Short answer
An auction clearance rate is usually the number of properties reported as sold divided by all known auction outcomes for the same period.
This tool also calculates reporting coverage and the share of scheduled auctions that sold. Those extra figures help show how much of the scheduled auction pool sits behind a preliminary headline rate.
See current city results on the Auction Results hub. The calculator does not predict a property's price, value or chance of selling.
Formula and methodology
The reported-results formula used here is:
Reported clearance rate = sold outcomes / reported outcomes x 100
Sold outcomes include properties entered as sold before, at or after auction. Reported outcomes include those sold results plus passed-in and withdrawn auctions.
Cotality says its weekly rate uses known sales before, at or after auction against known results, including passed-in and withdrawn auctions. Other providers can classify sold-after, postponed or withdrawn outcomes differently. Compare like with like before treating two rates as inconsistent.
Worked example
Assume 100 auctions were scheduled. The collected outcomes are:
- 15 sold before auction
- 35 sold under the hammer
- 3 sold after auction
- 20 passed in
- 7 withdrawn
There are 53 sold outcomes and 80 reported outcomes. The reported clearance rate is 53 divided by 80, or 66.3%. Reporting coverage is 80%, while the sold share of all scheduled auctions is 53%.
The 66.3% headline does not mean 66 properties sold out of every 100 scheduled. Twenty scheduled results are still unknown in this example.
Preliminary and final clearance rates
Preliminary rates use the results available at the time of publication. They can change as agents and data collectors report more passed-in, withdrawn or sold outcomes.
Cotality says rates based on fewer than 10 collected results should be treated as statistically unreliable. A small suburb or city sample can move sharply after one result.
What the result means
Clearance rates describe one part of an auction market. They do not measure private-treaty sales, the quality of properties offered, reserve-price changes or the price paid relative to value.
Use several weeks of final data and local sale evidence for context. Before bidding, use the Auction Bidding Budget Checklist, Borrowing Power Calculator and Property Purchase Cost Calculator.
Common mistakes
- Dividing sales by scheduled auctions and calling it the published clearance rate.
- Excluding withdrawals when the chosen provider includes them.
- Mixing results from different cities or weekends.
- Comparing a preliminary Saturday rate with a final mid-week rate.
- Treating a small sample as a reliable market signal.
- Using a city-wide clearance rate to set a bid for one property.
Sources
- Cotality auction results methodology, checked 18 July 2026.
- REA Support: how to calculate clearance rates, checked 18 July 2026.
General information disclaimer
This calculator provides general market information based on the counts entered. It is not a valuation, property forecast, financial advice, legal advice or a recommendation to bid, buy or sell. Definitions and reported results vary by data provider. Check the provider's current methodology and use property-specific evidence before making a decision.
Last updated: 18 July 2026.
