Melbourne · Victoria

Reservoir

A standing intelligence briefing: what the market is doing now, how that compares with its own five-year history, and the pipeline items that could change it.

Median house
$986,000
Median unit
$496,000
Annual growth
+2.6%
Median rent
$723
Gross yield
3.8%
Vacancy
1.9%

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APD View — Reservoir

Reservoir: conditions stable

Current data indicates conditions in Reservoir are stable. 14 indicators across 5 analytical dimensions inform this reading, with 71% pointing the same way.

Direction

Stable

Confidence

High

Evidence strength

Strong

Direction describes where underlying conditions are moving. It is not a rating, a recommendation or a signal to transact — a market can be improving while remaining expensive, low-yielding or supply-exposed.

Why this confidence — Based on 14 indicators, 60 months of history, 71% of indicators pointing the same way, latest data 29 days old.

Evidence basis — Based on 14 indicators, 1 independent source, 60 months of history. Latest data 29 days old.

What changed

IndicatorNow1 month1 quarter
12-month price growth2.3%2.7%3.1%
Days on market38 days40 days42 days
Vacancy rate1.9%2.0%2.1%
Rental growth6.3%6.0%5.8%
Building approvals47.7448.8350.95
Vendor discounting-3.5%-3.5%-3.6%

What supports this view

  • Median rent — $723 against a historical average of $627. Advertised rents sit above the historical average for this market. Historical percentile: 98.
  • Price-to-rent multiple — 26.22 against a historical average of 28.52. Prices are low relative to rents compared with the historical average. Historical percentile: 0.
  • Median house value — $985,740 against a historical average of $926,246. House values sit above the historical average for this market. Historical percentile: 97.
  • Sales volume — 86.8 against a historical average of 70.94. Transaction volumes are running above the historical average. Historical percentile: 88.
  • Population growth — 1.5% against a historical average of 1.4%. Population growth is running above the longer-run average. Historical percentile: 83.
  • Rental growth — 6.3% against a historical average of 6.0%. Rental growth is running above its historical average. Historical percentile: 77.

What works against it

  • 12-month price growth argues the other way — 12-month price growth reads 2.3% against a 2.6% historical average (33th percentile), which works against the current reading.
  • Advertised listings argues the other way — Advertised listings reads 191 against a 156 historical average (87th percentile), which works against the current reading.
  • Building approvals argues the other way — Building approvals reads 48 against a 42 historical average (67th percentile), which works against the current reading.
  • Auction clearance argues the other way — Auction clearance reads 64.1% against a 64.5% historical average (43th percentile), which works against the current reading.
  • 12-month price growth — 2.3%. Annual price growth is running below its historical average. Historical percentile: 33.
  • Advertised listings — 190.96. Advertised stock is above the historical average. Historical percentile: 87.
  • Building approvals — 47.74. Dwelling approvals are running above the historical average, pointing to more future supply. Historical percentile: 67.
  • Auction clearance — 64.1%. A smaller share of auctions is clearing than normal. Historical percentile: 43.

Market signals

Each signal compares the latest reading with the suburb's own five-year record

Demand

Neutral▼ falling

Confidence: Low

Selling times are in line with the five-year norm. Latest reading 38.0 against a five-year average of 38.4.

Latest
38
12 months ago
44.62
5-year average
38.38
5-year range
28.6 – 45.1

Price Momentum

Soft▲ rising

Confidence: High

Annual price growth is 11.5% below the five-year average. Latest reading 2.3 against a five-year average of 2.6.

Latest
2.3
12 months ago
3.2
5-year average
2.6
5-year range
1.9 – 3.4

Rental Conditions

Neutral▼ falling

Confidence: Low

Vacancy is running in line with the historical average. Latest reading 1.9 against a five-year average of 1.9.

Latest
1.9
12 months ago
2.19
5-year average
1.92
5-year range
1.4 – 2.3

Rental Pressure

Firm— flat

Confidence: Moderate

Rental growth is 4.3% above the five-year average. Latest reading 6.3 against a five-year average of 6.0.

Latest
6.28
12 months ago
6.32
5-year average
6.02
5-year range
5.4 – 6.6

Affordability

Firm— flat

Confidence: Moderate

The price-to-rent multiple sits 8.1% below its five-year average. Latest reading 26.2 against a five-year average of 28.5.

Latest
26.22
12 months ago
27.24
5-year average
28.52
5-year range
26.2 – 30.9

Supply

Weak▲ rising

Confidence: High

Advertised stock is 22.4% above the five-year average. Latest reading 191.0 against a five-year average of 156.0.

