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In Melbourne, the dream of owning a standalone house is slipping away for many potential buyers.
The disparity between house and unit values has become increasingly pronounced, making detached homes a distant goal for many.
According to data from CoreLogic, as of December 2024, typical Melbourne houses cost buyers 51.1%—or $310,202—more than units.
This gap has widened significantly over the years. Back in December 2014, the price difference was $121,322, a figure more than doubled today. Looking even further back to December 2004, the disparity was only $47,976, illustrating how housing affordability has shifted over time.
A similar trend is observed across various capital cities in Australia. Using PropTrack data, it's clear that since 2010, house prices in these cities have surged by around 123%, whereas units have only risen by 64%.
Tim Lawless, CoreLogic's head of research, explained that this growing gap implies that purchasing a unit no longer automatically leads to an eventual upgrade to a detached home. He stated, “Buying a unit probably used to be a bit of a stepping stone. You buy into the apartment sector and then hope to eventually upgrade into a larger, detached home, but with such a big price difference, and the fact that it’s probably been a lot harder for unit owners to accrue equity, that upgrading step is a lot more challenging now.â€
Brendan Coates from the Grattan Institute observes this from a land value perspective: “Land is scarce, and therefore it’s valuable, so if you want to have that backyard, you are going to pay a premium for it. Not everyone can have a freestanding house, and that means there’s more competition for the limited number of freestanding homes that exist.â€
The outlook is that the chasm between unit and house prices will continue to grow as cities expand and population numbers soar. The Urban Taskforce has projected dramatic changes, specifically noting that the share of detached houses in Sydney may decline to only 25% by 2057.
This transformation will echo across Australia’s capital cities as challenges associated with housing density and population growth come to the fore. Increased migration rates continue to exert upward pressure on property prices and rental costs, pushing affordable housing further out of reach for many urban dwellers.
The availability of detached houses is dwindling, resulting in soaring prices and fewer households having the luxury of a backyard, altering the property landscape of Australian cities.
Such developments suggest that future homeowners and city planners alike must adapt to changing trends in housing affordability and preferences, considering alternative living arrangements or innovative urban planning solutions.
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The Reserve Bank of Australia’s 3 November 2026 decision to lift the cash rate target by 25 basis points to 4.85 per cent gives Australian motorcycle buyers a fresh reason to slow down and test their numbers before committing to a new or used bike. The move follows stronger inflation readings, including September annual CPI of 4.3 per cent and trimmed mean inflation of 3. - read more
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Bike loans and personal loans can both be used to finance a motorcycle, but they work in different ways. The right option depends on how the loan is secured, how you want to use the funds, your credit profile, the bike you plan to buy and the repayment structure you are comfortable with. - read more
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Are you dreaming of hitting the open road on a brand-new motorcycle, but unsure about the financial leap it requires? Navigating the world of motorcycle loans can initially seem daunting, but understanding how to secure a favourable deal is crucial. - read more
Knowledgebase
Personal Loan: A personal loan is usually made by a financial institution to an individual person without the need for the provision of asset security. Personal loans can generally be obtained for any worthwhile purpose subject to the lending criteria of the financ
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