‘Happy end of an era’ auction day

Loretta and David Flint today sold their home at 8 Weeroona Terrace, Altona Meadows for $906,000 to a young family who will be moving in.

In 1984, Loretta and David Flint stood in line for more than a week for their chance to buy their land at Altona Meadows. They lined up for eight days so they could secure a specific plot of land that backed onto the park.

Today their daughter Joanne Royston, principal of Ray White Williamstown sold her childhood home, with Dean Stanley as their auctioneer. This sale was one of just 371 homes booked at auction today across the Ray White network. The leading group cleared 77 per cent of all auctions today. The leading group recorded an average of 4.9 registered bidders and 3.2 active bidders per auction today.

Ray White’s top auction sale of the day went to Ray White Judd White agent Tracy Tsang who sold 1A Sweyn St, Balwyn North under the hammer for $2.99 million.

The auction with the highest number of registered bidders was marketed by Ray White Quakers Hill agent Sam Yazdi who recorded 22 registered bidders at 15 Elizabeth Street, Riverstone. The property sold under the hammer for $1.351 million.

Market watchers are awaiting the outcome of the next Reserve Bank of Australia board meeting on Tuesday, with many expecting a rate cut in the order of 0.25 basis points.

Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee said Australia's fundamentals remained solid with unemployment stable at 4.1 per cent and economic growth of 0.2 per cent in the March quarter. “The combination of contained inflation and steady employment creates scope for further easing as the year progresses,” she said.

Ms Conisbee said the national house price median of $941,000 and unit median of $695,000 are set to rise more rapidly this year, with current monthly growth rates suggesting annual house price growth could reach 12.7 per cent if sustained, pushing the national median above $1.06 million within 12 months.

According to NurtureCloud, Ray White conducted 6,402 open homes across the nation today, with 27,685 attendees, compared to 23,850 last Saturday. The open home with the most attendees was at 63 Alma Ave, Ferntree Gully. The property, which was listed by Ray White Ferntree Gully agent Matthew George welcomed 63 attendees through today’s open homes.

Ray White NSW Head of Auctions Dave McMahon said there were high numbers of bidders out today.

“With another rate cut predicated at next week’s RBA meeting we were eager to see how that would impact buyer behaviour today. There was a jump in active bidders to 3.6 this week, from 2.6 last week. This increase in buyer confidence is yet to be shared by vendors as we only conducted 25 per cent of the 117 scheduled auctions today with many selling prior or postponing.”

15 Elizabeth Street, Riverstone

• Sold under the hammer for $1.351 million

• 22 registered bidders, 10 active bidders

• Lead agent: Sam Yazdi - 0404 711 222

• Ray White Quakers Hill

Vikas of North Kellyville said he was happy with his new investment property.

“Sydney definitely has more buyers than sellers, it’s been that way for a few years now. This was the third property I have bought at auction and I was comfortable with the process,” he said.

“I had been looking for only a month or so and I was surprised at such a big crowd and so many bidders.

“I was cool and calm at the auction. There was a big crowd, and it’s not on a beach or somewhere up north! It’s just a normal house but I am happy with the outcome.”

Seller, Joseph, said he was thrilled with Sam Yazdi and the Ray White Quakers Hill team.

“All I can say is wow, wow, wow,” he said.

“It was a good campaign, very busy and the auction was run in a very professional way with lots of energy and the auctioneer controlled the auction. It’s hard to manage a lot of bidders, especially with 22 bidders but he did it well,” Joseph said.

“I have worked with Sam before, he’s a good operator. We bought a house off him in Doonside.

“So we are happy with him both as a buyer and a seller. We are now looking for two properties as we have six kids and a lot of cars, we need a big workshop and more space.

I would also like a property that we can add value to, with a development application for a duplex or subdivision."

Sam Yadzi said the 22 registered bidders came from all over the local area. “”Three bidders were from out of the area and one was on the phone. The auction opened at $900,000 and quickly moved to $1.1 million in front of a big crowd of around 100 people.”

14 Capizzi Place, Castle Hill

• Sold under the hammer $1.940 million

• 5 regs and 4 active

• Lead agent: Shiv Nair - 0451 883 102

• Ray White United Group

Mr Nair took more than 80 groups of buyers through the property over four weeks.

“It was a strong campaign with lots of interest and my sellers are happy.”

Seller Chandra Chauhan, of Castle Hill, sold his family’s investment property of 15 years.

“We are happy with the auction and Shiv and his team were very professional,” he said.

“It was a good experience going to auction. In fact it was our first time ever going to auction and I would recommend it, it’s a good approach,”

The buyers are a local family who have been renting in Castle Hill.

69 Faraday Road, Padstow

• Sold under the hammer for $1.482 million

• 8 registered bidders

• Lead agent Ali El-Kabbout - 0423 741 118

• Ray White Revesby

• Auctioneer: Dave McMahon, Ray White (pictured below)

Colin and his sister sold their childhood home today at 69 Faraday Road, Padstow.

