Market commentary · Rose Bay 2026

Rose Bay in 2026. Two markets, one harbour.

One hundred and two sales to the end of September. Twenty-two houses, eighty units. $391 million, split almost exactly down the middle.

By Alan Weiss · Weiss Real Estate · Licence 218396 · Updated October 2026

Rose Bay: apartments along the harbour road, fig trees on the promenade, the ferry wharf, a seaplane on the water and the houses on the ridge behind.

102

Sales, Jan–Sep 2026

22 / 80

Houses / units

$391.2m

Total value traded

$7.46m

House median

$1.64m

Unit median

A market read plainly.

Rose Bay runs along the harbour from Lyne Park and the ferry wharf, where the seaplanes take off, up the hill towards Dover Heights and Vaucluse. Along New South Head Road and Old South Head Road it is an apartment suburb. On the streets above, it is a family-house market with harbour views. The 2026 record shows both clearly.

From 21 January to 28 September, 102 sales: 22 houses and 80 units, worth $391.2 million. The house median is $7.46 million. The unit median is $1.64 million.

Here is the unusual part. Units outnumbered houses almost four to one, yet the money split almost exactly in half: $194.5 million for houses, $196.7 million for units. Rose Bay’s apartment market is deep enough, and its top end strong enough, to carry as much value as its houses.

Volume, month by month.

March was the busiest month, with 22 sales, and February close behind with 20. Together they produced more than four in ten of the year’s sales. The market slowed sharply in winter, with five sales in June and three in July. Then spring returned: 11 sales in August and 10 in September, almost all of them apartments.

HousesUnits

Recorded sales by month of sale. Hover or tab to a month for the split.

Every sale, plotted.

Each dot is one sale. One sits far above the rest: 32 Chamberlain Avenue at $32 million in April, 8 per cent of everything traded in Rose Bay this year. Below it, the top of the market belongs to houses and apartments alike. 3/746 New South Head Road sold for $17 million in February, level with 1 Dumaresq Road at $17.015 million in September.

HouseUnitHouse median $7.46mUnit median $1.64m

$0$8m$16m$24m$32m JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSep

Sale price against date of sale, 2026. Dashed lines mark the medians. Tap or hover a dot for the address.

Where the money traded.

The apartment market is deep at the entry: 54 of the 80 unit sales were under $2 million. But it also runs a long way up. Seven apartments sold for $5 million or more, and two cleared $10 million. The house market starts higher, with only one house under $3 million, and its weight sits above $5 million: 16 of the 22 houses.

HousesUnits

Quarter by quarter.

The first quarter carried the year: 46 sales and $193.2 million, almost half the value traded. The second added 32 sales and $128.5 million, including the $32 million Chamberlain Avenue result. The third traded 24 sales for $69.5 million, mostly apartments, with 1 Dumaresq Road closing the quarter on 28 September.

Jan–Mar

46

sales · $193.2m traded

Houses
11 · median $8.02m
Units
35 · median $1.62m

Apr–Jun

32

sales · $128.5m traded

Houses
7 · median $8.90m
Units
25 · median $1.71m

Jul–Sep to 28 Sep

24

sales · $69.5m traded

Houses
4 · median $5.24m
Units
20 · median $1.62m

The top of the market.

Seven houses sold for $10 million or more, together worth 28 per cent of the year. On the apartment side, 18 Kent Road produced two results on the same day in March, $10.5 million and $7 million, and 5/843 New South Head Road sold for $9.2 million. Rose Bay’s best apartments trade at house prices.

Highest house

$32,000,000

32 Chamberlain Avenue

House · 24 April 2026

Second house

$19,000,000

27 Victory Street

House · 27 March 2026

Third house

$17,015,000

1 Dumaresq Road

House · One Storey / Lowset · 28 September 2026

Highest unit

$17,000,000

3/746 New South Head Road

Unit · 6 February 2026

Second unit

$10,500,000

1/18 Kent Road

Unit · 6 March 2026

Third unit

$9,200,000

5/843 New South Head Road

Unit · Standard · 26 February 2026

The streets that traded.

Sales came from 32 streets. Old South Head Road led on volume, with 15 sales, mostly apartments. New South Head Road led on value: 13 sales worth $61.4 million, including the $17 million apartment at number 746. Dover Road recorded nine sales worth $38.3 million, and William Street seven apartment sales.

HousesUnits

Old South Head Road
15$33.31m
New South Head Road
13$61.41m
Dover Road
9$38.29m
William Street
7$11.92m
Balfour Road
5$14.20m
The Avenue
5$9.70m
Hamilton Street
4$17.35m
Liverpool Street
4$11.51m
Onslow Street
4$5.37m

Streets with four or more recorded sales in 2026, with the total value traded on each.

