The numbers behind Australia’s slower property market

Selling property has become a bit more challenging lately.

Buyers have more choice, some listings are taking longer to sell, and vendors still want the best possible price.

Preferably yesterday.

According to the market figures featured in our Selling in a Slower Market report, there are 19.1% more properties for sale across Australia compared with a year ago.

For agents, that means more listings competing for attention.

And when buyers have plenty of options, keeping them interested takes work.

So, what can you do when the market slows down?

A good place to start is with the information, contacts and tools your agency already has.

What does a slower property market mean for agents?

A slower market can look different depending on where you work.

One suburb might still have strong demand, while another has properties sitting on the market for weeks.

But there are a few challenges many agents will recognise.

Buyers can afford to be pickier when they have more properties to compare.

Vendors may need more reassurance when inspections are quiet or offers take longer to arrive.

And agents have to work harder to keep everyone informed throughout the campaign.

It also means paying closer attention to what’s happening with each listing.

Are enquiries slowing down?

Are buyers inspecting but not making offers?

Is there feedback worth discussing with the vendor?

These are the sorts of questions worth asking before making changes to a campaign.

Want to see how much the market has changed? Our free Selling in a Slower Market report includes the latest Australian market figures, alongside sales activity from Reapit Sales agencies.

More listings mean more competition for buyer attention

Picture a buyer looking for a three bedroom home in a particular suburb.

A few months ago, they might have had three suitable properties to choose from.

Now, perhaps they’ve got eight.

They’re comparing floor plans, checking prices and spending their weekends going from one open home to another.

By Monday, your listing might be one of several they’re still considering.

That makes buyer feedback particularly useful.

If you’re getting plenty of online enquiries but very few inspections, it’s worth looking into why.

If inspections are busy but nobody is taking the next step, the feedback from those buyers could help you understand what’s happening.

Your CRM should make this information easy to find.

Having enquiries, inspection attendance and buyer feedback connected to a listing gives you a clearer picture of how the campaign is going.

And when something needs attention, you can act on it sooner.

Vendor conversations need more than a price opinion

Every agent knows the vendor who has their heart set on a particular price.

Maybe the neighbour sold for more six months ago.

Maybe they’ve already worked out what they’ll spend the proceeds on.

Either way, telling them the market has changed isn’t always an easy conversation.

And having the right information makes a difference.

Recent comparable sales, competing listings and buyer feedback can help explain what’s happening without relying on gut feel alone.

For example, imagine a property has been on the market for several weeks.

There have been inspections, but buyers keep raising similar concerns about the asking price.

Rather than simply suggesting a price adjustment, you can show the vendor what comparable properties have sold for, how their listing is performing and what buyers have actually said.

That gives everyone something useful to discuss.

With Reapit Sales, agents can use CMA reports, property insights and campaign activity to prepare for these conversations.

Having this information in one CRM makes it easier to review what’s happening with a listing and share relevant updates with vendors.

The agent still needs to interpret the information and make a recommendation.

Having it ready and easy to explain makes the job a little easier.

Your next buyer could already be in your CRM

When a listing needs more attention, it’s tempting to think about spending more on advertising.

But what about the buyers you’ve already spoken to?

Think about the couple who missed out at auction last month.

Or the buyer who enquired about a similar property but never booked an inspection.

They might still be looking.

Your database can be a useful place to find those people, particularly when their property requirements are kept up to date.

Say you’ve just listed a four bedroom family home.

You could have several buyers in your CRM looking for something similar, even if they haven’t seen the new listing advertised.

Buyer matching tools can help identify those contacts, giving you a starting point for a more personal conversation.

Of course, you’ll still need to check that their requirements haven’t changed.

Someone looking for a family home six months ago might have already bought, changed suburbs or adjusted their budget.

A quick conversation can tell you a lot more than another generic email.

Don’t let inspection feedback disappear into your notes

Saturday’s inspections are done.

You’ve spoken to plenty of buyers, answered questions and collected feedback.

Then Monday arrives.

You’ve got vendor calls, new enquiries, appraisal appointments and another open home to organise.

Somewhere in all that, a buyer who seemed interested on Saturday is still waiting for a follow up.

We’ve all had weeks where the to-do list grows faster than we can clear it.

Keeping inspection notes and follow up tasks in your CRM can help you stay organised, especially when you’re managing several listings.

It also means you can make your follow ups more relevant.

For example, if a buyer asked whether a property has room for a pool, a useful follow up might be to share the available property information or offer to arrange a further conversation.

That’s much better than sending the same “Thanks for attending” message to everyone.

And if the property sells to someone else?

Keep the unsuccessful buyers in mind.

They may be interested in another listing, particularly if you’ve taken the time to understand what they’re looking for.

Is your CRM working hard enough?

Most agencies have plenty of useful information sitting in their CRM.

Property details, buyer requirements, inspection notes, past enquiries and campaign activity.

The tricky part is making sure that information gets used.

When the market is busy, it’s easy to fall into the habit of focusing on the newest enquiry or the next listing appointment.

A slower market gives agencies a good reason to review how they’re using the technology they’ve already invested in.

Can you quickly find buyers who match a new listing?

Can you see which campaigns need attention?

Are your inspection notes easy to access when it’s time to follow up?

If the answer involves searching through spreadsheets, inboxes and handwritten notes, there’s probably room to make things easier.

Reapit Sales brings property data, buyer relationships and everyday sales workflows together, helping agents manage listings, identify buyer matches and keep track of opportunities.

It’s worth reviewing how your current CRM supports these tasks, especially when every buyer conversation matters.

Make more of the opportunities you already have

Selling in a slower market can mean longer campaigns, more vendor conversations and extra work keeping buyers engaged.

But you don’t necessarily need a completely new sales strategy to respond.

Start by looking at how your current listings are performing, what buyers are telling you and which contacts in your database might be worth reconnecting with.

A few small changes to how you use your CRM could help you stay more organised and make better use of the opportunities already in front of you.

Selling in a slower market? Get the full picture

We’ve put together a free report to help Australian real estate agents understand what’s happening in the market and make better use of their existing technology.

Inside Selling in a Slower Market, you’ll find:

• The latest Australian property market insights
• Real sales activity from Reapit Sales agencies
• Five ways to get more from your CRM
• Ready-to-use AI prompts for everyday sales tasks
• A 10 minute checklist and weekly sales scorecard

Download Selling in a Slower Market.