Canberra’s property market is showing a clear shift in buyer behaviour, with apartment and unit sales becoming a larger part of the market as affordability pressures rise and detached housing becomes harder to access. Recent market data and government planning reports suggest that apartments are increasingly becoming the practical pathway into property ownership across the ACT.

According to recent reporting, apartments now make up 44 per cent of all ACT homes listed for sale in 2026, highlighting just how significant the unit sector has become in Canberra’s residential landscape. Belconnen was identified as one of the key districts where apartment supply has surged. 

Why More Buyers Are Choosing Apartments

The most obvious reason is affordability. Detached house prices in Canberra remain high, with recent market insights showing the median dwelling value near $892,800, while detached homes continue to outperform units in price growth. This creates a widening gap between houses and apartments, pushing many first-home buyers, downsizers and investors toward more affordable attached dwellings. 

For many buyers, the decision is practical rather than emotional:

• Lower purchase prices than detached homes
• Lower maintenance requirements
• Better proximity to employment hubs
• Easier access to transport, cafes and lifestyle precincts
• Entry into the suburbs is otherwise unaffordable for houses

This is particularly relevant in inner Canberra locations where land is limited and established housing stock is expensive.

Lack of Land Is Reshaping the Market

Unlike many Australian cities, Canberra’s future land supply is constrained by planning boundaries, national park surrounds and finite greenfield release opportunities. As a result, population growth increasingly needs to be accommodated through urban renewal and higher-density housing rather than endless suburban sprawl.

The ACT Government’s 2025 Housing Supply and Land Release Program specifically references increasing supply through “missing middle” and low-rise housing options in established suburbs, designed to provide more housing choice and support sustainable growth. 

New City and North Curtin Developments

This shift is visible in major future projects. Canberra’s city centre continues to evolve with new apartment towers, mixed-use precincts and transport-oriented development around Civic and the light rail corridor.

Meanwhile, the proposed North Curtin development is shaping up as one of Canberra’s most significant urban infill projects, with around 1,300 dwellings flagged on former paddock land, including apartment buildings and medium-density housing. 

Projects like these reflect a broader reality: future housing supply in Canberra will increasingly come through apartments, terraces and townhomes rather than traditional standalone blocks.

What It Means for Sellers and Buyers

For buyers, apartments may offer the most realistic and strategic way into the Canberra market. For sellers, especially owners of quality units in strong locations, growing demand could create new opportunities as affordability pressures continue.

The Canberra market is changing — and apartments are no longer the alternative. For many buyers, they are becoming the first and for many the only choice.