Properties worth more than $25bn were bought with cash in Australia’s three biggest states in early 2023

Many cash purchases were made in regional areas of NSW, Victoria and Queensland as buyers downsized to less expensive housing

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More than one in four transactions for dwellings or land is settled with cash in Australia's three most-populous states, with buyers largely unaffected by higher interest rates, data group Pexa said.

Many of the cash purchases (those paid for in full without a loan) were made in regional parts of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, often by retirees or others downsizing to less expensive properties. Cash purchases for foreign students or recent migrants also make up a sizeable share of sales in inner-city areas.

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