The Rent and Sales report contains median weekly rent and median sales price statistics by local government area.

• LGA
• From: 2011
• To: Ongoing
• Frequency: Quarterly

Median weekly rent can be filtered by dwellings type (e.g. house, flat) and/or number of bedrooms. Median sales price can be filtered by strata or non-strata.  For confidentiality;

• rents in any geographical area where the number of new bonds is 10 or less are not reported
• sale prices in any geographical area where the number of sales is 10 or less are not reported

Statistics calculated from sample sizes between 10 and 30 are shown by an ‘s’ in the relevant table.These data should be treated with caution, particularly when assessing quarterly and annual changes.

The total number of rental bonds held does not equal the total number of rental properties. This is because at any given time some properties are vacant and there are cases where bonds are not required by a landlord from their tenant (e.g. informal lettings).

Individual sales are allocated into time periods according to their contract date. Generally, the vendor and purchaser agree on the sale price on or before the contract date. In many instances there is a considerable time lapse between the contract and transfer dates. Accordingly, in assigning a time period to each property sale, the contract date is considered to be more relevant for market price analyses than the transfer date.

The sales data is reported three months after the end of the reference quarter when on average about 80% of the contracted sales have been notified.

A variety of factors create anomalies in the sale price attributed to particular properties.To ensure that the statistics reflect the market price of a typical residential dwelling the lower and upper 5% of sale prices for each LGA have been excluded.

New procedures have been introduced in the production of Rent and Sales tables from September 2017. This has produced a break in the rent series and comparisons with tables from old procedures (any reports prior to September 2017) may not be valid.

Key terms

Total Bonds: live bonds held at the last date of the quarter.
Strata title properties: usually include town houses, terraces/villas, flats/units (multi-unit dwellings).
Non-strata title properties: usually refer to a separate house.

This dataset is a of boarding houses in NSW as registered with the NSW Department of Fair Trading.         
    
This dataset covers:

•  All NSW: Unit record data by address
•  Allows users to aggregate to their preferred geography (e.g. LGA, suburb)
•  From: 2013
•  To: Ongoing
• Frequency: Quarterly

Key terms  

Boarding house: a type of residential rental accommodation provided for a fee. Usually a resident only has a right to occupy a room and may share other facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom.
Boarding houses often provide a form of low–cost rental accommodation for a wide range of tenants. Boarding houses can be leased under occupancy agreements or through a residential agreement. They must be registered if they accommodate five or more residents (general) or accommodate two or more residents with additional needs (assisted).

General boarding house; has five or more paying residents. General boarding houses do not include hotels, motels, backpackers’ hostels, aged care homes or other types of premises excluded by the Boarding Houses Act 2012.

Assisted boarding house; accommodates 2 or more persons with additional needs. A person with additional needs has a disability such as an age–related frailty; a mental illness and/or an intellectual, psychiatric, sensory or physical disability, and needs support or supervision with daily tasks and personal care such as showering, preparing meals or managing medication.

Usage notes    

• This dataset should be used as a broad indicator of the overall number (stock) of boarding houses in an area.
• This dataset should not be used as an indicator of the supply of new boarding houses. The dataset is frequently revised to reflect new boarding houses as they are identified, however these additions do not necessarily indicate newly built boarding houses. There may be a lag between completing the construction/conversion to a boarding house, the occupation of the boarding house, and the boarding house being registered with Fair Trading.
• Additionally, the Boarding Houses Act 2012 commenced on 1 January 2013, and proprietors of registrable boarding houses were required to register with Fair Trading even if they were already registered with other agencies. Years 2013 and 2014 may appear to indicate a high volume of new boarding house registrations, however this is incorrect.
•  The Boarding Houses Act 2012 sets the legal requirement for operators of two types of boarding houses to register their boarding house with NSW Fair Trading, and provides for a central register of ‘registrable’ boarding houses. Proprietors of registrable boarding houses to register with Fair Trading within 28 days of commencing operations.

The public registers are only as accurate as the information provided by the proprietors and manual inputs from councils. Information may be incomplete and out of date.

