The Torquay and Jan Juc property market experienced a year of fluctuations in 2025, with sales and rentals both reflecting broader market uncertainty and localised pressure on housing supply.
Natural Real Estate Head of Sales Chris Henson described the year as complex, shaped by shifting buyer sentiment, legislation and seller expectations.
“The question we get all year is ‘how’s the market?’” he said.
“This year, it was hard to answer in a sentence. It was inconsistent, and very price sensitive.”
Sales activity in the 3228 postcode remained solid, but not without challenges. According to Senior Sales Consultant Olivia Swann, buyer numbers were higher than in 2024, yet many homes still struggled to sell.
“There are buyers around, absolutely,” she said.
“But if a property isn’t selling, it’s not because there’s no demand—it’s almost always a pricing issue.”
Vendors continuing to anchor to 2021–2022 peak values were often met with slower campaigns or buyer hesitation. Unique homes with standout features fared best, while more generic stock faced stiffer competition and price resistance.
Across the rental market, conditions remained tight. Senior Property Manager Nicole Tomkins reported strong demand and minimal vacancy, especially in the four-bedroom segment.
“We saw around a 9 per cent increase in median rent this year,” she said.
“Families and share households are driving most of the demand, particularly for three to five-bedroom homes.”
Despite the seasonal slowdown over summer, Tomkins said the inquiry level remained high, and the shortfall in available rentals—particularly in Jan Juc—was likely to continue.
“Every time a rental becomes available in Jan Juc, it’s hotly contested,” she said.
The local investment landscape was also impacted by new legislation and increased taxes, with changes to notice periods and land tax rules influencing landlord behaviour.
“It’s harder now to own an investment property in Victoria,” Henson said.
“There’s more red tape and costs, and that’s led to more owners exiting the rental market altogether, which only puts more pressure on tenants.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Henson expects more stability but not necessarily a dramatic shift.
“We’re likely heading into a flatter market where prices don’t move significantly up or down,” he said.
“That’s not a bad thing. Stability gives confidence to both buyers and sellers.”
You can listen to the full conversation via the Natural Real Estate podcast, or watch on YouTube.