Melbourne’s auction market held steady for the third consecutive week, with the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) reporting a clearance rate of 67% for the week ending Saturday 22 August 2026 — one point below last week’s 68%, well above the national average of 46.7%, and the equal-strongest performance of any capital city. With spring listing volumes expected to surge from late August, buyers in Melbourne’s north and west have a narrow planning window left before competition intensifies.
National Snapshot: Melbourne Leads Every Capital as Late-Winter Volumes Build
Melbourne outperformed every other Australian capital city in auction clearance rate for the week ending 22 August 2026. The national composite of 46.7% (My Housing Market) was dragged down by Brisbane’s subdued 20.8% and Canberra’s 43.7%. Sydney held close to Melbourne at 58.1%. Across all cities, listing volumes remain well below this time in 2025 — a supply constraint that continues to support clearance rates even as buyer demand softens from last year’s peak.
| City | Auctions | Clearance Rate | Prior Week | Same Week 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | 570 | 60.2% | 59.2% | 76.5% |
| Sydney | 631 | 58.1% | 58.5% | 79.5% |
| Brisbane | 153 | 20.8% | 29.5% | 41.9% |
| Adelaide | 108 | 50.7% | 52.9% | 63.7% |
| Canberra | 56 | 43.7% | 58.9% | 72.9% |
| National | — | 46.7% | 51.8% | 66.9% |
Source: My Housing Market, week ending Saturday 22 August 2026.
Melbourne in Focus: REIV Reports 67% Clearance from 310 Auctions
The REIV — the mandatory primary source for Victorian auction data and the most comprehensive member-reported dataset in the state — recorded a Melbourne clearance rate of 67% for the week ending 22 August. This is one of the most reliable reads of Melbourne’s true market depth, as it includes pre-auction, under-the-hammer and post-auction sales reported by registered agents. Listing volumes remain at less than half the level seen at the same point in 2025.
- Auctions reported: 310 (vs 402 last week; vs 740 same time in 2025)
- Clearance rate: 67% (vs 68% last week; vs 86% same time in 2025)
- Sold at auction: 142 · Sold before auction: 65 · Total sales: 207
- Passed in: 103 · Withdrawn: 23 · Postponed: 17
- Total auction sales volume: $228 million
- Private sales reported: 569 (clearance 64%; median $1.1 million)
- Unit median price: $815,000
Top Melbourne auction results, week ending 22 August 2026 (REIV-verified):
| Address | Sale Price |
|---|---|
| 22 Ridgeway Av, Kew | $3,920,000 |
| 26 Eltham St, Flemington | $2,600,000 |
| 75 Market St, Kensington | $2,500,000 |
| 149 Ogilvie St, Essendon | $2,260,000 |
| 8 Tandarook Cr, Donvale | $2,203,000 |
Source: REIV.
Of particular note to IFG: 149 Ogilvie Street in Essendon achieved $2,260,000 — a strong result that reflects the continued depth of buyer demand in the Moonee Valley corridor. Buyers active in Moonee Ponds and Coburg will observe that Melbourne’s Northern region (My Housing Market) recorded a 66.7% clearance rate this week, tracking with or above the city average. The lowest-priced house to sell at auction (REIV) was $485,000 in Kalkallo — evidence that Melbourne’s outer north continues to offer genuine entry-level opportunities for buyers using First Home Buyer loan products.
Melbourne regional clearance rates — week ending 22 August 2026 (My Housing Market):
| Region | Auctions | Clearance Rate | House Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outer East | 41 | 70.7% | $1,055,000 |
| Northern | 45 | 66.7% | $880,000 |
| Inner South | 56 | 63.6% | $1,010,000 |
| Inner Urban | 40 | 62.5% | $1,430,000 |
| North East | 38 | 57.9% | $817,500 |
| West | 73 | 53.4% | $780,000 |
| South East | 16 | 50.0% | $953,000 |
| Inner East | 47 | 46.8% | $1,235,000 |
Source: My Housing Market. Houses 59.0%, Units 61.2%, Overall Melbourne 60.2% (570 auctions tracked).
What’s Driving the Market — and What Changes When Spring Arrives?
Two forces are shaping Melbourne’s auction landscape right now: a listing volume that is less than half of 2025 levels, and a cash rate that has been held at 4.35% for two consecutive meetings but remains a live variable. Understanding both is essential for any buyer or investor making a decision this month.
Supply is constrained but will change. The REIV recorded just 310 auctions this week against 740 at the same point last year — a 58% reduction in listed supply. This is the primary reason Melbourne’s clearance rate is holding at 67% even as overall buyer demand has moderated from 2025 peaks. The practical implication: properties that are correctly priced in well-located suburbs are still selling under competitive auction conditions. The supply constraint is not permanent. Melbourne’s spring season typically lifts weekly auction listings by 40–60% from mid-August through September and October. That shift, now only weeks away, will give buyers more choice but increase competitive pressure simultaneously.
The RBA held — but the door to further hikes is not closed. At its meeting on 10–11 August 2026, the Reserve Bank held the cash rate at 4.35% for the second consecutive meeting. Governor Michele Bullock confirmed the decision was unanimous, but noted the board is not ruling out the need for further rate increases if inflation tracks above forecasts. For Melbourne buyers assessing whether to enter now or wait, this creates an asymmetric situation: waiting for a rate cut that has not yet been signalled carries the risk of entering a spring market with more competition and potentially higher prices in well-located areas. Use our home loan repayment calculator to model your repayments at the current rate and stress-test a further 0.25% increase so you understand your true capacity before committing.
