The short version.
The Gold Coast property market has shifted gears. After a strong run to early 2026, prices are easing, buyers have more choice and homes are taking longer to sell. Interest rates rose again this week, but rents remain near record highs and the local economy is strong.
Gold Coast property at a glance.
4.60%
Cash rate. The Reserve Bank lifted rates on 29 September, the fourth rise this year.
$1.57M
Median house price. The Gold Coast median house price in the June quarter 2026 (Fields Estate).
−8.6%
House asking prices. Gold Coast house asking prices are down 8.6% since March (SQM Research).
−16.4%
Unit asking prices. Gold Coast unit asking prices are down 16.4% since February (SQM Research).
24 days
Time to sell. Gold Coast houses sold in a median 24 days in the June quarter (Fields Estate).
$1,300
Weekly house rent. Gold Coast house asking rent. Units rent for about $896 a week and vacancy sits around 1% (SQM Research, REIQ).
What's driving the Gold Coast market.
Higher interest rates. The cash rate has risen a full 1 percentage point in 2026 to 4.60%. That cuts how much buyers can borrow, and it's the biggest reason prices have cooled.
More stock on the market. Listings have jumped compared with last year. Buyers can take their time, negotiate harder and compare more options.
Strong local fundamentals. The Gold Coast has about 700,000 residents and unemployment around 3.1%. It has added close to 89,000 jobs since Covid. Construction costs are forecast to keep rising, which limits new supply.
Gold Coast rental market.
Asking rents (week ending 28 September) are about $1,300 a week for houses and $896 a week for units (SQM Research).
Over the past year unit rents are up 7.3% and house rents are up 3.0%, so units have grown faster.
This month rents have flattened. House rents eased 1.2% and unit rents eased 0.4% over the past four weeks.
Vacancy is still tight at around 1%, well below the 2.6–3.5% range usually seen as a balanced market (REIQ).
What it means: landlords are still in a strong position, but tenants are pushing back on price. Well-presented properties priced at market are leasing fastest.
Gold Coast apartment market.
Dearer than Sydney. The Gold Coast median unit price reached $956,000 in September 2025, ahead of Sydney's $927,000. Unit values here have roughly doubled in ten years (Ray White / Neoval).
Beachside suburbs lead. Main Beach has a unit median of about $1.73 million, up $880,000 in a decade. Burleigh Heads units are up about $760,000 and Palm Beach about $740,000 over the same period.
Prices easing this year. With rates rising, Gold Coast unit asking prices are down 16.4% since February (SQM Research). Buyers have more choice and more room to negotiate than they've had in years.
Not enough new supply. 2,431 new apartments and townhouses were finished on the Gold Coast in 2025, down 6.3% on 2024. About 60% of apartments due in 2028 and 2029 are at moderate or high risk of delay (Property Council / Urbis, June 2026). Ray White says new stock under $750,000 is now almost impossible to deliver.
Not all apartments are equal. Boutique blocks and lifestyle units in Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise are still a seller's market. Large high-rise towers are more balanced, and buyers have more say (Propertybuyer, Q3 2026).
Units are the rental winners. Unit asking rents are up 7.3% over the past year, more than double the 3.0% rise for houses (SQM Research).
Spotlight: Surfers Paradise.
Units: median price $820,000, up 10.8% over the year to June. Median rent is $770 a week, a gross yield of about 5.0%. Units take about 32 days to sell.
Houses: median price about $1.73 million. Median rent is $1,265 a week, a yield of about 2.8%, and houses take about 33 days to sell.
An apartment market: more than 1,300 units sold in Surfers Paradise over the past year, compared with about 180 houses.
Our take: Surfers Paradise units offer some of the best rental yields on the coast. Tourism and short-stay demand keep occupancy strong. Buyers have more choice now, so well-priced units with views, parking and low body corporate fees are the ones selling.
Surfers Paradise figures: Cotality data via Your Investment Property, 12 months to June 2026.
Thinking of selling?
Price and presentation matter more than they did a year ago. Well-priced, well-presented homes are still selling. Homes priced on last year's figures are sitting on the market.
Looking to buy?
You have more choice and more room to negotiate than you've had in years. Get your finance pre-approved with the new 4.60% cash rate in mind.
Investors and landlords
Rents and vacancy still favour owners. Check that your rent matches the market, keep good tenants happy and ask us for a free rental appraisal.
Buying in Surfers?
Surfers Paradise units offer yields of around 5% with strong tourism and short-stay demand. Ask us which buildings are performing best right now.
What does this mean for your property?
Every street is different. Call Sam Mansy on 0455 501 167 for a free, no-obligation appraisal of your home or investment, and a plain-English read on where the Gold Coast market is heading.
Sources: Reserve Bank of Australia; SQM Research; Fields Estate; Ray White / Neoval; Property Council of Australia / Urbis; Propertybuyer; REIQ; Michael Matusik; Your Investment Property (Cotality suburb data). Figures current at 30 September 2026. General information only, not financial advice.