Explore Rentvesting Perth with Strawberry Finance and learn how the strategy can help you rent where you want to live while investing in property, with tailored guidance on borrowing capacity, loan options and finance structure.
Anyone asking is now a good time to buy in Perth is really asking two separate questions: has the market turned, and can I afford the repayments. On the first, the evidence of a change is clear. REIWA reported a distinct shift in the June 2026 quarter, with new listings returning to long-term averages, demand easing from both investors and first home buyers, sales volumes declining slightly and properties taking longer to sell. On the second, the cash rate has sat at 4.35 per cent since May 2026 following three increases earlier in the year, and the next RBA decision is due on 29 September. We are not going to tell you whether to buy – nobody honestly can, and any article that does should be treated with suspicion. What this article does instead is set out what has actually changed, so that when you ask is now a good time to buy in Perth you are working from the data rather than the headlines.
The Perth property market slowdown 2026 is a moderation rather than a decline. Annual price growth remains positive, but the conditions that produced it have shifted. Drawing on REIWA and Cotality reporting:
The change in Perth days on market listings is one of the more useful signals available to a buyer, because it moves before prices do. Through 2025 Perth was among the fastest-selling markets in the country, with well-priced homes going under offer within days and buyers frequently making decisions with almost no time to consider. REIWA has since reported time to sell increasing as demand eased and listings normalised. For a buyer, longer selling times translate into practical advantages that were unavailable a year ago: time to inspect properly, time to obtain a building inspection before committing, more room to negotiate on price and conditions, and less pressure to waive the protections that exist for your benefit. Those are real gains even if prices do not fall at all. It is worth being realistic about the limits, though. Perth days on market listings lengthening from very fast to merely normal does not make this a buyer’s market, and well-priced properties in sought-after suburbs continue to sell quickly. The shift is one of degree.
The practical differences of buying in a plateauing market Perth compared with the conditions of the past two years are worth setting out plainly:
Any Perth house price forecast 2027 should be read as the view of the organisation making it rather than as fact, and the forecasts currently in circulation do not agree with one another. REIWA has projected the Perth median house price could approach or exceed $1 million by the end of 2026 if growth of around 5 per cent continues over the second half, while noting that the June quarter showed a clear softening. Commentators drawing on Cotality data have pointed to values easing from the May 2026 peak, with higher borrowing costs and rising total listings weighing on activity, and have suggested conditions may persist while the cash rate remains at current levels. On rates themselves the major banks are divided – some expect a further increase before the end of 2026, while others expect the RBA to hold. We would encourage you to treat every Perth house price forecast 2027 as one input among several. The forecasts made in early 2026 did not anticipate the Federal Budget changes that reshaped investor demand mid-year, which is a reasonable reminder of how much can shift within a single year.
In our experience the more useful question is not whether the market is right, but whether your own position is. Market timing is largely outside your control and, over a typical holding period, tends to matter less than people expect. What you can control is whether the loan is comfortable. That means knowing your genuine borrowing capacity rather than a calculator estimate, understanding what repayments look like if the cash rate moves another 0.25 or 0.50 per cent from 4.35 per cent, holding a cash buffer beyond your deposit and costs, and being confident your income is stable over the period ahead. A buyer who is comfortable on all four counts is generally in a reasonable position to proceed whatever the market is doing, because they are not dependent on prices rising to make the purchase work. A buyer who is stretched on any of them is exposed regardless of how favourable conditions look. If you would like to work through those numbers properly rather than guess at them, that is a free conversation and takes about thirty minutes.
Not on the figures published to date. REIWA reported continued annual growth with the median house price reaching approximately $938,000 at the end of June 2026, while noting a clear softening in the June quarter. Cotality reported quarterly dwelling values slipping marginally from the May 2026 peak. The picture is one of moderation rather than decline. These are the views of the organisations named, and conditions can change.
The RBA cash rate has been 4.35 per cent since May 2026, following three increases earlier in the year, and the Board held at its August meeting. The next decision is scheduled for 29 September 2026. Major bank economists are divided on the outcome, with some expecting a further increase before year end and others expecting a hold. Current information is published at rba.gov.au.
That depends entirely on your circumstances, and we would be wary of anyone who answers it confidently. Waiting has costs as well as potential benefits – continued rent, the possibility that prices do not fall, and the risk that your borrowing capacity changes in the meantime. It also has genuine merit if your deposit or income position would be materially stronger in twelve months. What we would suggest is deciding on your own numbers rather than on a forecast.
Generally there is more scope than there was through 2025, when properties frequently sold within days and buyers had little room to move. With listings back at long-term averages and selling times lengthening, buyers have more time and more negotiating position. This varies considerably by suburb and price bracket, and well-priced homes in sought-after areas still attract competition.
Lenders already assess your application with an interest rate buffer applied above the actual rate, which builds in a margin. For your own comfort, it is worth calculating what your repayment becomes if the rate rises a further 0.25 to 0.50 per cent and confirming that figure still sits comfortably within your budget alongside a cash reserve. We can run those scenarios on your actual numbers during a consultation.
We do not tell you whether to buy – that is your decision. What we do is establish your genuine borrowing capacity against actual lender credit policy rather than a generic calculator, model repayments under different rate scenarios, and identify which lenders suit your income type across more than 40 options. Director Sahil Saini brings a commerce background alongside his finance broking accreditation. Call 0457 133 453.
The information in this article is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Market figures are sourced from the organisations named and were correct at the time of writing. Property forecasts are the views of the parties quoted, not predictions by Strawberry Finance, and past growth is not an indicator of future performance. Lending is subject to lender credit criteria, terms, conditions and fees. For advice about your own tax position, please consult your accountant or a registered tax agent. Correct as at September 2026.
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