Preliminary vs Final Auction Clearance Rates in Australia

Short answer

A preliminary auction clearance rate uses the outcomes known when the early result is published. A final rate uses a more complete set of results collected later in the week.

The early and final figures can differ because passed-in, withdrawn and sold results arrive at different times. A preliminary rate is not necessarily wrong, but it is incomplete. Check the reporting coverage, sample size, provider methodology and publication date before comparing two numbers.

Use the Auction Clearance Rate Calculator to test the arithmetic from raw outcomes. Use the Auction Results hub for city context and links to current data providers.

How a reported clearance rate is calculated

Cotality describes its weekly rate as known sold results before, at or after auction divided by all known results, including passed-in and withdrawn auctions.

In simplified form:

Reported clearance rate = sold outcomes / known auction outcomes x 100

Known outcomes are not always the same as scheduled auctions. Some scheduled properties have no reported outcome when the preliminary figure is calculated.

That missing-result gap is why the clearance rate and reporting coverage answer different questions:

• Clearance rate shows the sold share of outcomes reported so far.
• Reporting coverage shows how much of the scheduled auction pool has a known outcome.
• Sold share of scheduled auctions shows known sales as a share of every scheduled auction, including those not yet reported.

Worked example

Assume 100 auctions were scheduled. The early collection contains:

• 50 sold before, at or shortly after auction;
• 20 passed in;
• 5 withdrawn; and
• 25 outcomes not yet reported.

The preliminary reported clearance rate is:

50 / (50 + 20 + 5) = 66.7%

Reporting coverage is 75%, and the known sold share of all scheduled auctions is 50%.

Later, suppose the remaining 25 results contain 5 sales, 15 passed-in auctions and 5 withdrawals. The more complete rate becomes:

55 / 100 = 55.0%

Nothing was removed from the original 50 known sales. The rate fell because the later group contained a lower share of successful outcomes.

This example illustrates the mechanism. It does not claim every preliminary rate will be revised down by the same amount.

Why late results can change the headline

Auction results are collected progressively. Agents and data providers may confirm some sales quickly, while a passed-in, withdrawn or post-auction negotiation can take longer to classify.

Provider rules also matter. One series may include sold-after outcomes for a particular window, while another uses a different cut-off. A postponed auction might sit outside one calculation but inside another reporting table.

Compare numbers only when they cover:

• the same city or geographic group;
• the same week ending date;
• the same preliminary or final stage;
• a similar sample and reporting coverage; and
• the same provider methodology.

Small samples need extra caution

Cotality says a rate based on fewer than 10 collected auction results should be considered statistically unreliable.

The reason is simple. If six of eight reported auctions sell, the rate is 75%. One additional passed-in result reduces it to 66.7%. Two results can move the headline sharply even though they say little about the broader private-treaty market.

Perth, Tasmania and small suburb samples can have very low weekly auction volumes. A city or suburb rate should not be treated as equally informative across all markets.

What a clearance rate can and cannot tell you

A consistent series can help describe competition among properties offered by auction. Several weeks of falling final rates, rising withdrawals and adequate reporting coverage may indicate softer auction conditions.

The rate does not tell you:

• whether one property is correctly priced;
• the value of a home;
• how much a buyer should bid;
• the reserve price;
• whether finance will be approved;
• how private-treaty sales are performing; or
• whether prices will rise or fall next.

Before bidding, set a cash limit using the Borrowing Power Calculator, Stamp Duty Calculator and Property Purchase Cost Calculator. These are estimates, not lender approvals or valuations.

A practical comparison checklist

Before repeating a weekly auction headline, record:

1. Provider and methodology.
2. Week ending date.
3. Preliminary or final status.
4. Scheduled auction count.
5. Number of known results.
6. Sold, passed-in and withdrawn counts.
7. Reporting coverage.
8. Whether the sample contains at least 10 reported outcomes.

For a trend, compare several final weekly results from the same provider. Do not compare this Saturday's preliminary number with last week's final number without labelling the difference.

Common mistakes

• Dividing known sales by scheduled auctions and calling the answer the provider's reported clearance rate.
• Ignoring withdrawn auctions when the chosen provider includes them.
• Treating unknown results as successful or unsuccessful without evidence.
• Comparing a combined-capitals weighted result with one city's rate.
• Reading a small sample as a property forecast.
• Using a clearance rate to justify a higher bid.

Sources

• Cotality: Weekly Auction Results, including the known-results methodology, progressive collection, preliminary status and small-sample warning. Checked 13 August 2026.
• Cotality: Final clearance rates, week ending 12 July 2026, an example of a final weekly result. Checked 13 August 2026.

General information disclaimer

This guide provides general information about auction statistics. It is not a property valuation, market forecast, financial advice, credit advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or bid. Provider classifications and result coverage vary. Check the source methodology and obtain professional advice where appropriate.

Last updated: 13 August 2026.