Unpaid rates auction results: Small crowd turns out for Rockhampton Regional Council auction

A public auction was held on Friday for properties that had unpaid rates accumulated over three years. See what the hammer fell for on each of the properties here.

Bidders gathered at Rockhampton Regional Council’s chambers on Friday for their chance to score a cheap property in the unpaid rates auction.

Three properties were on the sale list after many other property owners made a last minute payment on their outstanding rates.

The auction was conducted by Trent Neven of LJ Hooker Rockhampton with a crowd of about 50 people turning out.

It opened with 72 Pattison Street, Mount Morgan, a 1,012m2 block of land.

Bidding started at $1000 and a handful of hopefuls participated with the bids going up to $16,000.

Mr Neven closed the bidding but as the amount didn’t reach the reserve, it was held over until the two other properties were finalised.

When the bidding reopened again, a sale price of $23,000 was reached.

Next on the auction list was 252 Grubb Street.

The Koongal property doesn’t have any sale history and the last ownership transfer was in 1997 from an estate.

A bidder cheekily opened the bids at $1, which was upped to $10,000.

A number of bids went back and forth and the hammer fell at $75,000.

Lani Hilder from Mount Larcom was the successful buyer.

Ms Hilder spoke to this publication after the auction and she said she had driven past the property and it needed a lot of work but she saw the potential.

“I knew it was achievable … it’s something I can sink my teeth into to start off with as a stepping stone,” she said.

“It’s still an asset.

“It makes a difference what a coat of paint can do and some gardens.

“It’s the worst house in a nice street.

“I’m sure we will fix it up and it will be beautiful.”

Ms Hilder has bought a few houses before and fixed them up.

“This is my first auction so it’s very exciting … I know the region and love it here, I wanted to buy a place up here,” she said.

The final price was a bit more than what Ms Hilder wanted to spend but she was adamant.

“I really wanted to get something today,” she said.

“It was still a really good buy - where can you buy a house these days for $75,000.”

The final property on the list was 43 Main Street, Park Avenue, which had gained the interest of most of the crowd and had the largest amount of bids.

The three-bedroom home last sold in 1995 for $80,000.

Bidding opened at $40,000 and quickly jumped from $55,000 to $100,000 in one bid.

After some back and forth, including a bidder who was on the phone, Rob Johnstone was successful at $161,000.

“I think it’s something that can be renovated,” Mr Johnstone said after the auction.

“Having not seen inside and only driven past, it is a bit of a gamble purchase.

“I just hope it’s vacant, I don’t know what it’s like inside - I don’t know whether it’s got a kitchen,” he said.

Mr Johnstone is looking at renovating the house and renting it.

“I think it could clean up alright, it’s a bit low, can’t really get a car underneath … put a carport in the front,” Mr Johnstone said.

“It would rent for $350 or something so it would get a good return.”

The original list of properties to go to auction totalled 30, but many outstanding rates were paid in time before the auction.

“I had an eye on a couple in Norman Gardens which I thought would be good but I thought a lot of them would be crossed off because people would find the money,” Mr Johnstone said.

He is pretty pleased with the price he paid.

“I think at the moment the real estate market is good in Rocky,” he said.