Auction Clearance Rates Australia 2026: What They Mean and Current Trends

Overview

Auction clearance rates are one of the most widely watched indicators of the Australian property market. Understanding what they measure and how to interpret them helps buyers, sellers, and investors make better-informed decisions.

What Is an Auction Clearance Rate?

The auction clearance rate is the percentage of properties sold at auction out of the total number offered. A property is considered 'sold' if it sells under the hammer, or is sold prior to or immediately after the auction. Properties that are passed in (not sold) or withdrawn bring the clearance rate down.

What Do the Numbers Mean?

• Above 75%: Strong seller's market — high demand, competitive bidding, prices likely rising
• 65-75%: Balanced market — reasonable conditions for both buyers and sellers
• 55-65%: Buyer's market emerging — more negotiating power for buyers
• Below 55%: Weak market — many properties failing to sell at auction, prices under pressure

Current Clearance Rate Trends (Early 2026)

Auction clearance rates across Australian capitals have been trending in the mid-60s to low-70s range in early 2026, indicating a broadly balanced market with some softening from the stronger results seen in late 2025.

Sydney

Sydney clearance rates have moderated from highs above 70% in early 2025 to the mid-to-high 50s in late March 2026. This reflects growing buyer caution following the March 2026 rate rise and affordability constraints at current price levels. Tight supply (new listings nearly 4% below the five-year average) is providing some support.

Melbourne

Melbourne clearance rates have been sitting in the mid-50s to low-60s range, with more properties being negotiated post-auction rather than selling under the hammer. The city's market is characterised by cautious buyer behaviour and price sensitivity.

Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide

The smaller capitals continue to show relative strength, with clearance rates generally higher than Sydney and Melbourne. However, these cities have smaller auction markets — private treaty sales remain the dominant transaction method.

Why Clearance Rates Matter

For Sellers

High clearance rates suggest you are likely to achieve a strong price at auction. Lower rates may indicate that a private treaty sale with a set price could be more effective.

For Buyers

Lower clearance rates mean less competition and more negotiating power. When rates fall below 60%, buyers often find they can negotiate below the seller's reserve price or secure properties post-auction at a discount.

For Investors

Clearance rates provide a real-time pulse on market sentiment. Falling rates can signal an approaching buying opportunity, while rising rates suggest strengthening demand.

Limitations of Clearance Rates

Clearance rates have several important limitations:

• Preliminary vs final: Initial weekend results are often revised downward as more results are reported. Preliminary rates typically overstate the final result by 3-5 percentage points.
• Reporting methodology: Different data providers (CoreLogic, REIV, Domain) use different methodologies, producing different numbers for the same weekend.
• City bias: Auctions are most common in Sydney and Melbourne. Other cities rely more on private treaty sales, making clearance rates less representative.
• Seasonal patterns: Clearance rates naturally dip around school holidays, Easter, and the winter months.

How to Track Clearance Rates

Clearance rate data is published weekly by several sources:

• CoreLogic — the most comprehensive national dataset
• REIV — the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (Melbourne-focused)
• Domain — publishes weekly preliminary and revised results

What This Means for You

In the current market environment of mid-60s clearance rates nationally, conditions are broadly balanced. Buyers have reasonable negotiating power without facing a collapsing market, while sellers can still achieve good outcomes with realistic pricing.

Use our Borrowing Power Calculator to know your budget before attending auctions, and our Stamp Duty Calculator to factor in all costs when setting your maximum bid.

Know your numbers: Borrowing Power Calculator | Estimate total costs: Property Purchase Cost Calculator.

Sources: CoreLogic Weekly Auction Reports, REIV, Domain Auction Results, Property Update.