Sydney’s auction numbers reach yearly high as other capitals slow
Auction volumes across Australia’s capital cities fell to 1,760 last week, with new figures from property data firm Cotality reflecting a marked slowdown as Victoria paused for the AFL Grand Final long weekend.
The latest numbers represented a 33.3% reduction in activity, closely mirroring the 34% decrease observed during the same period last year.
Preliminary clearance rates for the combined capitals also declined sharply, dropping from 77.9% the previous week – the highest since October 2021 – to 71.4%, the lowest level since mid-June.
Sydney stood out as the busiest market, with 1,171 properties auctioned. This figure was up 28% on the previous week and marked the city’s second-highest auction volume for 2025, surpassed only by the week before Easter when 1,282 homes were offered. The preliminary clearance rate in Sydney was 73.5%, down from 77.9% the week before, with final figures typically revised lower.
Melbourne’s auction activity slowed considerably, with numbers falling by 83% as the city observed the long weekend. Only 230 homes were auctioned, and the preliminary clearance rate dropped to 64.6%, the lowest in nearly six months.
Brisbane recorded a 12% week-on-week decrease in auction volume, with 151 homes going to market. The city’s preliminary clearance rate was relatively stable at 66.1%, a slight increase from the previous week’s 65.6%.
In Adelaide, 84 homes were auctioned, a 32% decline from the prior week. The preliminary clearance rate fell to 76.6% from 85.5%.
Canberra was one of the few capitals to see an uptick in activity, with 119 homes auctioned – a 14% rise on the previous week. Of these, 67.5% have so far reported a successful result, down from 81.3% the week before.
Perth held just five auctions, with three reported as successful, while Tasmania recorded no auction activity.
“Auction numbers are set to partially bounce back this week, with around 1,975 homes scheduled to go under the hammer, rising to around 2,600 next week,” said Kaytlin Ezzy (pictured top), economist at Cotality. “However, Sydney’s numbers may be affected by the NRL Grand Final.”
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