The national auction clearance rate softened over the week to Saturday, reflecting weaker performances in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, as buyer caution about the economic outlook and high borrowing costs dampened sentiment in the pre-Easter market.

The week’s preliminary clearance rate, reflecting the reported 2019 results of 2556 scheduled auctions, slipped to 71.8 per cent from 73.5 per cent a week earlier, a total that was later revised down to 68.2 per cent, figures from data provider CoreLogic showed on Sunday.