Updated Weekly · Microburbs Research
Where Are Property Investors Searching?
Week Ending 24 Feb 2026
An analysis of investor search trends across Australian suburbs, regions, and capital city areas. Based on property and suburb research activity tracked by Microburbs.
1. Trending Suburbs This Week
Key Takeaways
- Investor search activity is concentrated in Greater Melbourne and Regional Vic., particularly Melbourne's western and south-eastern growth corridors.
- Fast risers this week: Sale, Hoppers Crossing, Dubbo, Warrnambool, Lalor. These suburbs have surged in investor interest compared to the prior week.
- The "% of searches" column shows each suburb's share of all investor searches nationally, while "weekly/monthly change" shows ranking movement (▲ up, ▼ down) vs the equivalent prior period.
Past 7 Days (17 Feb - 24 Feb 2026)
| Rank | Suburb | GCCSA | SA4 | % of Searches | Search Intensity | Weekly Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sale | Regional Vic. | Latrobe - Gippsland | 1.38 | 0.205 | ▲59 |
| 2 | Hoppers Crossing | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - West | 1.27 | 0.099 | ▲10 |
| 3 | Werribee | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - West | 1.09 | 0.061 | ▲2 |
| 4 | Dubbo | Regional NSW | Far West and Orana | 1.09 | 0.057 | ▲78 |
| 5 | Warrnambool | Regional Vic. | Warrnambool and South West | 1.09 | 0.079 | ▲36 |
| 6 | Point Cook | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - West | 0.88 | 0.049 | – |
| 7 | Devonport | Regional Tas. | West and North West | 0.85 | 0.124 | ▲8 |
| 8 | Pakenham | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - South East | 0.82 | 0.052 | ▲1 |
| 9 | Lalor | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - North East | 0.8 | 0.109 | ▲14 |
| 10 | Tarneit | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - West | 0.74 | 0.044 | ▲1 |
| 11 | Alfredton | Regional Vic. | Ballarat | 0.74 | 0.179 | ▼9 |
| 12 | Horsham | Regional Vic. | North West | 0.71 | 0.107 | ▼4 |
| 13 | Corio | Regional Vic. | Geelong | 0.71 | 0.115 | ▲23 |
| 14 | Lavington | Regional NSW | Murray | 0.65 | 0.117 | – |
| 15 | Armidale | Regional NSW | New England and North West | 0.65 | 0.052 | ▲59 |
| 16 | Mildura | Regional Vic. | North West | 0.65 | 0.045 | ▲5 |
| 17 | Clyde North | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - South East | 0.62 | 0.072 | ▼16 |
| 18 | Wodonga | Regional Vic. | Hume | 0.62 | 0.06 | ▲14 |
| 19 | Norlane | Regional Vic. | Geelong | 0.59 | 0.159 | ▼1 |
| 20 | Berwick | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - South East | 0.56 | 0.036 | ▼17 |
| 21 | Reservoir (Vic.) | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - North East | 0.56 | 0.03 | ▼11 |
| 22 | Cherrybrook | Greater Sydney | Sydney - Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury | 0.56 | 0.103 | ▲92 |
| 23 | Shepparton | Regional Vic. | Shepparton | 0.56 | 0.042 | ▲42 |
| 24 | Risdon Vale | Greater Hobart | Hobart | 0.56 | 0.452 | ▲38 |
| 25 | Officer | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - South East | 0.53 | 0.093 | ▼21 |
Past 30 Days (25 Jan - 24 Feb 2026)
| Rank | Suburb | GCCSA | SA4 | % of Searches | Search Intensity | Monthly Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Point Cook | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - West | 0.93 | 0.194 | ▲1 |
| 2 | Alfredton | Regional Vic. | Ballarat | 0.87 | 0.8 | ▲9 |
| 3 | Hoppers Crossing | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - West | 0.8 | 0.238 | ▲12 |
| 4 | Werribee | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - West | 0.79 | 0.167 | ▲8 |
