Buyers in search of the next property hotspot are faced with thousands of potential options across the country. A recent report could help narrow that down to just a handful.
Of the 100 suburbs included in the latest realestate.com.au Hot 100 – a list compiled by a panel of property experts as having the best growth prospects in 2026 – just seven were nominated twice.
Areas that are nominated by more than one expert are known as the list’s ‘high conviction’ suburbs. While it doesn’t guarantee outperformance, the more experts that pinpoint a suburb for growth, the higher the likelihood that it has strong fundamentals.
Take some of the high-conviction picks in previous years for example – suburbs like Mandurah in Western Australia where home prices have soared 71.4% in the past three years, and Beaudesert in south east Queensland’s Scenic Rim, up almost 50% in the same time.
Mayfield in NSW’s Newcastle region was nominated by two different experts, two years in a row, and has seen house prices rise 11.2% in the past 12 months – well above Greater Sydney’s 6.4% growth rate, or the 7.8% lift recorded across regional NSW.
So, where are the potential hotspots of tomorrow?
The 7 'high conviction' suburbs:
| Suburb | Region (SA4) | State |
| Tamworth | New England and North West | NSW |
| Williamstown | Melbourne - West | VIC |
| Grovedale | Geelong | VIC |
| Wavell Heights | Brisbane - North | QLD |
| Baldivis | Perth - South West | WA |
| Battery Point | Hobart | TAS |
| Kingston | Hobart | TAS |
Now in its fourth year, the Hot 100 is compiled by a panel of experts including leaders of national real estate agencies, buyer’s agents, researchers, investors and an academic, with additional data and analysis from PropTrack.
Suburbs are nominated based on the following growth drivers:
Here’s why theses suburbs have received double points from the experts.
Nominated by: Belinda Connor, Elders and Simon Pressley, Propertyology
Nominated for: Family appeal, investment prospects
The country music capital of Tamworth was the only location across NSW to receive a double nomination, with one expert making the bold prediction of double-digit price growth in the next 12 months.
With fewer than 300 homes currently listed for sale on realestate.com.au in a city of more than 65,000 people (across the broader region), Propertyology’s head of research Simon Pressley said Tamworth is facing its lowest volume in more than 15 years.
As the largest regional centre in northern NSW, Tamworth’s economy is diverse. Historically centred on agriculture and livestock, the city underpins jobs in food processing plants, transport and logistics networks, and equipment manufacturing.
The regional hub was also nominated by Belinda Connor from Elders for its friendly, close-knit community, affordable housing, and relaxed lifestyle.
It’s not the first time Tamworth has made the Hot 100, with the regional city also nominated in 2023. As the suburb of Tamworth only captures the commercial city centre, we’ve used data from East Tamworth to show residential price movements in the tables below.
| Buy | Median price | Annual change | Supply | Demand |
| House | $680,000 | 5% | 48% | 18% |
| Unit | $339,000 | -7% | N/A | N/A |
| Invest | 10 year price growth | Rent | Change | Vacancy rate | Gross yield |
| House | 79% | $508 | 6% | 1.3% | 4.2% |
| Unit | 65% | $360 | 0% | N/A | 5.8% |
Nominated by: Matt Lahood, The Agency and Cate Bakos, buyer's agent
Nominated for: Amenity, family appeal, location, investment prospects, infrastructure
Melbourne's Williamstown has long been known as the “jewel in the west” and when compared to eastern beachside suburbs, its affordability is “astounding”, according to Cate Bakos.
Boasting spectacular views of the city across the bay, Williamstown has a unique maritime feel, harking back to its days as Melbourne’s first port.
Transport options into the city are also close at hand, with road, rail and ferry links capable of delivering residents into the CBD in under 30 minutes.
The suburb was also nominated by The Agency's Matt Lahood for its top schools and lifestyle appeal, which makes it "one of Melbourne’s hottest suburbs."
Like many Melbourne suburbs, Williamstown has seen property prices stall in recent years, but with the capital city returning to a new record high in recent months, the pair see strong prospects for Williamstown in the year ahead.
| Buy | Median price | Annual change | Supply | Demand |
| House | $1,566,000 | 0% | -2% | 60% |
| Unit | $820,000 | 20% | -7% | 30% |
| Invest | 10 year price growth | Rent | Change | Vacancy rate | Gross yield |
| House | 40% | $830 | 5% | 1.5% | 2.7% |
| Unit | 47% | $510 | -2% | 1.6% | 4.2% |
Nominated by: Cate Bakos, buyer's agent and Matt Lahood, The Agency
Nominated for: Affordability, family appeal, gentrification, investment prospects, infrastructure
Located about a 15-minute drive from Geelong and 1 hour 20-minutes from Melbourne’s CBD, Grovedale's median house price of $680,000 puts family homes within reach of Geelong’s established south, according to Cate Bakos.
Residential estates began springing up in the suburb during the 1960s and continued to spread between the 1970s and 90s, with most blocks measuring above 600sqm, and strong developer interest over the last decade.
First-home buyers and investors have seen value in the Geelong region for some years, with Grovedale offering them the opportunity to add value to the existing stock.
