Buyer's Glossary
Vendor Discount
How far below the first asking price homes are actually selling.
What it is
Vendor discount is the median percentage the final sale price falls below the first asking price.
It tells you, in one number, how much sellers in that suburb are actually moving.
The combined capitals median in May 2026, widening from 2.9%. On an $800,000 asking price that is about $26,400 off.
Why it matters
Small discount
seller's market
- Vendors barely budge
- Homes sell at or above asking
- The result = little room to negotiate
Big discount
buyer's market
- Vendors are meeting the market
- Asking prices were optimistic
- The result = real room to negotiate
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.
Around 3.3% across the combined capitals in May 2026, widening from 2.9%. Oversupplied inner-city units routinely run 5% to 8%, outside this band.
The trend to watch for
It is a lagging indicator, because it is built from deals that have already closed. Pair it with new-listing volumes to see where things are heading.
Private-treaty discounts run wider than auction results, so compare like with like.
What it looks like in the real world
Small discount
seller's market
- Sells at or above asking with competing offers
- Agents quote a floor price and reject finance clauses
- Counter-offers concede nothing on price
Big discount
buyer's market
- The listing shows a price reduction
- The agent shares comparables to justify a lower price
- Vendor accepts a deposit deferral or extended settlement