The following graph illustrates the number of house and unit sales in Sydney over the past 12 years.

The number of house and unit sales peaked in 2002 and has continued to decline since, with only a slight rise in 2005 when there was only one cash rate increase to 5.25%.  If the current trend witnessed in the first 9 months of 2006 continues then the sales rate will be at a ten year low of around 72,000.