November heat: Bidders storm the market

Ray White, Australasia’s largest real estate group reported a preliminary clearance rate of 77 per cent nationally and had 406 auctions scheduled nationally.

The highest sale of the day came from the sunshine coast, where Brisbane’s top prestige agent Matt Lancashire sold 26 Elystan Road, New Farm under the hammer for a whopping $18.5 million.

Auctioneer and director at Ray White Collective Haesley Cush described the action as “extraordinary”, with fierce bidding from start to finish. He added that the dominance of local buyers was particularly significant. “The local bidding underpins the value; it’s not like locals are getting priced out,” he said. “When locals see the value, it should give extreme comfort to those from outside the city. It was such a good-spirited room, with a great vibe. People were excited, wanting to buy, and eager to secure their place in Brisbane.”

The auction with the most bidders was also in the River City. 25 registered bidders showed up to bid for 3 Bauhinia Avenue, Enoggera, and the campaign led by Karen McBryde from Ray White Wilston ended in a final sale price of $1.562 million.

The city with the highest clearance rate, becoming known as the ‘city of bidders’ Adelaide, reported a preliminary clearance rate of 100 per cent. Coming in second was Sydney with a 79 per cent clearance rate.

According to data from NurtureCloud, Ray White agents met 27,991 groups at open homes across the country today. The open home with the most attendees was 23 Claygate Road, Hamilton Hill in Western Australia which welcomed 68 groups through. Ana Vizcaino from Ray White Dethridge Groves is running the campaign.

Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee said that the RBA has signalled interest rates are unlikely to change next week on Melbourne Cup day. While inflation jumped to 3.2 per cent annually and underlying price pressures are broad, labour‑market softening means the RBA is in a holding pattern. The message for auction bidders: borrowing costs are stable for now, but inflation and cost‑of‑living pressures remain real.

Dave McMahon, head of auctions for Ray White New South Wales, highlighted the strong auction activity in the market, noting, "This is the first time we have scheduled over 200 auctions on a Saturday this financial year."

He added that with more stock available, buyers are beginning to have more choice. "Our bidder numbers are still really strong, on average 4.1 registered and 2.8 active. Registered bidders are slightly below what we have seen this financial year, but the active bidders on average are healthy." Mr McMahon concluded with optimism for the remainder of the year: "We are looking forward to finishing the year strong with healthy stock numbers."

6 River Avenue, Chatswood West (seller pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $1.908 million

• Eight registered bidders

• Lead agent: Jessica Cao - 0466 877 260

• Ray White Upper North Shore

A truly special sale unfolded in Chatswood West, as a unique sandstone home changed hands for the first time in 74 years. The property, which had been in the same family for generations, drew strong interest from buyers who appreciated its character and history.

“The team was incredible; I’m feeling really relieved - auctions can be really nerve-wracking. We’re pretty stoked,” said seller Dominic, reflecting on the emotional day. “The home has been in the family for 74 years, it was my grandmother’s house. I used to live here when I was growing up, again in the 90s, and for the last five years. There are a lot of memories here.”

Bidding was competitive, with several parties vying for the rare offering. The successful purchasers, James and Josephine, were represented by a buyer’s agent and shared a deep appreciation for the craftsmanship and character of the sandstone home. “They’re really lovely and were genuinely interested in the story and build of the house,” said Dominic.

1 Portview Place, Burraneer

• Sold under the hammer for $4.705 million

• Six registered bidders, four active

• Lead agent: Tiffany Perez - 0418 634 085

• Ray White Sutherland Shire

• Auctioneer: Dave McMahon, Ray White

Set in a quiet cul-de-sac, the property’s prime location and thoughtful layout drew strong attention throughout the four-week campaign.

“This one was in a cracking location, a quiet cul-de-sac and a really well-thought-out family home,” said Tiffany Perez. “It’s the kind of property that ticks all the boxes for families looking for lifestyle and space.”

The home was sold by the daughter on behalf of her family, who had lived there for the past five years. The successful buyers were a young family from outside the area, excited to make the move to Sydney’s Sutherland Shire. “They were a beautiful young family from outside the area,” Ms Perez said. “They are from Earlwood and were thrilled with the result.”

