Highest preliminary clearance rate since July last year

Auction markets saw a near 14% rise in activity last week relative to the week prior, with 1,774 capital city homes taken under the hammer, up from 1,561 the previous week.

The capital’s preliminary auction clearance rate also moved higher, reaching 74.7% last week, the highest early clearance rate since the first week of July last year.

Melbourne was the busiest auction market last week, with 837 homes taken to auction, a 25% jump in activity compared with the week prior (671).  The preliminary clearance rate held reasonably firm from the previous week’s two year high, slipping slightly from 76.7% to 76.3%.  This was the fifth time in six weeks the preliminary clearance rate for Melbourne has held above 75% and the 13th straight week of 70%+ early clearance rates.

The volume of auctions held relatively steady in Sydney, with 601 homes taken to auction last week, up 2.7% on the previous week when 585 auctions were held. Sydney’s clearance rate trend hasn’t been as strong as Melbourne’s. Although down one percentage point from the week prior (74.8%), at 73.8%, last week was the 7th consecutive week of 70%+ preliminary clearance rates across Sydney.

There were 190 auctions held in Brisbane last week, up from 154 the week prior and the highest volume seen since the last week of May (205).  The preliminary clearance rate, at 74.5%, was Brisbane’s second highest so far this year after the last week of June at 76.1%.

Adelaide hosted 86 auctions last week, in-line with the week prior (also 86).  The preliminary clearance rate edged below the 70% mark for the first time in two weeks, coming in at 69.1% last week.

In Canberra, 49 homes were auctioned last week, the lowest volume of auctions since the last week of April (30).  73.7% of homes have sold based on results collected so far, the highest preliminary clearance rate for the ACT since the week ending March 9th earlier this year.

The volume of auctions is set to reduce this week with approximately 1,600 homes currently scheduled for auction across the combined capitals.

Download the Property Market Indicator Summary week ending 27 July 2025.