Melbourne Auction Clearance Rates 2026

Over the last weekend, the Australian property auction market showed a calmer but active market. 

Clearance rates are trending in the mid-50% to low-60% range across major capitals as buyer caution grows due to macroeconomic uncertainties.

Highlights of the most recent reporting week:

• Sydney has approximately 63% clearing and 1,286 auctions scheduled.
• Melbourne has approximately 57% clearing and 599 auctions scheduled.
• Brisbane clearance rate: about 52%.
• Canberra: around 57% clearance.
• Adelaide has a clearance rate of around 70-78%, making it the strongest performer.

Additionally, Victoria’s latest findings reveal:

204 sold at auction; 91 sold earlier; 161 passed in; 101 withdrawn

According to the data, the market is becoming more price-sensitive and negotiation-driven, with consumers becoming more disciplined and sellers changing their expectations.

Overview of the Australia Property Auction Market

Australia’s property auction markets are presently in a balanced-to-buyer-leaning phase, with clearance rates continuously falling short of the “seller’s market” benchmark of 70%.

Benchmarks for auction clearance rate Australia:

• Above 70%: A robust market for sellers
• 60–70%: Balanced
• Below 60%: Buyer-leaning

Place of current results:

• Sydney → was in balance.
• Melbourne → has a modest buyer’s bias
• Brisbane→ Buyer-leaning 
• Adelaide → seller-orientated

Auction Volumes

Auction volumes remain high, though inconsistent, with:

• Sydney and Melbourne are the most active areas.
• Smaller capitals are experiencing volatility due to limited volumes.

Due to vendor caution and post-long weekend normalisation, Melbourne’s auction count significantly decreased from peak February levels.

Deep Dive into the Melbourne Market | Auction Details

Within the Australia Property Auction Market, Melbourne observed:

Approximately 57% clearance rate, 599 auctions were planned, with about 472 results reported.

Breakdown:

269 sold, 142 passed in, and 61 withdrawn

Explanation

Melbourne property market trends show the city is undoubtedly going through a price-sensitive phase:

• An increased percentage of properties that are passed in
• Increased withdrawals (vendors avoiding unsuccessful auctions)
• An increasing amount of post-auction negotiation

Median prices

Latest auction medians indicate:

• House median: about $950k to $1 million
• Unit median ranges from ~$650k to $700k.

Melbourne remains comparatively affordable versus Sydney, making it attractive for Property Investment Australia, but it is still constrained by borrowing capacity.

Sub-Regional Trends

• Inner South/Urban areas have higher clearance rates (~70%).
• Due to higher price points, the Inner East is weaker (~55%).
• Outer suburbs: consistent demand due to affordability 

Deep Dive into the Sydney Market | Auction Results

Sydney stated:

63% clearing rate,1,286 auctions were scheduled; 595 were sold; 170 were completed; and 180 were withdrawn.

Median prices

The median home price is between $1.68 and $1.94 million.

Units: $1.0 million or more

Explanation

• Sydney’s market demonstrates:
• Resilience in the premium suburbs

Weakness in outer and affordable-constrained regions

Top-performing areas:

• The Northern Beaches
• Eastern suburbs

Weaker

• Outer West and Central Coast 

Other Capital Cities

Adelaide, South Australia

Adelaide is still performing better:

• Around 78.7% clearance rate
• Strong adoption of auctions
• Competitive bidding environment

Brisbane (QLD)

• Around 52% clearance rate in 
• Auctions remain secondary to private treaty
• Buyer caution is more noticeable

Canberra (ACT)

• The clearance rate is around 57%
• Consistent yet muted demand

Smaller Markets and Perth

Data dependability is limited by low auction volumes, but patterns indicate:

• Strong private treaty dominance
• Supply constraints supporting pricing

Focus on Regional Victoria

In Geelong, strong migration from Melbourne remains a key driver, with consistent demand for family homes, particularly in the $600k–$900k range. The combination of improving infrastructure and its coastal lifestyle continues to make it a highly appealing choice.

Ballarat is seeing solid activity from first-home buyers, while investors are increasingly drawn by attractive rental yields. Ongoing population growth is helping to support steady demand across the market.

In Bendigo, high rental demand is shaping a more yield-focused investment landscape within Property Investment Australia. At the same time, more buyers are relocating to the area, adding further pressure to an already tightening market.

These regional hubs are now essential growth corridors rather than fringe markets.

Buyer & Vendor Sentiment

Buyer Behaviour

• More selective bidding.
• An increase in due diligence
• Choosing to negotiate over competing

Evidence demonstrates the following:

• Each auction has fewer bidders.
• Reduced bid increments
• Increased rates of pass-in

Vendor Behaviour

• More reasonable reserves
• Increased openness to negotiating after the auction
• An increase in withdrawals when expectations aren’t fulfilled

Macroeconomic and Global Background

Interest Rates

• The key obstacle is still high borrowing costs.
• Expectations of more tightening are influencing sentiment.

Global Events & Inflation

• Global volatility is contributing to caution.
• Inflationary pressures affect interest rate expectations.

Growth in Population

• Demand is still supported by strong migration.
• Limitations on Supply
• Bottlenecks in construction
• Limited supply of new houses.

Market Outlook

Short-Term (Next 3 Months)

• Clearance rates: 55–65% range
• Continued volatility week-to-week
• Increased negotiation activity

Medium-Term (6–12 Months)

• Moderate price growth across the housing market Australia 2026
• Strongest growth in:
  • Lifestyle regions

• Infrastructure-linked suburbs

Weakness in:

• High-end discretionary markets

Actionable Insights

Buyers

• Secure finance early
• Target passed-in properties
• Focus on long-term fundamentals

Sellers

• Price realistically
• Consider pre-auction offers
• Use auctions strategically, not automatically

Investors

• Focus on rental yield
• Target regional growth corridors
• Avoid overpaying in premium segments

Key Takeaways

1. Auction clearance rates remain below seller-market levels.
2. Melbourne is now slightly buyer-leaning.
3. Sydney remains resilient but selective.
4. Adelaide is the standout performer nationally.
5. Regional Victoria continues to strengthen structurally.

Overall, Property Investment Australia is shifting towards more strategic, data-driven decision-making.

Median prices remain relatively stable, with Melbourne houses hovering around the $950k–$1m range and Sydney significantly higher above $1.6m.

Regional markets such as Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo continue to attract strong interest, supported by affordability, lifestyle appeal and rental demand.

Buyer sentiment remains cautious due to interest rate pressures and broader economic uncertainty, while vendors are increasingly adjusting expectations and pricing strategies.

Looking ahead, australia property auction market is expected to remain balanced, with clearance rates likely to stay between 55–65% and moderate price growth continuing across both capital and regional markets.

https://www.finance.gov.au/government/property-and-construction