Home buyers flood urban growth areas and regions in search of value

Home buyers are balancing affordability with lifestyle, while navigating ongoing cost pressures and evolving market conditions.

That’s the main message from property software experts InfoTrack in their latest Property Market Update.

The report’s findings are based on transactions in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland in the first three months of 2026 on the company’s SecureXchange conveyancing platform.

The company says its data provides a clear opportunity for real estate agents “to align listings, marketing strategies and client conversations with what buyers are actively prioritising right now.”

While squarely aimed at property market professionals, InfoTrack’s analysis offers savvy investors plenty of strategic insights into areas where strong demand is emerging.

New South Wales

InfoTrack says buyers in New South Wales are overwhelmingly favouring houses, with freestanding homes accounting for 66.81% of transactions in the first three months of 2026, up from 64.48% last quarter.

The data company says this reinforces a sustained shift toward space, flexibility and long-term value by buyers.

However, strata properties (townhouses and apartments) have also bounced back to account for 27.04% of transactions, after a softer end to 2025 (24.52%).

In contrast, purchases of vacant land have fallen sharply to 6.15% from 11% in the last three months of 2025, with InfoTrack saying this suggests “new build and land banking activity is being constrained due to construction costs and feasibility challenges.”

Regional centres in New South Wales continue to attract strong buyer interest, with Port Macquarie (1), Dubbo (2) and Orange (3) seeing the most transactions in the first quarter of 2026.

“These locations offer a compelling mix of affordability and lifestyle, particularly for buyers being priced out of metro markets and seeking more space and value,” InfoTrack says.

However, growth corridor suburbs in Western Sydney were also popular, as InfoTrack says they “remain a consistent and reliable source of demand.”

Austral (4), Box Hill (5), Rouse Hill (6) and Blacktown (8) have all featured in the top 10 suburbs over the past three quarters, supported by infrastructure investment, new housing supply and relative affordability to the rest of metro Sydney.

With affordability top of mind for first-home buyers, strata purchases of apartments and townhouses accounted for 74.26% of purchases, although houses have gained some traction, accounting for 23.26% of sales.

InfoTrack says this potentially reflects support from recent first-home buyer scheme changes.

First-home buyer hotspots in Sydney for the latest quarter “highlight a clear balance between price and connectivity,” according to InfoTrack, led by Parramatta (1), Liverpool (2), Rouse Hill (4) and Penrith (6).

“The latest data reflects a market adapting to ongoing economic pressures,” says Sandra Falzon, InfoTrack’s Chief Marketing Officer.

“Buyers are weighing costs and opportunities more carefully, with regional markets such as Port Macquarie leading the way and helping to shape the New South Wales property landscape.”

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Queensland

In Queensland, InfoTrack says houses continue to lead as the most popular choice for buyers, edging up to a 60.23% market share from 59.8% in the last three months of 2025.

Strata property transactions have decreased slightly to 24.83%, down from 25.09%, with vacant land still quite high at 14.94% of all transactions.

InfoTrack says that suggests there’s continued interest in new builds in the Sunshine State.

Queensland’s housing market is being driven by growth corridors, with Caboolture - between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast - holding the top position in Quarter 1 of 2026.

InfoTrack says the area has been in the top handful of areas targeted by buyers since the second quarter of 2025, highlighting “its ongoing appeal driven by location, affordability and demand.”

“Across outer Brisbane, Springfield Lakes (2), Redbank Plains (5), Morayfield (6) and Burpengary (8) have remained consistent performers in the Top 10 since Q2 2025, attracting buyers seeking family-friendly locations with strong value,” the data company says.

“These corridors are becoming key growth areas in early 2026,” notes InfoTrack’s Chief Operating Officer, Lee Bailie.

Demand for apartments remains strong in lifestyle locations, with the Gold Coast continuing to dominate, with Surfers Paradise (1), Southport (2), Coolangatta (5), Mermaid Beach (6), Labrador (7), and Broadbeach (9) all making the list.

InfoTrack says Surfers Paradise has retained the top spot for the fourth consecutive quarter, “highlighting the sustained appeal of coastal apartment living.”

In Brisbane, the company says unit demand is concentrated in inner-city locations, with Brisbane City (4), West End (8) and Fortitude Valley (9) all reflecting ongoing demand for proximity to the CBD.

Victoria

InfoTrack’s sales figures for the first three months of 2026 show Tarneit in Melbourne’s outer-west and Melbourne CBD retaining their dominance at the top of the table - Tarneit popular with house buyers and Melbourne CBD for apartment purchases.

However, one of the standout trends this quarter is the influx of new entrants, with large regional centres such as Mildura (3), Warrnambool (6) and Traralgon (7) joining the top ten list for suburbs with the most transactions.

InfoTrack says the newfound popularity of the three big towns highlights “how far buyers are willing to move for value.”

More established Melbourne suburbs, Reservoir (9) and Frankston (10), also made the Top 10 list, signaling what InfoTrack says is “a continued shift toward affordability and lifestyle-driven decision-making.”