The number of houses sold in Perth last month is down on the same time last year, new figures from the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia show. Turnover was down by around 16 per cent to 1,870 reported sales last month and the median house price had dropped by almost one per cent or $5000.

“Given that sales were down by 15 per cent in January and now by a similar figure in February, it’s clear that the market is showing a trend of slow-down that is apparent even at a time when seasonal summer sales are usually stronger,” REIWA President David Airey said.

The reiwa.com data puts Perth’s median house price at $547,000. Listings increased by 4 per cent to 13,456 properties.

In the rental market, things looked up for the City of Belmont where median rents lifted by $20 to $450 per week. “In general, however, Perth’s median rent is unchanged at $440 per week and shows a vacancy rate at just over 4 per cent,” Airey said. There were 6,251 rental homes looking for tenants in February, up by almost 30 per cent on the same time last year.

The Top 5 suburbs for sales in February:

Northwest metropolitan:

Quinns Rocks, Woodvale, Duncraig, Clarkson, Butler.

Northeast metropolitan

Ellenbrook, Ballajura, Forrestfield, Lesmurdie, High Wycombe.

Central metropolitan

Willetton, Balga, Morley, Dianella, Karrinyup.

Southwest metropolitan

Baldivis, Secret Harbour, Waikiki, Rockingham, Warnbro.

Southeast metropolitan

Canning Vale, Armadale, Thornlie, Kelmscott, Byford.