A $1.91m divide separates the cheapest publicly priced houses across the AFL final eight, from $590,000 in Footscray to $2.5m near Sydney’s SCG.
Buying a house in AFL finals territory costs from $590,000 in Footscray to $2.5m near the SCG, a $1.91m gulf.
A NewsCorp Ausrralia search of realestate.com.au has ranked the cheapest house carrying a public price or guide across each of the eight remaining clubs’ heartlands.
The Western Bulldogs take the affordability crown, while the Swans finish last despite their cheapest qualifying property offering only two bedrooms and no car space.
RELATED: Percy’s $2m Blues haunt hits market mid-finals
Inside AFL great Ron Barassi’s $2m Melb ‘time capsule’
Jetstar set for $300m Melb take off
Traditional club suburbs were used where possible, with residential precincts around the SCG, Gabba and Adelaide Oval used for Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide respectively.
Apartments, units, townhouses and properties without a public agent price or guide were excluded.
Here is where every finalist lands.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Western Bulldogs’ Footscray heartland takes top spot for housing affordability, with agent Dee Gibson predicting finals fever will bring an “extra buzz” through the west. Picture: Michael Klein
$590,000-$640,000
The Dogs might be fighting for their September lives, but they comfortably lead the finals property ladder.
At 27 Everard St, Footscray, $590,000-$640,000 buys a one-bedroom house with one bathroom, a car space and 121sq m of land. Footscray’s median house price is $935,000.
The Bulldogs finished eighth before surviving the AFL’s inaugural wildcard round, earning an elimination final trip to Adelaide.
The one-bedroom Footscray home offers buyers their own title, car space and privacy at a price where apartments are normally the alternative.
27 Everard St, Footscray, is the cheapest house in the AFL finals property ladder, with a $590,000-$640,000 guide.
Compton Green associate director Dee Gibson said finding an actual Footscray house beginning below $600,000 was “not common at all”, with its single bedroom explaining the discount.
“The alternative is an apartment,” Ms Gibson said.
“But here you get a title, you’re on ground level with a car space that’s your own.
“And there’s that whole privacy factor that you do not have when you buy an apartment.”
Young first-home buyers, particularly singles and couples, had driven interest.
A Carlton supporter herself, Ms Gibson said the Dogs’ finals run would bring “an extra buzz right through the west”.
GEELONG
Geelong sits second on the finals housing ladder, giving Cats supporters one of the cheapest ways to buy into their club’s traditional home city. Picture: Phil Hillyard.
The Cats miss top spot on the property ladder by just $10,000.
Two-bedroom 8 Sutherland St, Geelong, is guided at $600,000-$650,000, with perhaps the best football perk of the eight: it is walking distance to GMHBA Stadium.
The two-bedroom Geelong house comes with a serious Cats perk, with GMHBA Stadium within walking distance alongside the CBD and Eastern Beach.
Just $10,000 separates Geelong from the Bulldogs at the cheap end, with 8 Sutherland St guided at $600,000-$650,000.
The Cats secured a top-six finish with a 57-point final-round win over Richmond, earning a week off before their elimination final against Carlton.
For buyers, the home also puts central Geelong, Eastern Beach and local cafes within easy reach.
CARLTON
Carlton’s remarkable 2026 revival has put the Blues back in September, while buying a house in their spiritual home starts about $300,000 above Geelong. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Carlton’s remarkable late-season revival comes with a considerably higher price of admission in its spiritual home.
The c1880 Victorian at 279 Drummond St has three bedrooms, one bathroom and a $900,000-$990,000 auction guide, about 100m from Lygon St.
The three-bedroom worker’s cottage sits about 100m from Lygon St, giving buyers a sub-$1m entry into one of Melbourne’s best-known inner suburbs.
Carlton’s cheapest qualifying house is this c1880 Victorian at 279 Drummond St, carrying a $900,000-$990,000 auction guide.
The Blues finished 10th after surging under Josh Fraser, then extended their fairytale by knocking Melbourne out in the wildcard round to book a clash with Geelong.
Ms Gibson described Carlton’s turnaround as “beyond belief” and said she would be at the Cats-Blues final.
BRISBANE LIONS
Brisbane might be battling Sydney on the field, but the Lions comfortably win the housing contest, with their entry point about $1.3m cheaper than the Swans’. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images
The Lions have earned a double chance on the field, while their Gabba precinct sits almost in the middle of our housing ladder.
Two-bedroom 16 Flower St, Woolloongabba, is asking $1.199m+, with one bathroom, two car spaces and 304sq m of land. Woolloongabba’s median house price is about $1.52m.
Belle Property West End agent Sam Peterffy said houses around the $1.2m mark had become extremely difficult to find so close to Brisbane’s CBD.
Belle Property’s Sam Peterffy said houses around $1.2m had become exceptionally scarce in Woolloongabba as young professionals chase shorter commutes.
The Lions’ Woolloongabba entry is 16 Flower St, where $1.199m+ buys two bedrooms, two-car parking and 304sq m of inner-city land.
Young professional couples and households with one child had dominated interest, including buyers tired of lengthy commutes.
Ms Peterffy said renovations and major development were rapidly changing Woolloongabba, likening its emerging inner-city feel to Melbourne’s Richmond.
