A decline in the number of property listings in August could indicate prices will remain strong in early spring, although listings are expected to bounce back in September.

A total of 333,123 properties were listed around the country in August, a decline of 4.3% on the previous month. The number was virtually the same as the result for August last year.

SQM said there is often a decline in listings at this time of year as sellers wait for spring to set in.

"Falls in listings for August are not unusual for this time of year in the lead up to the spring selling season," said the company in a statement. The research company expects listings will bounce back in September.

Listings declined during August for every capital city. For the year, listings were up in most cities - they climbed 12.3% in Sydney - but the exception was Hobart, which saw listings fall 10.7%.

Matt Lahood, Head of Sales for McGrath company-owned offices, said people aren't wanting to sell while there is little on the market to buy. He said people have traditionally sold, and then rented for a time before buying again, but that is no longer happening.

"People aren't wanting to move twice," said Lahood, saying the costs of rent and moving are prohibitive.

He expects that as supply loosens, there will be increasing numbers of properties for sale, and clearance rates will return to more sustainable rates below 80%.

 He said it's unusual to see high rents when interest rates are so low. "We've got a completely different phenomenon at the moment," he said.

See also:

Property listings behind mixed markets around the country

Steady prices, rising listings present opportunities, says REIV