Melbourne’s auction market delivered its best result in more than three months on the weekend of 1–2 August 2026, with a preliminary clearance rate of 62.4% from 352 reported results across 570 scheduled auctions — the city’s strongest reading since April, according to My Housing Market (Dr Andrew Wilson, Chief Economist). The result represents a meaningful step up from 58.3% the prior week and comes as the national market continues to report subdued conditions, with most other capitals struggling to break the 50% mark.
Nationally, the combined capitals posted an average clearance rate of 48.4% — fractionally above the prior week’s 47.9% and well below the 71.0% recorded over the same weekend last year. The headline story for the week ending 1 August 2026 is clear: while Sydney continues to soften and Brisbane remains structurally challenged, Melbourne is quietly building pre-spring momentum.
Key figure: Melbourne’s 62.4% preliminary clearance is the city’s highest reading since April 2026. The Outer East recorded an extraordinary 92.5%, while the West — covering Essendon, Moonee Ponds and Keilor East — recorded 49.4%, signalling that IFG’s home suburbs remain firmly in buyer-friendly territory.
National Snapshot — Capital City Auction Results, Week Ending 1 August 2026
Capital city markets commenced August with mixed results. Most capitals continue to report clearance rates well below long-run averages, with Brisbane the notable exception — its 34.1% rate represents a significant recovery from the prior week’s 16.6%. The national pattern is one of tentative stabilisation in some cities alongside continued softness in others.
| Capital City | Auctions | Clearance Rate | Last Week | Same Week 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 510 | 55.2% | 59.5% | 77.5% |
| Melbourne | 570 | 62.4% | 58.3% | 74.4% |
| Brisbane | 137 | 34.1% | 16.6% | 56.6% |
| Adelaide | 107 | 46.7% | 45.2% | 76.2% |
| Canberra | 57 | 43.7% | 59.9% | 70.1% |
| National Average | — | 48.4% | 47.9% | 71.0% |
Source: My Housing Market / Dr Andrew Wilson, week ending 1 August 2026. Preliminary figures.
Sydney’s 55.2% represents a step down from 59.5% the prior week, with the city recording a median house auction price of $1,852,500 from 258 reported results. Adelaide and Canberra are broadly stable but remain well below their mid-2025 peaks. Brisbane’s 34.1% is still structurally weak in absolute terms but is recovering from an unusually low base. The REIV publishes confirmed Victorian auction results at reiv.com.au/market-insights/auction-results each week — preliminary My Housing Market figures may differ slightly from the confirmed data.
Melbourne in Focus: Regional Auction Results, Week Ending 1 August 2026
The headline 62.4% clearance across 570 Melbourne auctions obscures significant variation at a regional level. The Outer East’s extraordinary 92.5% clearance reflects strong demand in the $1M–$1.1M price band, while the West (which includes the majority of IFG’s suburb coverage) recorded a more buyer-friendly 49.4%. Units again outperformed houses — 71.4% versus 60.3% — continuing a trend that has held since late May.
| Region | Results Reported | Clearance Rate | Median Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outer East | 40 | 92.5% | $1,025,000 |
| Inner East | 34 | 70.6% | $1,237,500 |
| Inner Urban | 31 | 67.7% | $959,000 |
| Inner South | 49 | 65.3% | $930,000 |
| Northern | 50 | 58.0% | $887,750 |
| North East | 44 | 52.3% | $787,500 |
| West | 81 | 49.4% | $840,500 |
| South East | 23 | 43.5% | $852,500 |
| Houses (total) | 317 | 60.3% | $995,000 |
| Units (total) | 35 | 71.4% | $700,000 |
| Total Melbourne | 352 | 62.4% | $917,500 |
Source: My Housing Market / Dr Andrew Wilson, week ending 1 August 2026. Preliminary figures. REIV confirmed results available at reiv.com.au.
In IFG’s northern and western suburbs, two results stand out: 8 Bellevue Tce Pascoe Vale sold for $1,705,000 through Ray White Glenroy, and 86a Hotham Rd Niddrie achieved $1,659,000 through Nelson Alexander Essendon — both comfortably above suburb medians and confirming continued premium for well-presented stock. 158 Templewood Cr Avondale Heights also transacted at $1,860,000, representing the top result in the West region. Our post on the Pascoe Vale market covers Coburg and northern suburb conditions in more detail.
What Does a 62% Melbourne Auction Clearance Rate Mean for Buyers?
A clearance rate of 62.4% means roughly six in ten Melbourne properties sold at or before auction day. By standard benchmark, 60–70% is considered a balanced market — competition exists on quality stock, but buyers retain meaningful negotiating power on passed-in properties and in lower-clearance regions. This is the most workable environment for buyers who arrive prepared.
The important nuance is regional. The Outer East at 92.5% is a vendors’ market in every sense — bidding is intense and properties are selling before auction day in some cases. By contrast, the West at 49.4% — the region covering Taylors Lakes, Keilor East and surrounding suburbs — is firmly in buyer-friendly territory. In a 49% clearance region, more than half of listed properties do not sell on the day. That means post-auction negotiation opportunities remain, and buyers who maintain finance certainty through genuine pre-approval are in the strongest possible position.
For western Melbourne buyers: The West’s 49.4% clearance rate is one of Melbourne’s best buyer conditions of 2026. Properties are available, competition is measured, and the RBA’s 11 August decision is the one variable that could shift sentiment quickly in either direction. Review your borrowing position or secure pre-approval before the meeting — enquiries answered the same business day, by a director.
