Waverley, NSW
Good to know:
Waverley Council is a local government area located in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. It encompasses a relatively small area, but is densely populated, including the famous Bondi Beach, known for its vibrant cultural scene and iconic surf life. Other suburbs within Waverley include Bronte, Tamarama, and parts of Bondi Junction. The council area is characterised by its stunning coastal views, parks such as Waverley Park and Centennial Park, and a mix of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces. It is well-known for its active community life and heritage conservation efforts.
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Waverley NSW presents a high-value property market with a typical house price of approximately $4.75 million and median weekly rent around $1,871. The gross rental yield stands low at 2.05%, below the generally preferred minimum of 3%, reflecting subdued rental income relative to capital values. The property market data also highlights an elevated affordability index at 114 years, signaling substantial barriers to entry for typical buyers.
Property market outlook
Waverley’s property market is characterised by strong socio-economic indicators, including an IRSAD score of 1128, which exceeds the threshold for opportune socio-economic status and supports long-term capital growth. Housing supply remains balanced with 0.87% stock on the market and 2.58 months of inventory, while building approvals remain modest at 0.14%, indicating restrained new supply that may support price stability. The hold period averaging 10.91 years points to tightly held properties, further tightening supply dynamics. Demand metrics are generally neutral to positive, with days on market at 29 days indicating relative demand strength, though auction clearance rates at 53.31% suggest moderate buyer competition.
Pros
- High socio-economic status reflected in IRSAD of 1128, favourable for capital growth.
- Balanced supply metrics and low building approvals ratio reduce oversupply risk.
- Long average hold periods indicate a stable, less transient ownership base.
- Relatively strong demand with lower days on market and moderate auction clearance.
- High confidence in data reliability enhances analysis credibility.
Cons
- Rental yield at 2.05% is notably below the 3% minimum threshold, limiting income-focused investment appeal.
- Affordability concerns are acute, with typical ownership costs extending over a century, potentially suppressing future buyer demand.
- Elevated renter to owner ratio at 47% and high unit to house ratio at 67% suggest demographic and asset class imbalances that may affect market dynamics.
- Vacancy rate at 1.99% is neutral but higher than tightly held high-demand markets, signalling potential rental market softness.
- Auction clearance rates and buy search index are moderate, indicating only balanced buyer sentiment.
Investment strategies
Given the premium price point and low rental yields, investment in Waverley NSW is best suited to long-term capital growth strategies rather than yield-driven income plays. Investors targeting capital appreciation may benefit from socio-economic advantages and supply constraints that underpin price resilience. Portfolios should consider the impact of extended affordability challenges on liquidity and potential market cycles. Diversified approaches including selective unit acquisitions may require caution due to the unfavourable unit to house ratio and rental market conditions. Active management and close attention to market trends and demand indicators are crucial for timing entry and exit decisions.
Is Waverley NSW a good LGA to invest in?
Waverley NSW ranks as a high-value, socio-economically robust market with fundamentals supporting capital growth but limited appeal for investors seeking rental yield or affordability-driven demand. The LGA suits sophisticated investors with capacity to absorb high entry costs and a preference for long-term wealth accumulation over immediate cash flow. Balanced supply and moderate demand conditions suggest relative market stability, although investors must remain vigilant to affordability constraints and demographic trends that could influence future performance.
About HtAG Analytics Data
HtAG Analytics provides granular property market metrics encompassing price, rent, yield, supply, demand, socio-economic status, and market dynamics. Core metrics include Typical Price, Median Rent, Yield, IRSAD, Rental and Housing Ratios, Affordability, Supply Indicators (Stock on Market, Inventory, Building Approvals), Demand Measures (Days on Market, Vacancy Rate, Auction Clearance), and Confidence Scores. Metric classifications range from unfavourable, neutral to opportune, facilitating nuanced market comparisons.
HtAG’s methodology distinguishes itself by integrating current market snapshots with historical trends to perform detailed relative market analyses tailored to purchase-specific decisions. Unlike providers focused primarily on broader market narratives, HtAG’s approach captures subtle data nuances pertinent to LGAs, empowering investors and buyers agents with precision insights.
It is essential to recognise that this overview represents a current snapshot and does not encapsulate metric trends or their relative weightings, which are critical for comprehensive investment appraisal. Individual investor profiles, including budget, risk appetite, and investment horizon, lead to different optimal LGA selections. HtAG Analytics excels in shortlisting LGAs aligned specifically to these diverse criteria rather than relying on generic one-size-fits-all assessments. For astute market participation, relative analysis across multiple LGAs consistent with investor goals is indispensable.
Updated: 1 May 2026
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Quick Area Stats
Dwellings
Population
EDI
Bushfire Risk Index
Flood Risk Index
Education & Infrastructure
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School Rank
Infra. Spend
Market Trends
Essential metrics effectively streamline the process of identifying markets that match your financial situation and investment objectives. Typical Price, Indicative Yield and Total ROI provide a swift means to shortlist areas that resonate with what you’re seeking and can afford. These metrics also serve as valuable general trend indicators, allowing you to visualise transaction volumes and dynamics of change.
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The Growth Rate Cycle (GRC) is a metric used to analyse the year-on-year change in property values, providing insights into the growth cycle of a particular area. It uses the “typical price” metric to gauge property values more accurately than median prices, and includes both actual and projected data for the current year.
Fundamental metrics play a vital role in providing a comprehensive analysis of the socio-economic environment within a specific suburb or region. Additionally, the Return on Investment (ROI) and Volatility Index are crucial metrics that aid in evaluating the prospective profitability and the level of risk or stability in the market.
Socio-economics
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IRSAD
Renter to Owner
Units to Houses
Projections
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Projected Annual ROI
Volatility Index
Quick Area Stats
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Annual Sales Volume
Annual Rentals Volume
Stock on Market
Building Approvals
Inventory
Hold Period
Supply metrics are crucial in gauging both the existing volumes of real estate listed for sale and the properties anticipated to enter the market soon. A diminished supply could signal opportunities for price appreciation, particularly when there’s corresponding buyer demand to buoy the market. The Stock on Market and Inventory level metrics (current values) are presented as a 3-month rolling average of monthly data shown in the charts. This means the last 3 months of data are averaged. The BA Ratio represents the proportion of building approvals over the latest 12 months relative to the total dwellings in the area.
Days on Market
Search Index
Vacancy Rate
Clearance Rate
Demand metrics underscore the level of interest that potential property buyers or tenants have in a specific suburb or locality. When demand outstrips the available supply, or if the supply fails to meet the intensity of buyer/renter interest, there’s a potential for prices to climb, underscoring the pivotal relationship between demand dynamics and property value trends. The Days on Market and Clearance Rate metrics (current values) are presented as a 3-month rolling average of monthly data shown in the charts. This means the last 3 months of data are averaged.
We invite you to contribute to the conversation by sharing your thoughts or raising questions about this market in the comment section below.
Are you a real estate professional with an extensive knowledge of the Waverley Council property market? Our members would love to hear from you! What is the market outlook for Waverley LGA from your point of view? Share your insights in a comment below.
It is interesting that the Vaucluse market shows it will experience capital growth however the rental market or the median rent seems to be in a dramatic decline. I am guessing due to the low demand for high-value rental properties. As an investment, I guess the area will experience capital growth so it is a decent investment area however a word of caution – investors should assess how much negatively geared they will be since the rents will not have the same capacity to cover investment expenses (mortgage, repairs, vacancy rates). This means that one’s capability to maintain the investment will be reduced due to reduced cash flow coming front rents. Those who can sustain an investment in such a market should look at the cost/benefit analysis and see if their money can work harder for them in other areas.