CoreLogic is the most widely referenced property data source in Australia, used by lenders, buyers agents, valuers, and investors. But most investors who access their suburb reports look at two numbers — the median price and the 12-month growth figure — and miss the data that actually tells you whether a suburb is worth buying into.
The Metrics Most Investors Actually Look At
- Median sale price
- 12-month change %
- Gross rental yield
These are important, but they’re backward-looking. They tell you what has happened, not what’s likely to happen next.
The Metrics Most Investors Ignore
Days on market (DOM): How long properties are sitting before selling. A falling DOM indicates increasing demand — buyers are competing. A rising DOM means supply is outpacing demand. This is one of the earliest leading indicators of price movement.
Vendor discount: The average difference between the original listing price and the final sale price. In strong markets, vendors achieve or exceed their asking price. High vendor discounts (5%+) indicate a weak market where buyers have leverage.
Auction clearance rate: In Sydney and Melbourne particularly, auction clearance rates above 70% indicate a vendor’s market. Below 60% is generally considered a buyer’s market.
Rental vacancy rate: The percentage of rental properties currently untenanted. Below 2% is tight — good for landlords and indicative of rental price growth. Above 3% means rental oversupply.
Stock on market: Total listings as a percentage of total housing stock. Below 1% is very tight. This metric correlates strongly with price momentum — low stock means competition among buyers.
How to Use This in Practice
Before buying in any suburb, I check: DOM trend (improving or worsening?), vacancy rate (under 2%?), stock on market (tightening or loosening?), and vendor discount (is it growing or shrinking?). These four metrics together paint a clearer picture of where a suburb is in its cycle than the headline median price ever will.
Next: Why Australian property has outperformed every other asset class — the long-run data behind the investment case for residential property.
Sources: CoreLogic | ABS | REA Insights