New research from a major property technology provider shows that interest rates aren’t a concern for almost one in two Australian buyers and that lawyers and conveyancers are viewed more positively than real estate agents in transactions.
Later today (Tuesday, 12 August), the Reserve Bank of Australia will unveil its latest decision regarding interest rates, after making the surprise decision in July to hold the cash rate at 3.85 per cent, following widespread expectation that the board would continue to lower rates.
Ahead of that decision, proptech firm InfoTrack has released its 2025 State of Real Estate Report, which sought insights from more than 130,000 buyers and sellers nationwide to reveal several insights, including what they felt about dealings with their lawyer or conveyancer.
Interest rates are not a huge factor
According to the findings, nearly one in two (45 per cent) of buyers said that interest rates didn’t impact their decision to buy or sell a property at all, and a further 8 per cent said it only “slightly” impacted their decision.
This is, InfoTrack head of property Australia Lee Bailie (pictured) said, a major shift from last year.
“In last year’s inaugural State of Real Estate Report, two-thirds (62 per cent) cited interest rates as a major factor influencing their decision-making process – but in 2025, that number has dropped significantly, to less than a third (29 per cent) reporting significant or considerable impact,” he said.
“The finding challenges the idea that interest rates are stopping people from buying or selling. Instead, Australians are shifting their approach – they’re staying active in the market but they’re adapting to current conditions.”
Almost three in 10 (29 per cent) said that interest rates do significantly or considerably impact their decision making – among that cohort, rates most influence their budget (43 per cent) and the types of properties they can afford (32 per cent).
Five per cent held off on buying, InfoTrack noted, and another 5 per cent delayed a sale.
“Our data found affordability was the greatest obstacle to property transactions, not interest rates, with nearly a third (27 per cent) of participants citing property prices as their biggest hurdle. That represents a 6 per cent increase from 2024, and the largest rise across any challenge,” Bailie said.
“The data is further evidence of the affordability crisis. More than half (54 per cent) admitted property prices had a significant or major impact on their decision to buy or sell, while more than two-thirds of respondents (69 per cent) said price determined where they bought.”
Positive transactional experiences
Elsewhere, three in five respondents said that everything went well in their property transaction, up significantly from 49 per cent in last year’s research. Two in five respondents, “understandably”, said that the process was stressful or extremely stressful.
However, in positive news for legal practitioners, property buyers appear to be pleased on the whole with their representation.
Lawyers and conveyancers were given the most praise, Bailie said, “with more than half (51 per cent) of respondents stating [that] communicating with their lawyer or conveyancer was the most positive part of their transaction experience”.
“This places them ahead of real estate agents for the first time,” he said.
Moreover, InfoTrack’s data showed regional locations proved popular.
“Nearly six in 10 buyers and sellers (59 per cent) completed their property journey in under three months,” Bailie said.
“Of these, 68 per cent of NSW buyers opted for a regional location, driven by affordability, space, and the flexibility offered by remote and hybrid work.”
Market conditions are also influencing buyer behaviour, the tech provider noted, with 17 per cent struggling with finding a property, 51 per cent of respondents feeling some level of pressure from competition, and 55 per cent saying that they were pushed to act quickly due to price volatility.
Jerome Doraisamy is the managing editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in New South Wales, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
You can email Jerome at:
