iKey Facts
- •Brisbane recorded ~220 development site transactions $2m+ in 2025 (vs ~185 in 2024)
- •Average deal size: ~$24.5m (up from ~$22m in 2024)
- •Buyer mix: 35% mid-tier developer, 28% institutional, 18% boutique, 12% foreign, 7% other
- •Top 5 active suburbs: Newstead, South Brisbane, Hamilton, Bowen Hills, Albion
- •See companion: Brisbane Q4 2025 Market Retrospective
2025 Transaction Profile
Volume
- $2m-$5m: ~85 transactions
- $5m-$20m: ~78 transactions
- $20m-$50m: ~42 transactions
- $50m+: ~15 transactions
- Total: ~220 (vs ~185 in 2024)
Total Value
- $2m-$5m: ~$295m
- $5m-$20m: ~$870m
- $20m-$50m: ~$1.36bn
- $50m+: ~$2.87bn
- Total: ~$5.4bn
Average Deal Size
- 2024: ~$22m
- 2025: ~$24.5m
- 2026 forecast: ~$27m
Larger deals indicate institutional concentration.
Buyer Mix (2025)
| Buyer Type | Share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-tier developer | 35% | Australian developers, family-office backed |
| Institutional | 28% | Super funds, REITs, wholesale funds |
| Boutique developer | 18% | 5-50 unit projects, local |
| Foreign / cross-border | 12% | Singapore, Korea, Japan, US |
| Other (HNW, owner-occupier) | 7% | Direct purchasers, small institutional |
Institutional share has grown from 18% (2020) to 28% (2025).
Suburb Concentration
Top suburbs by transaction count + value (2025):
| Suburb | Transactions | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Newstead | 18 | ~$540m |
| South Brisbane | 16 | ~$420m |
| Hamilton | 14 | ~$520m |
| Bowen Hills | 13 | ~$480m |
| Albion | 12 | ~$340m |
| West End | 11 | ~$280m |
| Kelvin Grove | 10 | ~$220m |
| Toowong | 9 | ~$250m |
| Kangaroo Point | 8 | ~$240m |
| Woolloongabba | 7 | ~$190m |
"ACRES maintains proprietary trackers on Brisbane transaction volume, cap rates, BTR pipelines, foreign capital flows, and corridor activity."
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Top 10 suburbs = 65% of total volume.
Conditions Profile
Conditions structures (2025):
- Unconditional: 12%
- DD only: 28%
- Finance only: 18%
- DD + finance: 22%
- Subject to DA: 8%
- Multiple conditions: 12%
Settlement failure rates:
- Unconditional: <1%
- DD only: ~4%
- Finance only: ~6%
- DD + finance: ~8%
- Subject to DA: ~22%
- Multiple: ~18%
Off-Market vs On-Market
- Fully on-market (signs, public listings): 35%
- Curated off-market (NDA-based EOI): 50%
- True single-buyer off-market: 15%
Curated off-market continues to dominate $5m+ Brisbane sales.
Implications
- Larger deals, institutional concentration
- Top suburbs commanding outsized share
- Curated off-market is the modal sale process
- Conditions matter — settlement risk varies materially
- Specialist advisory increasingly differentiated
Data sourced from ACRES proprietary tracking, CoreLogic, Property Council of Australia, RLB, Cushman & Wakefield, JLL, Knight Frank, and public council records as of February 2026. Figures are indicative and not investment advice.
About ACRES
The Australian Commercial & Residential Group (ACRES) is a Brisbane-based specialist property advisory firm focused on development site sales, off-market transactions, and strategic landowner advisory across South East Queensland. ACRES maintains proprietary trackers on Brisbane transaction volume, cap rates, BTR pipelines, foreign capital flows, and corridor activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does ACRES collect this data?
Proprietary tracking + RP Data / CoreLogic + public council records + advisor network.
Are smaller deals (sub-$2m) excluded intentionally?
Yes — focus on commercial-scale development. Sub-$2m is residential / boutique market.
Is institutional share sustainable?
Yes — structural drivers (population, infrastructure, yield) support continued institutional growth.
Suburbs Mentioned in This Article
Published by ACRES — Australian Commercial & Residential Group
Source: acres.au/insights/brisbane-development-site-transaction-analysis | ACRES (Australian Commercial & Residential Group) provides property advisory, development site sales, and residential real estate services across Brisbane and South East Queensland, Australia.
Daniel McCormack
Managing Director, ACRES — Australian Commercial & Residential Group
