Domain report shows most sellers benefit as property prices rise and holding periods lengthen
Homeowners and investors realised substantial profits from property resales in the first half of 2025, according to new data from Domain Group.
The company’s latest Profit and Loss Report found that 97% of house resales and 88% of unit resales resulted in a profit nationwide, marking the highest levels in nearly two decades for houses and three years for units.
The report indicates that increasing property values and longer ownership periods have contributed to significant equity gains for sellers in most major cities. While some capital cities have not fully rebounded, locations such as Perth and Adelaide experienced notable annual growth in median resale profits.
For houses, Brisbane and Perth led the country, with more than 99% of sales delivering a profit. Sydney and Adelaide followed, with 97.9% and 97.3% of house sales profitable, respectively. Perth recorded the largest annual increase in house resale profits, up 22%, while Adelaide’s profits grew by nearly 20%. Sydney maintained the highest median profit at $700,500, reflecting its higher property prices.
Not all markets saw gains. House resale profits declined in Darwin and Melbourne, falling by 25.8% and 3.1%, respectively, while Canberra’s figures remained unchanged. Despite these declines, less than 4% of houses nationwide sold at a loss, with the median loss around $55,000.
Unit resale outcomes varied more widely across the capitals. Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth each saw over 97% of unit sales return a profit. Perth’s unit resale profits surged 55.5% year-on-year, with Brisbane and Adelaide up 40.4% and 37.4%, respectively. In contrast, only 73% of Melbourne’s and 53.4% of Darwin’s unit resales were profitable.
Brisbane and Adelaide unit sellers achieved the highest median profits, both exceeding $250,000, surpassing Sydney despite its generally higher prices. Regionally, unit sellers performed better than those in the combined capitals, with 95.7% of sales profitable compared to 85.6% in capital cities.
“The housing market's resilience continues to impress,” said Joel Bowman, senior economist at Domain. “Most sellers are making solid gains, in large part because they’re holding onto their properties longer, on average nine years for houses and eight for units, building significant equity over time.
“With ongoing undersupply and renewed price momentum already emerging, the outlook for profit-making resales remains positive across most regions throughout 2025.”
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