| 5 | Clyde North | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - South East | 0.77 | 0.336 | ▲53 |
| 6 | Dubbo | Regional NSW | Far West and Orana | 0.73 | 0.144 | ▼3 |
| 7 | Horsham | Regional Vic. | North West | 0.68 | 0.388 | ▼6 |
| 8 | Devonport | Regional Tas. | West and North West | 0.68 | 0.372 | ▼4 |
| 9 | Pakenham | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - South East | 0.67 | 0.159 | ▲53 |
| 10 | Berwick | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - South East | 0.62 | 0.153 | ▲9 |
| 11 | Craigieburn | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - North West | 0.59 | 0.128 | ▼2 |
| 12 | Tarneit | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - West | 0.56 | 0.127 | ▲13 |
| 13 | Armidale | Regional NSW | New England and North West | 0.55 | 0.167 | ▲21 |
| 14 | Sale | Regional Vic. | Latrobe - Gippsland | 0.55 | 0.306 | ▲22 |
| 15 | Reservoir (Vic.) | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - North East | 0.55 | 0.11 | ▲11 |
| 16 | Officer | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - South East | 0.52 | 0.345 | ▲268 |
| 17 | Wendouree | Regional Vic. | Ballarat | 0.52 | 0.407 | ▲7 |
| 18 | Mildura | Regional Vic. | North West | 0.52 | 0.136 | ▼2 |
| 19 | Lavington | Regional NSW | Murray | 0.52 | 0.351 | ▲33 |
| 20 | Warrnambool | Regional Vic. | Warrnambool and South West | 0.51 | 0.138 | ▲61 |
| 21 | Corio | Regional Vic. | Geelong | 0.51 | 0.312 | ▼13 |
| 22 | Wodonga | Regional Vic. | Hume | 0.49 | 0.18 | ▲8 |
| 23 | Frankston | Greater Melbourne | Mornington Peninsula | 0.48 | 0.105 | ▼16 |
| 24 | Shepparton | Regional Vic. | Shepparton | 0.47 | 0.134 | ▼3 |
| 25 | Morwell | Regional Vic. | Latrobe - Gippsland | 0.46 | 0.236 | ▲41 |
2. Hidden Gems: Small Suburbs With High Search Intensity
Key Takeaways
- Raw search counts favour large suburbs. Normalising by suburb size (ABS mesh blocks, ~30–60 dwellings each) reveals smaller suburbs attracting disproportionate investor attention.
- These "hidden gem" suburbs often represent emerging opportunities that don't yet appear in headline rankings.
- A high search intensity score means investors are researching the suburb heavily relative to its size.
Highest Search Intensity: Past 7 Days
| Rank | Suburb | Unique Sessions | GCCSA | SA4 | Search Intensity | % of Searches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barangaroo | 4 | Greater Sydney | Sydney - City and Inner South | 2 | 0.12 |
| 2 | Moorabool | 3 | Regional Vic. | Geelong | 1.5 | 0.09 |
| 3 | Bonnie Brook | 4 | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - West | 1.333 | 0.12 |
| 4 | Newtown (Golden Plains - Vic.) | 4 | Regional Vic. | Ballarat | 1 | 0.12 |
| 5 | Menangle Park | 4 | Greater Sydney | Sydney - Outer South West | 0.8 | 0.12 |
| 6 | Kearsley | 6 | Regional NSW | Hunter Valley exc Newcastle | 0.6 | 0.18 |
| 7 | Hamilton Valley | 4 | Regional NSW | Murray | 0.5 | 0.12 |
| 8 | St Albans (Nsw) | 3 | Greater Sydney | Sydney - Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury | 0.5 | 0.09 |
| 9 | Risdon Vale | 19 | Greater Hobart | Hobart | 0.452 | 0.56 |
| 10 | Ashfield (WA) | 6 | Greater Perth | Perth - North East | 0.375 | 0.18 |
| 11 | Haynes | 7 | Greater Perth | Perth - South East | 0.304 | 0.21 |
| 12 | Balmoral (Lake Macquarie - Nsw) | 3 | Regional NSW | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | 0.273 | 0.09 |
| 13 | Tamworth | 10 | Regional NSW | New England and North West | 0.27 | 0.29 |
| 14 | Moreton Bay | 3 | Greater Brisbane | Brisbane - East | 0.25 | 0.09 |
| 15 | East Branxton | 4 | Regional NSW | Hunter Valley exc Newcastle | 0.235 | 0.12 |
