Regional NSW is emerging as one of Australia’s standout property performers heading into 2026, with sales activity at its strongest level since the COVID-era boom, according to new national research predicting no major property market losers next year.

The latest Hotspotting Price Predictor Index (PPI) for Summer 2025-26 shows regional NSW firmly in “winner” territory, with rising buyer demand pushing sales volumes sharply higher across key markets. The index indicates the regional NSW market recorded a further 10 per cent increase in sales in the latest quarter, leaving activity 18 per cent higher than six months ago.

Hotspotting Director Tim Graham said momentum had accelerated significantly in recent months, underpinned by improving conditions across a broad range of regional centres.

“The market has gone to another level in the latest quarter, with a further 10 per cent rise in sales volumes – 18 per cent higher than six months ago,” Mr Graham said.

“Now 65 per cent of markets have positive rankings and only 16 per cent have negative ones, down from 33 per cent in the Spring report three months ago.”

The Hunter Region continues to lead the charge, with local government areas including Cessnock, Maitland, Singleton and Muswellbrook recording some of the strongest results. Neighbouring markets including the City of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens are also showing buoyant conditions.

The regional NSW performance comes amid an unusually broad-based upswing across Australia, with Hotspotting’s analysis forecasting no major market “losers” across 14 capital city and regional jurisdictions in 2026

Hotspotting founder Terry Ryder said the national outlook was highly unusual, driven by strong demand colliding with entrenched supply shortages.

“The year is set to begin with enormous momentum, thanks to elevated buyer demand in all of the major market jurisdictions, against a background of supply shortages,” Mr Ryder said.

“I see the current situation as highly unusual, with strong buyer demand in all eight capital city and six regional market jurisdictions assessed – therefore, there are no apparent major market losers as we head into 2026.”

According to the PPI, Regional NSW recorded a positive ranking of 65 per cent, placing it alongside Adelaide and ahead of Sydney, Canberra and several other jurisdictions. Only three markets nationally – Perth, Regional South Australia and Regional Western Australia – were classified as “steady”, with all others rated as winners.

Mr Graham said a combination of infrastructure investment, population growth and improved affordability relative to capital cities was continuing to redirect demand into regional markets.

“There is also high population growth boosted by overseas migration and ongoing internal migration, heightened demand from young buyers thanks to government first home buyer schemes, and relatively cheap money following three reductions in interest rates earlier in 2025,” he said.

Mr Ryder added that Australia’s ongoing housing undersupply remained a critical factor supporting prices and sales volumes.

“We continue to build far too few new dwellings, listings of properties for sale are extremely low everywhere, and vacancies continue to hover around historically low levels – where they have been stuck for five years,” he said.

The Hotspotting Price Predictor Index is based on trends in sales volumes, which historically move ahead of price changes, providing an early indicator of market direction as Australia heads toward 2026.