Brisbane's property market is booming, on both the residential and commercial fronts. And that's creating renewed opportunities for brokers.
"There are a lot of infrastructure projects happening and we've got a really good net migration and immigration to southeast Queensland, as well. So it's creating a lot of demand," Adam Bradley, founder and director of Brisbane-based Emerge Finance, told Australian Broker.
He added that in terms of commercial property, "people were scared off with commercial investments a few years ago. But there has been a bit more research and access to info around what borrowers can buy and what would be a good investment."
The momentum in both residential and commercial property markets have been underpinned by strong population growth and expanding employment opportunities from new infrastructure projects, particularly the upcoming 2032 Brisbane Olympics. Brisbane’s residential home values rose 14.5%, year-over-year, according to Cotality data. Meanwhile, although Australia’s commercial property market softened nationally in 2025, Brisbane emerged as a clear outperformer. ANZ Research reports that office vacancy rates in Brisbane’s central business district were among the lowest in the country during 2025, sitting near decade-low levels.
And locals don't see the momentum slowing down anytime soon.
"The Olympics, they're good for the state. But they also put Brisbane on the map," Bradley said. "A lot of international people know about Sydney or Melbourne. But Brisbane is still a bit unknown. The Olympics are only two weeks. So that's not really going to change too much. But I think it creates investment into the area.
"We're seeing all these big projects, like Victoria Park, which is a great location, so central and so accessible to a lot of people," he continued. "As part of the new stadium redevelopment, the city is redoing all of the parks and connections around there. So it makes the city a lot more accessible. And I think just the general buzz in the area.
"Also, I think Brisbane was a little bit more affordable than Sydney and Melbourne was a few years ago," Bradley said. "That demands a lot of investment interest in the area from investors, because the yields are good and the prices are quite low. But I think we're catching up [to other capital cities.]"
Bradley added that government schemes aimed at assisting first-time homebuyers are boosting demand and pushing prices higher in more affordable housing segments.
"People are capped out with their borrowing capacity and their personal aims," he explained. "They might also be looking at investing in their super. And so a lot of people will do commercial properties in their super.
"But among the first-time homebuyers, the first-time buyers' Home Guarantee Scheme have really increased demand for that sub-million dollar residential in Brisbane," Bradley continued. "There's not really much you can get now within 15 kilometres of the city as a house. That is, a detached house under a million. It's really growing in the last couple of months."
Jason Arnold, group executive of originations at Pallas Capital, added that Brisbane's commercial property market is "performing okay. It's performing better than Sydney or Melbourne."
But the real growth, he said, is in the city's residential housing market.
"Brisbane is having a good run in residential," Arnold said. "The market sentiment is just a lot more positive, compared with Melbourne or Sydney. It's just a lot more positive.
"There's a lack of supply and high demand," he added. "There's also a lot of employment opportunities up there with all the infrastructure jobs."
Arnold said there's "absolutely an opportunity" for brokers and lenders in Brisbane and southeast Queensland.
"Our lending numbers have increased in the Brisbane market," Arnold said. "There are a lot more developments."
Arnold said brokers can also capitalize on these opportunities by understanding local lending options and the regulatory requirements specific to each area.
"Brokers would do well to have plenty of local lending options available to them and know the local lending policies," he explained. "There are not as many local lenders in Queensland. Knowing who's there can help brokers. They have someone local who can walk them through a site visit if needed. And it goes faster to have someone local."
