December auctions kick off with a bang

Despite spring selling season coming to a close, there was no slowing down for Ray White auctions, with the group scheduling 449 properties to go under the hammer today.

Buyers were out in force during the first week of summer, with the group recording an average of 4.0 registered bidders and 2.7 active bidders per auction.

Ray White saw a preliminary auction day clearance rate of 72.6 per cent, echoing agents’ feedback that they have seen urgency from both buyers and sellers to transact before the holidays.

The top result of the day went to Ray White Burleigh Group agent Stephen Weber who sold 46 Messines Crescent, Miami under the hammer for $3.8 million.

The property with the highest number of registered bidders was Ray White Marsden agent Rebecca Cuderman’s auction at 10 Lawson Street, Woodrigde, which saw 17 registered bidders and 15 active bidders. The home sold under the hammer for $497,000.

SYDNEY

Ray White NSW state auctioneer Perry Edmondson-Clark said the market felt like it was pushing strong right up until Christmas.

“We’ve seen strong bidding and attendance at auctions today, with eagerness from both parties to get the deal done before that Christmas deadline,” he said.

“Preliminary data shows a clearance rate well above 80 per cent, with an average of 4.5 bidders per auction.Both of these numbers are up on last week’s data..

“There’s still just enough time to get send your property to auction and achieve a great result prior to Christmas.”

178 Hereford St, Forest Lodge

• Sold under the hammer for $2.65

• Lead agent: Matthew Carvalho - 0404 006 744

• Ray White Surry Hills

• Five registered bidders, two active

• Auctioneer: Perry Edmondson-Clark, Ray White

The winning bid went to a couple who only decided to buy at 10pm last night. They bought it sight unseen, as they are relocating from Zurich to Sydney. The sellers were a young family who were upsizing.

“The supply is starting to get tighter towards the end of the year, and buyers are being a bit more disciplined after that last rate rise,” Mr Carvalho said.

“The market seems to be very property specific with some things performing well and some things being a bit harder. That mid-range sized terraces like this one seem to be doing quite well.”

4 Laurel Close, Hornsby

• Sold under the hammer for $2.186 million

• Lead agent: Tim Latham - 0493 599 009 (pictured above with sellers and buyer)

• Ray White Upper North Shore

• 10 registered bidders, six active

The winning bid went to a young family, while the sellers are great-grandparents who had owned the home since 1960 and raised their four children there. They are now downsizing and moving into their daughter’s newly-built granny flat.

“We had 105 groups through the open homes, and issued 27 contracts prior to auction,” Mr Latham said.

“Most of our bidders were growing families who were upsizing.

“The property had a lot of family appeal. It's in a quiet cul-de-sac just 500m from a popular public school.”

2 Immarna Pl, Penshurst

• Sold under the hammer for $2.4 million

• Lead agent: Michael Curtis - 0405 680 919

• Ray White Hurstville

• 15 registered bidders, six active

The seller was downsizing to a villa after owning the home for 30 years and raising her family there. The winning bid went to a woman who wanted to knock down and rebuild.

“We had a mix of developers and move-in buyers,” Mr Curtis said.

“It’s a big block in a cul-de-sac which is also very convenient to transport and amenities.”

11 Barnetts Rd, Winston Hills

• Sold under the hammer $1.465 million

• Lead agent/auctioneer: Andrew Drane - 0430 119 601

• Ray White Seven Hills

• Nine registered bidders, four active

The winning bid went to a young couple of first home buyers who came from the inner west.

“The home had a great feel about it, it was warm and inviting,” Mr Drane said.

“We had about 80 groups through throughout the three week campaign

“The market is not too bad, certain houses like this one see a lot of activity and some don’t, there's still a lot of buyers around looking to secure something before Christmas.”

22 Buckingham Road, Baulkham Hills

• Sold under the hammer for $2.08 million

• Lead agent: Darren Dowd - 0417 230 695

• Ray White Baulkam Hills

• Six registered bidders, four active

• Auctioneer: Alex Pattaro, Ray White

Father and son team Darren and Anthony Dowd (pictured above with sellers and buyers) teamed up to provide a great result for the sellers who had lived in the home for 20 years, raised their family, and had decided to downsize to a unit.

“It was a bought by a local family who were already living in the area and were upsizing from a unit,” Anthony Dowd said.

“The opening bid was $1.7 million and there was plenty of bidding before the hammer fell at $2.08 million.

“The real drawcard was the backyard, it has a nice resort style pool. Plus, it was a large 973sqm block.”

21/68 Gould Street, Bondi Beach

• Sold under the hammer for $511,000

• Lead agent: Angus Gorrie

• Ray White Eastern Beaches

• Five registered, four active

Despite it’s tiny size, buyers saw plenty of value in this 17sqm apartment, with the winning bid going to an investor. The seller was also an investor who had owned the apartment for 27 years.