The sale came amid a busy pre-Christmas market, with demand for quality homes on the Burraneer peninsula remaining high. “It’s that mad rush before Christmas, there are a lot of beautiful homes coming on and selling for great prices,” said Ms Perez. “The auction method continues to deliver transparency and competition, which really helped drive this great outcome.”

33 Glasgow Street, Hughes (seller pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $1.6455 million

• Five registered bidders, three active

• Lead agent/auctioneer: Dan Cooper - 0412 773 938

• Ray White Canberra

Robyn and Jenny, the daughters and executors of the estate, sold the home their parents purchased in 1967, the place where they both grew up. “It was an absolutely phenomenal result; all due credit goes to the agents. What an amazing result,” said Robyn. “It was Mum and Dad’s house. They moved up from Melbourne in the 60s, and it has been our family home ever since. It was really emotional, but we have the memories - and that can’t be taken. It’s gone to a beautiful young family who will create their own precious memories. I hope they love the home as much as us.”

Set in a quiet, elevated pocket with lovely views, the full-brick home sits between the city and Woden, close to the hospital and local amenities. “It’s a really nice location up on the hill with a beautiful outlook, a solid, well-kept home on a good-sized block,” said Dan Cooper. “It’s the quintessential Canberra house.”

The property attracted strong interest, with 80 groups inspecting over the four-week campaign. Every bidder on the day was a young family, with the eventual buyers, a family of three with another on the way, thrilled to call it home.

The sale also carried special meaning for the community. George Howe, Robyn and Jenny’s late father, was the musician at Canberra’s Carillon on the Lake, responsible for the bells for 33 years. “Mum and Dad were such social people,” Robyn shared. “There’s even a George Howe Room in the Carillon, he was a brilliant musician and a bit Canberra-famous.”

The river city far and away held the biggest auction results of the day, coming out of Ray White Collective’s prestige auction event at the Calile Hotel. The three auctions attracted 15 registered bidders.

26 Elystan Road, New Farm

• Sold under the hammer for $18.5 million

• Lead agent: Matt Lancashire - 0416 476 480

• Ray White Collective

• Auctioneer: Haesley Cush, Ray White

157 Adelaide Street East, Clayfield

• Sold under the hammer for an undisclosed price

• Lead agent: Matt Lancashire - 0416 476 480

• Ray White Collective

• Auctioneer: Haesley Cush, Ray White

247 Kent Street, Teneriffe

• Sold under the hammer for $7.625 million

• Lead agent: Matt Lancashire - 0416 476 480

• Ray White Collective

• Auctioneer: Haesley Cush, Ray White

The team also sold 25 Villiers Street, New Farm prior to auction for $8.6 million.

Auctioneer Haesley Cush described the action at 26 Elystan Road as “extraordinary”, with fierce bidding from start to finish. “Bidding opened at $10 million and rolled quickly in $1 million bids to $15 million,” he said. “Then we moved to $17 million before it broke down - it went on the market at $18 million and the buyer shook his head. On the third call, he went to $18.1 million, and then it went back and forth to $18.5 million.”

The New Farm sale, which may potentially be a Brisbane under-the-hammer record, saw strong participation from both local and interstate buyers. “The seller is in construction, and the buyer was a Brisbane local bidding over the phone against another Brisbane-based buyer,” said Mr Cush. “There were several bidders from outside the area too.”

Reflecting on the day as a whole, Mr Cush said the energy in the room was electric. “The full day featured 15 registered bidders across three prestige properties,” he explained. “To have that many people competing at this level shows the strength and confidence in Brisbane’s upper-end market.”

He added that the dominance of local buyers was particularly significant. “The local bidding underpins the value; it’s not like locals are getting priced out,” he said. “When locals see the value, it should give extreme comfort to those from outside the city. It was such a good-spirited room, with a great vibe. People were excited, wanting to buy, and eager to secure their place in Brisbane.”

“All the properties today sold to local buyers,” Mr Cush said. “The excitement in Brisbane and the confidence from locals show exactly where the market is heading. When locals are sensing it; others will follow.

64 Angliss Street, Wilston (pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $4.4 million

• Lead agent: Alistair Macmillan - 0410 636 221

• Ray White Wilston

• Auctioneer: Christian Hamilton, Ray White

The stunning new-build sitting on 405sqm drew a strong crowd on auction day, ultimately selling under the hammer for $4.4 million and setting a new suburb record for the block size. Lead agent Alistair Macmillan reflected on the journey of the home and the strength of the Wilston market.

