In the second half of 2025, 97.5 per cent of house resales and 88.3 per cent of unit resales across Australia turned a profit, according to Domain's latest Profit and Loss Report.
The median gain on a house in an Australian capital city was $530,000, up 14.7 per cent annually, comparing with $330,000 across the regions, up 15.8 per cent.
Homeowners were holding onto their properties for longer and realising higher sales prices, while supply and demand continued to pressure values, Domain's economics and research chief Nicola Powell said.
"We know that those (high-growth) markets really have been Perth and Brisbane, as well as Adelaide, leading the way, and that's ultimately because of a severe lack of housing, very tight rental markets and also strong rates of population growth," Dr Powell told AAP.
Surging property prices also widened the gap between homeowners and those trying to get their feet on the property ladder.
"It's challenging for first-time buyers that perhaps don't have family support, and you can understand why the 'bank of mum and dad' has become such a significant lender in our housing market," Dr Powell said.
Only one in every 200 house sales in Brisbane and Perth failed to turn a profit, but in terms of realised profit, one capital city towered above the rest.
"Sydney remains that equity heavyweight," Dr Powell said.
"It has the depth of profit and has the highest profit margin out of all of our major capital cities."
The median profit for a home sold in Sydney was $750,000, up 11.1 per cent in annual terms.
This was compared to $580,000 in Brisbane, $539,500 in Adelaide, $528,000 in Perth, and $390,000 in Melbourne, where more than two in every 50 sales failed to make a profit.
Melbourne also had the lowest annual profit growth of 1.6 per cent, well below the 14.9 per cent national average and the more than 22.9 per cent growth recorded in Brisbane and Perth.
Median profits in Darwin houses were the lowest at $201,000, while Canberra was the riskiest place to buy a house, with almost seven per cent of sales resulting in a loss.
Units were also making record profits, but a median windfall of $228,000 nationally was significantly slimmer than $440,000 for houses, and the property group was more likely to make a loss, with 11 per cent selling for less than their buying price.
Brisbane was the best place to own a unit, which sold at a median profit of $235,000, and less than one in 100 sold for a loss.
17°C