Market Update - May 2026

A More Balanced Autumn Market

As we move through Autumn, the Sydney property market across Hunters Hill, Ryde, Gladesville and Canada Bay continues to show resilience, with buyer and tenant demand remaining strong despite ongoing affordability pressures and a more cautious lending environment.

Sales Market Snapshot

In the sales market, well-presented homes in sought-after lifestyle locations are continuing to perform strongly, particularly renovated family homes, low-maintenance townhouses and quality apartments close to transport, schools and village hubs. While buyers are still active, they are taking a little more time to make decisions and are becoming increasingly selective when it comes to value, presentation and pricing.

Across Hunters Hill and Canada Bay, tightly held family homes continue to attract solid interest, especially properties offering generous living spaces and outdoor entertaining areas. In Ryde and Gladesville, demand has remained steady thanks to the areas’ affordability relative to surrounding suburbs, excellent connectivity and continued appeal to young families, professionals and downsizers.

Stock levels have improved slightly compared to earlier in the year, giving buyers more choice, however quality properties are still achieving strong competition when priced appropriately and presented well. Auction activity across Sydney has eased marginally from the peak of the summer market, creating a more balanced environment for both buyers and sellers.

From a vendor perspective, we are still seeing healthy depth of buyer enquiry across most price points, however the strength of demand varies depending on budget. The entry-level market (generally under $1.5M) continues to attract the widest pool of active buyers, particularly first home buyers and investors. The mid-market ($1.5M–$3M) remains the most consistently competitive segment, underpinned by strong family demand across all four suburbs. In the prestige market (above $3M), the buyer pool becomes more selective, however highly qualified purchasers remain active for well-located, high-quality homes, particularly in Hunters Hill and premium pockets of Canada Bay.

Federal Budget & Market Outlook

The recent Federal Budget announcements have also become a major talking point across the property industry. Proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions are expected to influence investor activity over the coming years, particularly in established property markets.

While the full impact is still uncertain, many economists expect the changes to slightly slow overall price growth and shift more investor focus toward new developments and housing supply projects. For our local market, this could create opportunities for owner-occupiers and first home buyers, particularly in the apartment and townhouse sectors, while quality family homes in tightly held suburbs are still expected to remain in strong demand.

At the same time, any reduction in investor activity may continue to place pressure on rental supply in the short term.

Rental Market Remains Competitive

The rental market remains one of the strongest sectors locally. Demand for rental properties throughout Hunters Hill, Ryde, Gladesville and Canada Bay continues to outweigh supply, particularly for updated apartments, family homes and properties located close to public transport and local amenities.

With vacancy rates remaining low, well-presented rental properties are leasing quickly, often with multiple applications received after the first inspection. Rental prices have continued to hold firm across most property types, providing positive conditions for landlords while making competition challenging for tenants searching within the area.

Looking Ahead

As we head into the cooler months, we expect market activity to remain steady. Buyers and tenants are continuing to prioritise quality, lifestyle and convenience, while sellers and landlords who focus on presentation, realistic pricing and tailored marketing strategies are continuing to achieve excellent results.

If you’re considering buying, selling, leasing or investing, our team is always here to provide tailored advice and a local market perspective.