Auction Clearance Hits 12-Week High While Buyers Stay in Control

Capital city clearance rates rose to 51.4% last week, a 12-week high, but remain 17 percentage points below the same period in 2025.

According to MPA Australia's latest auction data, the weighted average clearance rate across Australia's capital cities reached 51.4% in the week ending 9 August 2026 — its highest result in 12 weeks. That's a 2.5-percentage-point improvement on the 48.9% recorded the prior week, with auction volumes rising in most cities at the same time.

It sounds positive. But the year-on-year context is stark: the national clearance rate is down 17.3 percentage points from 68.7% recorded in the same week in 2025. The market has genuinely softened, and for buyers with finance ready, that's the signal worth paying attention to.

How Each Capital City Performed

A total of 1,382 auctions were held across the capital cities in the week ending 9 August, up 9.9% on the 1,257 held the prior week — suggesting more vendors are testing the market. Volumes remained 12.9% below the 1,587 auctions conducted in the same week of 2025, meaning competition among buyers is meaningfully thinner than it was a year ago.

Here's the city-by-city breakdown:

**Sydney** saw 412 homes go to auction, up marginally from 406, while its clearance rate jumped 5.9 percentage points to 51.5% — the largest single-week gain of any capital city. Even with that improvement, Sydney's clearance rate has fallen 19.0 percentage points from 70.5% at the same point in 2025. Sellers in Sydney are working harder than at any time in the past two years.

**Melbourne** recorded the most significant volume increase among major markets, with auctions rising 17.9% from 559 to 659. Its clearance rate climbed to 56.8% — the highest since 3 May — from 54.7% the prior week. Year-on-year, Melbourne is down 11.8 percentage points from 68.6%.

**Brisbane** recorded 161 auctions — up 18.4% from 136 — but its clearance rate slipped to 35.4% from 37.5%, the lowest of any capital with sufficient volume. Brisbane has fallen 23.5 percentage points year-on-year, making it one of the softest markets nationally.

**Adelaide** held 94 auctions, up from 92, with its clearance rate edging up to 46.8% from 45.7%. Year-on-year, Adelaide is down 23.9 percentage points.

**Canberra** saw its volume fall 11.3% to 47 auctions, but its clearance rate improved to 46.8% from 43.4%. Canberra has fallen 28.6 percentage points year-on-year — the steepest drop of any capital.

**Perth** recorded just nine auctions, with two selling for a clearance rate of 22.2%, compared with 70% the prior week when 10 auctions were held. Volumes are too small to draw firm conclusions.

Cotality economist Annabelle Mezieres noted the unusual combination of rising volumes and improving clearance. "The weighted average clearance rate finalised at 51.4%, its highest result in 12 weeks," she said. "Additionally, clearance rates improved even though more homes went to auction in most of the capital cities."

What the Forward-Looking Data Tells Buyers

Approximately 1,323 auctions are scheduled across the capital cities in the week to 16 August — 4.3% fewer than the 1,382 held last week and 31.1% below the 1,921 conducted in the same week of 2025. In other words, buyer competition remains thin even as vendors bring more stock.

Melbourne remains the busiest market with around 565 auctions scheduled, down 14.3% on the prior week and 39.4% below the 932 held a year ago. Sydney has 474 scheduled auctions — up 15% on last week's 412, but 32.8% below the 705 recorded at this time in 2025.

Among the smaller markets, Brisbane has 146 auctions scheduled, down 9.3% from last week but 7.4% above last year's 136 — the only capital where year-on-year volumes are higher. Adelaide has 87 scheduled, down 7.4% from the prior week but 2.4% above last year's 85.

Looking beyond the immediate week, Cotality is projecting around 1,390 auctions per week over the following fortnight — roughly 5% above the current week's volumes. "The subtle rise in volume suggests vendors are bringing more stock to market as spring approaches, even if volumes stay below where they were a year ago," Mezieres said.

What This Means If You're Buying Now

A national clearance rate of 51% means roughly half of all auctioned properties are passing in — and vendors are having to negotiate or relist. That's a meaningful shift from the competitive conditions that characterised the same period in 2025.

For buyers with a clear borrowing limit and pre-approval in place, this is a constructive environment. You have more time to conduct due diligence before committing, and you're less likely to be immediately outbid on every property you inspect.

For first home buyers, a sub-55% national clearance rate removes much of the pressure to stretch your budget at every auction. The risk of overpaying is lower when sellers face real competition from other listings and when volumes are running well below last year's pace.

For investors building a portfolio, entering a market where clearance rates are running 17 percentage points below last year's peak has historically provided stronger entry pricing. Check the investor home loan options available to you before the spring selling season lifts volumes further and puts pressure back on clearance rates.

If you haven't already run the numbers, use our repayment calculator to model different loan sizes at current variable and fixed rates. Knowing your ceiling before you walk into an auction room is the single most practical preparation you can make.

And if you're still shopping for finance, compare today's cheapest home loan rates to make sure your borrowing is as competitive as your bidding strategy.