But asked why it beat Sydney’s Paddington on value, she had a simpler explanation.
“Because you can afford to eat after you buy a house in Woolloongabba.”
The Lions now travel to the SCG to face Sydney in a qualifying final.
HAWTHORN
Hawthorn’s finals run brings its traditional home to life, with John Bongiorno saying Glenferrie Rd lights up in Hawks colours when the club goes deep into September. Picture: Janelle St Pierre
A three-bedroom Hawthorn house can still be bought for less than half the suburb’s $2.69m median – but finding one is another matter.
248 Auburn Rd has three bedrooms, one bathroom and one car space, with a $1.25m-$1.375m guide.
Marshall White co-founder John Bongiorno, who has worked in real estate for more than 40 years, had a succinct assessment of how often homes like it appeared.
“It’s bloody hard,” Mr Bongiorno said.
“For three bedrooms, absolutely.”
Three bedrooms at this price are “bloody hard” to find in Hawthorn, according to veteran Marshall White co-founder John Bongiorno.
248 Auburn Rd is guided at $1.25m-$1.375m, with the lower end less than half Hawthorn’s roughly $2.6m median house price.
Hawthorn’s strong season earned it a top-four finish and qualifying final against minor premier Fremantle.
And if the Hawks go deep into September, Mr Bongiorno said their traditional home would show it.
“Glenferrie Road, if they get into the grand final, all lights up,” he said.
“You see the colours go up everywhere.”
ADELAIDE CROWS
The Crows’ home-ground precinct carries one of the highest property entry prices, but North Adelaide puts fans within easy reach of Adelaide Oval, restaurants and cafes. Picture: Morne de Klerk/Getty Images
Adelaide’s entrant is one of the strangest homes on the entire ladder.
59A Childers St, North Adelaide, is a former dance studio converted into a four-bedroom, two-bathroom warehouse-style residence, with a $1.79m-$1.89m guide.
Fox Real Estate agent Andrew Fox said its single-level, low-maintenance design had mainly attracted downsizers and empty nesters.
Fox Real Estate’s Andrew Fox described the single-level North Adelaide property as an “apartment alternative” attracting downsizers and empty nesters.
North Adelaide’s $1.79m-$1.89m finals entry is anything but conventional, with 59A Childers St converted from a former dance studio into a four-bedroom home.
“It’s a bit unique. It’s like an apartment alternative,” Mr Fox said.
“It’s not your standard house.”
The Crows secured a top-six finish and a weekend off before drawing the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval.
Mr Fox said North Adelaide also picked up extra atmosphere around finals football, helped by its proximity to Adelaide Oval, restaurants and cafes.
FREMANTLE
Fremantle finished on top of the AFL ladder but sits near the other end of the property rankings, with its cheapest qualifying publicly priced entry at $2m. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images
The minor premiers sit near the opposite end of the housing ladder.
With cheaper Fremantle houses currently lacking a public asking price, 7 Little Howard St is the lowest qualifying REA listing at a $2m buyers guide.
The Little Howard St offering combines four bedrooms and two bathrooms across two residences, close to Fremantle’s dining and entertainment heart.
Fremantle finished on top of the AFL ladder but sits near the other end of the property rankings, with its cheapest qualifying publicly priced entry at $2m.
There is a sizeable twist for the money: the sale comprises two independent terrace residences on one title, with four bedrooms and two bathrooms combined.
On the field, Fremantle finished first after a dominant season and earned the right to host Hawthorn in a qualifying final at Optus Stadium.
SYDNEY SWANS
The Swans flew near the top of the AFL ladder but finish last for housing affordability, with their Paddington home-ground precinct carrying a $2.5m entry price. Picture: Phil Hillyard
The Swans are flying on the field, but their home-ground precinct finishes firmly last for affordability.
At 11 Hoddle St, Paddington, a $2.5m price point buys two bedrooms, one bathroom, no car space and just 74sq m of land.
Even that sits more than $1m below Paddington’s $3.579m median house price.
Laing+Simmons East Group agent Imran Hamidi said the fully renovated home offered an entry-level Paddington buyer the advantage of avoiding another major renovation bill.
The fully renovated Paddington terrace offers a turnkey entry near the SCG, with agent Imran Hamidi saying renovation costs were making finished homes particularly attractive.
“It gives a potential buyer a turnkey proposition,” Mr Hamidi said.
“With renovation costs these days, it just makes this such an easy option for people.”
Young professionals had dominated interest, including apartment owners wanting to graduate into a house.
Sydney locked away second position during the home-and-away season and will host Brisbane at the SCG.
A $2.5m home buys two bedrooms, one bathroom, no car space and just 74sq m at 11 Hoddle St, Paddington.
And while Paddington is not the Swans’ official base, Mr Hamidi said the connection to their neighbouring home ground was hard to miss.
“We often do see a sea of red and white Swans scarfs coming back after a nice game at the SCG,” he said.
Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox.
MORE: Slain Stuart Rattle’s final Brighton vision revealed
$100bn blow out: Albo under fire over tradies
Aussies tap super amid $20k deposit gap
david.bonaddio@news.com.au