Hearts full as coastal classic changes hands

16 Cooroora Street, Dicky Beach was sold under the hammer for $5.4 million, through Ray White Maroochydore’s Lachie Woods and Dan Sowden. With the original owner now in care, the seller’s family reflected fondly on the property's rich history and emotional legacy.

“Dicky Beach really captured my parents' hearts. When we came up in the 1970s, this particular area with the lake going out to the sea really drew them in,” said brother and sister, Jon and Andrea. “I remember being at the Ray White auction when they purchased it, it was incredibly exciting for Mum and Dad to get the keys. It’s an unspoiled little nook of the coast.”

Jon described the home as a creative haven for their mother. “Mum had a huge art room where she could do her art and still look out to the beach,” they said. “It feels like the right time to let someone else breathe life into this block.”

“My daughter said she’s had the most defining moments of her life here. It’s got that generational feel, we’ve now had four generations enjoying this home,” Andrea said. “Of course, we are sad to sell this place, but someone else is going to breathe new life into it. It is magic.”

(Story continued in Queensland section)

Australasia’s largest real estate group Ray White reported a 74 per cent clearance rate nationally today at auctions. Notably, there were on average six registered bidders per auction, with 3.2 actively participating in bidding.

The auction with the highest number of bidders came from Adelaide, where 21 registered bidders fought it out for 28 Corunna Avenue, Colonel Light Gardens which ended up selling under the hammer for $1.482 million. Robbie Smith from Ray White Unley managed the sale and was the auctioneer.

Open homes were busy across the country, with Ray White agents meeting 29,118 groups through properties today according to data from NutureCloud. The busiest open home was at 29 Sunnydale Street, Upper Mount Gravatt, where Ray White Mt Gravatt agent Chander Singh met 66 interested buyers.

Ray White Queensland Chief Auctioneer Gavin Croft said the auction market across South East Queensland continues to show strength, with growing bidder interest and consistent energy across campaigns.

“It was another weekend of great energy across South East Queensland,” Mr Croft said. “Average registered bidder numbers are continuing to creep up, they’re climbing each week. I’m also sitting at 100 per cent clearance today.”

He noted a surge of interest in Brisbane’s Olympic precinct, with inner-city buyers eager to secure a foothold ahead of the 2032 Games.

“In Woolloongabba, we had a two-bedroom unrenovated cottage sell for $1,077,500 with Piers Crawford,” he said. “It was bought by a renovator who wants to bring the project back to life, a perfect example of the long-term vision buyers are showing in these areas.”

Other standout results included 19 Regency Place, Stretton, sold by Eric Li for $1.78 million. “A local family bought the home as their next stage, wanting to stay close to good schools,” Mr Croft said. “The seller has relocated back to Sydney.”

In Sunnybank Hills, Chris Wong oversaw the sale of 67 Gowan Road for $1.209 million. “It was recently renovated, which buyers absolutely love at the moment,” Mr Croft said. “We had eight registered bidders fighting it out for that one.”

Mr Croft also praised the increasing transparency in the buying process, thanks to Queensland’s seller disclosure reforms and the clarity of auction campaigns.

“From what I can see, people are loving the transparency of sellers’ disclosures, layered in with the openness of the auction process,” he said. “We’re certainly making it easy for people to buy. The first rule of marketing is always: make it easy. And our Queensland agents have really taken that in their stride.”

Ray White Collective auction event - The Calile Hotel, Brisbane (pictured above)
Total clearance: $27,591,000
Clearance rate: 70 per cent
Total registered bidders: 43
Highest sale: 22 Wright Street, Balmoral - Sold for $3.275 million
LIST OF FULL RESULTS HERE

The Ray White Collective hosted another successful auction event at The Calile Hotel, with over $27.5 million worth of property sold under the hammer and a clearance rate of 70 per cent. The event attracted 43 registered bidders, with strong interest across all price points, ranging from $930,000 to multiple sales in the $3 million range.

