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Home › Market Insights › Property Clock: Which Property Markets Are Rising, Peaking, or Falling?
Timing your property sale can influence how much you walk away with. Many first-time home sellers often worry about choosing the wrong time to sell because the market can feel confusing. That is why the property clock matters. It gives you a simple way to understand where each Australian market sits in the cycle. It also helps you avoid guesswork when deciding whether to sell now or later. The concept is easy to follow once explained properly. Think of it as a visual guide that shows whether prices are rising, peaking, falling or recovering. This makes it especially useful for sellers who want to understand the likely level of demand and buyer competition in their area.
Herron Todd White’s Month in Review report is the most trusted version of the property clock in Australia. Their October 2025 edition provides updated national insights for houses, units and even industrial assets. The report tracks more than fifty capital city and regional markets across every state. It also shows how interest rates, migration and supply levels are influencing current movements. Many homeowners rely on these insights because they make it easier to plan their sale with confidence. When you know where your suburb sits on the cycle, you can adjust your strategy. This helps you either maximise your result or protect yourself in softer conditions.
Key Takeaways The 2025 property market is still dominated by rising and recovery conditions. Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and many regional centres are leading the growth cycle. Melbourne and a handful of regional markets are experiencing softer conditions. Unit markets have strengthened significantly in 2025. Understanding your market’s position on the property clock helps you choose the right selling strategy.
Key Takeaways
The property clock is a simple yet powerful visual mapping of where property markets sit in the cycle:
Far from arbitrary, each clock quadrant reflects real-world dynamics:
The property clock helps you plan around buyer demand. Selling in a rising or peaking market generally means more competition, more enquiries and a higher chance of multiple offers. Selling in a declining market usually means longer days on market and price-sensitive buyers. Many first-time sellers discover that timing alone can add tens of thousands to the final sale price. You do not need to wait for a perfect moment, however you do need to understand where your suburb is trending. This lets you plan around realistic expectations. It also helps you stage your home, choose your agent and set your pricing strategy with greater clarity.
The clock is not about predicting exact prices. It is about showing direction. It gives homeowners a tool to understand whether conditions are improving or weakening. This is especially important in 2025 because rising construction costs, tight rental markets and limited new housing supply are shaping each city differently. Some markets like Perth and Adelaide continue to strengthen. Other markets like Melbourne are slowing. When you know which phase you are in, you can adjust your selling plan accordingly. A rising market calls for strong auction campaigns. A declining market calls for sharper presentation and realistic pricing. This is how the clock helps everyday sellers make smarter decisions.
Understanding where your local market sits on the property clock can help you time your sale with greater confidence. Many first-time home sellers feel uncertain about whether the market is strengthening or softening. Herron Todd White’s October 2025 clocks give a reliable snapshot of more than fifty Australian markets. The clocks cover houses, units and even industrial property. By interpreting these positions correctly, you can decide whether to sell now, prepare for a later campaign or adjust your strategy based on buyer demand. This section breaks down each phase clearly and highlights which markets are rising, peaking, declining or bottoming. It also explains why these movements are happening and how they affect your selling experience.
When reading the lists below, remember that markets behave differently depending on population growth, rental demand, supply levels and buyer confidence. HTW’s commentary notes that the strongest demand in 2025 is coming from first-homebuyers and investors searching for affordable options. Units in particular have experienced a surge in demand over the past year, especially older low-rise apartments. These trends influence where each city or region sits on the clock. With interest rates stabilising and government schemes expanding, many markets are either rising or beginning to recover. Very few markets are in a severe downturn. This creates a more positive environment for sellers across Australia.
These markets are gaining strength. Sellers often see shorter campaigns, higher attendance at open homes and competitive offers. Based on HTW’s October 2025 houses clock, rising markets include:
What this means if you are selling:You are likely to see strong interest early in your campaign. Buyers feel confident and fear missing out. Well-presented homes often exceed price expectations.
Markets at the top of the cycle experience strong demand, but growth has slowed.
What this means:If you plan to sell, acting sooner may protect your result. Buyer urgency is still high, however conditions may soften shortly.
HTW shows limited house markets in decline, however notable declining markets include:
What this means:Presentation, realistic pricing and strong agent strategy become crucial. You can still achieve a strong result, but you will rely more on marketing quality.
These markets offer good value for buyers and steady conditions for sellers willing to price strategically.
What this means:You may not experience intense competition, however genuine buyers tend to be serious and ready to make offers. You can still sell well with correct pricing.
Unit markets have experienced strong improvement over the past twelve to eighteen months. HTW notes that older walk-up units have outperformed many detached homes due to affordability pressures.
According to HTW’s unit clock, rising markets include:
What this means:Unit sellers are in a strong position. Buyer demand is high due to affordability and government incentives. Many first-homebuyers are prioritising units because houses are out of reach.
HTW indicates limited unit markets at peak, however some regions such as:
What this means:If you are considering selling a unit in one of these areas, now may be the perfect time.
Very few unit markets are declining in October 2025.Notable areas include:
What this means:You can still sell well if you prepare properly, however buyer caution may slow your campaign.
HTW identifies several unit markets nearing or at the bottom:
What this means:You may have fewer buyers at first, however interest grows steadily once recovery begins.
Connect with an expert agent who knows how to navigate rising, peaking or recovering conditions.
The property clock is a great guide, but it’s not a magic predictor. Markets can move quickly, and local conditions often differ from the national picture.
The property clock is a compass, not a crystal ball. Use it for direction, not as definitive timing.
Perth and Brisbane are leading the way. Adelaide and parts of regional Queensland also show strong momentum, with projections ranging from 3–10% growth depending on forecasts
Lower rates boost affordability and demand, push markets into the rising/recovery phase. Higher rates suppress buying, potentially stalling prices or shifting markets toward peaking or decline.
Absolutely. Local factors shape timing: employment, infrastructure, migration, and supply dynamics can vary widely between regions.
Typically during the recovery or early rising phase, when prices are improving but not yet peaking.
No. HTW produces separate clocks for houses, units, and combined residential types, each can move on different cycles
