A major bank has recorded rising owner-occupier purchases in areas of Brisbane, despite weaker activity elsewhere in the city as the broader mortgage downturn intensifies.
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has recorded rising owner-occupier purchases in Brisbane East despite weaker activity elsewhere in the city, highlighting localised lending strength as affordability pressures squeeze the housing market.
New lending data released by the major bank showed that purchases in Brisbane East climbed 17 per cent between FY2024–25 and FY2025–26, while Brisbane South declined 3 per cent and Brisbane Inner City slipped 2 per cent.
Rebecca Markwell, CBA’s general manager of home buying, said the differences demonstrated why city-wide figures could obscure localised shifts in purchasing activity.
“The different patterns across Brisbane show that owner-occupier activity can evolve quite differently from one part of the city to another, making the local picture increasingly important to understanding the broader market,” she said.
Growth extends beyond Brisbane’s traditional core
Logan–Beaudesert meanwhile recorded a 92 per cent increase in owner-occupier purchases between FY2020–21 and FY25–26, outpacing the other eight Greater Brisbane areas analysed over that five-year period.
Markwell said the result reflected a sustained shift towards locations outside Brisbane’s established centre, rather than a recent change in buying patterns.
“The longer-term picture is particularly interesting because it shows some of these changes have been building over a number of years,” she said.
“Logan-Beaudesert’s growth in owner-occupier buying suggests areas outside Brisbane’s traditional core are playing an increasingly significant role in the broader metropolitan housing market.”
The bank also found that across Queensland, purchases by owner-occupiers aged 20-29 increased 67 per cent between FY20–21 and FY25–26, compared with 46 per cent nationally.
Markwell said growing participation in outer-metropolitan and regional locations was changing the geographical spread of Queensland’s purchasers.
“This points to a home buying market that is opening to a broader mix of buyers across more parts of the state,” she said.
“Houses also account for a larger share of owner-occupier purchases in Queensland than they do nationally. Together, these trends suggest many buyers are looking further afield in search of affordable detached housing, which highlights the importance of delivering the right housing in the right locations to meet growing demand.”
The contrast comes as Brisbane dwelling prices retreat after roughly doubling since early 2020.
Prices dropped 1 per cent in August and 2.7 per cent over the three months to August, with CBA forecasting an approximately 8 per cent peak-to-trough decline.
Affordability pressures temper underlying housing demand
Queensland added 582,000 residents between the December quarter of 2019 and the December quarter of 2025, according to the CBA-published report.
Dwelling investment increased 16.8 per cent over the year to the June quarter, while trend dwelling approvals rose 18.2 per cent over the year to August.
CBA’s head of Australian economics, Belinda Allen, said population-driven demand and a construction response were being counterbalanced by deteriorating affordability following substantial price increases.
“Queensland’s strong population growth has been an important driver of housing demand since the pandemic. Housing construction is responding, with the state leading the country for dwelling investment and recording strong growth in building approvals,” she said.
“However, the sharp rise in prices has reduced affordability and the housing market is now easing.”
The lending backdrop also remains subdued, with credit reporting agency Equifax’s September Consumer Market Pulse showing that national mortgage demand fell 19.2 per cent annually, its sixth consecutive monthly contraction.
Refinancing with another lender dropped 8.8 per cent, while same-lender refinancing declined 28 per cent.
[Related: Mounting financial strains trigger surge in mortgage distress]
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