Australia's auction market posted a modest lift in clearance rates this week, though the improvement is coming off a weak base, with volumes still tracking well below last year's levels.
National auction numbers reached 1,421 this week, down 16.9% on the same time in 2025, according to Cotality head of research Tim Lawless (pictured).
The preliminary auction clearance rate has held in the low 50% range over the past three weeks, coming in at 52.4% this week — up 2.4 percentage points on last week and 5 percentage points above the recent low of 47.4% recorded in the week ending 21 June.
Lawless attributed much of the improvement to fewer vendors pulling properties from the market.
"Withdrawn auctions rose to 24% of all scheduled auctions over the week ending June 21, but have since reduced back to 17.4% this week," he said, adding that the withdrawal rate "remains elevated relative to 2025, where on average 11.8% of auctions were being withdrawn."
That gap between the headline number and underlying buyer turnout is showing up on the ground too.
"You know when the market's quiet when the only person to show up to an auction is the agent. Not even the vendor," Sydney-based auctioneer Tom Panos said in a social media post reported by Domain.
Sydney's 433 auctions produced a clearance rate of 56.1%, a solid bounce from the previous week despite almost 30% of scheduled auctions being withdrawn — with 63.4% of successful Sydney sales settling before auction day. Brisbane told a weaker story, with its clearance rate dropping to 30.5%, on track to finalise below 40% for a ninth consecutive week.
Melbourne led volumes with 707 auctions, up 18% week-on-week but still 10.1% below a year ago, with its clearance rate easing slightly to 54.6%. Adelaide and the ACT posted more modest results, at 52.6% and 53.1% respectively, with the ACT recording its strongest clearance rate in nine weeks.
Even amid the quiet, some in the industry see opportunity. Panos noted: "The quietest markets create the biggest opportunities, because when everyone is waiting for the crowds to come back, there are a few smarties out there, opportunistic buyers are getting on with business."
For brokers, that combination of soft turnout and improving clearance dynamics may be worth flagging to first-home buyers and investors weighing up their next move.
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