Units are outperforming houses on clearance. At 61.2% (My Housing Market), Melbourne’s unit market cleared at a higher rate than houses (59.0%) for the week ending 22 August. With a unit median of $815,000 — below the $950,000 First Home Guarantee threshold in Victoria — this segment offers genuine accessibility for buyers considering a 5% deposit entry via the scheme. Investors are also noting unit yields in Melbourne’s inner-north corridors remain strong relative to the house market, a factor worth modelling when assessing refinancing or portfolio restructuring options ahead of spring.
What This Means for Melbourne Buyers, Investors and Anyone Considering Spring
A 67% clearance rate is a market in motion — not a runaway seller’s market, but not a buyer’s market either. The data reveals a Melbourne property market that is functionally active, price-disciplined and about to encounter its largest volume surge of the year. Here’s what it means across buyer types.
First home buyers: The current window — August 2026, before spring volumes lift — is one of the most accessible entry periods Melbourne has offered in recent years. The combination of moderating clearance rates (67% vs 86% a year ago), stabilised interest rates and active government schemes including the First Home Guarantee means that first home buyers who have their finance sorted can transact now with less competition than they’ll face in September and October. The outer-north corridor — Keilor East, Taylors Lakes and the broader 3036–3038 postcodes — is returning genuine entries under $800,000, which remains inside scheme eligibility limits.
Investors: Melbourne’s Northern region at 66.7% clearance signals continued underlying demand in IFG’s core service corridor. The combination of unit median pricing ($815,000), private sale clearance at 64% and strong rental demand in the inner-north makes this a legitimate investment window for buyers with existing equity or commercial lending capacity. Investors refinancing existing properties to release equity for a spring purchase should begin that process now: lender turnaround times extend significantly from September as spring volumes hit.
Buyers who passed in at auction this week: With 103 properties passed in against 207 total sales, there is active post-auction negotiation occurring in Melbourne right now. A pass-in is not a failed auction — it is a negotiating opportunity. Finance-ready buyers who can provide a letter of approval from a lender and move to unconditional quickly are in the strongest position at a negotiating table after auction. If your finance is not yet at this stage, that is the priority before attending any further auctions. Read our recent post on the spring mortgage action plan for a step-by-step framework.
IFG’s Take: Finance-Ready Buyers Are Moving; Unprepared Ones Are Watching
A 67% clearance rate, 310 properties reported, $228 million in auction sales: this is a functioning market. Not a frenzy, not a freeze. What we are observing at the transaction level confirms the data — buyers who arrive at auction with unconditional pre-approval and a clear upper limit are competing effectively and, in many cases, winning properties at or below their ceiling. Buyers who are still researching their finance or haven’t tested their borrowing capacity since the last rate movement are watching those same properties transact and moving on to the next listing.
Spring will change the calculus. When weekly Melbourne listings move from 310 to 500+ in the coming weeks, choice increases — but so does the number of competing buyers, and clearance rates in previous years have moved upward as spring confidence builds. The 11 weeks from now to the traditional end of the Melbourne auction calendar in late November represent the most active property trading window of the year. Your finance preparation needs to precede that window, not follow it.
We do not make price predictions. What IFG does is arrange finance from a deliberately broad panel of bank, non-bank and specialist lenders, and help Melbourne buyers understand their real borrowing capacity before they make the most significant financial commitment of their lives. Enquiries are answered the same business day — by a director.
Get Finance-Ready Before Spring Listings Surge
Melbourne’s spring auction season is weeks away. Buyers who secure pre-approval now are the ones competing effectively in September and October — not scrambling to get paperwork together while listings rise. IFG’s directors — business bankers since 2003, formerly NAB — assess your full borrowing position and match you to the right lender from our deliberately broad panel. A free 15-minute strategy call costs you nothing and tells you exactly where you stand.
Book Your Free Strategy Call or call 0401 333 636 (Brian) · 0413 032 898 (Frank)General information only — not financial advice. Auction data sourced from REIV (Real Estate Institute of Victoria) and My Housing Market for the week ending Saturday 22 August 2026. Data is preliminary and subject to revision as late results are reported. Past clearance rates are not indicative of future market performance. Brian Hermosilla CR 485802 · Frank Marin CR 486546 · BLSSA Pty Ltd ACL 391237.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What was Melbourne’s auction clearance rate for the weekend of 22 August 2026?
- The REIV reported a Melbourne clearance rate of 67% for the week ending Saturday 22 August 2026, from 310 auctions reported by members. Total sales were 207 (142 at auction, 65 before auction), with 103 passed in and $228 million in total auction sales volume. My Housing Market tracked a broader 570 auctions and recorded 60.2% clearance with a house median of $967,500.
- Is Melbourne’s clearance rate above the national average?
- Yes — significantly. Melbourne’s 67% (REIV) and 60.2% (My Housing Market) both sit well above the national composite of 46.7% for the same week. Sydney recorded 58.1%, Brisbane 20.8% and Canberra 43.7%. Melbourne has outperformed every other capital city in clearance rate for multiple consecutive weeks heading into spring 2026.
- What does Melbourne’s 67% clearance rate mean for buyers and investors right now?
- At 65–70%, Melbourne’s market is active and functioning but not a runaway sellers’ market — buyers retain meaningful negotiating leverage on the 103 properties that passed in this week. Finance-ready buyers are competing and winning. Those without pre-approval in place are losing properties in post-auction negotiation to buyers who can move quickly. Spring volumes will increase competition from late August, making now the ideal time to get finance sorted before the season shifts.