A surge in auction volume and clearance rates has added a spark of hope to the spring selling season for agents hoping to see an upswing in activity.
While economic conditions have tipped the spring season to be more moderate than in other years, an uptick in auction numbers brings a fresh wave of hope to the slower market.
According to the latest auction data from Cotality, clearance rates rose 5.8 percentage points over the past week to 58.5 per cent, the strongest result in 19 weeks.
Despite the recent improvement, the clearance rate remained well below the 69 per cent seen a year earlier.
Cotality found that the uptick in clearance rates coincided with a jump in auction volumes, which rose more than 11 per cent from the previous week.
Like clearance rates, auction volumes remain markedly below the previous year, down 33.6 per cent.
Cotality economist Annabelle Mezieres said the uptick in volumes and clearance was in line with seasonal trends, but there was more to it than meets the eye.
“That said, auction volumes remain well below what we’d typically expect to see at this time of year,” Mezieres told REB.
“According to Cotality data, auction volumes are still more than one-third lower than a year ago.”
Melbourne recorded the largest number of auctions over the week ending September 13th, 2026, with 713 homes going under the hammer.
With a 63.3 per cent clearance rate, Melbourne recorded the strongest result across the capitals, and a 24-week high for the Victorian capital.
Similarly, Sydney also recorded its strongest result in 19 weeks, with 59.6 per cent of homes that went under the hammer selling.
The NSW capital held 557 auctions over the week, 32.8 per cent fewer than 12 months ago.
Hosting 168 auctions over the past week, Brisbane saw a 28.2 per cent uptick, with a clearance rate of 41.6, its best result in four weeks.
According to Cotality, auction volumes are tipped to continue rising as spring progresses, though at a more moderate level than in previous years.
“Throughout the spring season, we do expect auction volumes to remain subdued due to challenging selling conditions and falling home values.”
“The risk of higher interest rates later this year remains another downside factor that could influence housing market outcomes, including selling conditions,” Mezieres said.
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