Auction activity typically slows during the mid-winter months of June and July before picking up again in spring. This year’s slowdown, however, is more pronounced than usual. The 46.0% clearance rate sits 21.9 percentage points below the 67.9% recorded in the same week of 2025, with volumes close to a fifth lower than a year earlier.
Weekly clearance rate, combined capital cities
Weekly auction clearance rate and 4-week average, July 2016 to July 2026
Source: Cotality
Auction volumes set to ease again this week
An estimated 1,358 homes are scheduled for auction across the combined capitals this week, down 5.9% on last week’s 1,443 and 5.2% below the 1,432 held in the same week last year. It marks a second consecutive week of falling volumes.
Melbourne again leads with 572 scheduled auctions, down 1.9% on last week and 8.9% below the 628 recorded in the same week of 2025. Sydney follows with 498 scheduled auctions, down 10.4% on both the previous week and the year-earlier figure, each of which stood at 556.
Not all markets are slowing. Brisbane has 133 auctions scheduled, up 11.8% on last week’s 119 and 30.4% above the 102 recorded a year ago. Adelaide has 85 scheduled auctions, down 24.1% on last week’s 112 but still 13.3% above the 75 held in the same week last year. Canberra is unchanged from a year ago at 60 auctions, easing 4.8% on last week’s 63. Perth has 8 scheduled auctions, down from 10 last week and 9 a year ago, while Tasmania has two scheduled, up from none last week and matching year-ago levels.
Cotality estimates around 1,300 auctions will be held next week, with roughly 1,200 scheduled for the week after.