Total value of residential dwellings exceeds $8 trillion

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Released
15/06/2021
Source
Residential Property Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities, March 2021

The total value of Australia’s 10.6 million residential dwellings rose by $449.9 billion to $8,293.2 billion in the March quarter 2021, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This was the largest rise on record for this series. The mean price of residential dwellings in Australia was $779,000 up from $739,900 in the December quarter 2020. 

Head of Prices Statistics at the ABS, Michelle Marquardt said: "The total value of residential dwellings in Australia surpassed $8 trillion for the first time. NSW accounted for approximately 40 per cent or $3.3 trillion of Australia's total value of dwellings. The average price of residential dwellings in NSW rose to $1.01 million. This was the first time any state or territory had seen the average price of dwellings rise above $1 million."

Residential property prices rose 5.4 per cent in the March quarter 2021. This was the strongest quarterly growth since the December quarter 2009.

All capital cities recorded a rise in residential property prices in the March quarter 2021, led by Sydney (+6.1 per cent) and Melbourne (+5.1 per cent). Property prices also rose in Perth (+5.2 per cent), Brisbane (+4.0 per cent), Adelaide (+4.0 per cent), Canberra (+5.6 per cent), Hobart (+6.1 per cent), and Darwin (+4.7 per cent).

"Results this quarter were consistent with housing market conditions. Strong demand for housing was supported by record low interest rates, government initiatives, and rising consumer confidence. Price rises were observed in all segments of the housing market with growth in house prices continuing to outpace price growth in attached dwellings" Ms Marquardt said. 

House prices rose 6.4 per cent, while attached dwelling prices rose 2.7 per cent. The rise in house prices this quarter was the strongest since the series began in March quarter 2002.

Annually, residential property prices rose 7.5 per cent, with rises in all capital cities. The largest annual rise in property prices was in Canberra (+10.9 per cent), followed by Hobart (+10.2 per cent), and Perth (+9.0 per cent). 

Further details can be found in Residential Property Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities, available for free download from the ABS website: http://www.abs.gov.au.

Media notes

  • Established houses are detached residential dwellings on their own block of land, regardless of age.
  • The term 'attached dwellings' includes flats, units and apartments plus semi-detached, row and terrace houses.
  • The value and mean price of residential dwellings includes any land.
  • When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
  • For media requests and interviews, contact the ABS Media Team via media@abs.gov.au (8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri).
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