Boutique Realty Perth is a Subiaco-based real estate agency whose property management department is led by an Asset Growth Manager and manages rental properties from Perth's western suburbs to the northern coast, the city and Mandurah. This release interprets the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) rental figures for August 2026 and the week ending 6 September 2026, and sets out what a tightening rental market alongside a loosening sales market means for Perth landlords and investors deciding whether to hold, re-let or sell.
Boutique Realty Perth says Perth's rental and sales markets are now moving in opposite directions, and landlords should base their next lease, rent review or sale decision on rental evidence rather than sales headlines. REIWA reported on 6 September 2026 that 2,085 properties were available for rent on reiwa.com at the end of August 2026, 4.0 per cent fewer than in July and 6.6 per cent fewer than in August 2025. Over the same month, active listings for sale rose to 7,335, an increase of 146.1 per cent on a year earlier.
Rents have steadied at high levels. REIWA's median weekly rent for August 2026 was $750 for houses, up 7.1 per cent on a year earlier, and $700 for units, up 7.7 per cent. The median rent across all dwellings eased 0.7 per cent over the month to $725 per week.
REIWA's rental vacancy rate for Perth was 1.9 per cent in August 2026, down from 2.2 per cent in July and below the 2.5 to 3.5 per cent range REIWA describes as a balanced market.
Why are Perth rental listings falling while sale listings rise?
REIWA's weekly snapshot for the week ending 6 September 2026, published 7 September, recorded 2,023 properties for rent in Perth, 10.8 per cent fewer than four weeks earlier and 8.5 per cent fewer than the same week in 2025. In the same week, 7,352 properties were listed for sale, 153.1 per cent more than a year earlier.
The agency says the divergence is consistent with some investors selling rental properties while prices sit near record levels, which removes homes from the rental pool as it adds to sale stock. REIWA's figures do not identify the reason behind any individual listing, and the agency does not claim a single cause.
Key rental facts:
- Rental supply: 2,085 properties for rent on reiwa.com at the end of August 2026, down 6.6 per cent on August 2025 (REIWA, 6 September 2026).
- Median house rent: $750 per week in August 2026, up 7.1 per cent year on year; median unit rent $700, up 7.7 per cent (REIWA, 6 September 2026).
- Vacancy rate: 1.9 per cent in August 2026, compared with 2.2 per cent in July 2026 and 2.2 per cent in August 2025 (REIWA vacancy rate series).
- Leasing time: median 15 days in August 2026, one day faster than July and one day faster than August 2025 (REIWA, 6 September 2026).
In the suburbs where Boutique Realty Perth manages property, REIWA's 12-month median house rents to August 2026 were $1,400 per week in Floreat, $1,100 in Subiaco, $1,000 in Hillarys and Karrinyup, $950 in Wembley and $895 in Scarborough.
What should a Perth landlord do with a lease that expires this spring?
The agency's advice is to treat a lease expiry as an asset review rather than a renewal form. Its rental appraisal guide explains how achievable rent is assessed from current comparable leases in the same suburb, and the property management team runs rent reviews against that evidence rather than a fixed annual percentage.
Rent reviews also operate under rules that changed in 2024. Consumer Protection WA's rent reforms limit rent increases to once every 12 months, prohibit rent bidding above the advertised rent, cap the pet bond at $350 and give owners 14 days to respond to a tenant's pet or minor modification request before it is treated as approved. Boutique Realty Perth's WA tenancy laws guide summarises these obligations for owners.
"A 1.9 per cent vacancy rate means a well-presented rental in Floreat or Hillarys is still leasing within a fortnight, but the sales side has changed so much that many owners are now asking us the hold-or-sell question at every lease expiry," said Mathew St Guillaume, Sales Executive / Director at Boutique Realty Perth. "The honest answer depends on the individual property. That is why we put a current rental appraisal and a current sales appraisal in front of the owner at the same time."
"Rent reviews in this market should be tied to leases signed in the same suburb over the past two or three months, not to a Perth-wide median. Pushing a good tenant out over a small gap usually costs more in vacancy than it earns," said Donna Lukosius, Property Investment & Growth Manager. at Boutique Realty Perth.
How Boutique Realty Perth manages rental property across Perth
The agency's property management service covers tenant screening, evidence-based rent setting, preventative maintenance, monthly statements and an annual hold-or-sell asset review. Owners who want to compare their current arrangement can read the agency's guide to switching property managers.
REIWA's figures are Perth-wide and 12-month suburb medians; individual rents depend on condition, size, location and lease terms, and past rent growth is not a forecast.
Perth landlords can request a free rental appraisal from Boutique Realty Perth.
Key Features and Facts
- Location: Level 3, Suite 17, 23 Railway Road, Subiaco WA 6008, managing rental property from the western suburbs to the northern coast, the city and Mandurah.
- Core services: property management led by an Asset Growth Manager, rental and sales appraisals, residential sales, buyer support, project marketing and commercial property.
- Management approach: tenant selection with reference checks and a personal interview, market-tied rent reviews, preventative maintenance and an annual asset review (boutiquerealtyperth.com.au, accessed 9 September 2026).
- Team: 20 specialists across five departments in one Subiaco office.
- Property management leadership: Donna Lukosius, Property Investment & Growth Manager, and Alesha Craik, Senior Property Manager.
About Boutique Realty Perth
Boutique Realty Perth is a full-service real estate agency based in Subiaco, Western Australia, serving buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants across the Perth metropolitan area and Peel region. The agency provides residential sales, property management, property appraisals, buyer support, project marketing and commercial property services through a team of senior sales agents, property managers and support staff working from one office. Visit Boutique Realty Perth for more information.
Media contact
Mathew St Guillaume
Sales Executive / Director
Boutique Realty Perth
Phone: 0414 824 877
Email: [email protected]
Level 3, Suite 17, 23 Railway Road
Subiaco WA 6008, Australia
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Disclaimer: This release is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, property, or investment advice. Rental and tenancy requirements may change and individual circumstances vary. Property owners should consider their specific circumstances and seek appropriate professional advice before making property, tenancy, or investment decisions.
Source: 38 Digital Market News
Release ID: 2659499