• If a boarding house is operating without registration it is not captured in this dataset (registering on the Boarding House Register is a legal obligation).

• The Department of Fair Trading also provides a near time searchable register of boarding houses. It is not available to download.

• The Boarding House Act 2012 is currently under review. In August 2020, a report on the Review of the Boarding Houses Act 2012 was released following a discussion paper and public consultation. It detailed several recommendations, including changes to the register. This means the register is likely to change in the future.

Source: NSW Department of Fair Trading.
Last updated: April 2021

This dataset is the best available NSW government information on where, when and how many new homes are likely to be built in Greater Sydney across three scenarios  in the next five years.

Access the Sydney housing supply forecast data.

This forecast data covers:

Greater Sydney
Greater Sydney Districts, Local Government Area and Suburb 
Forecast increment: Annually
Forecast period: 20 years
Forecast coverage: 2020 to 2040

Key terms:

Forecast: an estimate of the number of new houses or dwellings that are likely to be built in the future.
Greater Sydney: the Sydney Statistical Division (this excludes the Central Coast and Wollongong local government areas).
Greater Sydney Districts: five key planning areas of Greater Sydney, defined by the Greater Sydney Commission.
Zoning and planning controls: legislative framework for regulating land use and development, including the location, density, height and type of new residential development.

Usage Notes:

• The forecast is an estimate of the number of new dwellings that could be built under current zoning and planning controls, current programs and initiatives and particular market conditions. It reflects current trends in residential construction and approval activity.
• The central base case scenario represents the most likely outcome based on market conditions and demand factors at the time of preparing the forecast in October 2020. The high growth and low growth scenarios explore the impacts of varying market conditions. See the detailed description of the methodology for the scenarios.
• The forecast is not an indicator of housing demand.
• The 2020 forecast differs from previous forecasts because it was released as three scenarios and down to a suburb level.
• A key assumption for the 2020 forecast is that although population growth may slow in the short term, underlying demand for and market take-up of housing in Greater Sydney will continue.
• The Sydney housing supply forecast applies generally to private dwellings that are detached houses, medium-density development (townhouses, terraces and villas) and apartments. It does not explicitly forecast, or include in the forecast, the following dwelling types: secondary dwellings, boarding houses, student accommodation, group homes, seniors living developments (including retirement villages, hostels and aged care facilities), and manufactured housing estates.

Source: NSW Department of Planning and Environment
Last updated: This information was last updated in April 2021

The BASIX captures data about the sustainability choices people make in new residential development. This includes information such as type of hot water system chosen, and types of cooling systems used, as well as more general information about the dwellings, such as the number of bedrooms.

Key Terms:

Alterations and Additions: includes additions to an existing house such as swimming pool, basement or an attic, sunroom, spa room and secondary dwelling (Granny flat) by conversion of existing habitable space.

BASIX: a series of development application requirements for water and energy usage and thermal comfort performance that applies to all new residential dwellings, alterations and additions worth more than $50,000 and swimming pools over 40,000L.

BASIX Certificate: the legal document needed to approve a development complies with BASIX. A BASIX Certificate is generated using an online tool; if the development meets the BASIX requirements, a certificate is generated and submitted with the development application of complying development certificate.

BASIX Targets: BASIX sets sustainability target for water and energy as well as minimum performance levels for the thermal comfort of residential development. These are the requirements a development must meet. They vary by dwelling type as well as location to suit local conditions. They are expressed as a percentage saving against an NSW benchmark (this benchmark is consistent across NSW).

BASIX Certificate: the legal document needed to approve a development complies with BASIX. A BASIX Certificate is generated using an online tool; if the development meets the BASIX requirements, a certificate is generated and submitted with the development application of complying development certificate.

BASIX Targets: BASIX sets sustainability target for water and energy as well as minimum performance levels for the thermal comfort of residential development. These are the requirements a development must meet. They vary by dwelling type as well as location to suit local conditions. They are expressed as a percentage saving against an NSW benchmark (this benchmark is consistent across NSW).