Grovedale was also nominated by The Agency's Matt Lahood, who noted both investors and first-home buyers accessing new government incentives are seeing value in Geelong as it hits the bottom of the "property clock", and in particular, Grovedale for its large blocks with value-adding potential.
| Buy | Median price | Annual change | Supply | Demand |
| House | $682,000 | 3% | -2% | 109% |
| Unit | $508,000 | 2% | -2% | 54% |
| Invest | 10 year price growth | Rent | Change | Vacancy rate | Gross yield |
| House | 84% | $525 | 3% | 1% | 4% |
| Unit | 76% | $440 | 2% | N/A | 4. |
Nominated by: Melinda Jennison, buyer's agent and REBAA President and Nerida Conisbee, Ray White chief economist
Nominated for: Family appeal, gentrification, demographic change
Wavell Heights in Brisbane’s north received a double nomination from both REBAA president Melinda Jennison and Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee.
For Ms Conisbee, the family-friendly suburb balances leafy streets and quiet living with proximity to schools, parks, and major retail at Chermside Shopping Centre, and is particularly popular with families and professionals.
Ms Jennison said the area has seen significant development in recent years, with older post-war homes making way for contemporary renovations and new builds.
| Buy | Median price | Annual change | Supply | Demand |
| House | $1,500,000 | 15% | -3% | 12% |
| Unit | $744,000 | 10% | -38% | -24% |
| Invest | 10 year price growth | Rent | Change | Vacancy rate | Gross yield |
| House | 138% | $725 | 4% | 0.6% | 2.6% |
| Unit | 88% | $570 | 10% | N/A | 4.1% |
Nominated by: Nerida Conisbee, Ray White and Mathew Tiller, LJ Hooker head of research
Nominated for: Affordability, family appeal, demographic change, investment prospects
Baldivis in Perth’s south‑west corridor has evolved from a semi‑rural town into one of the city’s fastest‑growing family neighbourhoods which is undergoing a demographic shift according to Ray White's Nerida Conisbee.
She says younger families are increasingly replacing older residents, with affordable new housing estates, local schooling options, and easy access to the freeway network driving demand and reshaping the community’s character.
The depth of owner-occupier's in the suburb helps to create stability when investors are quiet, Mathew Tiller added, making Baldivis a "consistent performer" in Perth’s south‑west corridor.
| Buy | Median price | Annual change | Supply | Demand |
| House | $710,000 | 5% | 1% | -6% |
| Unit | $558,000 | 24% | 14% | 10% |
| Invest | 10 year price growth | Rent | Change | Vacancy rate | Gross yield |
| House | 56% | $650 | 3% | 1.6% | 4.2% |
| Unit | 47% | $525 | 1% | N/A | 5.1% |
Nominated by Matt Lahood, The Agency and John McGrath, McGrath managing director
Nominated for: Location, amenity
Battery Point is one of Tasmania’s most prestigious and tightly-held suburbs, and currently presents a rare opportunity for buyers to get in at a discount, according to John McGrath.
House prices skyrocketed during a Covid-fuelled boom to a median $2.3m, but have since slipped back to around $1.6m "amid a rising number of homes coming onto the market".
It's also nominated by The Agency’s Matt Lahood, who says Battery Point is perfectly positioned to be a "real hotspot in 2026" with only a few homes coming to market and strong interest from both local and interstate buyers.
| Buy | Median price | Annual change | Supply | Demand |
| House | $1,588,000 | 18% | -14% | 29% |
| Unit | $750,000 | -6% | 14% | 19% |
| Invest | 10 year price growth | Rent | Change | Vacancy rate | Gross yield |
| House | 95% | $825 | 29% | N/A | 3.6% |
| Unit | 70% | $575 | 13% | 1.6% | 4.2% |
Nominated by Belinda Connor, Elders and Samantha Spilsbury, buyer's agent
Nominated for: Affordability, population growth
About 15 minutes south of Hobart, Kingston is a popular beachside suburb with more affordable property prices than many inner suburbs.
But it’s the recent investment in the Kingsborough Sports Centre that could give the area a major boost, according to Belinda Connor of Elders, who says players and support staff have already started snapping up opportunities near the beach and surrounding suburbs in anticipation of both the Tasmanian Jack Jumpers and upcoming Tasmania Devils football club moving into the area.
Kingston was also nominated by REBAA Tas state representative Samantha Spilsbury, who noted it’s one of Tasmania’s “fastest-growing residential corridors", attracting both families and professionals seeking value within easy commute distance.
She said the “consistent performer” offers “further uplift potential” as southern transport and community projects progress.
| Buy | Median price | Annual change | Supply | Demand |
| House | $739,000 | 0% | -19% | 48% |
| Unit | $620,000 | 3% | -7% | 36% |
| Invest | 10 year price growth | Rent | Change | Vacancy rate | Gross yield |
| House | 110% | $620 | 7% | N/A | 4.4% |
| Unit | 109% | $505 | -1% | N/A | 4.2% |
View all 100 suburbs to make the 2026 realestate.com.au Hot 100 list here or use the interactive map below.
More from the 2026 Hot 100:
