The Buyer Is Not the Problem: Why Vendor Hesitation Is the Real Blocker
Open homes are busy. Buyer inquiries are up. But listings remain stubbornly low. Across the country, agents are reporting pent-up vendor interest with little follow-through. So what’s causing the drag? This article explores what’s holding sellers back and how leading agents are moving them forward.
Buyer Activity Outpaces Listings
Despite headlines about rate rises and cost-of-living pressures, the latest CoreLogic figures show housing values across combined capital cities have risen for nine consecutive months. National dwelling values edged up 0.6% in November 2025, while auction clearance rates remain above 65% in Sydney and Melbourne, a sign that demand is still healthy.
But while buyers are showing up, sellers are not. According to PropTrack’s December Listings Report, new listings are down 13.5% year-on-year, and 11.2% below the decade average for November.
What’s Holding Vendors Back?
There’s no single reason, but a cluster of forces at play:
- Market memory — Many sellers still have 2021–2022 price highs in mind and fear underselling.
- Mortgage inertia — Locked-in low fixed rates are discouraging upsizing or downsizing.
- Presentation hesitation — Homes aren’t “listing ready”, and vendors are unsure about spending on styling or repairs.
- Media noise — Constant talk of “rate hikes” or “bubble risk” is creating paralysis, even in high-demand areas.
How Smart Agents Are Reframing the Conversation
Top agents aren’t waiting for vendor confidence to bounce back; they’re creating it. Here’s what they’re doing:
- Data-led confidence — Sharing suburb-level insights and buyer engagement stats to reframe “timing risk”.
- Funding solutions — Using tools like vendor-paid advertising finance and property styling support to eliminate friction.
- Pipeline nurturing — Treating every appraisal as a long-term nurture opportunity — with structured follow-up and market updates.
- Repositioning urgency — Explaining the advantage of listing when competition is low, not waiting until everyone else jumps in.
The Market Rewards Action
While total listings remain below historical averages, clearance rates and time-on-market indicators show that well-prepared homes are selling and fast. SQM Research notes that properties priced right and presented well are turning over within 30 days in many metro markets.
In other words, sellers who move now have the edge. And agents who help them do it are banking on momentum for the new year.
Final Word
The buyers are here. What’s missing is vendor action. Now’s the time to double down on education, remove friction, and provide pathways — not pressure — to get listings moving.