CEO and auctioneer Haesley Cush said the day delivered outstanding results across the board. “The bidder numbers were excellent today, with strong bidding on every property,” he said. “The lowest price was $930,000 and we had several sales above $3 million. It was a sensational day, one of the great ones.”

Mr Cush highlighted how recent legislative changes are making auctions even more attractive to buyers. “With the new seller's disclosure statement now sorted upfront, it’s much easier and more transparent for buyers. Deals are done at the fall of the hammer,” he said.

He also praised the collaborative energy of the Ray White Collective team. “The flow between us at these events is fabulous,” he said. “Peter Burgin, who’s just joined our group, was on the floor for his first day and did a phenomenal job.”

“These monthly auction events are the best way to get your property in front of every buyer. You don’t have to worry about cleaning the house, or if it’s raining - we’ve got a team of eight administrators helping everything run smoothly. And when the deal’s done, you can pop downstairs to one of the incredible restaurants here.”

The top sale of the event was from Brandon Wortley who sold the home of New AFL football boss Greg Swann and his wife Leonie (pictured above), a stunning five-bedroom entertainer’s paradise in Balmoral. The property at 22 Wright Street, Balmoral sold for $3.275 million.

The former Brisbane Lions CEO and his wife have made the move to Melbourne. Mr Swann has taken on a new position as the AFL executive general manager of Football Performance and the pair will live closer to their daughter who is expecting their first grandchild.

The Swanns sold their dream home in Melbourne and moved into their Balmoral property about 10 years ago when Mr Swann began rebuilding the Brisbane Lions.

Mr Swann said his favourite part of the house was the living room where he enjoyed watching sport on TV.

“I’m going to miss this location, this house is in a great suburb which is central to everything,” Mr Swann said. Read more about the house here.

8 Howard Street, Grange (pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $3.315 million

• Four registered bidders, three active

• Lead agent: Alistair Macmillan - 0410 636 221

• Ray White Wilston

• Auctioneer: Phil Parker, Ray White

Alistair Macmillan said it was a brand-new home built by a local builder-developer he has worked with for years.

“He bought the site just over a year ago, built the house, and sold it as a brand-new home. We had over 100 inspections within the four-week marketing campaign, resulting in four registered bidders,” Mr Macmillan said.

“This home attracted a lot of interest due to its incredibly practical layout that offers ground floor living and dining, which is obviously appealing to a younger family wanting seamless connection into the backyard. It was a beautifully built home with exceptional quality and was close to 400sqm under roof.”

There was a crowd of close to 100 people, with the opening bid coming in at $2.7 million from a phone bidder. It was a competitive auction with bidding increasing in $100,000 rises until it paused at $3.65 million with the same phone bidder.

After a brief pause, the phone bidder increased their offer to $3.315 million, at which point the property was declared on the market and sold with no further bids.

The buyers are a local family with young children who were looking to secure a fully renovated or brand-new home.

The successful buyer, Henry, said it was the culmination of months of searching.

“We have bid before at auction, and we are really, really happy with the result today,” he said. “We’ve been looking for a few months for the perfect home. We are local and love being near Kedron Brook - it’s very family-friendly. It was a bit nerve-wracking bidding at auction, but we are thrilled. It’s the perfect size for our family.”

Ray White South Australia Chief Auctioneer John Morris said while the footy world was celebrating Travis Boak’s incredible final game for Port Adelaide, the Ray White team was busy kicking its own goals in the auction arena.

“South Australians were cheering for a legend last night, but we were celebrating some big wins of our own across the state,” Mr Morris said. “Auction volumes may be down about 20 per cent since July, but that hasn’t slowed the pace of competition.”

Despite the seasonal dip in listings, buyer interest remains high. “Demand continues to be extremely strong, and energy at our auctions is electric,” he said. “This weekend, we’ve recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 80 per cent, with an average of 7.1 registered bidders per auction - a result any team would be proud of.”

