Knight Frank Residence Report 2026/27
Brisbane’s Big Leap: What Global Property Trends Mean for Queensland Investors
Knight Frank’s latest research highlights growing demand for lifestyle locations, infrastructure and a stronger sense of place. Queensland is one of the clearest Australian examples.
By Stephen Lazar · properT network
For decades, the world’s major cities have dominated the residential property conversation. Knight Frank’s Residence Report 2026/27 identifies a clear shift: luxury development is expanding into lifestyle-led destinations.
More than half of global branded-residence schemes are now in coastal, island or mountain locations, up from fewer than four in ten a decade ago. Knight Frank puts this down to changing buyer preferences and the growing appeal of lifestyle locations.
That doesn’t mean investors should automatically buy in lifestyle locations. But it highlights a broader principle:
People increasingly value how and where they live, not just the dwelling itself.
For Queensland investors, that principle is especially relevant.
Australia’s Fastest-Rising Luxury Market
The report names Brisbane as one of Asia-Pacific’s fastest-growing luxury residential markets and Australia’s fastest riser. It also notes that 60% of Australia’s branded-residence developments are in Queensland.
| Market | Prime values, year to Q2 2026 | New luxury apartments (avg per m²) |
|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | +2.6% | A$29,100 |
| Gold Coast | +2.4% | A$24,700 |
| Melbourne | −2.0% | A$33,200 |
| Sydney | −2.8% | A$74,500 |
Prime/luxury segment only. These aren’t benchmarks for typical investment property.
The report points to a more permissive planning system than Sydney’s or Melbourne’s, and to investment spilling into hospitality, retail and residential property. One Brisbane developer quoted in the report says buyers who once looked only at Sydney or Melbourne now consider Brisbane too, and increasingly choose it first.
Why Queensland Is Worth Watching
According to the latest ABS figures, Queensland’s population reached about 5.74 million at 31 March 2026, after adding around 90,100 people over the year.
Population movement doesn’t automatically translate into capital growth for every property. But it’s an important part of the demand equation. The investor’s job is to work out where that growth is going, what housing it needs, and whether supply is keeping pace.
The $7.1 Billion Games Program, and What Lasts Beyond It
The Australian and Queensland governments have agreed to a $7.1 billion Games Venue Infrastructure Program, with the Commonwealth’s contribution capped at $3.435 billion. Major projects include the new Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park and the National Aquatic Centre, alongside venues elsewhere in the state.
With a population of around 3 million, Brisbane will be the smallest Olympic host city since Montreal in 1972. That scale of investment, relative to the city’s size, is part of what makes the story significant.
But infrastructure doesn’t automatically make a property investment successful. A common mistake is to follow the headline: new stadium, new infrastructure, so prices will rise. A serious assessment asks:
- What infrastructure is actually being delivered, where, and when will it be finished?
- Who will use it, and what transport improvements come with it?
- Will it create jobs or improve local amenity?
- How much additional housing, and competing property, is being built nearby?
The Games may be a catalyst, but they aren’t an investment strategy. Property is a long-term asset, and a purchase made today may still be in your portfolio decades after 2032. What matters is what makes the location desirable after the event, not just during it.
What’s Genuinely Scarce in Queensland?
One of the report’s most useful ideas is “the new scarcity”. Features that once set a property apart become commonplace. If every new development in an area offers a gym, pool, rooftop garden and residents’ lounge, those features become expectations rather than advantages.
Queensland combines major cities, coastal lifestyle locations, tourism, infrastructure investment, population growth and outdoor recreation. But lifestyle alone isn’t a strategy. A beautiful location can have weak fundamentals, a strong rental market can face excessive future supply, and a high-yielding property can have poor resale prospects.
Easy to replicate
- Gyms and pools
- Rooftop gardens
- Co-working spaces
- Landscaped common areas
Genuinely scarce
- Land in the right location
- Proximity to employment
- Transport and established amenity
- Limited competing supply
Across south-east Queensland, the answer differs by market. Compare the fundamentals in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and Ipswich before choosing where to invest.
Forget “the Next Hotspot”. Ask These Instead.
Population
Is the area attracting and keeping people?
Employment
What economic activity supports housing demand?
Infrastructure
What’s funded and progressing, not just proposed?
Supply
How much competing housing is coming?
Rental Demand
Who will rent the property, and why?
Price
Does it make sense against comparable sales?
The Queensland Opportunity Is Bigger Than a Headline
Population growth, interstate migration, infrastructure investment and lifestyle appeal make Queensland an interesting place for investors. But broad trends don’t make every Queensland property a good investment. You still need the right location, the right property type and the right price for your strategy.
At properT network, strategy comes before property. We start with your objectives, then look for property that fits, whether that’s house and land in Queensland or another property type.
The best investment isn’t the one with the biggest headline. It’s the one that fits your strategy.
The national picture
Read the Complete Knight Frank Analysis
This is the Queensland view. The full article on properT network covers all ten findings, the new-build premium, wellness as a location driver and our investment-grade property checklist.
Want the complete report as a PDF, with the investment-grade property checklist? Download the free guide.
- Knight Frank, The Residence Report 2026/27, including the Global Branded Residence Survey 2026
- Knight Frank Australia, Brisbane named as one of the world’s hottest luxury property markets
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, National, state and territory population, March 2026
- Queensland Government, 2032 Games Infrastructure Funding Deal Confirmed
- Queensland Government, The 2032 Delivery Plan: Venues
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Prime-market figures relate to the luxury segment and period stated. Property investment carries risk. Seek independent advice before making any investment decision.