The 2026 ledger.

Every recorded sale, January to September. Filter by type, search a street, or sort by date or price.

102 sales

Address Type
21 Jan1/22 Manion AvenueUnitUnit$960,000
22 Jan9/37-39 Spencer StreetUnitUnit$1,860,000
23 Jan30 Hamilton StreetHouseHouse$8,600,000
29 Jan1 Northcote StreetHouseHouse$5,750,000
2 Feb8/27 William StreetUnitUnit$1,600,000
2 Feb6/27 William StreetUnitUnit$1,600,000
5 Feb10/505-509 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$865,000
5 Feb101/637-639 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$1,875,000
5 Feb6/4 Richmond RoadUnitUnit$1,465,000
6 Feb38 Dover RoadHouseHouse$10,000,000
6 Feb3/746 New South Head RoadUnitUnit$17,000,000
9 Feb14/33 Carlisle StreetUnitUnit$1,500,000
10 Feb2/587 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$3,300,000
15 Feb1/677 New South Head RoadUnitUnit$6,525,000
19 Feb4/3 Elanora StreetUnitUnit$1,400,000
19 Feb4/25 The AvenueUnitUnit$1,700,000
23 Feb28 Courtenay RoadHouseHouse$10,800,000
24 Feb12/32 Balfour RoadUnitUnit$1,475,000
24 Feb101 Dover RoadHouseHouse$8,020,000
25 Feb3/668-670 New South Head RoadUnitUnit$1,150,000
26 Feb6/5 Elanora StreetUnitUnit$1,615,000
26 Feb5/843 New South Head RoadUnitUnit$9,200,000
26 Feb12/3 Plumer RoadUnitUnit$1,535,000
28 Feb6 Mitchell RoadHouseHouse$8,250,000
2 Mar4/27 William StreetUnitUnit$1,630,000
2 Mar10/27 William StreetUnitUnit$1,630,000
3 Mar7/435-437 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$1,246,000
3 Mar24/435-437 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$1,246,000
4 Mar2/35 Onslow StreetUnitUnit$1,022,000
6 Mar2/18 Kent RoadUnitUnit$7,000,000
6 Mar1/18 Kent RoadUnitUnit$10,500,000
9 Mar10A Conway AvenueUnitUnit$1,200,000
10 Mar17/11-19 Newcastle StreetUnitUnit$4,200,000
10 Mar21 Liverpool StreetHouse· DuplexHouse· Duplex$3,970,000
16 Mar1/33-35 William StreetUnitUnit$1,300,000
16 Mar803 New South Head RoadHouseHouse$5,660,000
16 Mar1/2 Hamilton StreetUnitUnit$3,800,000
18 Mar11 Liverpool StreetHouseHouse$3,350,000
20 Mar1/29 Balfour RoadUnitUnit$1,880,000
20 Mar2/699 New South Head RoadUnitUnit$3,250,000
20 Mar2/47-51 Chaleyer StreetUnitUnit$1,530,000
25 Mar2/20-22 Carlisle StreetUnitUnit$3,400,000
26 Mar5/833 New South Head RoadUnitUnit$2,800,000
26 Mar8/30 Liverpool StreetUnitUnit$1,500,000
27 Mar27 Victory StreetHouseHouse$19,000,000
31 Mar37 Roberts StreetHouseHouse$4,050,000
1 Apr3/659 New South Head RoadUnitUnit$1,102,000
2 Apr1/637-639 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$1,770,000
8 Apr9/34 Dover RoadUnitUnit$1,275,000
15 Apr4/15 Manion AvenueUnitUnit$1,600,000
16 Apr5/35 Onslow StreetUnitUnit$1,150,000
18 Apr4/1A Caledonian RoadUnitUnit$1,300,000
23 Apr25 Blake StreetHouseHouse$5,237,500
24 Apr32 Chamberlain AvenueHouseHouse$32,000,000
24 Apr3/694-696 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$1,245,000
24 Apr801 New South Head RoadUnitUnit$5,660,000
28 Apr467 Old South Head RoadHouse· Single-storeyHouse· Single-storey$2,320,000
30 Apr6/39 Dover RoadUnitUnit$1,450,000
1 May3/26 Dover RoadUnitUnit$3,360,000
3 May3/658A New South Head RoadUnitUnit$2,810,000
4 May9 Victory StreetHouseHouse$10,880,000
6 May5/637-639 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$1,200,000
11 May3/79 O'Sullivan RoadUnitUnit$1,850,000
12 May3/24 Carlisle StreetUnitUnit$3,000,000
19 May16/3-7 William StreetUnitUnit$1,700,000
20 May4/3A Balfour RoadUnitUnit$850,000
21 May4/5 Onslow StreetUnitUnit$1,500,000
22 May2/584 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$3,365,000
23 May1/79-81 Dover RoadUnitUnit$3,800,000
25 May8/18-20 Hamilton StreetUnitUnit$3,250,000
27 May3 Chamberlain AvenueHouseHouse$10,900,000
29 May6/21 The AvenueUnitUnit$1,710,000
29 May201/637-639 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$1,750,000
5 Jun9/10-16 Onslow StreetUnitUnit$1,700,000
6 Jun131 Dover RoadHouseHouse$5,900,000
16 Jun2/645 Old South Head RoadUnit· TownhouseUnit· Townhouse$1,950,000
25 Jun1/615 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$2,000,000
25 Jun7 Balfour RoadHouseHouse$8,900,000
24 Jul624-634 New South Head RoadHouseHouse$3,575,000
30 Jul10/39 Dover RoadUnitUnit$1,450,000
30 Jul2/596 Old South Head RoadUnitUnit$2,275,000
6 Aug18/1A Caledonian RoadUnitUnit$2,470,000
7 Aug201/30-32 Newcastle StreetUnitUnit$5,750,000
14 Aug6/3-7 William StreetUnitUnit$2,460,000
18 Aug4/2 Powell RoadUnitUnit$1,590,000
20 Aug10/29-33 The AvenueUnitUnit$1,362,500
21 Aug2/9 Manion AvenueUnitUnit$1,075,000
25 Aug6/34 Hamilton StreetUnitUnit$1,700,000
27 Aug12/11 Norton AvenueUnitUnit$800,000
28 Aug7/3 Iluka StreetUnitUnit$1,210,000
28 Aug41 The AvenueHouseHouse$3,430,000
31 Aug19/11-19 Newcastle StreetUnitUnit$2,900,000
1 Sep5/776 New South Head RoadUnitUnit$1,825,000
4 Sep682 Old South Head RoadHouseHouse$6,900,000
8 Sep51/624-634 New South Head RoadUnit· TownhouseUnit· Townhouse$850,000
8 Sep8/28 Balfour RoadUnitUnit$1,090,000
11 Sep4/18 Plumer RoadUnitUnit$925,000
24 Sep1/26 Dover RoadUnit· TownhouseUnit· Townhouse$3,030,000
24 Sep2/32 Spencer StreetUnitUnit$1,650,000
24 Sep7/6 Liverpool StreetUnitUnit$2,685,000
25 Sep11/37 The AvenueUnitUnit$1,500,000
28 Sep1 Dumaresq RoadHouse· Single-storeyHouse· Single-storey$17,015,000

