Auction numbers continue small upward momentum
Property data firm says clearance rates improved but volumes are still well down on 2025 levels.
AUSTRALIA’s auction clearance rate maintained a run of modest gains during last week.
The preliminary auction clearance rate rose 1.1 percentage points to 53.6 per cent, continuing a trend of improvement from the June low of 47.4 per cent, according to property data analysts Cotality.
It was the highest preliminary clearance rate in three weeks, though the 10th in a row where the rate held below 55 per cent.
“A lower withdrawal rate contributed to the improvement. At 19.7 per cent, withdrawals remain above last year’s average of 11.8 per cent but have declined from the recent high of 23.7 per cent in the week ending June 21,” Cotality said.
Nationally, 1273 auctions were held, down 10 per cent week on week and 19.2 per cent lower than at the same time last year.
“It was the 11th straight week where volumes fell short of year-ago levels, reflecting lower vendor activity and the likelihood that fewer sellers chose to go to auction while clearance rates remained so low,” Cotality said.
Melbourne continued to outpace Sydney on clearance rates, with 59.6 per cent of auctions clearing compared with 49.7 per cent in the NSW capital.
It was Melbourne’s highest preliminary clearance rate since the week ending May 24 (60.2 per cent).
Cotality said the city also recorded a substantially lower withdrawal rate: 15.7 per cent of scheduled auctions were pulled from the market, compared with 28.3 per cent in Sydney.
Some 572 auctions were held, down 19.4 per cent week on week and 21.6 per cent lower than a year ago.
Sydney held 407 auctions, a 4.5 per cent decrease from the previous week and 28.7 per cent below last year’s level.
The preliminary clearance rate fell to 49.7 per cent after reaching 56.1 per cent the week before.
Auction volumes increased in Brisbane, with 139 auctions held, representing a 5.2 per cent rise from the previous week and an 8.6 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
The preliminary clearance rate in Brisbane rose to 42 per cent, surpassing 40 per cent after remaining below that threshold for six of the past eight weeks.
Auction activity across Adelaide eased over the week, with 92 homes taken to auction, down eight per cent, Cotality added.
However, volumes were still 9.5 per cent higher compared with a year ago, while the city maintained a 52.6 per cent preliminary clearance rate.
Auction activity strengthened across the ACT, where 53 homes went under the hammer, up 42 per cent from 37 the week prior.
Despite the weekly increase, volumes were 3.6 per cent lower than a year ago, while the territory’s result fell 9.2 percentage points to a 43.9 per cent preliminary clearance rate.
Across the smaller auction markets, Perth recorded 10 auctions, while Tasmania recorded none.
This week, approximately 1400 homes are scheduled for auction nationally, with about 1300 expected next week, Cotality said.
