{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change location {{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change locationSales of new homes continue to fall in March
Sales of new homes continue to fall in March
Member and guest login
Enter your email and password to access secured content, members only resources and discount prices.
Did you become a member online? If not, you will need to activate your account to login.
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
Forgotten password
Need some help?
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
If the email address you have entered is registered, you will receive an email with further instructions.
Become part of the HIA community
Enables quick and easy registration for future events or learning and grants access to expert advice and valuable resources.
Create a guest account
Enter your details below and create a login
The HIA New Home Sales report – a monthly survey of the largest volume home builders in the five largest states – is a leading indicator of future detached home construction.
“The latest decline leaves sales in the first three months of the year down by 45.9 per cent compared to the same quarter last year,” added Mr Devitt.
“Compounding the decline in sales is the rise in projects being cancelled.
“The cancellation rate increased in March to 30.5 per cent. This means for every three new building contracts that are signed, one sale from a previous month is cancelled. Many builders have reported ‘negative sales’ over recent months. The last time the rate was near this high was the start of the pandemic.
“The RBA’s rate increases last year and this year will continue to hold down new sales and cause further cancellations as finance becomes unobtainable for an increasing number of buyers.
“The significant increase in the cost of land and construction across all jurisdictions over the past two years is compounding the impact of higher interest rates. The additional costs of compliance with the National Construction Code, that come into effect this year, will further increase the cost of new home construction and dampen demand further.
“The combination of low sales volumes and rising cancellations of existing projects will hollow out the pipeline of building work over the coming months,” concluded Mr Devitt.
The largest declines in sales in March compared to the previous month were seen in Victoria (-23.4 per cent) and South Australia (-22.4 per cent), followed by Queensland (-2.2 per cent), while increases were seen in New South Wales (+1.7 per cent) and Western Australia (+22.5 per cent).
Over the last year, New South Wales has driven the declines, with sales in the first three months of 2023 down by 75.9 per cent on the same quarter last year. This was followed by Queensland (-54.3 per cent), Victoria (-43.4 per cent) and South Australia (-13.7 per cent). Western Australia was the only large state to see an increase over the last year, up by 1.0 per cent.
Private New House Sales - Australia (seasonally adjusted)
For more information please contact:
icare lung bus returns to HIA Hunter office
Following a strong member response, this October the icare lung health monitoring bus returns to the HIA office in Newcastle.
Victoria defies other states with an increase in new home sales
“Victoria saw a 7.1 per cent increase in new home sales in August, while the other four large states all declined,” stated HIA Senior Economist, Tom Devitt.
New home sales remain around three-year high
“The volume of new homes sold (contract-to-build) nationally decreased by 1.2 per cent in the month of August 2025,” stated HIA Senior Economist, Tom Devitt.
Senate Inquiry into Climate Risk Assessments
HIA took the opportunity to provide a submission to the Senate Inquiry into Climate Risk Assessments.