Raine & Horne reports significant year-on-year (YOY) growth across several key Australian housing market metrics for December 2024, pointing to a strong autumn selling season ahead.

Across Raine & Horne’s national network, the number of appraisals increased 12% YOY in December 2024, driving a 4.3% YOY rise in listings for the month. 

Despite December traditionally being a quiet month for residential property, Raine & Horne recorded an 89.4% YOY increase in attendees at Open for Inspections (OFIs), indicating continued strong buyer activity.

Mr Angus Raine, Executive Chairman, Raine & Horne said, “We know that appraisals in winter translate to sales in spring, and the high volume of appraisals we saw in December 2024 points to a very robust property market as we head into late summer/autumn 2025. 

“This is further supported by an 89.4% YOY rise in buyers inspecting homes listed for sale through Raine & Horne. 

“What is especially interesting about these figures is that they reflect a highly active property market in a month that is typically one of the quieter periods on the calendar. This bodes well for the market for remainder of summer and into autumn,” added Mr Raine.

The strength of the market is expected to be impacted by the Reserve Bank’s interest rate decision in early February, and potentially by the disruption of the upcoming federal election.

“High interest rates and the 3% rate buffer imposed on lenders by APRA is negatively impacting the borrowing power of Australian home buyers.

In light of inflation figures that are now within the Reserve Bank’s target range[1] we are calling on the Reserve to lower the cash rate in February and give more Australians the opportunity to buy a home of their own” concluded Mr Raine.

[1] https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/cpi-rises-02-december-2024-quarter