Your Domain: Where sellers and buyers have been most active this spring

Spring selling season is finally getting ready to wind down after a strong start.

Market rebounds in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as two-year high auction clearance rates, have created conditions that have increased the number of buyers and sellers active in market.

But some suburbs are soaring above the rest, with the latest Domain data revealing which suburbs have been the most popular with buyers and where the most sales have happened.

Sydney

The jewel in Sydney’s strengthening market crown is Mosman –  a coveted and tightly held harbourside suburb on the lower north shore. Stock has been strong, with 146 auctions occurring since September, making it the NSW suburb with the most spring auctions so far.

Sellers listing their homes only tells one side of the story, but the area is enticing buyers as well. Mosman’s clearance rate of 83 per cent sits 13 percentage points above the Sydney average for October and the suburb has been the most searched on Domain since September.

“What we’re seeing is that absolute heat in the market over there. It’s an absolute jewel in the property market in Sydney,” Ms Stolz said.

Melbourne

In Melbourne, it’s Reservoir in the north-east where auctions are plentiful. Since September there have been 197 listed auctions, making it not only the most auction-dense suburb in Victoria but nationally.

However, unlike Mosman, buyer activity is not as strong. The suburb’s clearance rate for spring sits slightly below average at 68 per cent and Domain property search data shows the area fails to make the top 10 list of most searched suburbs.

“It’s [Reservoir] a bridesmaid suburb. But now it’s earned its place on the podium in Melbourne,” Ms Stolz said. “Buyers priced out of the inner east are now heading here in lieu of going to Fitzroy, which has been more expensive.”

The suburb has flown relatively under the radar, but has been one to watch for some time. The suburb remains popular with buyers who are priced out of trendy inner-eastern suburbs like Fitzroy and Northcote, but it might be that up-and-coming Reservoir hasn’t quite arrived yet.

Instead, it’s beachside St Kilda that was the most popular searched suburb with spring buyers.

Source: Domain

Brisbane, and beyond

In Queensland, Brisbane city and Burleigh Heads might take the top spots for buyer searches, but it’s Surfers Paradise where the auction action is happening.

“There’s a massive appetite for retirees and out of town people to go to Surfers Paradise,” Ms Stolz said. “There’s a lot of buyers looking there, obviously wanting that dream, idyllic spots in Australia.”

Traditionally, summer is when the Surfers Paradise’s market picks up its pace, highlighted by Ray White Surfers Paradise holding their annual auction event in the new year with more than 100 properties going under the hammer in a single day. However, it remains the suburb with the most spring auctions this year in Queensland.

Adelaide

South Australia held no surprises with the inner-north suburb of Prospect holding the most auctions over spring at 23, with a low clearance rate of 58 per cent, while Adelaide city was the most searched suburb in the state during this time period.

Canberra

In the ACT, Kambah dominated spring auctions with a total count of 35. Buyers were out in force here too and the suburb recorded a clearance rate of 77 per cent – significantly higher than Canberra’s spring average of 58 per cent.

Buyers in the city also have their eye on Kingston, which was the most searched ACT suburb on Domain in spring as well as the most searched suburb of last year.