How to buy well in all market cycles - April Market Update 2025

Keeping abreast of price movements is something we do constantly as well-informed property professionals. From tracking analysis by major data houses, reading daily updates via the media and digesting articles from knowledgeable commentators, we gain insights about price movements across many population centres. 

But there’s a unique place buyers’ agents occupy in the complex property market landscape too. 

It’s that we sit at the coalface of the action and can see what’s unfolding in real time. 

Buyers’ agents are among the first to observe early shifts because we attend open homes and auctions and are actively tracking listings and conducting negotiations. When demand and supply are moving, we are part of the conversation well before the data feeds through to almost everyone else. 

Interestingly, the changes that data analysts are discussing right now are precisely what we observed going into the end of last year.  

While some capital cities like Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane maintained strong value growth last year, Sydney and Melbourne slowed dramatically. There is less desperation among buyers with lower attendances at auctions and opens. 

And the data now supports this. The latest CoreLogic analysis shows that in the 12 months to February, Sydney saw just a 1.1 per cent increase in dwelling values, while Melbourne’s values fell by 3.2 per cent. 

There are valuable lessons we can learn from the present situation, and those of us with experience, connections and market savvy can read these tea leaves and identify emerging opportunities. Remember that saying most financial planners have on the wall: “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.” 

 
What we are seeing in today’s market is a divergence in performance across different locations. In other words, various markets are at different stages of their price cycle. 

While this trend began last year, it’s set to amplify in 2025. 

During the pandemic and its immediate aftermath, property markets across Australia performed relatively uniformly. Property was rightly viewed as a safe haven for capital, both as a home and investment, leading to almost universal growth over the COVID years. 

However, more recently, we have seen a return to traditional market conditions, where localised drivers such as population growth, economic development, affordability, and future growth prospects influence property values. 

As such, those locations with the right fundamentals are enjoying the greatest gains. Perth with its strong economic base, Adelaide’s relatively affordable housing and comprehensive services, and Brisbane’s infrastructure program and future Olympic Games appeal are all doing well. 

On the flipside an over-supplied and over-regulated Melbourne market is suffering under the weight of economic challenges and a decreasing population – and yet Melbourne is primed for growth as shown in recent figures with a 0.4% price increase (and this is reflected in the larger than normal volume of buyers out each weekend at open homes and multiple offer situations). In Sydney, affordability is driving away new entrants and pushing them toward smaller capital cities. 

 While challenging to navigate, there’s a distinct advantage in recognising that property markets across all major population centres operate at varying speeds. 

In fact, experienced specialists can drill down even further, looking at variations across suburbs, price points and property types in each of these locations to assist their clients. 

And it’s ever-changing as well. Not long ago, the idea that units in Brisbane would see greater percentage capital gains than detached housing would have been considered laughable. But a check of CoreLogics’s home value index to the end of February reveals that while house values increased 8.6 per cent over the year, units were up 15.2 per cent. This shift has been driven by affordability-conscious buyers looking to secure homes in blue-chip locations within constrained budgets. Many are also transitioning from the city’s tight rental market to more affordable home ownership options. 

There are several ways buyers’ agents maximise their clients’ outcomes in property markets – particularly those that are slowing. 


Leveraging local knowledge

Buyers’ agents understand the key fundamentals and drivers that influence markets. Even in softening conditions, they identify value opportunities in areas undergoing transition due to factors such as gentrification or new infrastructure development. 

Rather than accepting broad market descriptions that claim all prices in a region are “softening”, a skilled buyers’ agent will focus on specific suburbs and price segments with strong growth potential. Additionally, reduced competition in slower markets often places buyers’ agents in a stronger negotiating position. 


Accessing off-market opportunities

Buyers’ agents cultivate strong relationships with selling agents, giving them access to properties before they are publicly listed. We will often have the chance to inspect and secure a property before it ever reaches a marketing portal. This means our clients get first dibs on outstanding opportunities. 


Strategic asset selection 

Forget about the novice approach of buying just any old property in your area of interest and hoping for the best possible outcome. Buyers’ agents understand their clients’ requirements and only source properties that meet that brief. We make certain the property has the right fundamentals to achieve a buyer’s desired outcomes. We also ensure you never overpay for a property, applying our skills to accurately assess its stage of the property market price cycle. 


Adopting a long-term perspective 

We look at real estate ownership with a long-term mindset so you can benefit. Successful property investment and home ownership reflects the ability to secure and hold real estate for more than a price cycle or two. This maxmises the upsides of compound growth and equity gains – and not all homes are equal in this respect. Fortunately, experienced buyers’ agents can identify the diamonds among the rough. 

When it comes to securing a property, don’t be distracted by bad news. Instead, rely on a specialist buyers’ agent to help you navigate the complexities and apply their experience and skills to secure the right home in the right area. It’s a huge advantage you can enjoy while others are running scared, uncertain of where their property market sits in the price cycle. 

If you're considering buying this year, acting early may be the best move before competition heats up. Contact us at Propertybuyer to discuss how we can help you secure the right property in this evolving market. We’d be delighted to help you with your next property goal.

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