Latest
190.96
12 months ago
147.86
5-year average
155.95
5-year range
111.6 – 195.4

Liquidity

Strong▲ rising

Confidence: High

Transaction volumes are 22.4% above the five-year average. Latest reading 86.8 against a five-year average of 70.9.

Latest
86.8
12 months ago
67.47
5-year average
70.94
5-year range
50.9 – 88.3

Population Growth

Firm— flat

Confidence: Moderate

Population growth is 7.9% above the longer-run average. Latest reading 1.5 against a five-year average of 1.4.

Latest
1.5
12 months ago
1.4
5-year average
1.39
5-year range
1.2 – 1.5

Development Risk

Weak▼ falling

Confidence: High

Dwelling approvals are 14.5% above the five-year average. Latest reading 47.7 against a five-year average of 41.7.

Latest
47.74
12 months ago
46.53
5-year average
41.69
5-year range
27.6 – 52.0

Investor Activity

Neutral▼ falling

Confidence: Low

Gross yields are in line with the five-year average. Latest reading 3.8 against a five-year average of 3.8.

Latest
3.8
12 months ago
3.96
5-year average
3.77
5-year range
3.4 – 4.1

Indicators

Latest reading against one, three and five years ago

IndicatorLatest1yr3yr5yr5yr avg5yr range
Median house priceMiddle sale price for houses over the trailing twelve months.$985,740+2.3%+7.9%+13.1%$926,246$869,935 – $987,120
12-month price growthTwelve-month change in median house price.2.3%-28.1%-21.8%—2.6%1.9% – 3.4%
Median unit priceMiddle sale price for units and apartments over the trailing twelve months.$496,873+1.6%+5.6%+9.3%$475,001$454,396 – $496,873
Median weekly rentMiddle advertised weekly rent across all dwelling types.723+6.3%+19.9%+33.2%627543 – 723
Rental growthTwelve-month change in median advertised weekly rent.6.3%-0.6%+10.4%—6.0%5.4% – 6.6%
Gross rental yieldAnnual gross rent as a share of median dwelling value.3.8%-4.0%+3.0%+3.0%3.8%3.4% – 4.0%
Price-to-rent multipleMedian house price divided by annual median rent.26-3.7%-10.0%-15.1%2926 – 31
Vacancy rateShare of rental stock advertised and unlet.1.9%-13.2%+17.3%-2.6%1.9%1.4% – 2.3%
Sales volumeNumber of dwelling transactions settled in the month.87+28.6%+8.1%+52.4%7151 – 88
Total listingsDwellings advertised for sale at month end.191+29.1%+7.1%+59.4%156112 – 195
Days on marketMedian time from listing to sale.38 days-14.8%+19.2%+0.7%38 days29 days – 45 days
Vendor discountMedian gap between first asking price and sale price.-3.5%-0.9%-9.1%-9.1%-3.3%-3.7% – -2.9%
Auction clearanceShare of scheduled auctions reported sold.64.1%-4.0%+3.7%+0.2%64.5%58.4% – 69.5%
Population growthAnnual resident population change.1.5%+7.1%+3.4%+21.0%1.4%1.2% – 1.5%
Building approvalsDwellings approved for construction in the month.48+2.6%+21.7%+35.2%4228 – 52

Source: Australia Property Data derived series (anchored to current market metrics). Percentage columns show the change from that point to the latest observation.

History

Monthly observations, last five years

Median house priceSept 21 – Aug 26

Source: Australia Property Data derived series (anchored to current market metrics)

Median weekly rentSept 21 – Aug 26

Source: Australia Property Data derived series (anchored to current market metrics)

Vacancy rateSept 21 – Aug 26

Source: Australia Property Data derived series (anchored to current market metrics)

Total listingsSept 21 – Aug 26

Source: Australia Property Data derived series (anchored to current market metrics)

What could change this market?

  1. Transport

    Suburban Rail Loop East

    Under construction · 2035

    Reshapes access between middle-ring employment centres and lifts development capacity around six new stations.

    Tunnelling underway between Cheltenham and Box Hill; precinct structure planning continues alongside.

  2. Transport

    Metro Tunnel precinct uplift

    Operating · Now

    New CBD-fringe stations are already redirecting rental demand and apartment supply.

    Station catchments at Parkville, Anzac and Arden are the focus of rezoning activity.

  3. Planning reform

    Activity centre rezoning program

    Announced · 2026-2028

    Higher permitted densities across dozens of centres change the medium-term apartment pipeline.

    Watch approval volumes in nominated centres for early supply signals.

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