source

Source published: 28 October 2026, 11:15am AEDT. Testimony checked: 29 October 2026, 2:17am AEDT.

AustraliaABS data · September 2026

Annual inflation rises to 4.3% in September

Published
ABS release
· September data

What changed

Consumer prices were 4.3% higher in September than a year earlier, up from 4.0% in August. Annual trimmed mean inflation was 3.6%, compared with a revised 3.5% for August.

The ABS revised August’s annual trimmed mean result down from 3.6% because seasonal factors changed. The headline CPI rose 0.8% during September in original terms, or 0.6% after seasonal adjustment.

Who it affects

Households reviewing living costs and borrowers planning repayments and cash buffers.

Use your actual expenses when reviewing a borrowing budget. This is an inflation release—not an RBA decision or evidence that a lender has changed its rates.

Official source

Reference period: September 2026. ABS release and figures checked: 28 October 2026. Estimates may be revised.

AustraliaABS data · 2025–26 financial year

Economy grew 2.3% in 2025–26

Published
ABS release

What changed

The ABS annual accounts show 2.3% GDP growth and 0.8% growth per person in 2025–26. The household saving ratio rose to 6.1%, from 5.5%. Annual GDP growth was revised down 0.1 percentage points; this is not a new quarterly GDP result.

Why it matters: Stronger saving may help households build deposit or repayment buffers, but modest growth per person does not by itself make housing more affordable.

Official source

Reference period: 2025–26 financial year. Checked 26 October 2026; estimates may be revised.

AustraliaABS data · September 2026

New regional jobs data highlights local differences

Published
ABS release

What changed

The ABS launched a monthly regional labour-force series. September unemployment estimates ranged from 2.6% to 6.8% across SA4 regions, with a 4.4% median. These are modelled estimates in original terms, not seasonally adjusted figures.

Why it matters: Local job conditions can influence buyer confidence, household budgets and housing demand, so national averages alone may miss important differences between property markets.

Official source

Reference period: September 2026. Checked 26 October 2026; estimates may be revised.

AustraliaABS data · September 2026

Employment falls by about 39,000 in September

Updated
ABS release

What changed

Employment fell by about 39,000 in September and seasonally adjusted unemployment was 4.7%. Trend unemployment remained at 4.6%. The ABS flags possible residual survey effects and recommends trend data for underlying conditions.

Why it matters: Weaker employment can put pressure on household budgets and buyer confidence; owners and buyers should allow a repayment buffer rather than assume an interest-rate cut.

Official source

Reference period: September 2026. Checked 26 October 2026; estimates may be revised. First published here 16 October 2026.

AustraliaABS data · June quarter 2026

Housing starts rise 7.0% in the June quarter

Published
Data period
June quarter 2026

What changed

Construction started on 52,201 dwellings in the June quarter, up 7.0% from the March quarter. Dwelling completions increased 5.8% to 47,168. These figures are seasonally adjusted.

New private-sector house commencements rose 11.6% to 31,707. Private-sector other residential commencements edged down 0.1% to 19,126. Starts and completions describe different stages: homes finished in the quarter generally began earlier.

Who it affects

New-home buyers, builders and households watching future housing supply.

More starts and completions are encouraging, but local availability and delivery dates matter to an individual purchase. These are June-quarter results, not October construction totals.

Official source

ABS release: 7 October 2026. Figures checked 16 October 2026; estimates may be revised.

AustraliaABS data · August 2026

Dwelling approvals fall 6.1% despite stronger house approvals

Published
Data period
August 2026

What changed

Total dwelling approvals fell 6.1% to 16,953 in August, in seasonally adjusted terms. Private-sector house approvals rose 3.7% to 10,885, while private-sector dwellings excluding houses fell 21.2% to 5,674.

Total approvals remained 10.3% above August 2025. Approvals indicate potential future building activity, not completed homes: projects can be delayed or may not proceed.

Who it affects

Buyers considering new housing, developers and households assessing future local supply.

Watch the trend and local project progress. One monthly fall does not mean every part of the housing pipeline is weakening.

Official source

ABS release: 30 September 2026. Figures checked 16 October 2026; estimates may be revised.

AustraliaABS data · August 2026

Annual inflation rises to 4.0% in August

Published
Data period
August 2026

What changed

The Consumer Price Index was 4.0% higher in August than a year earlier, compared with annual inflation of 3.5% in July. Annual trimmed mean inflation remained at 3.6%.

During August, the CPI rose 0.4% in original terms and 0.7% after seasonal adjustment. Headline and trimmed mean inflation measure different aspects of price movements; neither is the same as the change in an individual household’s expenses.

Who it affects

Borrowers, renters and households managing day-to-day expenses.

Review actual household spending when setting a home-loan budget and leave room for costs to change. This release does not by itself establish whether lending rates will rise or fall.

