Final Clearance Rates – week ending 26 July 2026

Final Clearance Rates – week ending 26 July 2026

Clearance rate reached an eight-week high, though still well below a year ago levels

There were 1,415 auctions across the capital cities last week. This was a 3.5% increase from the previous week, but 17.3% fewer than the 1,710 auctions held in the same week last year. The weighted average final clearance rate was 49.7%, which was 4.4 percentage points higher than the previous week’s 45.3% and 2.3 points above the four-week average of 47.4%. This was the highest clearance rate in eight weeks; however, it is still well below the 68.5% in the same week the year prior.

Melbourne had the most auctions, with 710 homes going under the hammer, an 18.5% increase from the previous week. Its clearance rate rose by 1.1 percentage points to 51.7%, the strongest result in the past five weeks. Sydney’s clearance rate increased more sharply, rising by 10.9 percentage points to 53.3%, the highest among the capitals, although the number of auctions fell by 3.8% to 426. This was Sydney’s best clearance rate in 17 weeks.

Adelaide held 100 auctions, down 9.1% from the previous week, with its clearance rate relatively steady at 49.0%, up 0.8 points. Brisbane cleared 29.5% of 132 auctions, 5.9 points lower than the prior week, marking its lowest rate in two weeks and the weakest among the major mainland markets. Canberra’s clearance rate rose sharply by 20.4 points to 51.4%, though this was based on only 37 auctions. Perth cleared 20.0% of its 10 auctions, down from 50.0% the previous week. Tasmania held no auctions after a single unsuccessful auction the week before. Results for both Perth and Tasmania should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample sizes.

Throughout July, the weighted average clearance rate improved, rising from 46.0% in the week ending 5 July to 49.7% by 26 July, despite a mid-month fall to 45.3%. Melbourne showed steady gains each week, moving from 49.6% to 51.7%. Sydney finished the month with the highest clearance rate at 53.3%. Brisbane was the exception, staying in the low 20s to mid-30s all month.

Compared with the same week last year, the difference is significant; the weighted average clearance rate is 18.8 percentage points lower (49.7% versus 68.5%), and auction volumes are 17.3% below 2025 levels. The market is clearing both fewer properties and a smaller proportion than it was twelve months ago.

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Auction Market Preview – week ending 2 August 2026

Auction volumes soften this week and sit well below a year ago

This week there are 1,302 homes set to go to auction across the capital cities. That is 8.0% fewer than last week's 1,415 and 17.3% less than the 1,575 auctions held in the same week last year. From May and through July, auction volumes have trended between 1,300 and 1,450 per week.  

Melbourne is the key driver of the fall in auction volume. It has 553 auctions scheduled, down 22.1% from 710 last week and 24.2% below the 730 held a year ago. Sydney is steadier, with 451 scheduled, up 5.9% from 426 last week, though still 21.0% short of the 571 held this week in 2025.

Looking at the smaller capital cities, Brisbane has 141 auctions scheduled, which is 6.8% more than last week and 10.2% higher than the 128 held a year ago. Adelaide has 92 auctions, down 8.0% from last week's 100, but 9.5% above the 84 from a year ago. Canberra has 54 auctions, up 45.9% from 37 last week, and just 1.8% below the 55 held a year ago. Perth has 11 auctions planned, up from 10 last week and 7 a year ago.  

Auction volumes are likely to stay steady next week, with about 1,300 homes set for auction in the week ending 9 August. Cotality expects the volume to fall to around 1,160 for the week ending 16 August.