Key Takeaways:
More homes are available in many markets, giving buyers greater choice and more time to compare properties.
Negotiating opportunities may improve as some properties take longer to sell, although conditions vary by suburb and property type.
Borrowing capacity remains key because more listings don't necessarily make homes more affordable.
Being financially prepared may help buyers move confidently when they find a property that suits their budget and long-term plans.
After several years of intense competition, rushed inspections and pressure to make quick decisions, Australia’s property market is beginning to look different.
Property listings have increased across many parts of the country, giving buyers more homes to consider and, in some markets, greater scope to negotiate on price or contract terms.
That does not necessarily mean buying has become easy. Borrowing capacity and affordability among the biggest challenges, but financially prepared buyers may now have something that has been in short supply in recent years: choice.
Rather than competing with dozens of other buyers, some Australians are finding they have more time to compare properties and make informed decisions.
Why are buyers getting more choice?
Recent property data suggests buyers now have a broader range of homes to choose from than they did a year ago.
SQM Research's latest Listings Report found total residential listings increased during July, rising 12.4% to 278,984 dwellings nationally. Total listings were also 22.8% higher than in July 2025.
While that may suggest more sellers are entering the market, the picture is more nuanced.
According to Cotality’s Home Value Index for July, the flow of new listings has recently slowed as some homeowners delay selling in weaker conditions. However, total advertised stock remains elevated as demand has softened and properties take longer to sell.
Cotality head of research Gerard Burg said new listings had declinedin recent weeks, particularly in Sydney, as some potential vendors waited for conditions to improve.
“However, this trend has lagged the decline in demand, as evidenced by total listings numbers that have continued to track higher,” he said.
For buyers, the result is that more properties may remain available to inspect and compare, providing additional time to consider their options before making an offer.
What higher listings actually mean for buyers
An increase in advertised properties doesn't automatically mean home prices are falling or that every buyer will find a bargain.
However, higher stock levels and slower sales may contribute to more balanced conditions, particularly where sellers face less competition between buyers.
Harrison Runje of Aussie Benowa said the shift has been noticeable in his local market compared with just a few months ago.
“I think it's definitely a buyer's market in terms of buyers having the power now, as opposed to three to six months ago when it was more of a seller's market,” he said.
While buyer confidence has softened, Runje said many buyers who remain active are finding they have more negotiating power than they did several months ago.
Hamish Crawford of Aussie Stones Corner has observed a similar shift.
“There are more options, and I think properties are coming onto the market and actually staying on the market longer,” he said.
Crawford recently visited a real estate office where four of eight scheduled open homes had no attendees. He estimated that six months earlier, similar inspections may have attracted 15 to 20 groups.
While conditions vary between suburbs, property types and price points, brokers say some buyers may now have more opportunity to compare properties, negotiate where appropriate and make decisions without the same urgency seen earlier this year.
Before making an offer, it remains important to understand your borrowing capacity, expected repayments and whether seeking pre-approval may be appropriate for your circumstances.
What this means for buyers
If you're actively looking to buy, more available properties could provide:
More time to inspect and compare homes
Greater scope to negotiate in some markets
Less pressure to make an immediate decision
More flexibility around finance, cooling-off or settlement conditions, depending on the property, seller, contract and local laws
Having more properties to choose from doesn't change your borrowing capacity. Before making an offer, it remains important to understand your borrowing capacity, expected repayments and upfront purchasing costs.
An Aussie Broker can help assess what may be achievable based on your circumstances and compare lenders and loan features.
Buyers may have more negotiating power, but every market is different
One of the biggest changes brokers are seeing isn't just the number of homes available. It's how buyers are behaving.
Scott Adams, a mobile Aussie Broker, said many of his clients are approaching their property search with greater patience than they would have during the previous market cycle.
“Buyers have more leverage,” he said.
“They have less competition on each property and are genuinely in a position where there are two to three suitable properties on the market that they can simultaneously negotiate on in many cases.”
Adams said some buyers were also narrowing their search to preferred locations rather than compromising because of limited stock.
That additional flexibility doesn't mean buyers will be able to negotiate on every property.
That does not mean every seller will negotiate. Well-priced homes in tightly held areas may still attract several offers, while some vendors may choose not to sell if their expectations are not met.
Buyers should consider recent comparable sales, local demand and the property’s time on market before deciding how to structure an offer.
First-home buyers may have more opportunities, but affordability remains the biggest hurdle
For many first-home buyers, fewer bidding wars and more available properties may provide greater opportunity to compare homes and organise finance before making an offer.
Runje said owner-occupiers appear to be benefiting from reduced investor activity.
“A lot of the time investors would come over the top and outbid owner-occupiers,” he said.
“I think real estate agents are now looking at every bid that comes in, whether it's from an investor or not.”
He said many owner-occupiers are now finding their offers receive greater consideration simply because there are fewer competing buyers.
Borrowing capacity remains one of the biggest barriers for many buyers, particularly singles entering the market on one income.
Crawford recently worked with a client who had saved a six-figure deposit but still found her purchasing options limited.
“I've got a single client with a $100,000 deposit, but her borrowing capacity is only around $500,000, even with no debts,” he said.
“She's limited to around a $600,000 purchase, and there's just nothing really around for that price.”
For many buyers, that means adjusting expectations around location, property type or size while continuing to work towards their long-term goals.
You might also be interested in: First-home buyers adapt to changing market
Patience helped one family buy closer to home
One of Runje’s clients had been searching for almost a year while hoping to remain in the northern Gold Coast area.
Runje said similar townhouses had been selling for around $800,000 six months earlier, placing them outside the client’s budget. They later secured a townhouse in Coomera for $735,000.
He said their patience and willingness to keep reviewing their options helped them find a property within budget.
“We looked at market trends, what interest rates were doing and what the government was doing,” he said.
“What you want is out there, but you need to pull it back a bit and keep looking because the time will come when something comes up.”
While every buyer's circumstances are different, the experience highlights how patience and understanding your budget may create opportunities when market conditions change.
The bottom line
More homes on the market won't automatically make buying easier, but they may give buyers something many have lacked in recent years: time to compare, negotiate and make informed decisions.
Borrowing capacity and ongoing repayment affordability remain central to any purchasing decision. Before making an offer, buyers may wish to review their budget, understand the conditions attached to any loan pre-approval and consider how the property is likely to meet their needs over the longer term.
An Aussie Broker can help you understand your borrowing power, compare lenders and loan features, and assess what may be achievable based on your circumstances before you begin making offers.
