What Inner West Brisbane Buyers Want (and How Sellers Can Deliver)
The 2025 buyer brief has sharpened: lifestyle is non-negotiable, commute time matters, and energy bills are under scrutiny. With over 20 years of property experience, the team at Glynis Austin Properties are experts at preparing properties to suit the current buyer requirements. Here’s how buyer preferences are showing up across Paddington, Bardon, Red Hill, Auchenflower and Toowong, and how sellers can adapt without overspending.
The big three in 2025: comfort, cost, convenience
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Comfort you can feel
Air-con performance, insulation, cross-breezes and shading. The Domain Sustainability in Property 2025 findings show energy-efficient homes attracting significant premiums (houses up to 14.5% or $118k on average). In Queensland heat, buyers clock this right away. -
Cost of living awareness
Solar and efficient appliances are getting called out (and searched) more. REA/PropTrack audience work this year shows Australians are motivated to improve efficiency, even if many don’t know where to start so, in listings, spell out the savings and specs. -
Convenience to everything
In Toowong/Auchenflower, proximity to train, CityCat and UQ is a clear driver. Two bed units around $730k to $735k have strong enquiry; three bed units near $1.1m now draw families seeking low-maintenance living near the CBD.
By suburb: buyer checklists we see every week
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Paddington: Classic Queenslander bones, off-street parking, a liveable floor plan (kitchen to deck flow), and city/leafy outlooks. Even original homes get traction if there’s scope to add value, the suburb’s $2.005m house median reflects its standing. Units around $851k median are moving on presentation and aspect.
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Bardon: Four bed family homes in the low-$2m range are keenly pursued; green outlooks and practical storage rate highly. The $1.895m median and 35-day house days on market point to brisk activity.
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Red Hill: Entry three bed cottages near cafes and bus corridors remain popular; well-renovated homes around $1.55m to $2.1m perform well. Two bed units around $830k are a strong alternative for professionals.
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Toowong/Auchenflower: Young families and academics want convenience + calm. Units at $730–$741k median, with 4.0–4.4% yields, put these postcodes firmly on investor and first-home buyer radars.
What recent sales tell us
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A property in Main Avenue, Bardon fetched $2,661,000 (Aug 2025), a renovated character home that nailed family practicality plus charm.
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A home in Soudan Street, Bardon at $1.2m (June 2025) shows the continued pull of liveable entry-level houses in high-amenity streets.
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Red Hill units have transacted from $541,000 to $900,000 across 1 to 3 bed layouts in 2024–25, with upgraded stock commanding attention.
The rate backdrop
August’s cash rate cut gives buyers extra breathing room. Even a modest lift in borrowing capacity can change auction dynamics, particularly for tightly held pockets close to the CBD.
How sellers can meet the brief (without overspending)
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Energy efficiency story: If you’ve added solar, insulation, LED lighting or efficient AC, lead with it. Domain’s 2025 data shows buyers will pay for lower running costs.
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Floor plan flow: Small tweaks (wider openings, better lighting, staging the deck) can make a material difference in how buyers experience space.
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Parking and storage: In hill-suburbs where street parking is tight, off-street solutions and secure storage are a genuine edge.
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Marketing that answers questions: Highlight school catchments, transit times, and recent comparable sales to build confidence.
Selling soon or house-hunting now? Call 0478 99 88 11 and we’ll help you prioritise the right improvements and strategy for your postcode.