Tears, cheers and a surprise phone bidder

The home had been in the same family for 71 years. It was originally built by the seller Colin, now 94 years old, and his father more than seven decades ago.

Recently moved into care, he entrusted the sale to his daughters and his son Andy, who were both present on the day, along with a large gathering of family and grandchildren.

The most remarkable moment came after the auction ended. The winning bid came from a phone bidder. It was only afterwards that Andy and his sisters learned the buyer was a close family friend living in WA, who had kept her identity secret to ensure she paid full market value without emotion clouding the process. It sold under the hammer for $2.49 million.

“She went there as a kid and has fond memories of the home,” Ms Kelly-Brown said. “She’s planning to move back to Melbourne, cosmetically renovate the house, and live in it herself. She didn’t want the sellers to know she was bidding, because she wanted to give them the best result. It was such a beautiful gesture.”

Andy said that his dad was over the moon. “He bought the block for £250 back in the 1950s. He and my grandpa built the home together. My sisters and I grew up watching them working so hard to build it with their own hands.”

“It was a big surprise when I had the phone passed to me and it was our friend Susie on the other end! We were actually in touch only a few weeks ago, just casually chatting about what we were doing with the house.”

“We love her and we’re so happy for her,” Andy said. “We’ve always stayed in touch. Our families go way back, her parents and ours were very dear friends, even if they hadn’t seen each other in years. They’re absolutely over the moon for her too.”

What made the outcome even more special was Susie’s intention to honour the home’s legacy. “She said she’s not going to pull the house down, she wants to keep it. That means the world to us.”

David McMahon, head of auctions for Ray White NSW/ACT, said auction activity across the board continued to strengthen.

“We continue to see a rise in volume, as we scheduled 169 auctions today, with 21 per cent selling prior,” he said.

However, Mr McMahon noted that some parts of the market were beginning to show signs of buyer caution, particularly in areas likely to be impacted by upcoming government changes.

“The commentary from agents operating in markets that will be most impacted by the First Home Buyer Scheme is that although results were achieved, they saw some hesitation and lower bidding numbers as buyers are holding out for October 1,” he said.

Despite that, buyer engagement remained strong overall. “We averaged 5.8 registered and 3.3 active bidders today, our strongest buyer numbers this financial year, even with some markets experiencing hesitation,” Mr McMahon said.

101 Wellington Road, East Lindfield (sellers pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $3.85 million

• Four registered bidders, all active

• Lead agent: Jessica Cao - 0466 877 260

• Ray White Upper North Shore

Top agent Jessica Cao said her seller of this original brick home was moving into care after spending 60 wonderful years at the property. The successful buyers, a local couple, were visibly elated after securing the property, a long-awaited moment after more than a year of searching.

“We are really excited about our purchase today,” said Ming, the happy buyer. “We’ve been looking in the market for about a year. We know the community and we knew this property well, it was a big decision to pick the right house.”

While they don’t have immediate plans for changes to the home, Ming said they intend to live in it long-term and may consider renovations down the line. “We don’t have a plan yet; we’re a little bit shocked that we got it! We won’t think about plans for a while, we might gradually renovate,” he said. “We hope to be here for at least 15 years.”

Having attended several auctions before, Ming said the open competition of the auction format suited them well. “I liked seeing the competitors out in the open. I much prefer bidding at auction than relying on the silent private treaty style,” he said. “It’s definitely a great price for the vendor but we are also thrilled to have secured it.”

The property attracted a mix of interest from both developers and owner-occupiers, but in the end, it was a family-focused purchase, with a long-term vision for the future in the East Lindfield community.

29 Derby St, Vaucluse

• Sold under the hammer $6.71 million

• Eight registered bidders, four active bidders

• Lead agent: Kim Hayes - 0419 230 086

• Ray White Double Bay

• Auctioneer: James Keenan, Ray White

The property, while not newly renovated, captivated buyers with its stunning views, which were front and centre throughout the campaign and played a key role on auction day.

“The auction process is what attracted so many buyers,” said Kim Hayes. “We thought we might get three or four bidders, but to have eight registered was a fantastic outcome. It just shows how much energy builds when you let the campaign run its full course.”

The highest offer prior to auction had only reached the mid-$5 millions, making the final sale price a major uplift. “This proves that it’s best not to sell early out of fear,” she said. “Letting the auction campaign run and having it onsite with that incredible view really made a difference.”

The sellers, a young family, were thrilled with the result and are now moving on to their next home. The buyers were also a family, drawn to the area by its proximity to prestigious private schools, and of course, the view.