| 16 | California Gully | 16 | Regional Vic. | Bendigo | 0.232 | 0.47 |
| 17 | Oxford Falls | 3 | Greater Sydney | Sydney - Northern Beaches | 0.231 | 0.09 |
| 18 | Acton (Tas.) | 5 | Regional Tas. | West and North West | 0.227 | 0.15 |
| 19 | Adelong | 5 | Regional NSW | Riverina | 0.227 | 0.15 |
| 20 | Newnham | 18 | Regional Tas. | Launceston and North East | 0.225 | 0.53 |
| 21 | Avenell Heights | 12 | Regional Qld | Wide Bay | 0.218 | 0.35 |
| 22 | Beaconsfield (Nsw) | 3 | Greater Sydney | Sydney - City and Inner South | 0.214 | 0.09 |
| 23 | Paxton | 3 | Regional NSW | Hunter Valley exc Newcastle | 0.214 | 0.09 |
| 24 | Donnybrook (Vic.) | 5 | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - North East | 0.208 | 0.15 |
| 25 | Bellbird | 6 | Regional NSW | Hunter Valley exc Newcastle | 0.207 | 0.18 |
Highest Search Intensity: Past 30 Days
| Rank | Suburb | Unique Sessions | GCCSA | SA4 | Search Intensity | % of Searches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kingswood (Bega Valley - Nsw) | 8 | Regional NSW | Capital Region | 8 | 0.06 |
| 2 | Summer Hill (Dungog - Nsw) | 8 | Regional NSW | Hunter Valley exc Newcastle | 8 | 0.06 |
| 3 | Whitlam | 6 | Australian Capital Territory | Australian Capital Territory | 6 | 0.05 |
| 4 | Maryvale (Livingstone - Qld) | 5 | Regional Qld | Central Queensland | 5 | 0.04 |
| 5 | Wangaratta (Qld) | 5 | Regional Qld | Townsville | 5 | 0.04 |
| 6 | St Kilda (Qld) | 5 | Regional Qld | Wide Bay | 5 | 0.04 |
| 7 | Wattamolla | 5 | Regional NSW | Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven | 5 | 0.04 |
| 8 | Bonnie Brook | 13 | Greater Melbourne | Melbourne - West | 4.333 | 0.1 |
| 9 | Melton (Sa) | 4 | Regional SA | Barossa - Yorke - Mid North | 4 | 0.03 |
| 10 | Minburra | 4 | Regional SA | Barossa - Yorke - Mid North | 4 | 0.03 |
| 11 | Polish Hill River | 4 | Regional SA | Barossa - Yorke - Mid North | 4 | 0.03 |
| 12 | Bimbourie | 4 | Regional Vic. | North West | 4 | 0.03 |
| 13 | Mount Cooper (Sa) | 4 | Regional SA | South Australia - Outback | 4 | 0.03 |
| 14 | Massie | 4 | Regional Qld | Darling Downs - Maranoa | 4 | 0.03 |
| 15 | Willowie | 4 | Regional SA | Barossa - Yorke - Mid North | 4 | 0.03 |
| 16 | Butler (Sa) | 4 | Regional SA | South Australia - Outback | 4 | 0.03 |
| 17 | Ascot (Ballarat - Vic.) | 4 | Regional Vic. | Ballarat | 4 | 0.03 |
| 18 | Billeroy | 4 | Regional NSW | Far West and Orana | 4 | 0.03 |
| 19 | Big Ridge | 4 | Regional NSW | Hunter Valley exc Newcastle | 4 | 0.03 |
| 20 | Langley | 4 | Regional Vic. | Bendigo | 4 | 0.03 |
| 21 | Wicherina | 4 | Regional WA | Western Australia - Outback (South) | 4 | 0.03 |
| 22 | Piney Range | 4 | Regional NSW | Central West | 4 | 0.03 |
| 23 | Miniyeri | 4 | Regional NT | Northern Territory - Outback | 4 | 0.03 |
| 24 | Charles Sturt University | 8 | Regional NSW | Riverina | 4 | 0.06 |
| 25 | North Yelta | 4 | Regional SA | Barossa - Yorke - Mid North | 4 | 0.03 |
3. Where Are Investors Looking? Regional Trends
Key Takeaways
- Greater Melbourne consistently attracts the largest share of investor searches, reflecting accessible price points and strong rental yields in growth corridors.
- Regional Victoria and Regional NSW together account for roughly a quarter of all searches. Investors are clearly looking beyond capital cities for value.
- Greater Brisbane's share has stabilised after a spike in late 2025, while Greater Perth maintains a steady ~6% share.
- Regional Tasmania and Regional SA have grown their search share in recent months, suggesting increasing investor interest in more affordable markets.
