News & insights
The Sydney market, explained
Market updates, infrastructure news, new developments and buyer guides — researched and written by Common Realty, in English and Chinese.
Policy & finance
RBA lifts cash rate to 4.60%: what it means for Sydney buyers, vendors and renters
The Monetary Policy Board raised the cash rate 25 basis points to 4.60 per cent on 29 September 2026 — the fourth rise of the year. Here is the impact in dollars, segment by segment.
Infrastructure
Four-platform metro station locked in for Sydney Olympic Park: what it means for homes nearby
NSW has awarded the contract for Sydney Olympic Park's metro station and the 500-apartment precinct above it. Here's the timeline, and what it signals for Olympic Park, Wentworth Point and Newington.
Buyer guides
Why $1.5 million has become Sydney's first-home-buyer battleground
A beachside apartment fought over by first-home buyers at about $1.5 million is not a fluke. It is the exact ceiling of the federal 5% Deposit Scheme in Sydney - and here is how to buy at that line without getting burnt.
Infrastructure
Two years of city metro: what faster commutes mean for North Shore apartments
Sydney Metro's city section opened in August 2024, and commute time is now one of the first questions Chatswood and North Sydney apartment buyers ask. What it means in August 2026.
Market updates
RBA holds cash rate at 4.35% in August 2026: what it means for Sydney property
The Reserve Bank left the cash rate unchanged at 4.35 per cent on 11 August 2026 — a second straight hold, but with inflation still too high and no relief expected until 2027.
Infrastructure
Cherrybrook and Parramatta North rezonings finalised: about 12,000 homes between them
The two Sydney transport hubs flagged for around 12,000 homes are confirmed as Cherrybrook and Parramatta North. Here's what each rezoning locks in, plus the other station precincts and what it means for buyers.
Market updates
Sydney leads price falls — so why are first-home buyers still locked out?
Sydney recorded the largest capital city price fall in July 2026, but higher rates and shrinking borrowing capacity mean cheaper homes aren't translating into easier entry.