Buying better in 2026: the five mistakes that cost buyers most

2025 was a recovery year, but not an even one. Results came down to quality, location and realistic pricing, and stock stayed tight across the established suburbs.

The forecasts for 2026 point to national capital city prices rising around 6%, with Domain expecting fresh record highs by year end and Melbourne somewhere in the 6% to 6.6% range.

Whether those numbers land or not, the mistakes that hurt buyers do not change.

1. No clear brief

Without written priorities you inspect for months and decide nothing. A brief is a filter. It lets you assess a home in ten minutes instead of ten days, and it forces two buyers to align before a property is on the table rather than in the car park afterwards.

2. Treating the price guide as a valuation

A price guide is a marketing tool. Comparable sales of genuinely similar homes, sold recently, in the same pocket, are the only thing that tells you what a property is worth.

3. Waiting for the perfect moment

There is not one. The moment conditions feel obviously good is the moment everyone else turns up. Over a normal holding period, the growth you miss while waiting usually outweighs the rate difference you were waiting for. Budget sensibly, but understand that waiting is a decision with a cost attached.

4. Relying on the selling agent

Selling agents are good at their job, and their job is to achieve the best possible price for the vendor. That is not a criticism, it is the arrangement. Verify what you are told independently, through comparables and your own due diligence.

5. Underestimating the emotional toll

The average home purchase in Australia takes about nine months. That is a long time to keep making high-stakes decisions on weekends. Fatigue is what makes people either settle for the wrong home or drop out of the process entirely.

Preparation is the antidote. So is having someone else carry part of the load.

Note: this is general advice and does not take into account your objectives, situation or needs. Please consider whether it is suitable for you, and speak to a professional before making any financial decisions.