Latest / Your Local Real Estate Expert - The Schultz Realty Podcast / EP24: 2026 Property Forecast: What Buyers, Sellers & Landlords Need to Know
Transcript
- Hi, I'm Sarah Schultz, and welcome to your local real estate expert, the Schultz Realty Podcast. As the award-winning number one agent and agency for Mount Warren Park Bar Scrub and Wind. Drew, I've been helping buyers find their dream homes and exceeding sellers expectations on price and service in our area for over 10 years known as The Property Matchmaker. I'm here to share stats, facts, and insights to make your real estate journey in the local area. Seamless and. Successful. Hi, it's Sarah Schultz from Schultz Realty. Today I am giving you a clear, practical outlook for the Queensland market for 2026 and what it means for buyers, sellers, landlords across my core areas. 4 2 0 7 windoo, Mount Warren Park Bar Scrub Bean Lee Eagleby, Bannockburn, Eden's Landing, Bethania, Yala, Ormo and more. Plus a bit of Helen's Valen Ho Island. This is not hype. It's the reality check. Most major forecasts still expect prices to rise in 2026, but the pace is where it matters. One. What's the big forecast saying for 2026? Let's start with domain domain's. Report for 26 says we're heading for record highs across capital cities by the end of 26. Specifically calling out Brisbane, Adelaide Perth as markets where house price growth is expected to ease to around four to 5%. But units are expected to outperform because buyers are chasing affordability. Domain also expects rent growth to re-accelerate after a short pause with rents rising around 3%, around combined capitals, and up to 4% in Brisbane domain also described 26 as a year. That could split into two phases, stronger conditions earlier, then more balanced later in the year as new supply comes on and affordability limits bite. Now, realestate.com. realestate.com properties. Market outlook reports save Brisbane prices. A forecast to rise again in 26 by about seven to 10%, which is still strong. Just a little slower than the pace we've seen last year. Re's outlook also points to the big supports behind Brisbane, overseas and interstate migration. Tight stock on market. Constraints on new housing delivery, infrastructure investment, and very tight rental markets. REA group also flagged the headwind. Affordability, meaning the more expensive pockets can slow more noticeably, while value-driven areas tend to stay more resilient. REA group has slightly different numbers depending on the source, but the story is still consistent. Demand is still there. Supply is still the problem. Affordability is the limiter. And units and affordable stock can sometimes outperform houses in the predictions for 26. The buyer pool in 26, who's actually active? If you're wondering, will there be buyers? The answer is yes, but the buyer mix matters. Domain expects a wave of first home buyer demand tied to the expanded first home guarantee scheme, and they're blunt about it. More competition in the affordable segments of under 700,000 re's outlook highlights continued demand plus the reality that tight rentals keep people considering buying and keep investors interested. So the buyers you're dealing with in 2026 could be first home buyers fighting for value and fighting for homes under that 700,000 upgraders trying to move without blowing their budget with interest rates. Investors reentering because rental conditions are tight and downsizes moving into lower maintenance, living for lower, lower mortgages. This is why the middle of the market usually stays quite busy, even when the top end slows. What this means if you're selling in 4, 2 0 7 or 4 2 0 8, if you're selling in our corridor, here's what matters. Affordability, pressure means buyers, a picky in one way and emotional in another. That will pay a premium for move in ready people. They may hesitate on homes that feel like a lot of work. So if you've got maintenance to do, get that done. Your campaign has to remove objections fast. My practical seller playbook for 2026 consists. Presentation is is optional, but would be preferred. If buyers are watching repayments. They certainly wanna feel safe. Choosing a home that, like I said before, has little to no maintenance. The first two weeks are everything. In most markets, your best buyers come early. If you miss them, you end up chasing the market and ends up being behind you. Pricing strategy has to match the market and the buyer pool. If your price point sits in first home buyer or upgrade a range, your pricing needs to invite competition, not test the ceiling where no one wants to come. Marketing assets need to be sharp. This links back to photo day. When stock is tight, you still need to win with the click. When stock lifts, you need to win it even more. Negotiation becomes more conditional. More buyers will have finance clauses building and pest clauses and settlement needs of their own. The best offer is not always just the highest in price. It's the cleanest and the one that will be the smoothest all the way to settlement. If you want the straight truth on your home's, likely sale range in today's market and the buyer demand in your suburb right now. Feel free to message me. 2026. Sell with your suburb and property. Type what this means. If you are buying in 2026 buyers in 2026, need a plan. Not hope. My buyer playbook for 2026 is finance first. Always. We're talking to a broker. Be ready and know what you can spend. It is important, and it might be different to what you think. Be clear on your non-negotiables. If you don't decide before you inspect, you'll hesitate when it counts, and then you might miss out on the property of your dreams. Separate a motion from competition. You can still buy well in a rising market, even with competition if you don't chase past your comfort point. Target the best value, not the most popular postcode. Sometimes the best purchase is the home that's slightly less glossy, but fundamentally solid and has definite capital growth. In the future, make your offer term strong. Make your deposit strong. Your settlement flexible and responsiveness can win you the property without being the highest bidder. Be available for those calls to ask if you're serious, what this means if you're a landlord or deciding whether to keep your property. This is where a lot of people win or lose money. In 26, domain experts expect rent to rise again up to 4% in Brisbane and surrounds because demand continues to Outspace supply. REI also calls out every tight rental market as one of Brisbane's key fundamentals going into 26. So if you hold a rental, 26 is likely to be supportive, but you need to protect the asset. Tenant selection also beats chasing an extra $10 a week. The wrong tenant costs more than a slightly lower rent condition. Reports and routine inspections really matter. So choose your, uh, property manager wisely. This is how you protect your home from damage and costly surprises. Budget for maintenance. Every property has it. The best landlords plan for it so they don't panic when it hits. Know your true holding cost, mortgage rates, insurance, property management fees, vacancy repairs. If you don't know this number, you're guessing, take the guesswork out and know what you're doing. Think long-term value. If you would not buy the property again today, don't hold it out of emotion. The 26 reality is it's a market of quality and speed. So here's the wrap. Domain sees 26 as another strong year. But with affordability, pushing buyers towards units and under 700,000 supply will still need to improve, uh, to help all of those buyers get into homes. REA sees Brisbane remaining one of the strongest markets supported by migration and low supply, but with affordability acting as the main headwind. So the winners in 26 tend to be sellers who launch polished and price strategically. Uh, buyers who are finance ready and decisive landlords who manage their risk properly and protect their assets. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an update and share it with another local who might find it helpful. Until next time, take care and remember, I'm here if you have any questions. I'm Sarah Schultz from Schultz Realty, and I really appreciate you listening. I'll see you the next podcast. Have a great day. Thank you for tuning in with me, your local real estate expert, the Schutz Realty Podcast. I'm proud to serve Mount Warren Park Bar Scrub and Windoo as a knowledgeable, caring, and reliable resource for all your real estate needs. Whether you are buying, selling, or just. Exploring your options. I'm here to help you exceed expectations and make that perfect match. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an update and share it with another local who might find it helpful. Until next time, take care. And remember, the perfect property is just around the corner.