Buyer's Glossary
Stock on Market
The number that tells you if we're in a buyer's or seller's market.
What it is
Stock on market is the share of a suburb's homes that are listed for sale right now.
It is a simple gauge of how much choice buyers have, and how much pressure sits on prices.
1 in 100 homes listed. 10 of every 1,000.
Why it matters
Low
tight supply
- Few listings, lots of buyers
- Competition, fast sales, rising prices
- The result = a seller's market
High
oversupply
- Lots of listings, fewer buyers
- More choice, real negotiating power
- The result = a buyer's market
What counts as high, what counts as low
Shaded from a buyer's point of view: teal is favourable if you are buying, amber is balanced, red is harder. That is why this looks inverted against some other metrics, because a fast-moving market is good for a seller and hard for a buyer.
The national average sits near 1%.
The trend to watch for
Don't judge the number alone. Compare it to the suburb's own history. A reading of 1.8% and falling beats 1.2% and rising.
Always read it next to vacancy rate and days on market. And go easy on tiny suburbs, where a handful of listings can swing the number wildly.
What it looks like in the real world
Low
around 0.5%
- 30+ groups at every open
- Offers going over asking
- Go in fast and pre-approved
High
3% and above
- Homes sitting 60+ days
- Price cuts are common
- Offer below asking