BASIX Tool: Estimates the water and energy consumption and the thermal comfort based on the details of the proposed dwelling, including floor area, the size, location, type of windows, type of insulation and the type of hot water being installed.

Completion receipt: Following the final inspection and prior to issuing a final occupation certificate, the certifying authority is required to issue a BASIX completion receipt.

Multi-dwelling :includes townhouse, row house, terrace, residential flat building, dual occupancy, two houses on one lot, and a new principal dwelling and a new secondary dwelling (granny flat) together.

Non-strata title properties: usually refer to a separate house.

Single dwelling: includes single house on one lot, bungalow, one part of a semi-detached home, cottage, and secondary dwelling (granny flat) by change of use or next to existing principal dwelling.

Total Bonds: live bonds held at the last date of the quarter.

Strata title properties: usually include town houses, terraces/villas, flats/units (multi-unit dwellings).

Usage notes

• The data are indicators of trends in new residential development. They do not capture existing dwellings and monitor minor renovations that change the sustainability of a residential dwelling.
• Data is richest for single detached dwellings. Multi-unit developments have less data available.
• Data is collected at the planning stage, prior to build.
• The BASIX calculations are based on average occupancy and behaviour. There may be differences between the planned and actual delivery of residential developments and energy and water usage and thermal loads.
• Multiple certificates can be generated for a single development. Certificates can also be revised. Users can filter for certificates with a completion receipt to check whether the development proceeded to construction and occupation.
• The annual releases include both new certificates as well as revisions to existing certificates. Due to these revisions, yearly releases are not directly comparable.
• BASIX has developed a webpage of definitions.
• Relationship to the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS): NatHERS provides homes with a star rating out of ten based on an estimate of it’s potential (heating and cooling) energy use. It is included in the National Construction Code and used by state and territory governments. In NSW, the BASIX system replaces the code’s energy efficiency requirements, including NatHERS, and adds other aspects of sustainable development. So not every newly built residential dwelling will have a NatHERS rating (only those that use the Simulation thermal comfort method will have a NatHERS rating).NatHERS data is visualised by the CSIRO across a series of dashboards.
• Provisions to enable the operation of BASIX are contained in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 and State Environmental Planning Policy (Building Sustainability Index: BASIX) 2004.

Source: NSW Department of Planning and Environment

Last updated: This information was last updated in April 2021.

The NSW Government has drafted an Urban Development Program (UDP) for 3 regions, to assist in longer-term strategic planning and investment decision making:

• Greater Sydney
• Illawarra-Shoalhaven
• Greater Newcastle

Each UDP contains the best available information on housing, jobs and infrastructure gathered from local councils, state government agencies, industry and infrastructure service providers.

Illawarra Shoalhaven

• Approvals from: 1998-99
• Approvals to: Ongoing 
• Approvals frequency: Financial Year
• Completions from:
  • 1998-99 (Kiama, Shellharbour and Wollongong LGAs)
  • 2014-15 (Shoalhaven LGA)
• Completions to: Ongoing
• Completions frequency: Financial Year

Newcastle

• Approvals from: 2007-08
• Approvals to: 2018-19
• Approvals frequency: Financial Year
• Completions from: 2014-14
• Completions to: 2018-19
• Completions frequency: Financial Year

Greater Metropolitan Sydney

• Approvals from:1991-92
• Approvals to:Ongoing
• Approvals frequency: Financial Year
• Completions from:1998-99
• Completions to: Ongoing
• Completions frequency: Financial Year

Key terms

Greenfield forecast: an estimate of the number of new houses or dwellings that are likely to be built in the future. It is produced by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment and is based on data provided by developers of greenfield sites.
Dwelling approvals: refers to a residential development that has received the final approval to construct. For NSW, this means a dwelling has obtained a Construction Certificate (CC) or Complying Development Certificate (CDC).
Dwelling completions: measured on a net basis, it is the difference between the number of completed dwellings compared to the existing stock, adjusted for demolitions.
Dwellings: defined by the ABS as a “self-contained suite of rooms, including cooking and bathing facilities, intended for long-term residential use”. This excludes rooms within buildings offering institution care (e.g. hospitals) or temporary accommodation (e.g. motels, hostels and holiday apartments).

