Where Victoria is moving: Autumn 2026

Melbourne has always had a strong sense of what a neighbourhood should feel like. And last quarter’s data (1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026) of people searching on a-d.com.au suggests that people shopping for new homes know exactly which neighbourhoods they want to be in. 

From Elsternwick to Brunswick to Docklands, Victoria’s new home market is active, considered, and, in a few key areas, getting more premium by the month. Here’s what the numbers are showing.

The suburbs people are choosing

Elsternwick topped Victoria’s popularity list this quarter, and it’s not hard to understand why. It’s an established, tree-lined suburb with strong schools, good transport links, and a genuine neighbourhood feel that newer precincts often try to replicate. Elsternwick Gardens by Milieu - the state’s most popular development this quarter - is the kind of place that fits the suburb rather than fights it.

Brunswick came in second. It’s been a popular choice for people who want to be close to the city without paying city prices, and the new homes coming through there right now are genuinely well-designed. Saxon Street by Milieu was one of the standout performers.

Hawthorn and Glen Iris both featured strongly: inner-eastern suburbs where people have been active, looking for a home that matches the quality of the neighbourhood they’ve lived in for years.

Melbourne CBD and Docklands both made the top 10, with Collins Wharf in the waterfront precinct drawing much attention. And South Melbourne, Canterbury, Moonee Ponds and Prahran rounded out a list that reads like a map of Melbourne’s most liveable addresses.

Where people are searching from

Victoria's source postcode data is one of the most telling parts of the picture this quarter.

Melbourne CBD led the list - which makes sense. People already living in the city, in apartments or rentals, are often the most active searchers. They know what they want, they know the suburbs, and they're ready to make a move when the right home comes along.

Brunswick, Brighton, Camberwell and St Kilda all featured: established, well-loved suburbs where people have built a life and are now looking for a home that reflects where they are now, not where they were ten years ago.

Surrey Hills, Glen Waverley, Docklands, Hawthorn and Glen Iris rounded out the top 10. What's striking is how closely this mirrors the list of most popular suburbs - people aren't searching far from where they already are. They want to stay in the neighbourhoods they love. They just want a better home within them.

The homes people are looking at

Victoria’s most popular developments this quarter share a common thread: they’re all genuinely good buildings in genuinely good locations. There’s no shortcut in this list.

Elsternwick Gardens by Milieu led the state - a boutique, beautifully resolved development in a suburb that rarely disappoints. Scotch Hill Gardens in Hawthorn came in second, drawing strong interest from people who want the inner east without compromise. Saxon Street by Milieu in Brunswick rounded out the top three.

Collins Wharf in Docklands and Altamira Canterbury also featured prominently on the state’s most popular list, while Enso Gardens in Glen Iris, Fareham in St Kilda and Thornbury House speak to how wide the Victorian new home market really is - from bayside to the inner north, people are looking across the whole city.

R.Evolution in South Melbourne and The Eveline in Moonee Ponds were also popular - two developments that sit at opposite ends of Melbourne’s geography but share a focus on quality and liveability.

Who’s buying right now

Something interesting happened in Victoria this quarter: far fewer people were looking to grow their property portfolio; down from 13% to 8%. What that means for you is a market with less competition from portfolio buyers, and more room for people who simply want a great home to live in.

That’s a significant signal. The Victorian new home market is now more strongly shaped by people buying a home to live in than it has been in some time.

The biggest group searching on a-d.com.au - 30% of people - were ready to trade their family home for something that fits their life better now. A home that’s smaller; smarter; better located and better considered. It’s a deliberate move toward a life that feels right - and Melbourne’s inner suburbs, with their cafes, parks, walkability - and easy access to Melbourne Airport for the lock-up-and-leavers - are exactly where people want to land.

People with a desire to simply move into a brand new apartment or townhouse came in at 21%, up from 19% the previous quarter. And a growing share - now 18% - are simply getting a feel for what’s out there before they commit. That’s a healthy sign. It means the pipeline of serious buyers is building.

Those buying their first home held relatively steady at 18%. Victoria remains more accessible than Sydney at the entry level, and that’s showing up in the search volume.

What people are spending

Victoria’s spending picture is the most stable of any state this quarter, but there are some important movements beneath the surface.

People wanting to buy an off-the-plan apartment or townhouse between $1m-$2m held steady at 37%, unchanged from last quarter. That consistency says something about the depth of appetite in that range - it’s durable, not fluctuating.

The more notable shift: people with up to $750k to spend dropped from 21% to 16%, while people with between $2m and $5m to spend grew from 17% to 21%. Victoria’s new home market is quietly moving upmarket. The developments generating the most interest - Elsternwick Gardens, Scotch Hill Gardens, Altamira Canterbury - are overwhelmingly at $1m and above, and people are following.

The $5m+ end also grew, from 4% to 6%. Small in absolute terms, but worth noting that Melbourne’s prestige new home market is becoming more active.

How long people are taking to buy

When it comes to how long people will be ready to pull the trigger on buying a new home, Victoria showed the biggest shift of any state this quarter. The share of people looking to buy within 1-3 months dropped from 24% to 17%, while the 6-12 month window grew from 26% to 30%.

What this tells us: people in Victoria are taking more time than anywhere else on the east coast. More due diligence, more visits, more sitting with the decision before they commit.

If you’re earlier in your journey, that’s reassuring - you’re not behind, you’re being careful. If you’re closer to a decision, it’s worth knowing that the homes performing best right now are the ones that will also perform best over time. Taking your time is sensible. But waiting indefinitely has its own cost.

What this means if you’re thinking about buying

A few things stand out from this quarter’s data.

Victoria’s residential new home market is being led by people wanting a home to live in themselves - particularly those who are ready to leave the family home behind and find something that fits better. If that’s where you are, you’re in the majority. The homes attracting the most interest are designed for exactly that moment: well-located, well-resolved, and worth every dollar.

Spending is drifting upward. People with less than $750k to spend is shrinking while those with over $2m is growing. If you’ve been sitting on a decision at that level, you may find more competition than you expect when you’re ready to move.

Elsternwick, Brunswick, Hawthorn, Glen Iris - these are not random choices. They’re Melbourne’s most liveable inner suburbs, and the homes coming through right now are among the best ever built there. That combination doesn’t come along often.

For more off-the-plan property news click here.