Share of Investor Searches by Region (%)
| Month | Greater Melbourne | Greater Sydney | Regional NSW | Regional Qld | Regional Vic. | Greater Brisbane | Greater Perth | Greater Adelaide | Regional WA | Regional SA | Regional Tas. | Greater Hobart | Australian Capital Territory | Greater Darwin | Regional NT | Other Territories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02 | 27.85 | 14.06 | 14.32 | 10.61 | 6.63 | 8.22 | 5.84 | 5.84 | 1.59 | 1.06 | 1.06 | 0.27 | 2.39 | 0.27 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025-03 | 26.86 | 13.93 | 9.51 | 13.76 | 7.51 | 7.59 | 10.51 | 5.25 | 2.17 | 1.5 | 0.33 | 0.42 | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025-04 | 17.29 | 32.58 | 22.33 | 7.37 | 5.32 | 6.76 | 3.16 | 1.99 | 0.44 | 0.61 | 0.22 | 0.55 | 0.11 | 1.27 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025-05 | 22.71 | 19.1 | 15.63 | 11.01 | 8.13 | 10.62 | 6.13 | 2.59 | 1.33 | 0.67 | 0.46 | 0.35 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.07 | 0 |
| 2025-06 | 23.82 | 22.84 | 11.6 | 9.47 | 8.27 | 10.09 | 6 | 3.14 | 1.16 | 1.16 | 0.72 | 0.52 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 0.06 | 0 |
| 2025-07 | 23.12 | 22.03 | 10.41 | 9.19 | 10.28 | 11.46 | 5.37 | 2.59 | 1.08 | 1.09 | 1.03 | 0.95 | 0.69 | 0.61 | 0.08 | 0.01 |
| 2025-08 | 15.72 | 16.33 | 15.2 | 11.08 | 11.87 | 10.29 | 5.02 | 3.28 | 3.34 | 2.94 | 2.18 | 1.1 | 0.54 | 0.57 | 0.51 | 0.02 |
| 2025-09 | 17.12 | 18.43 | 15.92 | 10.13 | 10.83 | 7.89 | 5.53 | 3.4 | 3.04 | 3.1 | 2.07 | 0.75 | 0.7 | 0.52 | 0.57 | 0.01 |
| 2025-10 | 14.4 | 17.56 | 15.95 | 11.18 | 12.14 | 7.34 | 4.63 | 2.87 | 4.37 | 3.51 | 2.91 | 1.15 | 0.78 | 0.37 | 0.86 | 0.01 |
| 2025-11 | 18.97 | 21.02 | 13.64 | 9.85 | 10.07 | 9.56 | 5.52 | 3.46 | 1.32 | 0.84 | 2.56 | 1.94 | 0.69 | 0.48 | 0.1 | 0 |
| 2025-12 | 18.09 | 21.35 | 14 | 10.08 | 10.33 | 8.03 | 5.87 | 3 | 1.83 | 1.12 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 0.71 | 0.33 | 0.14 | 0.01 |
| 2026-01 | 14.67 | 16.06 | 16.29 | 11.58 | 11.95 | 7.38 | 5.27 | 2.61 | 3.86 | 3.43 | 3.24 | 1.33 | 1.24 | 0.52 | 0.54 | 0.02 |
| 2026-02 | 17.62 | 13.99 | 15.64 | 10.39 | 12.3 | 7.87 | 4.97 | 3.28 | 3.69 | 3.38 | 3.08 | 1.72 | 1.09 | 0.47 | 0.5 | 0.02 |
4. Investor Interest by SA4 Region (Monthly)
Key Takeaways
- Melbourne - West (Werribee, Point Cook, Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit) is the most searched SA4 in Australia. These growth corridors offer new housing stock at relatively affordable prices.
- Regional SA4s like Ballarat, Latrobe - Gippsland, and New England and North West show sustained interest, reflecting the regional investment trend.
- Sydney's SA4s tend to rank lower than Melbourne equivalents, likely reflecting the price differential between the two cities.
- Wide Bay (Hervey Bay, Bundaberg area) has emerged as a consistent top-10 SA4, driven by affordability and lifestyle appeal.
