Don't start worrying you've missed the boat: John McGrath

Following two serious boom-level years of growth, the fact that Sydney clearance rates were still in the 70% range at the end of 2014 indicated to estate agent John McGrath that the significant amount of stock was being well absorbed by strong buyer demand.

"There is still strength in the market, the question is how much?" he pondered in his first column back on the  Switzer website.

"There is definitely no question that if you sell in Sydney this Autumn, you will be realising some fantastic new capital gains.

"I think the market will ebb and flow in 2015 but overall, there’s still 15-20% price growth yet to eventuate over the next few years of the cycle – it just won’t happen in the straight line people have become used to since early 2013.

"My best piece of advice for 2015 is don’t panic when reports start coming out about slowing rates of price growth or median values dipping slightly in some months.

"There is a pattern we see time and time again in growth cycles where the first couple of years are very strong and then we see some plateauing, some consolidation and here and there, some small declines and small increases.

"It’s normal and to be expected.

"Don’t start worrying that you’ve ‘missed the boat’," he advised.