21/09/2026
THE BRISBANE PROPERTY MARKET HAS CHANGED.
It’s time we stopped pretending it hasn’t.
If you’ve been talking to real estate agents at open homes lately, you’ve probably heard some version of this:
“The market may have settled, but quality properties are still achieving great results.”
Technically, that statement can be true, but it’s also becoming a very convenient way of avoiding what is actually happening.
The Brisbane property market has changed significantly. Yes, some properties are still selling exceptionally well. We are still seeing strong prices, competitive bidding and occasional results that surprise even experienced agents.
But those sales are increasingly the highlights — not necessarily an accurate reflection of what every seller should expect.
The broader market has become extremely patchy.
In some suburbs, price ranges and property types, buyers remain active. In others, enquiry has become noticeably thinner. And even where buyers are enquiring, there is an important second change occurring:
They are far less willing to make an offer simply because they like a property.
That distinction matters.
For several years, Brisbane sellers benefited from urgency. Buyers worried that if they didn't act today, somebody else would. Missing one property could mean paying considerably more for the next one.
That fear created competition.
Today, buyers increasingly feel they can wait…..and the numbers are beginning to reflect it.
The total number of Brisbane properties available for sale was recently reported at around 32% higher than a year earlier, while homes are taking longer to sell. Average days on market in Brisbane was around 44 days in July, compared with just 27 days a year earlier, while typical vendor discounting had widened from 3.3% to 4% (this is the metric calculated by the difference between the initial advertised price and the final sale price!)
And that, in my opinion, is the real story of the Brisbane market right now.
BUYERS HAVEN'T DISAPPEARED. THEIR BEHAVIOUR HAS CHANGED.
There are still buyers, but most have become more selective, more cautious and more price sensitive.
They have more properties to choose from, less fear of missing out and, after several years of substantial price growth, significantly greater resistance to simply accepting a seller's expectation of value.
A buyer might inspect your home. They might love it. They might even tell the agent they love it – but that doesn't necessarily mean they're going to make an offer!
This is the change sellers need to understand.
In a rapidly rising market, attracting buyers was often enough and genuine competition and FOMO did much of the heavy lifting.
In today's market, creating competition is becoming the challenge and there is little to no fear of missing out!
GREAT RESULTS ARE STILL HAPPENING
And this is where the market becomes confusing!
A fantastic home in the right location, presented beautifully, priced intelligently and marketed properly can still attract multiple buyers and achieve an outstanding result. Some recent Brisbane sales demonstrate exactly that.
But one exceptional sale doesn't mean every property in that suburb has increased to the same value - nor does posting a suburb-record sale on social media somehow prove that the entire market remains strong.
A patchy market produces great results and disappointing results at the same time.
The danger for sellers is choosing an agent who points exclusively to the former while pretending the latter doesn't exist.
THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY BAD NEWS FOR SELLERS
It simply means the strategy needs to change.
When almost everything sells quickly, the difference between an average campaign and an exceptional campaign can be difficult to see.
When buyers become cautious, that difference becomes enormous.
Presentation matters more.
Marketing matters more.
Pricing strategy matters more.
Buyer follow-up matters more.
Feedback matters more.
And most importantly, negotiation matters more.
The job of an agent isn't to tell an owner what they want to hear before the property is listed. It's to understand exactly what buyers are doing right now, position the property accordingly, create as much competition as the market will allow and then negotiate every last dollar from that competition.
Sometimes that means delivering fantastic news.
Sometimes it means having an uncomfortable conversation.
A good agent needs to be capable of both.
DON'T FEAR THE MARKET. UNDERSTAND IT.
I don't believe sellers should be frightened by the current Brisbane market, but I also don't believe they should be given false confidence about it.
There are still excellent opportunities to achieve excellent results. They're simply not automatic anymore.
For the last few years, a rising market made a lot of average agents look very good.
This market might finally remind sellers what a good agent is actually for.
Rod Westerhuis
HUIS Estate Agents
Over 20 years' experience | More than 500 homes sold