"Most of the bidders were first home buyers," Mr Gorrie said.

"The biggest drawcard was the location."

MELBOURNE

Ray White Victoria and Tasmania auctioneer Jeremy Tyrrell said Melbourne saw plenty of auction activity despite the dreary weather.

“Melbourne’s first weekend of summer brought grey, rainy and gloomy weather conditions, however, the sun was shining on the real estate market with a strong clearance rate of 72.2 per cent from the 258 scheduled auctions for the Ray White Victoria network,” Mr Tyrrell said.

“There has been much speculation as to whether buyer demand would hold up to the late surge in property listings, however, this week’s results showed there’s plenty of heat and buyer demand out there, due mainly to strong population growth, where it’s been reported that Victoria is seeing around 9,000 arrivals into the state each week.

“Even with Christmas only twenty two days away, the market isn’t showing any signs of slowing down with over 260 auctions scheduled over the next week.”

8 Kooluna Ct Frankston

• Sold under the hammer for $1.27 million

• Lead agent: Ashley Weston - 0439 101 677

• Ray White Frankston

• Eight registered bidders, seven active

The buyers were a young couple who bought the property as a holiday home. The sellers were empty nesters who were downsizing. They were the second owners of the property and had been there more than a decade.

Mr Weston said the market was still very strong coming out the other side of spring selling season.

“It’s been really busy, we’ve seen transaction numbers increase, buyer numbers are up, but people are still being a bit more measured in their approach,” he said.

“The gap between what a seller wants and what a buyer is willing to pay seems pretty close at the moment and that gap has been closing each month.”

78 Rowans Rd, Highett

• Sold for $1.175 million - $175,000 over reserve

• Lead agent: Trevor Bowen - 0417 501 327

• Ray White Cheltenham

• Eight registered bidders, four active

• Auctioneer: Dylan Jansma, Ray White

After 53 bids in total, the winning bid went to a young couple of first home buyers who wanted to renovate and make it their dream home (pictured above with agent Trevor Bowen).

“The market is very balanced at the moment," Mr Bowen said.

"Well presented homes with realistic vendors are achieving great results, homes that are overpriced are being punished."

32 Primrose Ave, Cheltenham

• Sold under the hammer for $933,000 - $83,000 over reserve

• Lead agent/auctioneer: Kevin Chokshi - 0430 195 517

• Ray White Cheltenham

• Four registered bidders, four active

Mr Chokshi said the auction went “gangbusters”.

“The buyer was a single lady who was downsizing, but the under bidders were a young family,” he said.

“The seller was a young lady who bought the property as her first home but she is now upsizing with her partner.

“The market has been good, there’s still confidence with lots of people wanting to purchase.

“There’s a lot of urgency with buyers and sellers wanting to transact before Christmas.”

13 Eildon Parade, Rowville

• Sold under the hammer for $920,000

• Lead agent: Nick Strilakos - 0403 510 712

• Ray White Oakleigh

• Five bidders

The winning bid went to first home buyers while the vendor was downsizing.

“The vendor had been in the home for 33 years and this was her first time selling a property,” Mr Strilakos said.

“The purchasers were a couple of first home buyers who had been in the market for six months and were excited to finally secure their first home.”

12 Wymlet St, Fawkner

• Sold under the hammer for $805,000

• Lead agent: Sebastian Rello - 0417 223 869

• Ray White Glenroy

• Eight registered bidders, five active bidders

The property was called on the market at $750,000, before the hammer fell at $805,000. The winning bid went to a young couple of first home buyers (pictured above with the seller and agent Sebastian Rello).

“The home had been in the same family for 52 years and the sellers were wrapped with the result,” Mr Rello said.

“It was a clean 1970s brick veneer on a 600sqm corner block, it was just one of those houses. During the first week of opens we had 26 groups through.”

7 Briarfield Rd, Noble Park North

• Sold under the hammer for $802,000 - $122,000 over reserve

• Lead agent/auctioneer: Jonathon Eaves - 0411 051 571

• Ray White Oakleigh

• 12 registered bidders, six actie

The seller had bought the property as their first home years ago, and have now started a family and are upgrading in Oakleigh.

“The winning bid went to a first home buyer (pictured above) who had been looking for a while. His whole family was there to support him,” Mr Eaves said.

“Most of the buyers were young families looking for a renovated property. It was a more affordable home in an up and coming area.”

QUEENSLAND

Ray White Queensland chief auctioneer Gavin Croft said Brisbane was still seeing plenty of auction activity.

“Brisbane auction volumes are on the rise after a really big month in November with plenty of sellers scrambling to try and get sold before Christmas,” he said.

“There have been some strong results today as buyers have the same appetite to be able to secure their dream home before Christmas.

“It’s a good time of year for buying and selling real estate, with good volumes still coming through to the market.”