Pre-Easter auctions rush means falling clearance rates and buyers “spoilt for choice”

Near record numbers of auctions will take place over the next two weekends as sellers fight to lock in a sale in a pre-Easter rush.

Australian Property Monitors senior economist Andrew Wilson says next weekend could see 900 to 1000 properties listed for auction in Sydney, before an Easter weekend lull.

Over the weekend, clearance rates in Sydney were 83.3%, based on 814 listings, 393 auctions and 345 sold. The median price in Sydney for houses sold at auction was $1,038,000, while the median price for units was $720,000.

The most expensive property sold at auction in Sydney was a four bedroom house in Clovelly, which sold for $3.8 million. The most affordable was a two bedroom unit in Brighton-Le-Sands which sold at auction for $405,000.

“In Sydney the prestige market was strong, particularly in the lower North Shore… I’m not sure we’ll see the same in the next two weeks,” he says.

“The clearance rates tend to fall down when there are high numbers of listings.”

In Melbourne over the weekend the auction clearance rate was 71.5%, with 1185 properties listed, 859 auctions and 616 properties sold. The median price for houses was $818,000, while the median price for units was $495,000.

The most expensive property in Melbourne was a six bedroom house in Hawthorn East, which sold for $3.24 million. The most affordable was a one bedroom unit in Carlton that went for $175,000.

Wilson says it was the lowest auction clearance for Melbourne this year, aside from the Labour Day long weekend.

“It is a sign of the significant numbers of properties coming through on auctions, with buyers spoilt for choice,” he says.

Wilson says Melbourne’s outer Eastern suburbs are continuing to hold up the market, with the strongest clearance rates.

In Adelaide, AMP reported that there were 58 properties listed, with 34 auctions and 23 sold. In Brisbane, 99 were listed with 13 auctions and seven sold.