My view.

Rose Bay is two markets that share a harbour. Below the ridge, a deep apartment market where buyers have plenty to compare. Above it, a family-house market where a $32 million result and seven sales above $10 million show what views and land command.

The overlap is where Rose Bay gets interesting. Its best apartments, on New South Head Road and Kent Road, sell at prices most suburbs reserve for houses. For a downsizer leaving a house on the hill, that means the move down the slope need not be a move down in quality.

Timing matters too. The busiest months were February and March, the quietest June and July, and spring has come back strongly for apartments. A campaign that meets the market when buyers are active has a far better field to work with.

In Rose Bay, the view is the price, whatever the title.

Thinking about selling in Rose Bay? With 102 sales this year, buyers have choice. Position decides who wins.

Request an appraisal

Methodology. Rose Bay NSW 2029. The 2026 figures are calculated from a sales file of 104 records dated 21 January to 28 September 2026, all with a published price. 4/25 The Avenue appears twice with the same price and date and is counted once. 3/658A New South Head Road and 11/656-660 New South Head Road carry the same price on the same day and appear to be one apartment recorded under two addresses; they are counted once. That leaves 102 sales: 22 houses and 80 units. Several other unit pairs share a building, a price and a date (6 and 8/27 William Street, 4 and 10/27 William Street, 7 and 24/435-437 Old South Head Road) and are counted as separate sales, as recorded. Houses include one-storey and duplex records; units include standard and townhouse/villa records. Medians, totals, bands, quarterly figures and street counts are calculated directly from the 102 sales. Sales data is indicative, not a valuation. Past results are not a guarantee of future outcomes.