Top 30 SA4 Regions: Monthly Search Trends
| Month | Melbourne - West | Melbourne - South East | Melbourne - North West | Sydney - Blacktown | Melbourne - North East | Geelong | Central Queensland | Hunter Valley exc Newcastle | Sydney - Inner South West | Latrobe - Gippsland | Ipswich | Central Coast | Ballarat | North West | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Parramatta | New England and North West | Bendigo | Wide Bay | Perth - South East | Melbourne - Inner | Sydney - North Sydney and Hornsby | Melbourne - Outer East | Cairns | Riverina | Brisbane - South | Perth - North West | Logan - Beaudesert | Sydney - Outer South West | Hobart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02 | 26 | 10 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025-03 | 119 | 35 | 49 | 13 | 50 | 20 | 31 | 18 | 35 | 16 | 19 | 7 | 16 | 13 | 24 | 13 | 15 | 9 | 10 | 35 | 19 | 18 | 5 | 24 | 9 | 10 | 22 | 10 | 9 | 5 |
| 2025-04 | 87 | 23 | 67 | 55 | 50 | 20 | 27 | 45 | 56 | 13 | 36 | 57 | 6 | 12 | 98 | 49 | 30 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 37 | 50 | 12 | 21 | 37 | 10 | 13 | 18 | 27 | 10 |
| 2025-05 | 181 | 64 | 112 | 62 | 95 | 79 | 47 | 100 | 46 | 15 | 79 | 33 | 26 | 34 | 100 | 42 | 36 | 43 | 35 | 49 | 53 | 54 | 47 | 56 | 34 | 45 | 37 | 36 | 22 | 10 |
| 2025-06 | 1702 | 797 | 735 | 782 | 696 | 537 | 495 | 485 | 434 | 309 | 496 | 329 | 213 | 310 | 439 | 499 | 221 | 266 | 331 | 360 | 376 | 437 | 381 | 298 | 130 | 333 | 368 | 339 | 394 | 122 |
| 2025-07 | 1498 | 789 | 926 | 861 | 732 | 642 | 454 | 490 | 502 | 324 | 578 | 393 | 378 | 303 | 315 | 491 | 259 | 565 | 211 | 436 | 408 | 458 | 529 | 386 | 179 | 363 | 375 | 534 | 449 | 242 |
| 2025-08 | 1497 | 818 | 1068 | 620 | 679 | 613 | 677 | 762 | 663 | 839 | 925 | 671 | 536 | 696 | 647 | 564 | 635 | 768 | 706 | 643 | 442 | 554 | 427 | 499 | 440 | 578 | 442 | 617 | 368 | 428 |
| 2025-09 | 1616 | 1113 | 966 | 807 | 741 | 577 | 723 | 639 | 719 | 709 | 572 | 647 | 521 | 655 | 787 | 721 | 784 | 663 | 585 | 640 | 464 | 494 | 447 | 503 | 589 | 558 | 428 | 475 | 412 | 288 |
| 2025-10 | 1891 | 1136 | 965 | 1010 | 735 | 900 | 1075 | 882 | 942 | 1012 | 802 | 916 | 824 | 1125 | 737 | 739 | 893 | 777 | 790 | 637 | 662 | 717 | 605 | 682 | 905 | 531 | 587 | 526 | 526 | 587 |
| 2025-11 | 1736 | 846 | 770 | 844 | 726 | 687 | 606 | 561 | 837 | 355 | 433 | 704 | 696 | 445 | 707 | 565 | 490 | 548 | 238 | 488 | 536 | 481 | 306 | 515 | 540 | 650 | 432 | 365 | 399 | 611 |
| 2025-12 | 950 | 677 | 453 | 677 | 396 | 423 | 361 | 403 | 402 | 352 | 383 | 424 | 407 | 282 | 304 | 389 | 314 | 303 | 205 | 317 | 376 | 281 | 274 | 390 | 435 | 213 | 246 | 261 | 380 | 370 |
| 2026-01 | 1503 | 1070 | 535 | 817 | 688 | 762 | 745 | 726 | 682 | 922 | 688 | 765 | 917 | 749 | 614 | 666 | 821 | 661 | 855 | 514 | 628 | 476 | 766 | 659 | 557 | 441 | 588 | 488 | 640 | 592 |
| 2026-02 | 1885 | 2069 | 974 | 804 | 903 | 1077 | 765 | 849 | 536 | 930 | 703 | 569 | 896 | 801 | 609 | 624 | 789 | 573 | 825 | 654 | 555 | 532 | 752 | 483 | 590 | 710 | 607 | 475 | 459 | 802 |
Methodology: This analysis is based on property and suburb research activity on the Microburbs platform. “Searches” represent individual suburb or property report lookups. Data is cleaned to exclude automated traffic and test activity. Suburbs are mapped to ABS statistical regions (SA4, GCCSA) using the 2021 ABS mesh block concordance. Search intensity is calculated as searches divided by the number of ABS mesh blocks in each suburb. Ranking changes compare the current period to the equivalent prior period (e.g. this week vs last week).
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