Real Estate
27 November, 2025
Rental vacancies still low
THE Real Estate Institute of Queensland’s (REIQ) September Quarter 2025 Residential Vacancy Rate Report has revealed that Queensland’s rental market remains at a virtual standstill, with the statewide vacancy rate still stuck at 1.0%.
The September quarter results show tight conditions dominate across Queensland, with 38 of the 50 regions recording vacancy rates of 1.0% or less – far below the REIQ’s healthy range of 2.6-3.5%, which supports adequate housing mobility and population growth.
According to the report, covering 50 local government areas (LGAs) and sub-regions across the state, almost half (23) tightened, 15 remained unchanged and 12 relaxed compared to the June quarter.
While vacancy rate fluctuations differed across the vast corners of the state, the overall picture was one of gridlock – where extremely low vacancies are freezing mobility and limiting options for renters.
Queensland’s rental market is like a traffic jam – many people are staying put because finding somewhere to move can be really difficult. Longer tenancies, while sometimes seen as a positive indicator of a healthy market, can also reflect a lack of choice rather than stability.
At the extreme end, Cook (0.0%) has no meaningful vacancies while in Cairns it is 0.7%.
– Antonia Mercorella is the chief executive officer at the REIQ
