Bumper auction day failed to disappoint

THE BIGGEST auction day of the year so far didn’t disappoint with buyers out in numbers and home sellers reaping rewards across the country this Super Saturday.

The Ray White Group had 361 auctions scheduled for auction today, three times as many properties as the group had booked on Saturday February 1st.

The group’s data reveals a preliminary national auction day clearance of a very healthy 82 per cent with 45 people in attendance at each auction and 4.5 registered bidders per lot.

In the harbour city, Ray White NSW Chief Auctioneer Alex Pattaro said February finished with a bang with an extra Saturday added in for the leap year. Today’s preliminary clearance was 87 per cent across Sydney.

“Records were being broken this February for sure. We are seeing properties within 10km of the CBD sell for prices that are similar to the peak of 2017. Competition within the market is ferocious, especially among first home buyers and families currently at level not seen since the peak,” Mr Pattaro said.

“From recent sales there’s no doubt we are back at the same level of the highs of 2017 and I would urge potential vendors to get in touch with their local agent to take full advantage of the current competition.”

David Walker of Ray White Upper North Shore said his office sold three from three at auction today, plus 23C Water St, Wahroonga which sold on Thursday night for $2.7 million ahead of its scheduled action date of today.

“There’s quite a bit of heat in the market and we are fielding a lot of decent offers prior,” said the experienced agent.

In the inner west, Ray White Erskineville associate director Matt Carvahlo said this modern, two bedroom Marrickville property at 89/525 Illawarra Road had been popular with first home buyers during its campaign. “We’ve had about 100 groups inspect the property and 11 bidders registered bidders to buy today,” Mr Carvalho said. The majority of the bidders were first home buyers and the minimalist unit sold for $956,000 to a 21-year-old man, with the help from his dad.

Ray White Erskineville Director Ercan Ersan said 39 Hawthorne Parade, Haberfield was a dream property which resulted in a dream auction.

“It was almost like a bittersweet sale for my owner as she’d done an incredible renovation after buying this deceased estate off me a few years ago. She and her partner now have four children between them so they needed some more room.”

The property opened at $1.8M and sold for $2.260M under the hammer.

Mr Ersan then sold the two bedroom, two bathroom unit at 53/80 Princes Hwy, St Peters under the hammer for $825,000 with two registered bidders in the hunt. “The underbidder appeared from nowhere, as she hadn’t come to any of the opens.” Both bidders were obviously attracted to the sleek contemporary interiors in this newly refreshed two-bedroom apartment on the edge of Sydney Park.

Over in Lane Cove North, Ray White NSW Chief Auctioneer Alex Pattaro sold the five bedroom highset brick home at 26 Elizabeth Parade for $2.430 million under the hammer today. Ray White North Ryde agent Russell Sheffield ran a textbook auction campaign, and attracted seven registered bidders and 80 people in attendance. A local couple living in the area will be moving in soon with no doubt plans to renovate the dated decor. “The auction kicked off at $1.9M and moved up in $50,000s to be called on market at $2.375M, and sell for $2.430M.”

To maintain Mr Pattaro’s 100 per cent clearance rate of the 16 auctions he’d called this week, he sold a bedroom unit at 723/1C Borroway Road Wentworth Point to a first home buyer for $601,000. There were six registered and four were active in this auction, which is a very heavily populated part of Sydney on the water.

Ray White Hornsby Senior Sales Agent Eddie Yiu capped off a terrific campaign at 31 Pretoria Pde, Hornsby to attract 18 registered to its auction today. “They were a mix of owner occupiers but the last two bidders were investors,” Mr Yiu said. The house sold for $1.7 million to an Ermington-based property investor.

“It was an absolute prime location. This established area is always breaking records for its wide streets and level flat land. The market is very active. I had another one bedroom unit open for inspection today and I had nine groups through, which blew my mind, all first home buyers.”

Ray White Victoria & Tasmania Chief Auctioneer Matt Condon said Super Saturday didn’t disappoint at all today, and the preliminary clearance is sitting at 88 per cent.

“Today is actually shaping up to be one of the strongest auction days of the year. For the third week in a row we are seeing an increasing amount of active bidders. Crowd sizes are also some of the highest we have seen to date,” Mr Condon said.

“Buyers are arriving at auctions with strength and confidence and with a clear strategy in order to win their desired property.”

Ray White Cheltenham agent and auctioneer Angela Limanis achieved an incredible result for her vendors at 419a Beach Road, Beaumaris.

“It was an auction where we had interest at $1.2M and we achieved an extraordinary result of $1,350,000 under the hammer with two bidders,” Ms Limanis said.

“We conducted private negotiations to get the winning bidder to this level where we placed it on the market and we sold it to her.”

“It is an awesome result for our owners of this townhouse on a small 195sqm lot.”

At 3 Jacob Drive Rowville agents Nick Strilakos and Tess Maxwell of Ray White Rowville attracted 50 people and six active bidders to this meticulous maintained low set brick and tile residence “Matt Condon took the opening bid of $600,000 and it went on market at $730,00 and sold at $803.000,” Ms Maxell said. “The owners are moving overseas and the new buyers are a young couple who have been looking for a while after selling their place.”

The winning pair also sold 19 Carrara Road Rowville with four active bidders during a protracted auction by Melbourne standards as it lasted 25 minutes. Auctioneer Andrew Freeman called it on the market at $730,000 which inspired a second round of bidding to finally sell for $768,000.

Ray White Queensland Chief Auctioneer Mitchell Peereboom said it had been a great day of auctions across the state with huge numbers of “buyers willing to compete”.

“We had a sale earlier in Enoggera with Ray White Manly which sold for $638,000, and then there was a standout auction in Alderley with some competitive bidding. The year 2020 is continuing to be so strong.”

Ray White Alderley director Andrew Cowan said there were 10 registered bidders “who went hammer and tong” at the auction of 51 Alderley Avenue this afternoon which sold for $958,000.

There had been intense interest in this two level family home with more than 80 groups through during the campaign with interest coming from a mixture of first home buyers, young professional couples and families.

“The high level of interest is because finding a house like this with four bedrooms and two bathrooms in Alderley is not easy and it’s the kind of home that appeals to a wide range of buyers.”

Nearby at 40 Coopers Camp Road, Bardon, Ray White Paddington’s Judi O’Dea sold the renovated Queenslander on 905sqm block for $1.091M.

Up on the glorious Sunshine Coast, 10 registered bidders lined up for the opportunity to buy 13 Third Ave, Marcoola which agent Jeff Uebergang of Ray White Maroochydore ending up selling for $382,000 under auctioneer Dan Sowden’s gavel.

For the bargain of the day, you had to head to Whyalla in South Australia where Joel Paskett today sold 21Walsh St, Whyalla Norrie for $80,000 (this is not a typo!).

This three bedroom house attracted four registered bidders who all had a go after auctioneer Jason O’Halloran opened the bidding at $45,000. Mr Paskett of Ray White Whyalla said the original three-bedroom maisonette was in a highly sought-after area and attracted a lot of first home buyers plus investors. A comparable rental property receives $150/week making it an attractive opportunity.

Meanwhile, 21 & 23 Perkins St Whyalla Stuart sold together for $115,000 to a local investor. There were three bidders, two were in the action.

“At the moment everything is starting to pick. Our housing is still down on a year ago as we flow with the economic cycle of the steelworks and mining industry, but rental properties are all in hot demand.”

Ray White South Australia Chief Auctioneer John Morris said there were 31 auctions scheduled for the week, wth 26 alone on Saturday. “We should call it under the pump, not under the hammer, as the market has been heating up across SA.”