Bronte House Market Update – March 2026
12 Belgrave St, Bronte sold pre-auction for $8.9m
1. Global pressures weighed on market in 2nd half
What a month!
Sentiment shifted rapidly through March as global events took their toll. Vendors who haven’t yet secured a sale are needing to rethink their timing or adjust their expectations. We can expect to see this situation develop with a slight softening of prices and an uptick in days on market. Nine genuine family homes changed hands in Bronte at prices ranging from $4.5m to $8.9m. Buyers are willing to pay a premium for recent, high-end renovated homes, keenly aware of the rising cost of doing one’s own work.
But while the market may be softening, these conditions make increasing sense for anyone considering an upgrade.
2. Where was the good buying?
Sorting by land rate strips away marketing spin, but it’s important to factor in size and quality of both house and renovation, alongside aspect and/or views. Generally speaking, cost per sqm drops as overall land size increases, so expect to pay more per sqm for smaller plots. As at March 2026, anything north of $19k per sqm is likely to be renovated.
Semi-detached houses:
47 Evans St, 4 bed/2 bath/2 car, 289 sqm $4.5m, $15,571 psqm
This one sat on market for an unusually high 70+ days. Evans St is close to Woolies metro, Iggy’s etc but it is a steep street at that end and has a little more traffic than others. The east/west house orientation, and open on the southern side likely softened some interest.
32 Belgrave St, 3/1/2, 218 sqm $4.9m, $22,477 psqm
A smart and very recent renovation, coupled with a prime location on the northern side of the street, footsteps to Favoloso Cafe and the Bone Broth bar, helped this one fly off the market in 8 days.
25 Read St 4/3/2, 205 sqm, $5.22m, $25,463 psqm
Despite a small block, this site offers a lot of house, with a second living room/rumpus and a relaxed, appealing style.
Free standing houses:
50 Brown St, 4/2/0, 518 sqm, $5.8m, $11,197 psqm
The low price per sqm here should be measured against a couple of factors. The house could benefit from renovation and the site is steep (typical for much of the street) so not all the land is easily usable. Off street parking may well be possible STCA, however it’s a further investment.
39B Murray St, 4/2/2, 379 sqm, $4.63m, $12,216 psqm
Don’t let the address fool you, this house was tucked up the back of a long driveway on essentially a battle-axe block.
25 Belgrave St, 4/3/2, 329 sqm, $5.13m, $15,593 psqm
On the southern side of the street, the layout of this property was split across two self-contained apartments, so a reasonable amount of work would be required to convert it back to a single house - so this likely weighed on the price achieved.
25 Busby Pde, 4/1/4, 506 sqm, $7.9m, $15,613 psqm
Generous land size in a prime location was the driver here, with an original house likely to see a wrecking ball soon. Busby Pde is well regarded, but this one being on the southern side.
12 Belgrave St, 4/3/2, 453 sqm, $8.9m, $19,647 psqm
Built in 2013, this home featured a second living room, a pool and a further bedroom/study beyond the advertised listing, making it a very commodious home. With a rear to north, it’s one of the better homes on Belgrave St right now and purchased by someone who lived across the street - a testament to the appeal of the neighbourhood.
20 Palmerstone Ave, 4/3/2, 285 sqm, $5.675m, $19,912 psqm
Despite its small block, this architect designed home included a surprising amount of accommodation and while built in 2005 it has aged well. It’s interesting to compare this with 25 Read St in terms of bang for buck.
3. What’s ahead?
While a number of other homes are coming online as we speak, these properties that were active in March are worth noting.
21 Belgrave St is a 4/2/2 had a disrupted campaign as demand fell away in the latter half of the month and was removed from the market.
383 Bronte Rd is a beautifully renovated 4/3/2 home, with elevated views north across Bronte gully on the quieter high side where the road splits In two. This house uses every inch of available space on its small block of 263 sqm, but the layout ensures the house doesn’t feel cramped. Rebuilt 7 years ago and listed initially at a much higher price guide with a different agent, this one didn’t sell at auction in March and will likely go to auction again this month with a guide in the low to mid $7m’s.
75 Read St is a 4/3/2 and comparable to 25 Read St, with a very similar layout, a slightly different aesthetic and is a little closer to the beach. It will be interesting to see where this lands. At 196 sqm, the guide is currently set at $6m which would deliver a cost per sqm of over $30k - a figure that may be ambitious. But forecasting the future is a mug’s game right now!
If prices do soften, it’s an interesting time to consider an upgrade. The vector between your existing property’s value and the property to which you’re upgrading may shrink, so if you can manage the uncertainty around interest rate hikes and global geo-politics you’ll find there are fewer competitors and some excellent buying opportunities ahead.
March Summary
Sentiment shifted as the month progressed, with buyer’s showing increased caution
Top spec renovated homes continue to deliver a premium given unknown and increasing cost of building works
Outside of the streets with panoramic views, aspect continues to play a crucial role in determining value
Agent consensus is that prices in Bronte have softened - the media is doing a good job of managing vendor’s expectations, but an ongoing significant decline from here isn’t expected