“I actually sold the land to the builder-developers about two years ago for $1.4 million. It’s quite unique because you rarely see brand-new builds in Wilston - most people here only build for themselves,” Mr Macmillan said.

The bidding opened confidently at $3.8 million, with rises of $100,000 taking it to $4.3 million, before a short pause. “The buyers then increased their bid to $4.4 million,” Alistair said. “At that point, it was put on the market and sold.”

The successful buyers, Margaret and her family, have lived in Wilston for 15 years, just two streets away. “They were looking for a different layout that would better suit their teenage kids,” Mr Macmillan said. “Homes like this, with that level of separation, are really hard to find.”

The sellers, Carbone Developments, were equally thrilled with the outcome. “I’ve worked with Carbone for 30 years. They’re great people, and they were just so happy with the result.”

The sale has set a new benchmark for the area. “Just last week, $3.6 million was the record for this size block in Wilston,” Mr Macmillan said. “This result has blown that out of the water.”

For Margaret, the buyer, the experience was both nerve-racking and exciting. “It was really nerve-racking, my heart was racing,” she admitted. “It was the first auction I’ve ever done, so it was all very new to me. But I really liked the auction method and seeing the competition. I don’t think there was any other way this house could have been sold!”

She was immediately drawn to the layout of the home. “It’s the kitchen, butler’s pantry, and laundry that lead straight out to the backyard, that’s a mother’s dream floorplan,” she said. “All the living is right there. At our age, we wanted something we could stay in for a long time. The kids are all finished school, there’s plenty of space, and we’ve got two dogs.”

Remaining loyal to their community was a big factor in their decision. “We’re local, we’re in Fifth Avenue, and we didn’t want to leave the area. It’s just wonderful,” Margaret said.

She also praised the Ray White Wilston team for their support throughout the process. “Alistair was great; they really guided us through everything,” she said. “We’re listing our house now.”

Jake McIntyre, Ray White Victoria auctioneer, commented on the current auction market, noting a slowdown compared to last week: "There has been a drop-off in auction numbers since last week, and buyer sentiment would be focused around the metro areas. A lot of agents are resetting for the last sprint to the end of the year."

He added that around 20 per cent of their auctions have been rescheduled or cancelled. "There is probably a hesitation from agents thinking that buyers won't be around this weekend, being basically a long weekend with the Melbourne Cup, so our auction numbers are ridiculously low compared to last weekend's Super Saturday," Mr McIntyre said.

He expects activity to pick up again soon, noting that "things will ramp back up after the Melbourne Cup and before Christmas."

29 Audley Street, Coburg (seller pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $1.025 million

• Six bidders

• Lead agent/auctioneer: Raphael Calik-Houston - 0404 890 888

• Ray White Coburg

Coburg’s Audley Street was buzzing with energy and the auction attracted six bidders, most of whom were young couples looking for their first home, creating a lively and engaging atmosphere. Adding to the unique vibe, a gelato cart was on-site, while the nearby bike and dog paths brought locals out to enjoy the day.

The property had been home to seller Brendan for 28 years. Having recently put some time and resources into renovating the house, he decided to downsize and move into the sought-after Nightingale Apartments, a boutique, environmentally friendly development in Coburg. “We had an incredible result; the team from Ray White Coburg are best in class and work so well together. I fully had confidence in Raphael, everything went perfectly,” Brendan said. “I’ve spent 27 years here, and the house has never looked as beautiful. I’m probably leaving a few years earlier than I thought, but I found my dream apartment. I hope the first home buyers absolutely love it, I love the position, and I think they will too.”

“The Nightingale apartments are done by ballot; basically they are sought after so instead of buying them on the regular market, they do a ballot. You can only sell it with inflation on top - it is a community based element; it is very environmentally friendly living. It is new and exciting, a beautiful building.”

The winning bidders were a young couple renting in Brunswick, who purchased their first home. “This is our first home,” said Naomi, one half of the couple. “We loved the charm of the house, with the natural light. Bidding at auction was super nerve-racking, we’re looking forward to not bidding again for a long time! We’ll move in as is, maybe make a few small changes. We were originally looking in Brunswick, and it’s such a nice little pocket we’ve discovered here.”

