Short, dated notes on the Melbourne market — the numbers, the rules that change, and what we're seeing from the desk. We'd rather give you context than headlines, so every note carries its date.
Last updated · 24 June 2026From 1 July 2026, agents and property lawyers must verify their clients under Australia's AML/CTF law. Buyers connected to Vietnam are usually checked in depth, so here is a plain overview and a checklist of the documents to prepare.
Read note →Melbourne's median dwelling value sits near $812,621, about 2.9% below its November 2025 peak. With sales down roughly 14.2% on the year and listings above average, the balance has tilted toward buyers.
Read note →For the weekend ending 21 June, the combined capital-city clearance rate fell to 47.4%, its first dip below 50% since the start of the pandemic. Melbourne came in at 50.6%, down from 65.6% a year ago.
Read note →Victoria's temporary off-the-plan duty concession is open to every purchaser, including investors, companies and trusts. It lets you deduct construction costs from the dutiable value, and currently runs to contracts signed before 21 April 2027.
Read note →After three rate rises this year — in February, March and May — the Reserve Bank paused in June and held the cash rate at 4.35%. A breather for borrowers, though the bank hasn't ruled out more.
Read note →Melbourne's clearance rate slipped to around 53% in mid-June, down from 68% a year ago. Fewer homes are selling under the hammer — a calmer, more balanced market for patient buyers.
Read note →Until 30 June 2029, foreign buyers generally cannot purchase established dwellings in Australia — new and off-the-plan homes stay open with FIRB approval. If you're buying from overseas, this shapes everything.
Read note →The strongest homes we placed this season never reached the portals — they moved privately, between people who knew them. If you have the patience, off-market is where the considered choices still live.
Read note →Even as auction volumes soften, well-presented family homes in the inner east still draw genuine competition. Quality and scarcity — not the cycle — set their price.
Read note →Victoria still waives stamp duty for first homes up to $600,000, with a sliding concession to $750,000 — and the off-the-plan concession now runs to contracts signed before 21 April 2027. For the right buyer, they stack.
Read note →Off-the-plan can mean real stamp-duty savings and time to plan — but you're buying from drawings. The sunset clause and finishes schedule deserve as much attention as the floor plan.
Read note →With three rate rises early in the year, the pressure was to act fast. We often advised the opposite — let the right home find its moment. Patience has served our families better than any auction.
Read note →New to buying? Start with the calm, step-by-step guide.
Read the buying guide →No commitment, no pressure — just a quiet talk about what you're looking for and how we might help.
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