Houses across the nation are taking much longer to sell

NEW data shows a big increase in the time it is taking to sell a house, according to property analytics firm SQM Research.

Louis Christopher, managing director of SQM, said the October numbers show an alarming trend.

"We are seeing a build-up in older listings," Christopher said.

"Stock that has been on the market for more than 180 days is now 16 per cent higher than a year ago, while new listings are slightly below last year.

"The bigger build-up is in properties that have been on the market for one to six months, which are up 41 per cent on a year ago.

"That suggests a growing number of properties are taking longer to sell.”

Christopher said October’s numbers show a sharp increase in available stock, with national listings rising above 300,000 for the first time in more than five years and every capital city recording a monthly increase.

“The annual comparison is particularly noteworthy. Brisbane and Adelaide are both carrying more than 40 per cent more stock than a year ago, and Perth is up almost 28 per cent.

"Buyers in these markets have considerably more choice than they did this time last year.

"Melbourne and Canberra deserve particular attention. Listings in both cities have now reached record highs on our measurements.

"Fresh listings in both cities are lower than a year ago, so this is not a rush of new sellers.

"It is stock accumulating because it is not selling, which points to soft buyer demand in those markets.

"What we are watching most closely is the rise in distressed listings.

"National distressed stock is now 42 per cent higher than a year ago, and every state and territory is above last year’s levels, with particularly sharp annual increases in South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland.

"These numbers are still relatively small, but distressed listings have been rising steadily since early 2026 and are now at their highest level since late 2024.”

Christopher said asking prices have also softened over the past month, and national annual growth has slowed to below one per cent.

"With more stock available and distressed listings rising, the remainder of the spring selling season will provide an important test of vendor expectations and buyer demand," Christopher said.