What’s Driving Melbourne’s August Clearance Rate Recovery?
Three factors are converging to push Melbourne’s clearance rate to a four-month high as the market enters August.
1. Pre-spring stock depletion. Melbourne scheduled 570 auctions this week — well below the 733 held over the same weekend last year. Fewer listings concentrate active buyer demand onto available stock, mechanically lifting clearance rates. When spring stock arrives from late August, the question becomes whether buyer confidence has genuinely recovered or whether reduced volumes alone were keeping the rate elevated. Our spring market guide covers what to expect from September onwards.
2. Unit demand from first home buyers. Melbourne units recorded a 71.4% clearance rate this week at a $700,000 median — the strongest segment. This is being driven by first home buyers targeting property under the $950,000 First Home Guarantee price cap and downsizers seeking lower-maintenance inner-ring stock. At $700,000, units represent strong value relative to Melbourne’s house median of $995,000 and are drawing competitive buyer depth from multiple cohorts simultaneously.
3. Investor re-engagement in the northern suburbs. Melbourne’s rental vacancy remains historically tight, and investors who stepped back through the rate rise cycle are reassessing. The Northern region’s 58.0% clearance at an $887,750 median — covering Coburg and inner north suburbs — is showing renewed activity from landlords chasing yield in a thin rental market. For investors weighing residential versus commercial property finance, the distinction matters more than ever given upcoming policy changes to SMSF residential lending from July 2027.
Is Now a Good Time to Buy in Melbourne Before the August RBA Decision?
For buyers who are finance-ready, acting before the RBA’s 11 August 2026 announcement offers meaningful advantages over waiting for spring or post-decision clarity. Pre-approval confirmed before the meeting insulates your borrowing capacity assessment against any upward move. Our RBA August 2026 preview breaks down what each outcome means for repayments on a $600,000 and $900,000 outstanding balance.
The flip side is that a hold — the majority view from CBA, NAB and ANZ — is unlikely to dramatically change market dynamics in the near term. Melbourne’s recovery is measured, not runaway. Use our borrowing power calculator for a starting point, then call us for a live lender assessment tailored to your income type and deposit situation.
For first home buyers specifically: winter is Melbourne’s most buyer-friendly season for a reason. Less competition at each auction, more motivated vendors after months on market, and agents more willing to negotiate. The West at 49.4% clearance is as good an entry window as you will see before spring stock arrives and competition intensifies.
IFG’s Take: What We’re Seeing in Melbourne’s North and West
“Melbourne’s 62.4% clearance is the best headline figure we’ve seen since April, but the regional picture is the more interesting story,” says Brian Hermosilla, co-director of Integrated Finance Group, formerly from the business banking team at NAB. “The Outer East at 92.5% and the West at 49.4% are effectively two different property markets operating under the same city average. For our clients in Keilor East, Essendon, Moonee Ponds and Coburg, the conditions right now are genuinely favourable — you’re buying into a balanced-to-buyer market one to two months before the traditional spring uplift.”
“The Pascoe Vale result at $1,705,000 and the Niddrie result at $1,659,000 confirm that premium stock in our suburbs continues to attract buyers willing to pay above median. But at the $800,000–$950,000 price point where most owner-occupiers and first home buyers are active in the West, there is still room to negotiate. Finance certainty — not just an online estimate but actual pre-approval from a full lender panel — is what converts that negotiating room into a result.”
We work with a deliberately broad panel of bank, non-bank and specialist lenders. Every enquiry is answered the same business day — by a director. Contact IFG or call 0401 333 636.
For suburb-level detail, see our guides for Keilor East, Moonee Ponds, Essendon and the prior week’s 19 July auction results.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a 62% Melbourne auction clearance rate mean for buyers?
- A 62.4% clearance rate means roughly six in ten Melbourne properties sold at or before auction day for the week ending 1 August 2026. This is balanced market territory — competition exists on quality stock but buyers retain negotiating power on passed-in properties and in lower-clearance regions like the West (49.4%). Pre-approval is essential to act quickly when opportunities arise.
- Why is Melbourne's clearance rate so different from the national average?
- Melbourne’s 62.4% clearance sits well above the 48.4% national average for the week ending 1 August 2026. The divergence reflects Melbourne’s structural advantages: tight rental vacancy sustaining investor demand, pre-spring stock depletion concentrating buyer activity on fewer listings, and RBA hold periods restoring borrower confidence more quickly here than in Sydney, where 510 auctions cleared at only 55.2%.
- Should I buy before or after the August 2026 RBA decision?
- For buyers with pre-approval in place, acting before 11 August avoids serviceability uncertainty. If the RBA hikes (Westpac’s call), borrowing capacity contracts. If the board holds (CBA, NAB and ANZ view), conditions are unlikely to change materially in the short term. The optimal strategy is to have pre-approval confirmed now so you can act in either scenario. Contact IFG for a same-business-day assessment.
Ready to Buy, Invest or Refinance in Melbourne?
IFG’s directors — former NAB business bankers with 45+ years combined experience — work with a deliberately broad panel of bank, non-bank and specialist lenders. Every enquiry answered the same business day. By a director.
This article is general information only and does not constitute financial, legal or investment advice. National clearance rate data sourced from My Housing Market / Dr Andrew Wilson for the week ending 1 August 2026 (preliminary figures). REIV confirmed Victorian figures are published at reiv.com.au/market-insights/auction-results and may differ from preliminary data. All figures current as at 3 August 2026 and subject to revision. Borrowing capacity depends on individual circumstances — speak with a qualified mortgage broker before making any property or finance decision.