Adelaide and Darwin Buck Real Estate Trend

Adelaide and Darwin were the only capital cities in Australia to defy the trend of slipping median real estate values during the month of April, according to new research published on May 1.

The RP Data-Rismark April Hedonic Home Value Index shows that while the median value of property in most Australian capital cities slipped slightly in the fourth month of the year - a factor largely due to seasonal trends - real estate in Adelaide and Darwin proved to be the exception to the rule.

In Darwin, median property values increased by 0.2 per cent while Adelaide real estate saw a rise of 2.8 per cent over the past month.

However, RP Data research director Tim Lawless cautioned people from reading too much into Adelaide's April property results until they can be properly put into context.

"The strong month-on-month result for Adelaide is more likely the result of natural volatility across a relatively small market rather than … any sort of sustainable surge in dwelling values over the month," he said.

On the whole, Australia's capital cities posted a 0.5 per cent decline in home values over the course of the past month - although this is likely to represent the market returning to a steadier, more measured pace after the first quarter, which is usually the busiest period of the year for buyers and sellers.