Selling now can still make sense in Meadowbank and Ryde. Interest rates are at 4.60 per cent and buyers are more careful, but they are still buying. A well-presented apartment, priced on recent local sales, still sells.
Whether now is right for you depends on your plans and your finances more than on the headlines. If you are moving anyway, need to release equity, or your repayments have become uncomfortable, waiting for a better market is a gamble rather than a plan.
Here is what is happening, and how to think it through.
What is happening in the Sydney market
The market is cooler than it was a year ago.
The Reserve Bank has lifted the cash rate four times in 2026, most recently on 30 September, taking it to 4.60 per cent.
In September, Westpac revised its housing forecasts. It now expects national dwelling prices to fall by around 6 per cent over 2026, with Sydney falling around 10 per cent from peak to trough, before a recovery from 2027.
Auctions show the same mood. Domain's preliminary Sydney clearance rate for the week to 3 October was 53 per cent. Close to half of the reported auctions did not sell on the day.
These are city-wide figures, however. There isn't one Sydney market, and your street may behave very differently from the average.
What a softer market means for sellers
1. Buyers are still buying
When rates rise, buyers don't disappear. They become more careful.
They compare more and take longer to decide. They respond to homes that are presented well and priced realistically.
A well-prepared home in a good location still attracts serious interest.
2. Good properties still stand out
Prices have eased, but Sydney's long-term shortage of homes has not gone away.
The right property, priced correctly, still stands out. A well-planned campaign can cut through, even in a busy spring.
3. If you are selling and buying, it works both ways
Most people who sell are also buying their next home.
If you are upgrading, downsizing or moving suburbs, softer conditions can mean more room to negotiate on the purchase. That can offset a slightly lower sale price.
4. Waiting carries its own risk
Nobody can reliably predict the bottom of the market.
Forecasts point to a recovery in 2027, but forecasts change, especially when interest rate decisions are involved. Holding off for a better price can work out, or it can cost you.
The better question is usually not "Is the market perfect?" but "Does selling now suit my life and finances?"
When selling now makes sense
Local owners often have good reasons to sell regardless of the cycle:
- Life changes: a growing family, an empty nest, separation, relocation or retirement
- Mortgage pressure: if repayments have become uncomfortable after the rate rises, selling early gives you control rather than forcing a sale later
- Upgrading or downsizing: if you are moving within the same market, relative prices matter more than absolute prices
- Releasing equity: you may already have significant equity from the growth of the last few years
- An investment property you no longer want: with higher holding costs, some investors are reviewing their portfolios
How to sell well in a cooler market
In a hot market, almost anything sells. In a cooler one, preparation and strategy make the difference.
- Price it accurately from day one. Overpricing in a softer market leads to a stale listing and a lower final result. Recent local comparable sales matter more than hopeful appraisals.
- Invest in presentation. Fresh paint, tidy gardens, good lighting and professional photography change how buyers feel when they walk in.
- Choose the right sale method. Auction can work well when there is strong competition. In a quieter market, a private treaty campaign or a flexible approach can sometimes suit better.
- Know your local buyers. Buyers in this part of Sydney include families looking at school catchments, downsizers who want to stay close to home, and people drawn by train and metro access. The marketing should speak directly to them.
What matters most: your suburb, your street, your home
City-wide averages don't sell your home. Local conditions do.
How many similar homes are for sale near you? How long are they taking to sell? What are buyers actually paying?
Those answers can be very different in Meadowbank than in a suburb 30 minutes away. That is why a careful, local appraisal is worth more than any headline.
Questions owners ask us
Is it a good time to sell an apartment in Meadowbank?
It can be. Buyers are more careful after the rate rises, but well-presented apartments priced on recent local sales are still selling. Whether it suits you depends on your plans and finances.
Will Meadowbank apartment prices drop in 2026?
Nobody can say for one suburb. Westpac expects Sydney prices to fall around 10 per cent from peak to trough before recovering from 2027, but individual buildings and floor plans can move very differently.
Interest rates went up again. Should I sell my investment unit?
It depends on whether the rent and your budget can carry the higher repayments. Ask your broker or accountant to run the numbers, and get an appraisal so you know what the property would sell for today.
This article is general information only and is not financial, legal or property advice. Market conditions change, and forecasts are not guarantees. Please speak to a licensed professional about your own circumstances.
Thinking about selling?
Mango Real Estate is a boutique agency based in Meadowbank, working with homeowners across Ryde and the surrounding suburbs.
If you are wondering what your home might be worth today, or whether now is the right time for you, we can provide a complimentary property appraisal. We will give you an honest view of the local market, a realistic price range and a clear plan.
There is no obligation to sell.
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