39 Bradley Drive, Carlingford

• Sold the hammer for $2.655 million

• 10 registered bidders, four active

• Lead agent: James Kwon - 0414 988 891

• Ray White Carlingford

Lead agent James Kwon of Ray White Carlingford said there was significant momentum in the lead-up to auction day.

“We had about 100 buyers come through,” Mr Kwon said. “I did a lot of double open homes on weekends.”

The property was called on the market at $2.55 million and eventually sold for $2.655 million. “The feedback was coming in around $2.35 million prior to auction,” Mr Kwon said. “But the buyers came out in force, so we knew it would do well.”

Mr Kwon said the home’s condition and location made it a standout for families. “Young families looking for good schools in the area were very attracted. The house is ready to move in, and the owner looked after the house really well, the garden is pristine.”

The sellers are downsizing and moving to a retirement village. The successful buyers were a young Chinese family with one child, already living locally. “They came and looked at the property multiple times and had their heart set on it,” Mr Kwon said.

“I really emphasise strong contact with buyers to help build the relationship and get them along to auction day. Then you know you have done everything you can as an agent. Anyone gets a chance when it comes to auction,” he said. “The owner was also very comfortable selling at auction.”

Jeremy Tyrrell, Ray White Victoria’s chief auctioneer, said auction momentum was gaining pace as the Melbourne property market continued to surge.

“Auction volume is steadily building as the Melbourne property market surges ahead with increasing buyer activity and strong clearance rates,” he said.

This week, the Ray White Group scheduled 226 auctions across Victoria, with the market now hitting top gear.

Mr Tyrrell said competition remained strong, with active bidder numbers hovering around three per auction, and clearance rates edging closer to the 90 per cent mark.

“Our latest figures show auction sales sitting at 88.9 percent,” he said. “Confidence would be the one word to describe market sentiment as we move deeper into Spring.”

Looking ahead, auction activity is expected to briefly pause due to Victoria’s biggest sporting event.

“Next week, auction volume will almost come to a standstill as the AFL Grand Final takes centre stage,” Mr Tyrrell said.

But he believes this break will only intensify buyer demand. “Buyers are hungry to snap up a property as values continue to grow - this short pause will only add to that urgency,” he said.

4 Park Lane, Mount Waverley (sellers pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $2.490 million

• Seven registered bidders, and five active

• Lead agent: Sue Kelly-Brown - 0418 347 888

• Ray White Judd White Group

• Auctioneers: Dexter Prack and Daniel Galea, Ray White

Ray White Judd White Group’s auctioneers Dexter Prack and Daniel Galea were both working the crowd in 360-degree style.

“Having the two auctioneers is amazing for the vibes,” said Ms Kelly-Brown. “The theatre and the banter between them is fantastic. We knew this was going to be a big auction, so we pulled out all the stops.”

And with good reason. “It was one of those auctions I will never forget,” Ms Kelly-Brown said. “The family were very emotional, you could feel the connection. All the kids and grandkids still live in the area. This home has seen generations grow.”

Seller’s son Andy said the family was absolutely delighted with the result and grateful for how the process was handled.

“It was great going with the auction method, we were made to feel really comfortable. Sue explained everything so clearly. She and the team were patient with us and just fantastic throughout.”

(Read more in introduction)

4 Boree Street, Kedron (sellers pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $2.475 million

• 11 registered bidders, three active bidders

• Lead agent: Ben Osborne - 0419 752 008

• Ray White Collective

• Auctioneer: Peter Burgin, Ray White

The sale marked the end of a cherished chapter for a family who had called the property home for over three decades. The beautifully positioned home sold under the hammer with Ray White Collective's Ben Osborne.

“This price point is absolutely pumping at the moment,” said Mr Osborne. “We had strong interest from both young and older families. The park directly across the road, the sporting facilities, and the overall sense of community really struck a chord with buyers. It’s such an immaculate home, and very family-friendly. There are only four houses like it on this street facing the park, it's a rare find.”

The winning bid came via a buyer’s agent acting for a family with grown children, who were flying overseas at the time of the auction.

For seller Shelley, the sale was a bittersweet farewell to a home rich in memories. “We bought the original house in 1994, we’ve been here for 31 years,” she said. “Our daughter is 33 now, and she had her second birthday here.”

Though the family spent 10 of those years living overseas, during which time the home was rented out, they eventually returned and built the new house on the same block. Shelley spoke fondly of the special qualities that made the home and its location so dear to them.

“I’m going to miss the beautiful position near the park. We get the most beautiful breezes through the deck doors, we rarely even needed to turn the air conditioner on,” she said. “The kids could run straight across to the park and we could watch them. It was just a lovely way to live.”

Now, as their children spread their wings, one son heading to London, another living in Vancouver, and their daughter based on the Gold Coast, Shelley and her husband plan to move closer to their daughter, hopefully buying in the Currumbin area.

