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Property stock has been scarce nationwide, but Sydney agents have remained busy as listings in the NSW capital surged in January.
While agents nationwide have seen listing increases at the beginning of January, supply levels are still below those of 12 months ago.
The property market has begun to pick up again following a slow holiday period, while a drop in listings highlighted the need to address supply issues or risk putting further upward pressure on prices, according to the latest data.
According to SQM Research, while the property market recorded a seasonal rebound following a typical drop over the holiday period, listing levels remain significantly lower than 12 months ago.
Total national property listings rose 3.1 per cent in January, with over 210,000 dwellings going to market, part of the return to regular service typically seen following the December slowdown.
SQM Research head of property Sam Tate said that despite month-to-month figures rising, listings are down 11 per cent compared to January last year, underscoring the extent of structural supply tightness across markets nationwide.
“January’s data reflects a fairly typical reopening of the housing market following the Christmas break,” Tate said.
“While listings have lifted modestly, the bigger picture is that stock levels remain well below last year, which continues to underpin prices in most capital cities.”
Across the capital cities, Sydney’s total listing numbers experienced the most significant jump in December, rising by 7.1 per cent.
Adelaide and Brisbane recorded the next strongest listing growth, with numbers climbing by 5.9 and 5.5 per cent, respectively.
Perth, Canberra, and Hobart all experienced a more moderate rise in listings, ranging from 2 to 4 per cent.
Despite being considered a strongly performing property market, Darwin was the only capital to experience a decline in total listings, with the number of dwellings coming to market falling by 0.7 per cent.
Tate said that, with data showing older stock was more prevalent in the market than new listings despite a 12 per cent drop compared to Jan 2025, buyers are taking more time and really considering their options.
“We’re also seeing some early accumulation in older listings, particularly in Melbourne and Adelaide, which suggests buyers are becoming more selective after strong price growth in 2025,” Tate said.
He said that with asking prices 11.4 per cent higher than the previous year, the data painted a picture of a property market seriously constrained by supply issues.
“Unless new listings rise materially in the coming months, upwards pressure on prices – especially in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide – is likely to persist through the first half of 2026,” he concluded.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mathew Williams
Born in the rural town of Griffith NSW, Mathew Williams is a graduate journalist who has always had a passion for storytelling. Having graduated from the University of Canberra with a Bachelor of Sports Media in 2023, Mathew recently made the move to Sydney from Canberra to pursue a career in journalism and has joined the Momentum Media team, writing for their real estate brands. Outside of journalism, Mathew is an avid fan of all things sports and regularly attends sporting events across Sydney. Get in touch at
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