Monthly report · Far North Queensland
Cairns Property Market Report: October 2026
Cairns houses took a median 56 days to sell in October 2026, and median asking prices eased 6.8% on about 30 days earlier (Spachus).
This is the October 2026 report, kept as published. See the latest report →
Is the Cairns property market going up or down?
In October 2026 the Cairns market was flat to slightly softer: asking prices eased and Spachus rated the market “neutral”.
- Median asking prices eased 6.8% on about 30 days earlier. (Spachus, Cairns Property Market, October 2026)
- Spachus rated the Cairns market “neutral” in October 2026. (Spachus, Cairns Property Market, October 2026)
- The market slowed after the 12 May 2026 Federal Budget, but well-priced properties are selling faster. (The Buyers Co., Cairns real estate update, Q3 2026)
- Postcode 4870 had about 570 listings in Q3 2026, against a longer-term level of about 1,000. (The Buyers Co., Cairns real estate update, Q3 2026) Fewer homes for sale than usual supports prices.
What changed this month, and why?
Tony’s published view is that Cairns was undervalued for years and grew quickly after COVID, with interstate investors now buying on rental yield, often through buyer’s agents. (Elite Agent, “Buying with a calculator”, February 2026)
“Cairns has been discovered.”
Tony Williamson, Elite Agent, “Buying with a calculator”, February 2026
How long does it take to sell a house in Cairns?
Cairns houses took a median 56 days to sell in October 2026. (Spachus, Cairns Property Market, October 2026) Well-priced homes are selling faster than that. (The Buyers Co., Cairns real estate update, Q3 2026) Days on market in detail →
What’s happening in Cairns this month?
- Cairns Hospital: the first new 32-bed ward of the $1 billion-plus expansion opened in August 2026. (Queensland Government, 19 August 2026)
- Mount Peter: the plan for around 18,500 homes is open for public comment until 28 October 2026. (EDQ, October 2026)
- Water security: the new Mulgrave River supply is in pre-commissioning, due mid-2027. (Cairns Regional Council, 1 September 2026)
What is the Cairns rental market doing?
The Cairns region’s rental vacancy rate was below 1% in Q3 2026. (The Buyers Co., Cairns real estate update, Q3 2026) The median weekly rent on new leases for a three-bedroom house in the Cairns Regional Council area was $660 in the June quarter 2026. (Residential Tenancies Authority bond data (Cairns Regional Council area, via APRIQ), June quarter 2026) A two-bedroom unit rented for a median $510 a week in the June quarter 2026. (Residential Tenancies Authority bond data (Cairns Regional Council area, via APRIQ), June quarter 2026) The rental market in detail →
Investors: what should you watch?
A new restriction on SMSF borrowing for residential property applies from 10 August 2026; properties under about $750,000 may be most exposed. (The Buyers Co., Cairns real estate update, Q3 2026) If you own or are buying in that range, expect fewer SMSF buyers.
Low vacancy keeps rents firm, while insurance costs in the north remain a factor in net yields. Is Cairns a good place to invest? →
Watch this month’s update
Published 20 October 2026. Figures are checked against each source on the day of publishing.
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Common questions
Where do the figures in this report come from?
Each figure is taken from a named public source, shown next to it with the month it applies to. The sources are Spachus and The Buyers Co., plus official Queensland Government and Cairns Regional Council releases.
How often is the Cairns property market report updated?
Every month, in the first week. Each month’s report keeps its own page in the report archive, so you can compare months.
Where can I see Cairns house prices by suburb?
Median prices by suburb are on cairnshouseprices.com.au.
Who writes the commentary?
Tony Williamson, a Cairns real estate agent and auctioneer with REMAX Powerhouse, who has sold Cairns property since the late 1980s. About Tony.