Colin, who lives in Kogarah, said his mum and dad built the house 69 years ago in 1956. “Mum lived at home until last November when she passed away at age 92. She lived to a golden age. She loved Padstow and never wanted to move,” he said.

“It’s the end of an era for our family.

“Auction was a good way to sell. It’s an old house that needs work on a triangular shaped block. It was a hard house to price so it was best to let the market decide.

“The auctioneer was excellent, he was very composed and Ali El-Kabbout and Abir Eddine were great, no pressure and very professional.”

Colin said he was happy the house was bought by a young family too.

Ray White Victoria Chief Auctioneer Jeremy Tyrell said the winter market had settled in with 186 auctions scheduled across the state this week, marginally up in volume by 3.33 percent against the same period last year.

“Sellers are reaping the rewards of a lower supply of property on the market, as buyer demand remains strong.

“Market confidence is definitely on the up, especially off the back of increasing speculation that another rate cut is on the cards at next week's Reserve Bank meeting.

“This week, the clearance rate skyrocketed to 83.5 percent, an increase of 17.07 per cent year on year.”

8 Weeroona Terrace, Altona Meadows

• Sold under the hammer for sold $906,000

• 4 active bidders

• Lead agent: Joanne Royston - 0402 996 622

• Ray White Williamstown

• Auctioneer: Dean Stanley, Ray White

Joanne Royston today sold her childhood home for her parents. Pictured above with her parents and her children.

“It’s a lovely big relief for them so they can now move on and not worry. They are moving into a unit nearby.” The new buyers are a young family.

Loretta and David Flint have owned their Altona Meadows home for more than 40 years.

For Loretta, 85 and David, 82 it’s a “happy end of an era, not a sad one”.

In 1984, Loretta and David stood in line for more than a week for their chance to buy land at Altona Meadows.

They lined up for eight days so they could secure a specific plot of land that backed onto the park.

“It was certainly a great way to get to know your neighbours,” said Loretta.

“There was one family in the line who had lots of dogs and cats and a son that played the drums, so we made sure not to buy too close to them!”

Some people lined up for two weeks. People shared barbecued snags, sang songs and shared their lives and by the time the blocks were sold, a tight knit circle of neighbours had been formed.

“We have such happy memories of our time here,” Loretta said.

“This is where our kids grew up, and I have loved looking at the sunrise every morning over the reserve.

“Luckily our new view will also be lovely as the unit we have in the village backs onto a golf course.

“I am relaxed about moving, it’s our next chapter, a happy phase.”

She said her husband was also happy he can now go and buy some fresh fish from the markets again!

“I haven’t let him cook any fish during the campaign. David likes to buy fresh flake and flathead every Tuesday to cook for our granddaughter. But I have not let him make a mess as we had open homes on Wednesdays and I didn’t want any fishy smells!"

Loretta said she loved her first auction experience with Dean Stanley on the gavel.

”We were not nervous at all. The funny thing is I have known Dean his whole life. I met Dean’s mum in hospital as he and Joanne were born at the same time. I have known him for 53 years and how he and Joanne are now in business together at Ray White.

“There’s four of us in our group - we are known as ‘the cool nannas’. I have a lovely circle of friends, we all go away together and we love watching the Bulldogs play.”

15 Mernda Avenue, Cheltenham

• Sold under the hammer for $1.740 million

• 4 registered bidders, 3 active bidders

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

• Ray White The Bayside Group

Mr Chokshi said it was the fastest auction he had run in a while. “It opened at $1.650 million and was on the market straight away. It was fast - bang, bang, bang!”

Seller Emily Carlstrom was thrilled with the campaign and stoked with the result.

“This was actually our second time selling at auction. Kevin Chokshi and his team are awesome, so professional and very responsive,” she said.

“We are on holiday on the Gold Coast and we were dialled in on the phone.

“In fact we are on a five week holiday as I have two kids, two dogs and a husband, there was no way we wanted to stay and try and keep the house immaculate, no way!” The sellers are moving to Elwood as their son starts school next year. “It’s been a great place and we are only moving to get our son into Elwood primary school.”

Buyer Josh Anglim said he used a buyer’s agent to bid on their behalf today.

“We have been looking for eight weeks. I do find auctions stressful, it’s more the lead up then the actual auction. I feel Kevin and his team run auctions differently to the rest that’s a bit more inviting. I used the services of a buyers agent to bid on my behalf on this occasion. I have bid myself a few times in the past.”

32 Evergreen Blvd Clayton South

• Sold under the hammer for $1,102,888

• 10 Registered, 6 Active Bidders

• Lead agent: Effie Ma - 0473 987 777

• Ray White Judd White Group

• Auctioneer: Daniel Galea, Ray White

Ms Ma said her sellers were past clients and recent new parents so they are upgrading for more space. In front of a crowd of more than 100, a son (pictured above) was bidding on behalf of his parents and then moving them over from China in October.