Shelley had nothing but praise for their agent. “Ben was amazing; we couldn’t have asked for a better agent to sell it,” she said.

John Morris, chief auctioneer for Ray White South Australia, said the state continued to lead the nation for auction activity.

“This week, South Australia is yet again one of the busiest auction markets in the country, with around 180 homes scheduled to go under the hammer,” he said. “And true to form, Ray White is leading the way, representing roughly 80 of those auctions, or about 44 per cent. We continue to be the single largest auction house in the state.”

Mr Morris said the story has been consistent in recent weeks. “A similar story was told last week, and the week before that, we had 43 per cent of all auctions, with an average of seven bidders per auction, half of whom were actively competing. A huge 93 per cent of our auctions had bidding, and we sold 73 per cent of them, well above industry benchmarks.”

While early results this week show the average number of bidders has eased to about five, Morris said the strength of buyer demand remains “crystal clear.”

“Ray White South Australia is currently running at a massive 93 per cent clearance rate,” he said. “Even with fewer bidders per auction, competition remains fierce, and when a Ray White property goes to auction, it goes all the way to auction, and it sells.”

“We get bidding at our auctions. We gather the competition and they go face to face. For buyers, the transparency is clear- you are directly up against your competition.”

“And for sellers, it’s simple,” Mr Morris said. “Auctions are working. They’re delivering premium outcomes.”

18 Seaview Street, Fullarton (buyers pictured above)

• Sold under the hammer for $1.385 million

• Five registered bidders, four active

• Lead agent: Damien Fong - 0403 257 665

• Ray White Burnside

• Auctioneer: George Kargiotis, Ray White

The property, a solid brick, low-maintenance home in one of South Australia's most coveted school zones, attracted only owner-occupier interest.

The winning bidders were a local couple purchasing the home for their mother, relocating her from the Fleurieu Peninsula to be closer to family. The underbidders were another local couple hoping to secure the property for their daughter, who is moving back from interstate.

“It’s a testament to the area,” said Damien Fong. “Fullarton is one of the most highly sought-after school zones in the state, and this home’s low-maintenance nature made it a perfect fit for families wanting to be close.”

The sale was a deceased estate, with two brothers, one based in Adelaide and the other in regional South Australia, selling their late mother’s home. For them, the process was not just about the sale but honouring her memory.

“This was my mum’s house,” said David, one of the brothers. “She moved here after Dad died, and we spent many years visiting her. Every Christmas was here. I didn’t grow up in the house but it holds a lot of memories.”

It was David’s first time selling a home, and his first experience with an auction. “I haven’t bought or sold a house in 40 years. I’m still living in the same house I bought when I was 22,” he said. “It was all new to me, but Damien walked us through it. He guided us on what was going to happen, and I was really quite amazed by the expertise of the sales team.”

“I’m just so happy with the result. The team’s attention to detail, their correspondence, I cannot speak highly enough of them. My brother and I are thrilled, and we know Mum would be happy too.”

39 Markham Avenue, Enfield

• Sold under the hammer for $1,095,000

• Nine registered bidders, six active

• Lead agent: Stefan Siciliano - 0403 171 489

• Ray White Prospect

• Auctioneer: John Morris, Ray White

The 785sqm block attracted a mix of interest, but in the end, it was a young family relocating from Sydney who secured the home, planning to renovate and make it their own.

For seller Christie, the sale was both emotional and rewarding. She was selling on behalf of her great aunt, who had called the home her own for over 60 years.

“We’re feeling really elated and relieved,” Christie said. “Stefan and his team were unbelievable, I couldn’t rate them any higher.”

“My great aunt is 92 now, and it’s been her home for most of her life. It was very special to see it go to a young family who will bring new life to it. It really feels like a win-win all around.”

Initially hesitant about selling via auction, Christie said they were quickly reassured once they understood the strategy. “We were nervous at first, but after learning from Stefan about the benefits of the auction method, we decided it was the best thing to do,” she said.

“Our highest offer before the auction was $825,000, so this result has well and truly exceeded our expectations.”

Mark Whiteman, CEO of Ray White Western Australia, said the defining feature of the WA property market remains the ongoing shortage of stock.

“The story of the market in the West continues to be about the lack of property for sale,” he said.

“In the Perth metropolitan area, there are still fewer than 3,000 properties available for buyers, and that’s what’s driving the strong competition amongst buyers.”

Looking ahead, Mr Whiteman said there’s hope the traditional spring uplift will encourage more homeowners to take action. “With the warmer months upon us, we hope to see more sellers taking advantage of the conditions,” he said.