Revision note — 28 October 2026: The 3.6% annual trimmed mean figure above records the estimate checked on 16 October. In its September release, the ABS revised August to 3.5% following changes to seasonal factors. The original publication date is retained.

Official source

ABS release: 30 September 2026. Figures checked 16 October 2026; estimates may be revised.

AustraliaABS data · Year ended 31 March 2026

Australia adds 392,700 people over the year

Published
Data period
Year ended 31 March 2026

What changed

Australia’s population reached 27,921,150 at 31 March 2026, an increase of 392,700 people, or 1.4%, over the year.

Annual growth comprised net overseas migration of 292,100 and natural increase of 100,600. Population growth is relevant to housing demand, but household sizes, location, available homes and construction also matter.

Who it affects

Buyers, renters and investors assessing longer-term local housing demand.

Compare population and housing supply for the same area and time period. National growth cannot be converted directly into a dwelling shortage or assumed to apply equally to every suburb.

Official source

ABS release: 17 September 2026. Figures checked 16 October 2026; estimates may be revised.

AustraliaABS data · June quarter 2026

Australian dwelling value falls $34.1 billion in the June quarter

Published
Data period
June quarter 2026

What changed

The total value of Australia’s residential dwellings fell $34.1 billion, or 0.3%, to $12,688.9 billion in the June quarter. The national mean dwelling price fell $8,200 to $1,100,400.

Victoria’s mean dwelling price declined $19,600 to $918,400, a fall of 2.1%. Total dwelling-stock value and mean dwelling price are different measures. The mean is an average, not a median sale price or the valuation of a particular home.

Who it affects

Homeowners considering refinancing, buyers and property investors.

Use recent comparable local sales and an appropriate valuation when assessing equity or a purchase. These are June-quarter results, not October price movements.

Official source

ABS release: 8 September 2026. Figures checked 16 October 2026; estimates may be revised.

VictoriaAuction transition ends 16 October

Victoria: auction reserves must be disclosed before sales from 16 October

Published
Effective
1 October 2026; auction and fixed-date transition from 16 October

What changed

For Victorian residential auctions and fixed-date sales run by estate agents from 16 October 2026, the reserve must be public at least seven days beforehand—even for existing listings. A 16 October sale needed disclosure by 9 October. Raising or lowering the reserve restarts the seven days.

The Property Price Statement replaces the Statement of Information: from 1 October for other residential sales, and from 16 October for auctions and fixed-date sales. Sold-price disclosure also applies to sales becoming unconditional from 1 October, including earlier contracts, subject to exceptions.

Who it affects

Buyers, sellers and estate agents in residential auctions and sales with a deadline for offers. The reserve rule does not cover ordinary private sales without a fixed date, owner-direct sales or commercial property.

Check the reserve and updated statement before bidding. A disclosed reserve is not a lender valuation or a guaranteed final price.

Scope & transition details
  • The auction and fixed-date transition depends on the sale date, including existing listings. Sales on 15 October remain under the transitional rules; sales from 16 October use the new reserve and Property Price Statement rules.
  • Ordinary pre-auction offers are private sales without a seven-day waiting period. Off-market sales without public advertising are exempt from reserve advertising, but still have Property Price Statement and sold-price duties.
  • The sold price must be added to the Property Price Statement within seven days of the sale becoming unconditional and remain online for at least 18 months.
  • The sold-price transition exception requires a written agency appointment made before 1 October containing a nondisclosure term. Violence-related exemptions and pending exemption applications can also prevent disclosure.
Official sources

Source updates: Consumer Affairs Victoria guidance, 1 October 2026; industry Q&A, 4 October 2026.

TasmaniaIn force · specified measures backdated

Tasmania updates targeted property-tax exemptions and refunds

Published
Effective
9 October 2026; specified measures backdated to 1 July 2026

What changed

Tasmania’s 9 October legislation finalises changes announced in September, mainly to particular exemptions, relief and administration. It covers qualifying relationship-breakdown transfers under family-law arbitration awards, family-farm transfers involving trusts, corporate reorganisations and other specialist transactions.

For eligible foreign-owned, Tasmania-based developers, the minimum for duty-surcharge and land-tax-surcharge relief falls from 50 to 10 relevant dwellings in a financial year. This applies from 1 July 2026; the new threshold does not reopen earlier financial years. Land-tax instalment flexibility and changes to the principal-residence rebate also apply from 1 July.

Who it affects

Particular family, trust, corporate and development transactions, and eligible land-tax payers. Check the specific conditions before relying on relief.

This Act does not change ordinary transfer-duty rate bands or introduce a new first-home-buyer discount.

Data periods can differ from release dates. Effective dates can differ from announcement dates. Check the official guidance for your transaction. These updates are general information; specialist exemptions and individual circumstances may need advice.

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