16 Eldergreen Circuit, Craigieburn (buyer pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $729,000

• Four bidders

• Lead agent/auctioneer: Trish Orrico - 0423 336 636

• Ray White Craigieburn

The sale attracted four bidders, two joining by phone and two in person, culminating in a winning bid from a home buyer with a personal connection to the street - she has two sisters living just eight houses away at each end of the property.

Monica, the vendor, decided to sell as her young family looks to upsize. “We’ve been here for about 10 years and have renovated the home, but now we need a bit more space,” she said.

Lead agent Trish Orrico noted the strong market conditions. “It’s a wonderful market at the moment,” she said. “This property drew interest from a great mix of buyers, and the local connections really added to the excitement on auction day.”

John Morris, chief auctioneer of South Australia, reflected on the state’s booming auction market this week.

"It wasn't too long ago that considering even 100 auctions in a month in South Australia was unheard of. Well, this last month, October, we scheduled around 310 auctions across the state, representing just under half of all auctions in South Australia. Of those, over 230 went under the hammer, with an impressive 84 per cent selling on the day.

“On average, each auction drew seven registered bidders, with three or four actively competing, proving that demand remains fierce. And it's not just investors and developers driving the charge, around two-thirds of our buyers are owner-occupiers, and more than 90 per cent are local, which shows just how much confidence South Australians have in their own market.

“This week, we're heading into the weekend with a preliminary clearance rate of nearly 89 per cent, following last week's 87.5 per cent. The momentum is clearly building. Nationally, CoreLogic reports clearance rates hovering in the low 70 per cent, so Adelaide continues to outperform the major capitals, and that is a story in itself.

“The combination of limited stock, motivated buyers, and steady confidence means sellers are being rewarded for coming to the market now, while buyers remain eager to secure quality homes before the end of the year.

“As for me, I'm gearing up for my busiest month ever, with over 110 auctions booked for November. The energy is sky-high. The competition is genuine, and the results speak for themselves. If you're thinking of selling, now is the moment; Adelaide's auction market is firing on all cylinders, and, as always, Ray White is well and truly leading the charge."

10 Morlei Avenue, Croydon Park (buyers pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $1.215 million

• 19 registered bidders, six active

• Lead agent: Son Le - 0450 130 038

• Ray White Prospect

• Auctioneer: John Morris, Ray White

The property attracted strong interest from a wide range of buyers, thanks to its very wide and appealing block and its solid, original family home that offered a blank canvas with loads of potential.

“The block was very attractive and very wide,” said Mr Le. “There was a mixture of interest from owner-occupiers, developers, and investors. The buyers probably won’t have plans for the near future with it, no solid plans at this point,” said Mr Le. “They bought it to hold on to.”

This sale was particularly special for Mr Son, who had a personal connection to the new owners. “I actually went to primary school and grew up with one of the purchasers,” he said. “I’m stoked for him!”

The property had been a cherished family home for decades. “The family had been there for so long. Maria’s dad built the property in 1956, and he sadly passed away in June.”

Maria, the seller, spoke warmly about the home and the memories it held.

“I am very happy with the result,” said Maria. “For nearly 70 years we called this place home. It is really emotional today, I loved the gardens. The huge, expansive gardens had an amazing array of fruit trees. We had a chicken coop which is still there; I loved feeding them and spending time in nature in suburbia. The school was within walking distance, back in the ’60s, that’s just what we did.”

“I am so happy to see that a lovely young family is going to enjoy it,” she said. “I can’t speak highly enough of Son, he was honest, worked so hard, and was so trustworthy. Nothing phased him; I knew that the auction would be a cracker. John Morris, the auctioneer, explained everything to me, it was wonderful.”

Quynh, one of the buyers, said she was thrilled with the purchase. “We are absolutely over the moon,” said Quynh. “We were so nervous before it started, especially when we saw there were 19 registered bidders! I was the last to register.”

The property was purchased as a long-term investment, with its block and layout offering excellent potential. “This is going to be an investment,” she said. “It’s a beautiful block, square, and the house is old but still very livable and practical. Great for the future.”

Quynh also praised the auction process. “The auction method is so smooth,” she said. “Seeing the transparent competition made it much better.”

52 Solomon Street, Fremantle

• Sold under the hammer for $1.34 million

• 11 registered bidders, four active

• Lead agent / auctioneer: Michael Harries - 0434 076 229

• Ray White Dethridge Groves