Spring is here, and so is the reality of what Melbourne’s property market looks like at the pointy end of 2026. Clearance rates are down 10 per cent on last year. Auction numbers have dropped by more than half. Days on market are climbing. It’s undeniably a buyer’s market – but that doesn’t make it easy.
Buyers have the pricing advantage but not the choice. Sellers face thin demand but discretionary vendors aren’t playing. The result is a market that’s tough for everyone, just in different ways.
In this episode, Jarrod breaks down what spring 2026 actually looks like from both sides of the transaction.
- Why a 52 per cent drop in auction numbers means buyer’s market doesn’t equal easy market
- How the premium and upgrader end is playing out differently from the first home buyer segment
- Why buyers who find the right property need to negotiate hard but not overplay their hand
- What sellers who need to transact should be doing around buyer profiling, method of sale and timing
- A case study where being too cute at auction cost a buyer an extra $20,000