Density: this report aggregates dwellings by density, defined as:

• Low density: houses (includes separate, kit and transportable houses).
• Medium density: semi-detached, row or terrace houses, townhouses, as well as flats, units, or apartments in four or more storey blocks.
• High density: flats units or apartment in four or more storey blocks.
• Other: alterations and additions, conversions and other dwellings not elsewhere classified (e.g. shop top housing).
• Note: when comparing Approvals with Completions data, houses are classified as detached and all other dwellings as multi-unit.

Greenfield: ‘raw’ land that is not used (or initially zoned) for urban purposes but identified for future urban development.
Greenfield development: the delivery of new housing in greenfield land.
Release areas: greenfield development sites released for residential development
Infill: Land previously used for urban purposes including residential, industrial, open space or business uses.
Infill development: refers to the development, intensification or re‑use of land for residential purposes.
Rental vacancy rate: the number of vacant rental properties divided by the total number of rental properties expressed as a percentage.

Usage Notes

• The forecast is an estimate of the number of new dwellings and is based on data provided by developers of greenfield sites. 
• Dwelling approvals are not necessarily a reflection of future dwelling completions as the approved projects may not proceed to construction.
• Dwelling approvals are based on ABS data on complying development certificates and construction certificates – which is the last major planning approval a project requires before it can be built.
• These figures primarily capture private dwellings. Other forms of housing, including secondary dwellings, boarding houses and seniors housing, are inconsistently identified
• The Greater Metropolitan Sydney area is comprised of the following 33 LGAs: Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Camden, Campbelltown, Canada Bay, Canterbury‑Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Inner West, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Liverpool, Mosman, North Sydney, Northern Beaches, Parramatta, Penrith, Randwick, Ryde, Strathfield, Sutherland Shire, Sydney, The Hills Shire, Waverley, Willoughby, Woollahra, Blue Mountains and Wollondilly.
• The Greater Newcastle region is comprised of the following 5 LGAs: Cessnock, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Newcastle and Port Stephens.
• The Illawarra-Shoalhaven region is comprised of the following 4 LGAs: Kiama, Shoalhaven, Shellharbour and Wollongong.

Source: Dwelling approvals: Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Dwelling completions: 

• Private dwelling connections from Sydney Water (Greater Metropolitan Sydney’s 33 LGAs plus the 3 Illawarra-Shoalhaven region LGAs of Kiama, Shellharbour and Wollongong of the)
• Occupation certificates from Shoalhaven Council
• Private dwelling connections from Hunter Water (for the 5 LGAs of the Greater Newcastle region)

Greenfield forecast: NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment and is based on data provided by developers of greenfield sites.
 

Population: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Population projections: NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

Market Trends: includes rental vacancy rate, median sales price (and change), median asking rent (and change). This information is sourced and then aggregated to a district level. Please contact CoreLogic and SQM for raw data.

Last updated:

• Greater Sydney - December 2022
• Illawarra-Shoalhaven - September 2022
• Newcastle - February 2023

Related resources

Housing pillars

The department acknowledges that the supply of housing is fundamentally linked to the other key pillars of housing; diversity, affordability and resilience. It should be considered alongside these areas of information.

Population dynamics: When planning for the supply of new housing, it is important to understand the demand for housing. Population dynamics are an important factor that shapes demand for housing. Even when there is no population growth, changes in household composition may influence housing needs. Current and future measures of population and living arrangements are good starting indicators for future housing demand.

Population projections: See the department's population, household and implied dwelling demand projections  for NSW. They paint a picture of NSW's future population and associated demand for housing and how it is expected to change through to 2041. The data is available at local government area level.

Current population numbers: The Australian Bureau of Statistics annually publishes an estimated resident population. It provides the best estimate of an area's current population.

• State level data is updated quarterly.
• Regional and local government area data is updated annually. The latest release is for June 2020.

Page last updated: 16/11/2022