Melbourne Auction Activity Drives Weekly Housing Surge

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Auction volumes across Australia’s capital cities climbed nearly 14% last week, with a total of 1,774 homes going under the hammer, marking the busiest auction week in nearly two months, according to data from property analytics firm Cotality.

The national preliminary clearance rate reached 74.7%, the highest recorded since July 2024. The rise in market activity was led by Melbourne, which saw 837 properties auctioned, up from 671 the previous week, an increase of over 25%. The city’s clearance rate remained stable, easing slightly from 76.7% to 76.3%.

“This was the fifth time in six weeks Melbourne’s preliminary clearance rate has remained above 75%, and the 13th consecutive week of rates exceeding 70%,” said Cotality analyst Caitlin Fono.

Sydney, while slightly behind Melbourne in trend consistency, maintained strong results. Its preliminary clearance rate stood at 73.8%, down from 74.8% the previous week. This marked the seventh straight week Sydney has posted clearance rates above 70%.

Brisbane also saw heightened activity, recording 190 auctions, the city’s busiest week since late May. The clearance rate rose to 74.5%, Brisbane’s second-highest in 2025. Fono noted this was close to its peak of 76.1% seen in late June.

In contrast, Adelaide’s auction numbers held steady at 86, though its clearance rate dipped to 69.1%, falling below the 70% mark for the first time in two weeks.

Canberra hosted 49 auctions, the fewest since late April. However, the capital posted a preliminary clearance rate of 73.7%, its highest result since early March.

Auction activity across the combined capitals is forecast to taper in the week ahead, with around 1,600 homes scheduled to go under the hammer.

Industry analysts view the sustained clearance rates as a signal of underlying market confidence, despite the seasonal fluctuations expected as the spring auction season nears.