Inner-city and regional centres across four states identified as key future growth markets
Ten housing markets across inner-city and major regional areas in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania have been highlighted as offering some of the strongest prospects for long-term capital growth, in a new report that emphasises early‑cycle opportunities over recent price outperformers.
The latest National Top 10 Best Buys report by property research firm Hotspotting focuses on markets it considers to be earlier in their growth cycle. The list includes Inner Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Greater Hobart, Launceston, the City of Casey, Greater Geelong, Latrobe City, Tamworth, Parramatta and the Hunter Valley.
Read more below about why these 10 locations were identified as key future growth markets.
Inner Brisbane, QLD
Inner Brisbane is supported by a large infrastructure pipeline ahead of the 2032 Olympics and strong demand for attached dwellings within about eight kilometres of the CBD. Unit prices remain more accessible than houses, offering investors lower entry points into an inner‑city market.
Sunshine Coast, QLD
The Sunshine Coast has shifted from a holiday market to a diversified growth region, with population inflows and investment in health, education, tourism and digital infrastructure. The new Maroochydore city centre is expected to anchor higher‑value jobs and long‑term housing demand.
Greater Hobart, TAS
Greater Hobart benefits from physical development constraints, higher‑value industries and a project pipeline that supports jobs in health care, marine science, advanced manufacturing and Antarctic research. Suburbs such as Glenorchy offer relatively lower entry prices and are likely to absorb much of the region’s infill‑driven housing supply.
Greater Launceston, TAS
Greater Launceston combines relative affordability with a diverse economy and solid rental returns. Major drivers include the expansion of Launceston General Hospital, renewable energy projects and new AI‑related investment at St Leonards.
City of Casey, VIC
The City of Casey offers steady sales volumes and house prices starting in the low-$600,000s, keeping a broad owner‑occupier and first‑home buyer base active. Strong population growth to 2041 underpins housing demand, with the most resilient pockets linked to transport, schools and key services.
Greater Geelong, VIC
Greater Geelong has transitioned from a manufacturing centre to a diversified regional city anchored by defence, health, education and logistics. Record infrastructure spending and business park development are expected to support further population and housing growth.
Latrobe City, VIC
Latrobe City remains one of Victoria’s more affordable markets, with several towns recording median house prices below $400,000. Strong yields, low vacancies and an evolving economic base position the area as a growth‑and‑income play for investors.
Tamworth, NSW
Tamworth acts as a regional hub for northern NSW, with employment spread across agriculture, mining, tourism, aviation, health care and education. The Tamworth Global Gateway Park and its planned freight hub, alongside large‑scale renewable energy projects, are expected to strengthen jobs and housing demand.
Parramatta, NSW
Parramatta is consolidating its role as Sydney’s second CBD, with a gross regional product of about $31 billion and extensive transport and civic investment. Projects such as Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Light Rail and build‑to‑rent schemes are reshaping the housing market, particularly for well‑located apartments.
Hunter Valley, NSW
The Hunter region is a large, diversified economy with a growing population and a gross regional product of $95 billion. Transport upgrades and faster links between Sydney and Newcastle, combined with employment in health care, mining, agriculture and other sectors, are expected to sustain housing demand in established centres.
Hotspotting said some of the strongest performers of recent years were excluded from the new list because its research suggests their future upside is more limited.
“We focus on long-term, lower-risk growth rather than short-term hype,” said Terry Ryder, founder of Hotspotting. “We’re thinking about what the market can deliver over five and 10 years, not whether it has had a good recent quarter. We’re looking for depth of demand, consistent sales activity, tight rental conditions, diverse economies, and clear drivers such as infrastructure investment, employment growth and population shifts.”
“Darwin is a prime example,” added Tim Graham, director at Hotspotting. “It continues to rank strongly, but market heat and competition have lifted to the point that buying well is increasingly difficult.
“This is why this edition also does not include Perth because after multiple years of standout growth, the market has moved through its strongest phase. Some Perth unit pockets may still perform well, but there are now better ‘next wave’ opportunities elsewhere for buyers who want to get ahead of the cycle.”
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