Walkability. Heat stress. Urban sprawl. Welcome to the real reasons people are choosing where to live – and why the smartest cities are the ones that feel like a good party.

A great city, as historian and transport planner Philip Mallis puts it, is like a great party. 

“You stay longer than strictly necessary because you’re enjoying yourself.”

And yet for many Australians, the party’s not exactly pumping.

It turns out, the design of our cities – and how we move through them – might be having more of an effect on our lives (and our property decisions) than we think. From climate resilience to park access, transport links and sustainable cities, the conversation around real estate is shifting.

The walkable suburb glow-up

In 2025, the 20-minute neighbourhood isn’t a vibe – it’s a necessity.

“A healthy city is made up of a number of different components,” says Frasers property Australia executive general manager Emily Wood.

“But really, it’s around having an integrated design and connection to everything you need, whether that’s schools, parks, shops, education, employment, walkability or transport.

And it’s not just about ditching the car. Walkable suburbs are directly linked to healthier, more active communities.

“I don’t think a lot of people really understand how strong the links are between transport and people’s health and wellbeing,” Mallis says.

But the data’s clear. RMIT University social equity professor Hannah Badland says people who live in walkable areas are more likely to be physically active – and less likely to suffer from chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes.

“There is so much evidence in terms of people who live in more walkable neighbourhoods are more likely to be of healthy body weight. They are more likely to be physically active,” Badlands explains.

So, it tracks that walkable, well-connected suburbs are also climbing the ladder in terms of demand – and price.

Car-dependence is out; connectivity is in

A growing number of Aussies are over the long commutes, endless traffic and car-centric urban sprawl.

“A car-dependent society has physical and mental health impacts, rising incidence of non-communicable diseases like diabetes, obesity, and a range of other impacts,” Mallis says.

That’s not just bad news for our bodies – it’s bad design.

And cities are catching on.

Mallis says future-focused neighbourhoods are putting transport and access front and centre, designing communities where everything you need is nearby.

Think fewer highways, more bike lanes. Fewer drive-thrus, more laneway cafes. “We need to redesign our transport systems and networks to accommodate for this and make sure that we are providing those options.”

The heat is real – and buyers are taking notice

We know climate change is heating up Australian cities – but not all suburbs are sweating equally.

Green Sheep Collective architect Shae Parker McCashen says high air temperatures are affecting residents all over Australia.

“They are affecting us in different ways across different suburbs,” she explains.

For people on the coast, where they’ve got access to open space and great quality air and the beach, Wood explains, it’s a very different experience to say Western Sydney that is very concrete and asphalt and really absorbs that heat.

That means suburbs that lack shade, trees and access to green space are becoming less liveable – and, by extension, less desirable.

And for those in newer developments, Mallis says the risk is even higher.

“If you live in a new suburb, trees haven’t had a chance to grow yet and that increases the ambient temperature significantly by up to 10 to 15C.”

Savvy buyers are already prioritising climate-resilient suburbs with mature tree cover, breezy streetscapes and design that keeps the temperature – and energy bills – down.

Green space = capital gain

We’re not just craving more square footage – we’re craving breathing space. And not just for the dog.

“Being able to access public open space not only is important for physical health but really important for mental health” Badland says.

So, what’s the best way to negate the impacts of climate change in high temperatures?

“To make sure that the city is designed well,” Mallis says. “We need lots of shade.”

With a warming climate, parks and green corridors are no longer just council box-tickers – they’re emotional (and economic) assets.

So what’s next?

The suburbs that win in the next five to 10 years won’t just be the ones with the best views or proximity to CBDs – they’ll be the ones that work for the way we live now.

Cooler, greener, easier to get around. Thoughtfully designed. And future-fit.

“I think the number one step to making healthier cities is to get the transport right,” Mallis says.

Connecting people with nature, building houses that enable us to manage heat stress and really thoughtful and clever design in the products and the places where we live going forward will also play a critical role.

Because at the end of the day, where you live isn’t just about postcode pride – it’s about building a life that feels good.

And if your suburb doesn’t make you want to stay a little longer than necessary? Well, now you know what to look for in your next move.  

The post How the cities we live in are shaping our bodies, minds – and property prices appeared first on realestate.com.au.

If you’re in the process of staging a listing, it might be time to talk paint with your sellers. A new study from Zillow suggests that the right interior paint colors can boost home value by thousands.

A New York homeowner claims text messages sent by an associate broker at Keller Williams amounted to an “invasion of her privacy” and a violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

New data has uncovered how far a typical home buying budget will stretch in every suburb, and the results may be surprising.

PropTrack data shows a typical home buying budget in an Australian capital affords entry into plenty of suburbs, although the number and type of homes it buys varies wildly.

The median house price across the combined capital cities is now $1 million, according to the latest PropTrack Home Price Index, but analysis of property values shows that figure affords a lot more homes in some suburbs than in others.

Use the interactive to see what your budget buys in your dream suburb.

