October delivered a surge in Sydney property activity as buyers and sellers rushed to settle before Christmas – but the market now faces a more constrained environment heading into 2026, according to BresicWhitney.
Record October caps year of growth.
Record October caps year of growth.
BresicWhitney has recorded its strongest trading period of the year, with October 2025 delivering $407 million in sales across Sydney's lifestyle markets – representing what the group describes as a "final pre-Christmas surge" in buyer and seller activity.
BresicWhitney saw momentum build through October, with property sales up 38 per cent and listings up 44 per cent compared to October 2024. The group sold 175 homes across the month, while new listings climbed to 172 properties. The figures underscore heightened market participation as buyers and sellers moved to settle transactions before year's end. The group's auction clearance rate has remained steady at 81 per cent, above the Sydney average (Domain) of 69%.
Conversely, off-market activity has remained robust, as the market continues to respond positively to the discreet and efficient results this method of sale can offer. 20% of the homes sold by BresicWhitney over 2025 to date - totalling $2.6 billion - have transacted exclusively on bw.com.au, meaning the properties did not appear on the major advertising portals.
Sydney's rental market remained active throughout October, with BresicWhitney leasing 146 properties across the month – a 28 per cent increase on October 2024's 114 leases. For the financial year to date, the group has leased 581 homes, up from 531 over the same period last year.
Broader market data from Cotality showed Sydney dwelling values rose 0.7 per cent in October – well below the national average of 1.1 per cent and slower than Melbourne's 0.9 per cent monthly growth. This marked a deceleration from Sydney's 0.8 per cent growth in September, with affordability barriers increasingly constraining price growth across the city.
Field notes.
October's sales activity reflected BresicWhitney's transactional diversity across Sydney's lifestyle markets and price points. Family homes transacted strongly, with a freestanding Balmain residence achieving $4.5 million and a renovated Victorian family home in Enmore selling for $4.31 million. The Eastern Suburbs saw continued depth, including a renovated Victorian terrace in Paddington at $4.62 million, while architectural apartments performed well, with a Waterloo penthouse settling north of $3 million. Apartments and terraces also traded actively, with a one-bedroom Elizabeth Bay apartment at $775,000 and a two-storey Victorian terrace in Darlington achieving $2.2 million.
Downsizers were also active, including a single-level freestanding house in Stanmore purchased for $2.59 million by a buyer from across the street – illustrating the hyperlocal appeal of Sydney's established neighbourhoods. The Inner West saw strong momentum, with Sydenham recording two suburb records in a single month – a former bakery selling for $2.39 million and a character cottage achieving $2.22 million prior to auction, illustrating sustained buyer demand across Sydney's emerging lifestyle markets.
Rate reality sets in.
BresicWhitney CEO Thomas McGlynn said the market was recalibrating expectations around monetary policy, with implications for activity levels through the remainder of the year.
"It's likely that we won’t see further movement on interest rates until 2026 and the market is already adjusting to that reality. We expect auction clearance rates will soften across the remainder of 2025, in line with more property on the market in total and a portion of buyers now pausing until the New Year. October's strong activity represents a focused push from those looking to maximise current opportunities and reflects the confidence that underpins the headwinds and tailwinds of any given Sydney property cycle,” he said.
“Sydney needs another interest rate cut to restore broad-based buyer confidence and outcomes for sellers. However the RBA is unlikely to move given strong price growth in other capital cities, so what we may see over the short-term is that Sydney is constrained by national monetary policy.”
Mr McGlynn pointed to recent inflation data as further evidence that rate relief would remain out of reach in the near term.
"The jump in annual headline inflation – up to 3.2 per cent in the September quarter from 2.1 per cent in June – reinforces the likelihood that current market conditions will persist. Cost-of-living pressures, low supply and barriers to entry or upsize remain at the centre of decision-making for many.”
Year-end outlook.
While Sydney's property fundamentals remain resilient – supported by strong population growth and strong demand for well-located homes across the lifestyle market – the absence of near-term rate relief will temper transactional momentum heading into 2026. BresicWhitney anticipates measured buying and selling activity across November and December, without the urgency that defined October.
“For sellers, this environment reinforces the importance of property presentation, pricing that meets the market, and flexibility as to how and when a property might sell. Transactional activity is now less reliant on traditional seasons, which by and large is a positive. This means that there will be those watching the market closely over the summer period, confident to move on opportunities as they present themselves.”
