Housing industry insights
Advocacy & policy
News & inspiration
Support & guidance
Member perks
Industry insurance
For your business
Apprentices
Building it right
Building materials & products
Managing your business
Managing your safety
Building your business
Other subjects
A rewarding career
Study with us
A job in the industry
Grow with us
Our podcasts
Our initiatives
Get involved
Awards
Awards winners
Industry events
Most popular products
Top categories
For your business
{{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 locationApartment Construction Cycle Shaping Up for 2026 Recovery
Apartment Construction Cycle Shaping Up for 2026 Recovery
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
Send me exclusive tips, early access to new launches, and special offers. I can change my mind at any time.
By clicking Get started now you agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy.
HIA Chief Economist Tim Reardon said population growth, rising established home prices, and new policy measures are creating the conditions for the next major building cycle.
“Population growth remains elevated, migration is returning to metro areas and established apartment prices are rising faster than detached homes,” Mr Reardon said.
“These are the early signals of an emerging apartment cycle, as new developments once again start to stack up financially.”
Australia began just over 61,000 multi-unit dwellings in 2024, barely half the volume recorded in 2016 and well short of what is required to meet the national housing target. Multi-unit starts are forecast to increase by 6.5 per cent in 2026, rising steadily through the decade to reach close to 100,000 commencements by 2030.
Mr Reardon said the next cycle will depend on the ability of governments to support the delivery of new homes rather than constrain it.
“If state governments recognise that high taxes on apartment builders and financiers have limited supply and address these issues, the recovery could accelerate further,” he said.
“The NSW Government’s recent underwriting program for apartment projects is an encouraging first step.”
The report notes that this apartment recovery will occur alongside continued growth in detached home building and a strong pipeline of renovation work.
“This will not be a speculative boom.
It’s a necessary response to growing population pressures and rising demand for housing in our major cities,” concluded Mr Reardon.
Forecasts:
Detached houses: There were 28,620 detached houses that commenced construction in the March quarter 2025, with a similar 28,240 forecast for the June quarter, working its way back up to 29,470 by the final quarter of 2025. This will produce a 2025 calendar year total of 115,070 detached house starts, 7.2 per cent up on 2024. A steady improvement is expected to continue from here, reaching a 2027 peak of 125,840, before moderating back to 116,370 in 2029 as land constraints become more binding and new multi-units become relatively more affordable.
Multi-unit dwellings: There were 19,450 multi-unit dwellings that commenced construction in the March quarter 2025, which is expected to moderate back down to 17,440 in the June quarter and remain relatively steady for the rest of the year. This will produce a 2025 calendar year total of 72,070, up by 17.2 per cent on 2024’s 13-year low. A modest further improvement is expected to 76,570 in 2026, before accelerating towards 96,910 by 2028 and 99,960 in 2029, as rising prices in the established market catalyse the feasibility of new apartment projects.
To purchase our HIA State and National Outlooks
For more information please contact:
New rules add thousands to the cost of a new home as Tasmania falls years behind on housing
From today, every new home built in Tasmania must meet the full Livable Housing Design requirements. The Housing Industry Association says this adds thousands of dollars to the cost of building a home, at a time when Tasmanians can least afford it.
Rules for managing the risk of falls have changed - are you up to date?
Changes to Western Australia's requirements for managing the risks of falls will commence on 1 October 2026, introducing new expectations for builders, contractors and workers undertaking tasks where there is a risk of falling.
Livable Housing Design: final stage now in force
As of today, 1 October 2026, all new building work in Tasmania, unless exempt, must comply with all requirements of Part H8 Livable Housing Design of NCC Volume Two.
ACT housing approvals slump puts 2030 target under pressure
“The ACT’s housing supply pipeline is weakening, with building approvals in the three months to August halving compared with a year earlier,” said HIA Executive Director ACT and Southern NSW, Geordan Murray.