To determine how far a typical home buying budget really stretches, home values in every Australian suburb were analysed to determine what proportion of properties fall under different price thresholds.

The data shows there are 106 suburbs in the capitals where 100% of houses are valued at less than $1 million, the vast majority of which are located in outer areas where land is less scarce and properties are much more affordable as a result.

Even a more modest budget of $800,000 would be sufficient to purchase 100% of houses in 30 capital city suburbs, most of which were located on the urban fringe.

On the other hand, the suburbs with the lowest proportion of houses under $1 million are found in the priciest pockets of the capitals, such as Sydney and Melbourne’s eastern suburbs or the inner suburbs of Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

The analysis also shows that buyers with limited budgets still have a chance to find a home in pricey areas, although they may have to adjust their expectations in suburbs where affordable homes are rarer.

The data uses PropTrack’s automated valuation model (AVM) to estimate the value of every Australian property. The proportion of the total number of homes in each suburb that fall below different price thresholds was then calculated.

The analysis includes estimates for the value of all properties, not just those currently on the market.

REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty said the data laid bare the affordability challenges facing buyers seeking to purchase a home close to the CBDs of Australia’s largest cities.

“What it shows is that more and more people are being locked out of our inner- and middle-ring suburbs, and that’s leading to a shift in the demographics in different areas around our capital cities,” she said.

However, Ms Flaherty said that even pricier suburbs with small proportions of affordable houses could still have options for buyers with limited budgets, but these homes were likely to require renovations.

“The main reason you would see a home in a more expensive suburb sell at a discount is because there’s actually money that needs to be spent doing it up,” she said.

“It basically comes down to what you’re willing to compromise on – what’s more important, the location or the house?”

Ms Flaherty said knowing the proportion of homes selling within a buyer’s price range could help guide their property search.

“People might assume that a particular suburb is out of reach, but if they see they can actually afford one third of the homes in the suburb for example, it broadens the range of potential suburbs they can look in,” she said.

“Alternatively, you might have your heart set on a particular suburb, but then you can see that it’s most likely going to be out of your budget.”

Where $1 million buys the most homes

The analysis shows that buyers looking for a sub-$1 million house in a capital city are much more likely to find one in a suburb further from the CBDs, while inner suburbs typically have a much lower proportion of affordable homes.

For example, in Sydney a $1 million budget would be sufficient to buy 100% of houses in Lethbridge Park, Tregear or Blackett – among the most affordable suburbs in the city. 

The same budget affords 24% of houses in Leppington, 16% of houses in Granville, and 13% of houses in Parramatta.

Number of suburbs where 100% of houses are valued at $1 million or less

Real estate agent and Laing+Simmons Parramatta principal Ray Fayad said houses under $1 million in the Parramatta area were becoming “extremely rare”.

“It’s been ages since I sold one under $1 million,” he said.

The traditionally-affordable area was experiencing increased interest from buyers from other regions such as the inner west, Mr Fayad said, while interest rate reductions and the potential of further cuts had helped drive price growth this year.

“I’m finding a lot of the locals from here are going further west to afford a first home,” he said. “They’re going further out than they once were.”

Bumping the maximum purchase price up to $1.5 million affords 14% of houses in Penshurst, 30% of houses in Menai and 43% of houses in Rouse Hill.

But spending up to $2 million opens up more options, including 7% of houses in Kensington, 42% of houses in Leichhardt and 73% of houses in Engadine.

A $1 million budget buys at least 10% of homes in just under half of Sydney suburbs. However, in Sydney’s 100 priciest suburbs, there are precisely zero houses that are valued at $1 million or less.

In Melbourne, $1 million would afford 100% of houses in Broadmeadows, St Albans and Frankston North. 

The same budget could buy two thirds of houses in Footscray and about a quarter of houses in Yarraville or Seddon.

Inner west real estate agent and Village Real Estate managing director Huss Saad said entry-level houses in Yarraville or Seddon ranged from about $900,000 to $1.1 million, and could include older freestanding homes or newer townhouses.

“You can buy something sub-$1 million on a decent size block,” he said. “It might be a period home with a white picket fence that needs some work, but the opportunities are there.”

“In suburbs like Footscray and West Footscray, you can get a bit more bang for your buck.”

Meanwhile, buyers with a larger $1.5 million budget could afford 85% of houses in Collingwood, 59% of houses in Moonee Ponds and 47% of houses in Williamstown.

But with $2 million to spend, a Melbourne buyer could afford 97% of houses in Doncaster, 82% of houses in Carlton and 74% of houses in St Kilda.

In some of the smaller capitals, there are plenty of suburbs where buyers with $1 million to spend would theoretically be able to afford any property.

Perth has 34 suburbs where all houses are valued at $1 million or less, including Lockridge, Balga, Bertram and Armadale.

In Adelaide, there were 32 suburbs where $1 million could afford every house, including Andrews Farm, Morphett Vale and Ottoway.

Brisbane has 21 suburbs fitting the same brief, most of which are in the Ipswich and Logan regions, including Riverview, Woodridge and Crestmead.

