Edition 2 James Market News Property Report - Flipbook - Page 3
Welcome
A man cradles his dog
while watching an
auction in Canterbury.
Beyond the Feb Pep
D
on’t you love M1 (Property Market 1 Feb-March)?
It brings Melburnians two great loves back to
centre stage – footy and home auctions.
How has the property market kicked off in
2025? Well, in February I was feeling alive, feeling like the
world has changed and getting ready for things to take
off. We had our most successful February ever in terms of
both buying and selling.
Move forward into March and it didn’t really take off
like the initial signs had indicated. The market is definitely
better than the Feb Pep, but somehow in the weeks
around mid-March, people as a group had all started to
turn a little bit negative again. Why is that? Is it Trump?
Is it the election? I don’t really know, but we are not quite
as enthusiastic.
Having said that, I’m not saying that the market isn’t
performing. It is. It just doesn’t seem to be performing
as well as it seemed like it was going to at the start of
February. The wider market is selling and buying more
than last year, but there are not a lot more bidders around.
The clearance rates are a little bit better, 68% compared
to 58% late last year, however this is just a stat.
Clearance Rates
There is no doubt that we are a better market than last
year. There is a lot of choice, although there just isn’t the
amount of bidders per auction that we thought there
was going to be (1.6 bidders per auction compared to
1.3 per auction at the end of last year). The higher
a clearance rate, the more agreement between buyer and
seller on price and if Bidderman (bidders per auction)
is also strong, this shows prices are rising. As a rule, a
clearance rate under 60% shows the market is falling.
Between 60-70% there’s some stability, at 70-80% it is
rising. Two bidders per auction indicates a rising market
and when there are three the market is on fire, we are
averaging 1.6 bidders currently.
Market sentiment can change again easily, but it hasn’t
delivered the impact I felt it might. So where does that
leave us?
If you’re a buyer, and the seller has met the market but
you haven’t? You’re unhoused. Someone else bought it.
If you’re a seller, and your price is still above the market?
You’re undealed … maybe even a little blamey or angry,
watching others sell while you don’t.
If you’re an agent? You might be flipping through
your credible excuses phrasebook—trying to apologise,
deflect, stay positive, and keep your job while your unsold
vendors or unbought buyers ask, “So … what now?”
So let’s end with some real options that might help
you land better outcomes.
Options for Buyers and Sellers
1. Ask better questions.
Don’t just ask: “Why hasn’t it sold?”
Ask: “What actually matters now?”
The right question changes the direction of the deal.
2. Adjust your timing and demeanour.
If you’re above the market and haven’t sold—sure, you can
drop your price. But you also have the option of patience.
The buyer might not have shown up yet. Stay active, stay
hopeful.
On the subject of changing agents – yes if you are not
getting responsive communication and actions with real
offers or real homes to look at but no, don’t change buyer
or seller agents if it’s simply not yet the price you want
– for in my experience (and including me), second agent
in rarely delivers a better deal, price wise. The best deal
came or would have come when you made that critical
first buyer or seller agent selection decision.
3. Perhaps reframe your goals.
Great deals come from clear goals, solid values, and a good
range of realistic options. If your options are grounded in
lived experience—not just data—then with time (and yes,
some luck), better outcomes can follow. Sometimes, you
need someone beside you who gently reminds you:
“Your timing does not have to be now, your map is not
the only territory … and just your data is not the deal.”
