Why 73% of Investors Are Looking Beyond Their State

73 per cent of Australian investors are now open to buying property in a state they don't live in. That's the headline finding from Momentum Wealth's 2026 Property Sentiment Report, reflecting more than a shift in sentiment: investors are following the data.

Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth have emerged as the most attractive cities for investors right now. Each market has its own character and investor profile. The thread connecting all three is straightforward: rents are rising, demand is strong, and the pipeline of new housing is producing opportunity for those positioned ahead of it.

A Rental Market Running at Full Capacity

The national rental vacancy rate reached 1.0 per cent in March 2026, according to SQM Research, with just over 31,000 properties available for rent. A balanced market sits at around 3 per cent. The gap between those numbers represents sustained, structural demand for rental accommodation. For investors, that translates into income security and upward rent trajectory.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded more than 3,400 people arriving in Australia every day in February. Population growth at that scale keeps rental demand ahead of supply, and the housing pipeline is creating conditions where quality, well-located new property is in demand the moment it completes.

Australian households are now spending 33.1 per cent of gross median household income on rent, up from 26.2 per cent in September 2020. That sustained rise in rents, across nearly every capital city, is drawing investor attention to markets like Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. The income trajectory for well-positioned rental properties remains one of the most compelling features of the current environment.

Melbourne: The Affordability Reentry

Melbourne's story in 2026 is one of renewed investor interest, driven by a straightforward proposition: it is now one of the most competitively priced capital city markets in the country. After a period of recalibration, Melbourne's price point relative to Sydney and Brisbane has brought it back onto the active investor radar. 

Rents have grown 4.4 per cent in the year to March, with the median sitting at $632 per week. The vacancy rate of 1.4 per cent, the highest of the three markets, is still less than half of what a balanced market looks like. This means tenant demand remains well ahead of available stock.

The Momentum Wealth report specifically calls out Melbourne's affordability as the reason it has re-entered investors' thinking. For buyers wanting access to a major capital city with deep employment markets, established infrastructure, and long-term population fundamentals, Melbourne is offering entry points that deliver genuine value. Outer suburban growth corridors and quality new apartment stock in connected locations have recorded some of the strongest price growth nationally in Q1 2026.

Perth: Conviction From the Data Up

Perth's vacancy rate is 0.5 per cent. Rental properties are leased quickly, rents are growing, and investor interest is broad and deepening. Rents rose 6.7 per cent in the year to March 2026, with the median now at $761 per week for houses. 

According to the Momentum Wealth report, Perth is particularly appealing to investors aged 55 and over. This appeal stems from the fact that this demographic typically focuses on income reliability and the quality of the investment yield.

Western Australia also leads the nation economically, with the Institute of Public Affairs' State Economic Scorecard placing it first on wage growth, retail turnover, and the lowest tax and debt burdens of any state. A strong local economy sustains rental demand, and Perth is delivering on both fronts. 

For investors considering off-the-plan property investment in Perth, the combination of income growth, economic strength, and tight rental conditions makes it one of the more straightforward cases to build. The numbers are consistent, and the demand drivers are durable.

Brisbane and the Gold Coast: Population Growth Doing the Work

Brisbane sits at the top of the investor preference list, and the rental figures are a direct reflection of why. Rents rose 6.7 per cent in the year to March 2026, with the median now at $720 per week. Queensland's population has been growing steadily through interstate migration and continued international arrivals, and that growth is translating into sustained tenant demand across the South East Queensland corridor.

The Gold Coast sits within this broader demand story. Growth corridor and outer suburban markets along the South East Queensland corridor have recorded strong price movements in the first quarter of 2026, with unit markets showing particular momentum. Palmwoods on the Sunshine Coast posted 16 per cent growth in the quarter, an indicator of how broad the demand base across this region has become. 

New property in well-connected locations across Brisbane and the Gold Coast is entering a market with a healthy, growing tenant pool and a development pipeline that is delivering genuine opportunity for investors prepared to commit ahead of completion.

Interstate Investment Is a Strategic Decision, Not a Trend

The 73 per cent figure from Momentum Wealth reflects something investors have worked out: the strongest rental yields and the most favourable demand dynamics in Australia right now are distributed across multiple cities, not concentrated in one. Perth and Brisbane are each delivering annual rent growth above 6.5 per cent. Melbourne is offering capital city exposure at a price point that other markets can't match. All three have vacancy rates well below a balanced market, and all three are building investor conviction through consistent, data-supported performance. 

House prices rose in 70 per cent of Australian suburbs in the first quarter of 2026. Six of the top ten performing suburbs had median values below $1 million. The opportunity is spread across a wider geography than many investors assume, and an interstate strategy is increasingly accessible to a broader range of buyers. 

Getting It Right Across State Lines

Buying off the plan in a city you don't live in raises the right questions — about market selection, project quality, developer track record, and the settlement process. These are exactly the questions a specialist is positioned to answer. 

iBuyNew provides exclusive access to off-the-plan opportunities across Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Perth, backed by independent market analysis and end-to-end guidance from initial research through to settlement. Having the right access and the right intelligence is what turns market conviction into a confident investment decision.

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