The top 5 property stories of the week

Tips for buying a house before selling, the Australian suburbs most popular with investors and a mansion in Adelaide tipped to break new state record, here’s the top Australian real estate news from last week.

The fundamentals you should look at when deciding to sell or buy a home, new data reveals Australia’s most popular suburbs for investors and a grand Leabrook mansion that once played host to British royalty up for sale.

Welcome to our weekly round-up of the latest property news, where we look at the top stories in real estate across Australia. To compile this list, we gather the week’s most read stories and news that matters to you from our site and sister brands to deliver your need-to-know property report.

Here are the biggest Australian real estate news stories of the week.

1. Home move you don’t want to get terribly wrong

There are several fundamentals you should look at when deciding to sell or buy a home . According to Hotspotting managing director and property expert Terry Ryder, researching price growth in your suburb over the past few years can give a good indicator of where you are in the cycle. But if you are a homebuyer staying in your own neighbourhood rather than an investor, he cautions against waiting to buy unless there is reason to think prices will crash.

Auction turnout could indicate how much demand is in the market. Picture: Supplied.

Find out the questions you should ask and when is the best time to sell or buy a house in Australia.

2. Aussie suburbs most popular with property investors

According to fresh data from the Commonwealth Bank, new property investors are zeroing in on the Sydney CBD, the Harbour City’s north west and Melbourne’s northern suburbs. The Active Property Investors report said that the national age of property investors in Australia is 43, with the average loan size just over $500k.

See the full list of Australian suburbs most popular with real estate investors.

3. 95 of Melbourne’s richest suburbs get richer

Home prices in a growing share of Melbourne’s richest suburbs are climbing back towards record levels. New figures from the Real Estate Institute of Victoria show the city’s median house price rose $18,000 to $928,500 in the first three months of 2024 — though it was still down $75,000 compared to a year ago.

10 May Rd, Toorak, sold for $1.75m in February — shows the kind of more affordable addresses that helped lower the standing of what is normally Melbourne’s priciest postcode in the three months to the end of March.

Find out the most expensive Melbourne suburbs where house prices continue to rise.

4. Leabrook mansion in Adelaide tipped to break new state record

A grand Leabrook mansion in Adelaide, that once played host to British royalty, can now be yours. The family home of almost 70 years of the late Elizabeth “Bardie‘’ Penfold Simpson and Tom Simpson has hit the market, offering plenty of character charm and room to move on its whooping 6496 sqm allotment. Selling agent Jamie Brown of Booth Real Estate said the property will likely set a new benchmark for prestige SA real estate.

39 Rochester Street, Leabrook is set to break a new South Australian record.

Read more about how Leabrook mansion could set a new benchmark for SA real estate.

5. Crumbling riverfront mansion lands enormous kitty for RSPCA

A riverfront home in Brisbane high end suburb Chelmer has landed an enormous kitty for the RSPCA after selling at auction.. The three bedroom, triple bathroom home on a prime 675 sqm riverfront site at Queenscroft Street was gifted to the RSPCA, according to property records.

See full details and latest Queensland auction results.

Remember, if you’re house hunting, moving, selling or renovating this weekend we’ve got a whole heap more tips and guides to help you out. Check out the latest property news.