November Market Update: Off-market Opportunities Abound

With Christmas just around the corner, it’s easy to assume the property market has packed up for the year. And sure, the listings you see online right now aren’t likely to surge again until February.

But here’s what buyers’ advocates know (and most people don’t): behind the scenes, a huge number of vendors are quietly prepping for a February launch. Many of these homes are already appraised, photographed and essentially market-ready. They’re just waiting for the calendar to flip.

Translation? There are plenty of deals to be done right now. Pre-market and off-market opportunities are everywhere – you just can’t see them splashed across the portals.

In fact, for the past 10 years, we’ve bought a property on Christmas Eve. Talk about a gift.

How to Prepare for the 2026 Market

The property world enters a kind of summer hibernation from Christmas through to Australia Day, which makes it the perfect window to get your ducks in a row. Use the quieter weeks to set yourself up for a stronger, smoother year ahead.

Here’s where to start:

• Clarify your goals: Are you upgrading, downsizing or looking for an investment?
• Build your plan: Set a budget, map out your preferred suburbs and start researching sales activity.
• Book your key meetings: Line up conversations with your buyers’ advocate, financial advisor and broker to secure pre-approval and refine your strategy.

If you get organised over December and January, you’ll hit the ground running — and give yourself the best chance of a successful 2026 in property.