Number of suburbs where 100% of units are valued at $1 million or less

For buyers searching for an affordable unit, there are plenty of suburbs that are in contention, and many more options closer to city centres.

In Sydney, buyers will find a high proportion of units priced under $500,000 in Carramar (69%), Lakemba (67%), Harris Park (58%) and Cabramatta (52%).

Melbourne buyers with the same budget would find a big share of sub-$500,000 units in Melton (97%), Notting Hill (75%), Carlton (61%) and the CBD (50%).

In Brisbane, a $500,000 budget would afford plenty of units in Logan Central (95%), Woodridge (79%), Caboolture (44%) and Fortitude Valley (32%).

Suburbs where a multi-million budget still falls short

At the other end of the spectrum, the data shows that in some ultra-pricey suburbs there’s slim pickings for even buyers with multi-million dollar budgets.

In harbourfront Sydney suburbs such as Clontarf, Longueville and Double Bay, less than 3% of houses are valued at under $3 million.

There were 24 Sydney suburbs where a $3 million budget affords less than 10% of properties, reinforcing just how pricey properties are in the city’s most exclusive suburbs.

“These have become exclusive suburbs where people are locking up a lot of wealth,” Ms Flaherty said.

“Buying a house in them is just not even in the realm of possibilities for almost everyone.”

Even in Queens Park in Sydney’s east, where 15% of properties are valued at less than $3 million, real estate agent and Belle Property Bondi Junction principal Edward Brown said buyers would likely need to make some sacrifices to buy a home under that price point.

“The ones under $3 million are typically quite small,” he said. “It’ll most likely be a terrace rather than a semi, and it might be on a main road or something in need of significant work.”

In Melbourne, buyers with $3 million to spend could purchase about a quarter of houses in Toorak or Deepdene, a third of houses in East Melbourne or Canterbury and little over half of the houses in Balwyn or Malvern.

Only a third of houses in Teneriffe in Brisbane’s inner city would cost less than $3 million, but that same budget buys about two thirds of houses in New Farm, Ascot and Hamilton.

The post Is your dream suburb within reach? Here’s what your budget really buys appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Melbourne suburbs where houses remain affordable for buyers.

Stretching the budget from a unit to a house makes sense for a savvy buyer in suburbs where the difference can be less than the cost of a new car.

New Ray White data reveals areas such as Doveton, Melton South and Hampton Park East, the gap between the median price for houses and units is as little as $58,000, opening the door for buyers to set their sight on a full-sized home.

Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee said the figures challenge the belief that units were always the most affordable entry point.

“In some parts of Melbourne, houses are still very achievable,” she said.

“If the gap is small, and you’re planning to stay for the long term, stretching for a house can be a very smart move.”

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Buyers were often surprised to find just how close house prices were to units in outer suburbs, Ms Conisbee said.

“It’s not everywhere, but where that gap is narrow, it’s absolutely worth looking at houses instead.”

In Doveton, the median unit price sits at $487,500, compared to $545,000 for a house, a difference of just $57,500.

Houses were within reach in Melton South, a gap of $62,500, Hampton Park East, $72,500, Werribee, $90,000, and Craigieburn, $110,000.

Ni Advocacy director and buyers advocate Kevin Ni said young buyers are bypassing units in outer suburbs like Melton and Hampton Park East to secure full-sized houses with better land, value and long-term growth.

Ni Advocacy buyers advocate Kevin Ni said home prices was forcing buyers to rethink old assumptions and location was no longer the only driver to get in to the market.

“When you’re looking at a $60,000 difference, and you get more land, privacy, and long-term growth potential, it’s worth stretching for the house,” Mr Ni said.

“We’re seeing some buyers turn away from units altogether in suburbs like these, especially with help from parents or the first home guarantee.”

235a McGrath Road, Wyndham Vale, with a $465,000-$495,000 price guide.

8 Epping Drive, Wyndham Vale, with a $640,000-$670,000 price guide.

Mr Ni said that while many younger buyers were drawn to units in inner suburbs for lifestyle, families and second-time buyers were increasingly seeking value on the fringe.

“People are getting smarter about trade-offs. They’re prioritising land and growth over postcode prestige.”

Independent economist Cameron Kusher said the price gap between houses and units remained relatively modest in some growth areas.

“In blue-chip areas, houses have skyrocketed and units haven’t kept pace,” Mr Kusher said.

14 Babina Ave, Melton South has a $609,000-$639,000 price guide.

40/17 Crestmont Drive, Melton South, has a $395,000-$420,000 price guide.

“But in the outer suburbs, that hasn’t happened to the same extent which is why we’re seeing more buyers opt for houses if the numbers stack up.”

While units would always have a place in Melbourne’s housing mix, Mr Kusher said first-home buyers were increasingly running the maths.

“Where the price gap is narrow, and lifestyle needs allow, it’s a no-brainer, go for the house.”

Additional reporting by Lydia Kellner

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