Mr Morris said that as proud sponsors of the Port Adelaide Football Club, the Ray White SA team knows what it means to back champions. “Just like Travis Boak’s two decades of resilience, consistency and class, Ray White continues to lead from the front, delivering standout results week after week,” he said.

“Ray White South Australia - your number one team, on and off the field.”

8 Rawson Street, Alberton (seller and agent pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $1.225 million

• 14 registered bidders, four active

• Lead agent: Blake Bryant - 0476 957 176

• Ray White Prospect

• Auctioneer: John Morris, Ray White

The campaign drew early attention, with 45 groups inspecting across the first weekend alone. Lead agent Blake Bryant said smart scheduling and strong presentation played a big part in the result. “I prioritise double opens on weekends, usually early and late on Saturday, to give families flexibility around sport and other commitments,” he said. “The home was really well presented, on a generous block in a great location. The seller was open to styling and landscaping, which made a huge difference. The area really sells itself.”

The successful buyers were a young couple who saw the property for the first time on auction day. “They’ve owned investment properties before, but this will be their first time living in a home of their own. They were really emotional and excited,” Mr Bryant said.

Seller Jen had lived in the home for 30 years and was full of emotion as the hammer came down. “I am absolutely elated,” she said. “It is a wonderful day; a bit emotional, but I made the decision a while ago that it was time to downsize and move on. I’m glad it’s done now, and I’m very happy with the outcome.”

Jen, a retired registered nurse, reflected on the rich history of the home and her time there. “The original house was built in 1910, it has high ceilings, big bedrooms, and a beautiful fireplace. An extension was added just before I moved in, and I added a patio pergola. It has grown with each family who’s lived here, it feels like you’re walking in others’ footsteps,” she said. “The schools around here are great, and I’m so happy the buyers, a gorgeous young couple, are about to start their next chapter.”

She also praised her agent for the support throughout the campaign. “Credit needs to go to the incredible agent, Blake has kept me so informed and made me feel so comfortable. He has really been there for me,” she said.

Blake Bryant, who first met Jen a few years ago while selling a nearby home, said the result exceeded expectations. “She thought she might get $950,000, so to achieve $1.225 million today fills me with a lot of pride and happiness for her,” he said. “Now she gets to start looking for her next perfect home.”

Auctioneer John Morris also spoke with the winning buyers after the sale.

“It was our third time bidding at auction and it was still daunting,” Michael said. “But we had learned a lot from the other two.”

John Morris noted the couple’s strong auction strategy. “Your bidding was very confident, you didn’t give the underbidder time to think before you jumped back in,” he told Michael.

“That was my plan,” Michael replied. “I had a budget that I wanted to stick to and I went hard up to that. I wanted to let everyone know I was a serious buyer.”

When asked if they would buy at auction again, Michael didn’t hesitate. “Yes, we would. It is daunting and very nerve-racking, but I know who I’m up against and how much I need to pay to win, which I did today.”

For other first-time bidders, Michael offered some insight: “We missed out on a couple before, and looking back, we should have thought about how much more we could pay on the day, we only missed out by a couple of thousand dollars. This time, we increased our budget a bit and it worked out well for us.”

David McMahon, Ray White NSW/ACT Chief Auctioneer, said there was a noticeable shift in market behaviour this week across the group's 123 scheduled auctions.

“We saw a change in market behaviour today in comparison to last week,” Mr McMahon said.

“A number of agents reported that vendors had increased their expectations off the back of the recent interest rate cut, combined with the strong bidding activity seen at last week’s auctions.

“While this did create larger gaps between buyers and sellers in some cases, we still saw competitive bidding, with an average of 4.6 registered bidders and 2.7 active bidders per auction.”

2 Roach Ave, Thornleigh (pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $1.95 million

• Six registered bidders, four active

• Lead agent: Nathan Leuzzi - 0412 975 190

• Ray White Upper North Shore

Nathan Leuzzi from Ray White Upper North Shore said that the sun was shining for the first time in a while in Sydney, which made for a beautiful auction day.

“Our winning bidders were a young couple who are upsizing from an apartment in Pymble,” Mr Leuzzi said.

