hotspotting.com.au and propertyU
You might think prestige property would decline in a cost-of-living crisis, but in fact, it’s the opposite. In 2025, Australia’s prestige property market remained popular with growing momentum among luxury buyers, undeterred by this sector’s eye-watering prices.
Last year, Westpac Private Bank’s Prestige Property Report commented that Australia’s prestige sales volumes surged by 217 percent between 2020 and 2025. Not bad for a global pandemic period and its recovery period.
And make no mistake, much like its broader real estate market, the Sunshine State’s prestige property sector is thriving as well. In fact, Ray White’s 2025 Luxury Report described south-east Queensland as the clear success story in Australia’s high-end property market.
Place Advisory data late last year revealed the entry point to the prestige sector is now $3 million and above. Herron Todd White (HTW) went even further, commenting that buyers will now pay eight-figure price tags for some prestige properties, like those on Brisbane’s waterfront or with stand-out architectural details.
Some of Brisbane’s premium sales in 2025 were jaw-dropping, with one of the best of these being a luxury penthouse in inner-city New Farm, which fetched a mere $17.5 million.
Then there’s Brisbane’s highest-ever residential sale, which saw a fairly ordinary-looking 1990s home in New Farm snapped up for $25 million in November last year. Why did the triple-storey, four-bedroom property enjoy this price? The most likely answer: its 688sq m riverfront location with views across the Brisbane River and the Story Bridge.
But more on such sales a little later. For now, I had to find out more about these eight-figure buyers. I had a discussion with Propertybuyer’s Brisbane specialist, Glen Sainsbury, about these buyers, and we unearthed some compelling information and forecasts.
Westpac’s Prestige Property Report explained that overall, Australia’s prestige buyers are shaped by global considerations, rather than domestic interest rate changes and similar. Think equity markets, bonuses, offshore capital flows, and currency shifts. As a result, these buyers can utilise cash, rather than a mortgage, to buy property.
However, prestige purchasers in Brisbane and Queensland’s regional areas are also a little different from those in other states.
Firstly, the prestige market is still growing in the Sunshine State. Brisbane offers excellent prestige bang for your buck. Already, savvy high-net-worth buyers, both local and interstate, are taking note of the city’s premium possibilities. This crowd is commonly backed by highly successful businesses, including those in the mining and agriculture industries.
As with the broader, national prestige market, younger entrepreneurs with impressive funds to spare have also recently joined Brisbane’s prestige market. Meanwhile, the many new local buyers appreciate the chance to stay in their home state but still enjoy premium properties at relatively low prices.
It should be noted that these people are not just attracted to Brisbane’s gold-class properties either. They like Brisbane’s laid-back lifestyle, warm, sunny weather, and the many new infrastructure projects being planned here, in large part because of the city’s host role at the 2032 Olympic Games.
I have to agree with HTW when they described Brisbane’s 2025 prestige property market as a maturing, sophisticated arena attracting interstate and international capital. The firms spokesperson said that as a result, this resilient sector was enjoying some extraordinary sales and sustained demand from discerning purchasers.
Ray White goes further and believes Brisbane is now the fastest-growing luxury market in the country, along with the Gold and Sunshine coasts.
Unfortunately, Brisbane’s supply of prestige dwellings is limited. So, demand for these properties is competitive, and that’s why we’re seeing increasingly high prices for such homes, especially in traditionally premium suburbs like Hamilton and Ascot, as well as Bulimba and Balmoral.
These tightly held suburbs all offer CBD proximity, elite schools, and riverside and city scenery. Trendy Oxford Street in Bulimba and Racecourse Road in Ascot are well-known for their boutique shops, cafes, and urban village ambience. At the same time, Hamilton’s Portside Wharf features fine dining and riverfront entertainment options.
No Brisbane prestige property blog would be complete without a Hamilton home. This corner block property at 19 Circe Street sold for a whopping $15.1 million in July last year. That’s pretty impressive, but then again, it was once two houses that have now been renovated into one triple-storey, four-bedroom home on a 1512 square metre site. This includes a lift on each level, a climate-controlled wine-tasting room and a seven-vehicle garage, as well as the garden house and pool.
10 Circe St, Hamilton (source: realestate.com.au)
The name of this East Brisbane property says it all when it comes to ultra-prestige living. “Gucci Mansion” at 29 Laidlaw Parade sold for an undisclosed price, exceeding $13.1 million, in November. The triple-storey, 920 square metre waterfront home has 15 metres of river frontage. And that’s just the beginning. The “modern palazzo” also has a private lift, a fireplace, and wellness centre plus a pool, barbecues, entertainer’s bar and garden pavilion.
29 Laidlaw Pde, East Brisbane (source: realestate.com.au)
Then there’s this New Farm penthouse at 1821/22 Refinery Parade which sold for a reported $17.5 million in June. The exclusive Cutters Landing property on the Brisbane River’s waterfront features masses of indoor and outdoor living space, including a rooftop terrace plus an eight-car basement garage.
1821/22 Refinery Parade, New Farm (source: realestate.com.au)
Glen and I concur with HTW on this. Brisbane’s prestige market, particularly highly sought-after riverfront and inner-city locations, will remain resilient in 2026 and beyond. The city’s many other positive attractions, along with population growth, continue to underpin the long-term value proposition in local luxe real estate. Hence, it appeals to astute, top-end purchasers with secure finances.
In Brisbane’s prestige sector, long-term buyer appetite and continued scarcity of premium stock have created an environment where prestige buyers can enjoy an increasingly
sophisticated market. As such, it offers the premium crowd both immediate enjoyment and long-term capital appreciation.
In more good news for prestige buyers this year, Glen expects some lesser-known premium suburbs to start offering more gold-class properties soon. For example, Grange and Wilston in inner-north Brisbane are already up-and-coming locations for top-notch properties. But Glen believes these locations will evolve further in 2026, emerging as go-to suburbs for luxury buyers.
Ultra high-end Ascot and Hamilton, as well as riverfront homes in East Brisbane and Norman Park, will also continue to attract prestige buyers this year. So too will traditionally prestigious Bulimba, Balmoral and Hawthorne, while for luxury acreage holdings, you can’t go past Chandler, Belmont and Burbank on Brisbane’s outer south-eastern side.
Navigating Brisbane’s prestige property market isn't easy without the proper knowledge and networks. This is where having a skilled and experienced buying professional like Glen on your side becomes a value-add you can’t ignore. If you want to get a first look at a luxury home in the River City, contact Glen and his team. They help you secure an extraordinary home in this exciting sector.
To have one of the friendly Propertybuyer Buyers' Agents to contact you:
call us on 1300 655 615 today.