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Australia’s Mortgage Stress Peaks Amid Rising Interest Rates

The Australian housing market is in the process of a new transition period exacerbated by economic uncertainties, policy measures, and shifts in demand. Increasing mortgage strain, varying interest rates, and regional imbalances will be defining propelling factors of property dynamics in 2025. Cities may register new price surges while stagnation or price declines will be the norm for other metropolitan areas which makes insights into the market critical for homeowners, prospective buyers, and investors.

Intensifying Mortgage Strain

Around 29% of Australian mortgage holders are “at risk,” according to the latest figures released by Roy Morgan, marking record levels since August 2024. This is further exacerbated by stubbornly high core inflation rates of 5.2% due to increased household expenses. In addition to this, the housing sub-index of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 7% over the last year which is making the prospect of owning a home increasingly unrealistic

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source:https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/australian-housing-market

Interest Rate Movement and Property Market Performance Expectations

About offer level concerns, the Reserve Bank of Australia RBA managed to ease the interest rate earlier this month by 0.25% to 4.1% in February this year which marks a tilt on monetary policy. Analysts are betting on additional cuts to take place sooner which will bring the cash rate down to 3.35% by December 2025. The reductions are aimed at increasing borrowing capacity, relieving mortgage burden, and stabilising property value.

Demographic Influences on Housing Demand

Australia’s population increase is a factor of concern when it comes to the housing market. By 2024, net migration is estimated to have increased the urban population by about 250,000. Projections for 2025 suggest a decline to 200,000 new urban residents because of new immigration policies. Even with a slowdown in migration, the need for housing in key cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane is still very high. 

Regional Housing Market Performance in 2025

Perception about 2025 housing market performance seems to vary regionally as experts have mixed forecasts:

Perth & Adelaide– Anticipated to outperform the rest of the market with price growth of up to 6 % owing to high migration and expensive construction costs.

Melbourne – Might experience stagnant growth or a slight decline owing to finances and changes in demand trends.

National Outlook– REA Group’s Cameron Kusher expects up to 4 % national price growth. Contrarily SQM Research’s Louis Christopher suggests 1 to 4 % growth depending on interest rates.

South-East Queensland– Expected to remain buoyant owing to ongoing infrastructure spending and migration from other states.

Summary of Findings

As it currently stands, there is a notable intersection in the dynamics of Australia’s housing market in 2025. This is a result of the existing stress on mortgage affordability, the expected cuts to interest rates, and the disparity between regions. Population policies are expected to enhance optimism towards the housing market while demographic shifts and construction costs will sustain the momentum of market changes. Homeowners, investors, and first-time buyers are advised to understand these changes to make appropriate decisions in the shifting real estate markets.
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