More than half of auctioned homes did not sell under the hammer last week  

The weighted average clearance rate of 48.3% was the second-lowest result recorded so far this year, behind only the previous week’s 47.3%. Of the 2,094 results collected, 737 were passed in and 345 withdrawn. This means 51.7% of auctioned homes did not sell, with the pass-in rate at 35.2%; twelve months ago, roughly two in three auctioned homes sold. Last week the figure was closer to one in two.

Sydney held 782 auctions and cleared 47.2%, down 1.7 percentage points on the week before. The clearance rate is 18.4 percentage points below the same week last year (65.6%), the larger of the two major capitals’ year-on-year gaps. Volume was 5.7% below 2025 levels.

Melbourne hosted 975 auctions, with the clearance rate rising 4.5 percentage points to 51.9%, the strongest result among the four largest capitals. However, it remained 13.5 percentage points below the 65.4% recorded in the same week of 2025, while volumes were 4.2% lower than a year earlier.

Adelaide held 106 auctions, with the clearance rate falling 9.5 percentage points to 46.2%. Brisbane’s clearance rate rose slightly, to 39.4% on 142 auctions, though it remains well behind Sydney and Melbourne. Canberra held 76 auctions, with a clearance rate of just 36.8%. Perth held 13 auctions and cleared 23.1%, down sharply from 64.3% the week before. Tasmania held one auction, which was successful.

The clearance rate data points to a market that is continuing to lose momentum, attributable to weaker buyer demand and a consequent rise in advertised supply. Volumes are high relative to the recent average, especially in Sydney and Melbourne, but the same-week-last-year volume comparison is now holding in negative territory. Buyers appear more cautious or less willing to meet vendors’ price expectations.

Additionally, the rolling averages highlight that the weighted average clearance rate is showing a softening trend. The most recent 4-week average was 48.9%, down from 53.2% in the prior 4-week period. The 6-week and 8-week averages show a similar pattern. This suggests the decline is not just one slow week or the winter slowdown, but part of a broader trend that began earlier this year.

Auction Market Preview – week ending 21 June 2026

This coming week, approximately 1,930 homes are scheduled for auction across the combined capitals, down about 8% from the 2,095 auctions held last week and a touch below the 2,004 auctions in the equivalent week of 2025.

Sydney and Melbourne account for roughly 83% of scheduled auctions this week. Sydney has just over 720 on the books, down about 8% on last week and 7% below the same week a year ago. Melbourne again leads the country with approximately 880 scheduled (46% of the national total), though that is down about 10% on last week’s 975 and 5.0% below the 927 held this time last year.

Among the smaller capitals, Brisbane has approximately 150 auctions scheduled, up almost 6% on last week and broadly in line with the 152 held a year ago. Adelaide has about 100 scheduled (down from 106 last week, but well ahead of the 77 held in the equivalent week of 2025). Canberra drops to just under 70 auctions, down from 76. Perth has 15 auctions scheduled and Tasmania none, against 13 and 1 respectively last week, and 5 and 0 a year ago. Results across both Perth and Tasmania should be read with caution given the volume remains too small.

Auction volumes are likely to wind down over the coming weeks and months due to both seasonal and cyclical factors.

Looking ahead, Cotality estimates that roughly 1,900 homes are scheduled for auction next week and likely to trend seasonally lower through winter.