Ray White Queensland Chief Auctioneer Gavin Croft said auction volume was right down.

“This was one of the softest auction volume weeks that we've seen for some time. Not only for Ray White, but right across Brisbane, auction volume is low.

“I think a combination of agents away, low stock levels, all playing their part in it.

“While supply is low, demand hasn't stopped. So while the sellers certainly might be taking a sabbatical from bringing properties to the market, the buyers are building and they're out in force, particularly that lower end there, sub $1 million continues to be very, very strong.

“But we also see in and around $2 million now right across Brisbane has showed some really good strength today and will continue to on.”

The property at 52 Latimer Street, Holland Park was sold by Piers Crawford of Ray White Holland Park for $1,590,000 with four registered bidders.

“The buyer had been looking for around a month. Interestingly, the buyer was renting at the moment in a shared property with three other people. She bought this particular property so her house-mates could all move in too.”

Ray White Mt Gravatt today sold $4.636 million worth of property today at their latest in-room event. Selling principal Andrew Boman said the top sale of the day was 10 Dowar Street, Coorparoo which sold for $1,820,000 with 11 bidders.

Ray White South Australia chief auctioneer John Morris said it will be no surprise to those of you playing along at home that of the 120 odd auctions went ahead this week throughout South Australia, and Ray White were yet again representing the largest majority of them at around 55 to 60 auctions.

“We've got very strong clearance rates in South Australia, hovering around the 70 - 72 per cent mark, yet again, much higher than that of our competition.

“Our competition's auction day clearance rate, as reported by Cotality, is closer to 50 - 55 per cent.

“Very interestingly, this weekend there's 84 auctions happening today with only 25 of them being Ray White auctions and I think that's because many of our agents are adopting midweek auctions as their preference.

“We're seeing higher clearance rates and higher bidder registrations on those traditional non- auction days so it wouldn't surprise me at all if it becomes an even further difference between our clearance rate and that of our competition in the coming months.”

37 Carlton Parade, Torrensville

• Sold under the hammer for $910,000

• 11 registered bidders, 5 active bidders

• Lead agent: Andrew Baldino - 0422 664 415

• Ray White Campbelltown

Mr Baldino said the buyer, pictured above, was looking for a low maintenance home to live in.

“He was attracted to the character appeal, its close to family and the shops on Henley Beach Rd and the Brickworks. The bidders were mixed between investors, first home buyers and downsizers.”

The seller, an investor, had owned the property for 40 years with the same tenant all those years.

“I had the same tenant for 40 years. We had an arrangement whereby he looked after the place and treated it like his own and I didn’t charge him an exorbitant rent. It worked well. He never rang me for a plumber, or a tradesperson, and it worked well for everyone until he passed away,” the seller said.

“The auction process was not stressful at all as Andrew and his team are such professionals. They are highly efficient communicators and they created a great result.

“Andrew’s auction was seamless and smooth and well organised.”

11 Rowland Rd, Pooraka

• Sold under the hammer for $866,000

• 14 registered bidders, 8 active

• Lead agent: Stefan Siciliano - 0403 171 489

• Ray White Prospect

• Auctioneer: John Morris, Ray White

Bec, the seller, said she had lived there for 12 years.

“I am very, very happy with Stefan. He has been excellent. I was very nervous at first when he first talked about going to auction.
Purely as I didn’t understand the process but with reassurance, I realised that it was a very good idea."

"I was shocked with the result. I had 14 registered bidders, and eight of them participated.

“I think we would never have got that figure without, I don't think, without putting it in competition with other buyers. Both my dad and Stefan convinced me to stay in the course.

“The auctioneer and the rest of the team all did a great job too.”

411 Frost Road, Lower Light

• Sold under the hammer for $1,500,500

• 9 registered bidders, 5 active bidders

• Lead agent: Jamie Wood - 0403 592 500

• Ray White Barossa Valley | Two Wells

• Auctioneer: Darren Pratt, Ray White

The seller (pictured above) said she was very nervous as she had not been through an auction campaign before, let alone an online auction.

She couldn’t believe the result, she said it’s now placed her in a wonderful position. The seller was jumping up and down at the fall of the gavel and so happy. She was in disbelief after the auction. "I was shaky and couldn’t believe it happened!"

This property was sold on Friday night via an online auction.

Mr Wood said this large parcel of land, with a beautiful home that was built in 2021, was very close to the growing area of Two Wells. “The auction was hotly contested, running for almost an hour with 180 bids. From the point of $1,340,000 the bids ranging only from $1,000 and $500 with the occasional bigger push.”

Ray White Western Australia CEO Mark Whiteman said winter showed no signs of slowing with continued strong demand and low listing numbers fuelling a competitive market.

“If we had more properties to sell we would sell more, the demand is there.

“Large numbers of bidders today bearing testimony to the strong conditions.”