“It is a great result for the area, and the market seems to be very competitive at the moment with an uptick in buyer confidence. Most of the buyers were young couples and a few downsizers.

The sellers were thrilled with the outcome. “He lived here with his family nine years ago and has had it rented out since,” Mr Leuzzi said.

The buyers said it was only their second time bidding at auction. “At the first auction we were overexcited and overly emotional,” they said. “This time, we tried not to let our emotions take over, and then it happened! It was surreal. We’re really looking forward to enjoying this space and making it ours.”

“Auctions are great for good houses like this. Of course we’d love to find something off-market, but if we see something with potential, we know bidding at an auction is what we have to do.” Watch the buyer interview here.

Ray White Victoria Chief Auctioneer Jeremy Tyrrell said the Melbourne market is starting to come alive as the city heads into spring and footy finals fever begins to build.

“Melbourne is coming to life with spring on our doorstep and footy finals fever starting to build,” Mr Tyrrell said. “What’s also starting to build is the real estate market across Victoria, with all key metrics on the rise following the recent drop in interest rates.”

Auction volumes are also on the move. “This week we saw auction volume rise by 7.07 per cent, with 212 auctions scheduled across the Ray White network, the first time in months we’ve topped the 200 mark,” he said.

Mr Tyrrell noted that the influx of fresh listings has been welcomed by buyers. “They’re enjoying the burst of new stock, with an exciting smorgasbord of options to choose from.”

Despite the rise in volume, demand remains strong. “We recorded an average of 3.9 active bidders per auction across all reported campaigns, that’s a 74.67 per cent spike compared to the same period last year,” he said.

“Clearance rates also surged to 92.5 per cent, showing that sellers’ expectations are lining up well with those of buyers. It’s a well-positioned and fair market for all.”

With the AFL Grand Final approaching on Saturday 27 September, Mr Tyrrell said the momentum is only building. “Listing volumes are expected to steadily increase leading up to the Grand Final, with future auction bookings already coming in at high numbers,” he said.

“It’s going to be a busy spring!”

Ray White Western Australia CEO Mark Whiteman said that listing numbers continue to tighten across WA and particularly in the tightly held coastal and inner Perth areas fuelling competition amongst buyers.

“These are some of the most unique conditions I have seen in 36 years of selling real estate and we urge sellers not to cap their price when selling and to allow the natural competition to find the true best price for their property,” Mr Whiteman said.

57 Elsie Street, Watermans Bay (pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $2.652 million

• 18 registered bidders, eight active

• Lead agent: Emma Guthrie - 0411 144 140

• Ray White Keevers Group

• Auctioneer: Mark Whiteman, Ray White

Ray White Keevers Group’s Emma Guthrie said the buzz around the sale built rapidly. “We started the morning with seven registered bidders and ended up with 18 by the time the auction started,” she said. “It’s a prime 1,070sqm block in an incredible coastal location, and there hasn’t been anything similar on the market for quite a while.”

It was the first auction on the street in 17 years, with neighbours showing strong interest throughout the campaign. “The street was buzzing all week. The locals were genuinely excited to see an auction back on their doorstep,” Ms Guthrie said.

Despite the short two-week campaign, the response was overwhelming. “We only had five viewings, but it was enough to get the right buyers through,” she said. “Stock levels are still very low, so quality homes like this are generating serious attention.”

The winning bidders, a local family with teenage children, inspected the home for the first time on auction day and didn’t place a bid until the final call. “They literally jumped in at the last second, it was so exciting,” Ms Guthrie said. “The mum is a local teacher and they’ve been looking for the right opportunity. Today was the day.”

The sellers were two brothers whose family had owned the property for 50 years. One of the brothers, who has held the home for the last 20 years, is now retired and decided it was time to move on.

Auctioneer Mark Whiteman was kept on his toes with the fast-paced bidding. “There were 58 bids in total, I’m not sure poor Mark has any voice left,” Ms Guthrie said.