September 2026 · Issue #6
More choice for buyers — how to still win
Capital-city auction clearances have softened to the low 50s, and Greater Brisbane listing supply has been running well above a year ago. For sellers, that’s the headline that matters more than any national price index: you’re facing more competition than you’re used to.
Auction market, week ending 30 August 2026
| Combined capitals clearance (prelim.) | 52.4% |
| A year ago | ~70% |
| Brisbane clearance | 31.5% |
| Auction volumes vs a year ago | −28% |
Most Redlands homes still sell by private treaty rather than under the hammer, so a soft clearance figure isn’t a direct read on your street. But the lesson from the auction market is the same one that applies to every listing right now: when buyers have more to choose from, the homes that sell get two things right.
Priced to meet the market on day one
The days of naming an ambitious number and waiting for the market to catch up are behind us for now. The first two weeks are when a listing has the most buyer attention it will ever have — starting too high wastes exactly the window that matters most, and a stale listing negotiates from weakness.
Presented to stand out from the first photo
When there are more homes to compare against, buyers filter ruthlessly online before they ever step inside. A home that shows beautifully in its lead image gets the inspections; one that doesn’t gets scrolled past. A little preparation before you list almost always returns more than it costs.
Well-presented, sensibly-priced homes in the Redlands are still selling well. The strategy just matters more than it did a year ago.
The Redlands read
None of this is cause for gloom
My two spring auctions this month — 9 Wilohurst Drive at Redland Bay and 17 Elysium Road at Rochedale South — are proof that quality homes, priced and presented right, still draw a crowd in this market.
If you’re weighing up a spring campaign, I’m happy to walk your place with you and give you a straight, no-pressure view on price and what (if anything) is worth doing first.
Thinking of selling before the spring rush?
Book a free, no-pressure appraisal
Greg Leigh — local Redlands specialist, Queensland Sotheby’s International Realty. Published 2 September 2026.
Sources: Cotality auction data (week ending 30 August 2026); REA and Domain listing volumes. General information only.