Brisbane rental demand holds firm with vacancy steady at 0.9%, SQM says

What's happening

Rental demand in South East Queensland's capital remains firm. SQM Research's September 2026 vacancy data, released on 13 October, shows Brisbane's vacancy rate held at 0.9% for a second month, with 3,222 dwellings listed for rent for three weeks or longer.

The picture is more relaxed elsewhere. The national vacancy rate edged up to 1.4% from 1.3% in August, driven mainly by Sydney (1.8%) and Melbourne (1.9%), where more rental stock has come onto the market over the past year. For tenants in Brisbane the month brought a pause in price growth, with combined asking rents unchanged, while landlords continue to benefit from very low vacancy.

The key details

SQM measures vacancy using online rental listings advertised for three weeks or more, compared with the total stock of established rental properties. Key Brisbane and national results for September were:

• Brisbane vacancy: 0.9%, unchanged from August
• Brisbane combined asking rent: $754.49 a week, flat over the month and 7.2% higher over the year
• Brisbane house rents: up 8.1% over the year
• National combined asking rent: $704.76 a week, up 0.3% over 30 days and 7.6% over the year
• National unit rents fell 1.6% over the month, while house rents rose 1.6%

SQM managing director Louis Christopher said vacancy below 1% in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin and Hobart meant there was "little sign yet of relief" for tenants in those cities. SQM also noted Brisbane retains capacity for further rent rises into summer.

Timeline and next steps

SQM publishes vacancy rates monthly, so the October result is expected in mid-November. Christopher said SQM would watch whether softer unit rents continue through the spring leasing season and broaden into slower rental growth overall. Weekly asking-rent data will also show whether Brisbane's flat September was a pause or the start of a slowdown.

What it means for Gold Coast property owners and developers

SQM's release does not report a Gold Coast figure, so local investors should check suburb-level data before drawing conclusions. Still, the Brisbane result points to sustained rental demand across the south-east, which supports income for existing landlords and the case for new rental supply. Tenants may find the flat monthly result gives them slightly more room to negotiate on renewals.

With national vacancies drifting higher and unit rents easing in several capitals, owners should price rentals to current local evidence rather than last year's growth rates. This is general information, not financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

What was Brisbane's rental vacancy rate in September 2026?

SQM Research recorded 0.9%, unchanged from August, with 3,222 dwellings available.

Are Brisbane rents still rising?

Combined asking rents were flat over the month at $754.49 a week, but remain 7.2% higher than a year earlier.

Does the data cover the Gold Coast?

The September release covers capital cities and the national total; it does not give a separate Gold Coast vacancy rate.

Source: SQM Research, published 13 October 2026. This article is an independent summary and commentary by GC Prestige based on the original report — read the source for full details.