Herald Sun Real Estate auction blog: Storm ex-captain Jesse Bromwich sells in city’s southeast
Melbourne Storm’s ex-captain Jesse Bromwich and wife Lez have sold a stylish, renovated Bentleigh East house with a pool today. And an Edwardian-era Box Hill North home also sold.
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Melbourne Storm’s former captain Jesse Bromwich and his wife Lez have sold a Bentleigh East house for $1.53m at auction today.
And a Box Hill North house built in 1915, which later served as a milk bar, sold way above reserve in another impressive result.
Tune into live auction streams via Gavl below and read our live auction blog to keep up with the latest results.
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About 1040 auctions will take place in Victoria this week, according to PropTrack.
The state recorded a 55 per cent clearance rate last week from 1047 auction results available.
Real Estate Institute of Victoria president Andrew Meehan said this week and the following two weeks would be “Super Saturdays” with more than 1000 auctions each.
“January slows down quite a bit and I think the mood is to sell and get everything done by Christmas,” Mr Meehan said.
He said most purchasers had factored interest rate hikes into their budgets by now and predicted 2023 would be a “normal market”.
“The underlying demand for properties in Victoria and Melbourne is still strong and with underlying demand, prices will stay the same or increase in the long-term,” he said.
AUCTION REPLAYS AND RESULTS
29 MARLBOROUGH ST, BENTLEIGH EAST
A Bentleigh East house owned by Melbourne Storm ex-captain Jesse Bromwich and wife Lez has sold for $80,000 above reserve today at a “cracker” auction.
The four-bedroom beauty fetched $1.53m, in comparison to the $1.45m reserve.
Boasting an outdoor entertaining zone including an expansive alfresco deck, outdoor kitchen with built-in barbecue and heated in-ground swimming pool, the property attracted three registered bidders.
Ray White Oakleigh agent Nick Strilakos declined to comment on the vendors but public records show it is owned by the Bromwichs.
Mr Strilakos said the “cracker” auction as a crowd of about 60 people watched on.
“When the Ray White auctioneer Matthew Condon called for the opening bid, it was pretty funny, a dog barked and we all started laughing,” he said.
“The dog beat the opening bidder.”
A $1.45m bid began the auction as two bidders engaged in “quick and aggressive bidding”.
The auction for the renovated property concluded in about 10 minutes.
Three-time Player of the Year winner Bromwich departed from the Storm when the NRL’s 2022 season wrapped up in October, to join Queensland’s Dolphins.
Mr Strilakos also oversaw the auction of a three-bedroom unit at 26A Chauvel St, Bentleigh East, today.
A young couple purchased the property for $836,000, a sum $60,000 above the $760,000 reserve.
“Both the buyer and vendor were very happy,” Mr Strilakos.
761 PARK ST, BRUNSWICK
An 1890s-built double-storey house at 761 Park St, Brunswick, featuring original leadlighting, a handmade mahogany staircase and traditional Roman bath was passed in at auction.
Woodards Manningham director Stasi Adgemis said the heritage-listed home with a $1.7m-$1.85m asking range had attracted buyers hoping to restore and refurbish it.
“It has been in the one family for about 60 years,” Mr Adgemis said.
The property passed in on a $1.725m bid.
Mr Adgemis said he was negotiating with the highest bidder.
He said the property had previously been home to Melbourne University academics.
834 STATION ST, BOX HILL NORTH
A circa-1915 house at 834 Station Street, Box Hill North, sold for $1.64m.
The sum was an impressive $240,000 above the owner’s $1.4m reserve.
HEAVYSIDE Boroondara director and auctioneer Tim Heavyside said one of the property’s front rooms was previously used as a milk bar, possibly during the 1920s, by its former owners.
“It sold higher than expected because there were six bidders who pushed the price up, it was very unexpected for me and the bidders,” Mr Heavyside said.
He said the sale was an emotional one for the owners of 43 years who had raised four daughters at the home.
“They did a lovely extension and renovation of the kitchen, meals and family area and upstairs,” he said.
“It sold to a family with a couple of girls.”
11 HAZELWOOD COURT, HOPPERS CROSSING
A couple who decided to sell their Hoppers Crossing house so they could buy a campervan and travel around Australia were all smiles after today’s auction which had nine registered bidders.
Their three-bedroom home at 11 Hazelwood Court, fetched $607,000, as five bidders participated in the auction.
The sold price was $47,000 above the $560,000 reserve, and a first-home buyer was the successful bidder.
Ray White Werribee director and auctioneer Robert Krnjeta said the vendors, who had lived in the house for about a decade, installed new carpet and painted the house before putting it on the market.
Most of the potential buyers who inspected the house were first-home buyers and young couples, with a few investors, he added.
“There is a lot of confidence for properties priced at $650,000 and below in the west,” Mr Krnjeta said.
“A lot of people still want to buy in the that price bracket, especially first-home buyers.”
20 PANAMUNA AVE, TAYLORS LAKES
A house at 20 Panamuna Ave, Taylors Lakes, sold for $80,000 above its $840,000 reserve at auction today.
Barry Plant Taylors Lakes partner and auctioneer Andrew Koulaouzos said the four-bedroom home was built in 1992 by a local builder.
In 1994, the builder sold the home for $230,000 to the current owner.
Today’s auction started with a $810,000 bid and rose rapidly in $10,000 and $2000 increments as four buyers fought for the keys in a 12-minute auction.
The second-to-last $912,000 bid was knocked out by the $920,000 selling price – making the owner a tidy $690,000 profit after 28 years in the home.
Mr Koulaouzos said a couple downsizing within the local area purchased the house.
“The location is second-to-none, being so close to Linear Park and schools,” Mr Koulaouzos said.
There were not many four-bedroom, three-bathroom, single-level homes on the market, he added.
13A ELMAN RD, CHELTENHAM
A three-bedroom unit in Cheltenham sold for $1.12m, a sum $12,000 above price expectations.
Multiple bidders competed for the chic property at 13A Elman Rd which was listed with a $1m-$1.1m asking range.
Ray White Cheltenham director and chief auctioneer Kevin Chokshi had the listing along with colleague Elise Russell.
Mr Chokshi said the home was located in a quiet street but was close to schools, cafes, shops, train stations and Southland shopping centre.
“It’s a lovely home, beautifully renovated – the owners renovated with their hearts, not their calculators,” Mr Chokshi said.
The unit featured split system airconditioning, LED downlights, matte black tapware, solar panels, a double remote garage with loft storage and north-facing wraparound living and dining zones.
Bidding started with a $950,000 offer and quickly rose in mostly $5000 increments.
Mr Chokshi announced the unit on the market at $1.9m and it sold shortly afterwards.
He described the neighbourhood as a “small, tightly-held market”.
EARLIER IN THE WEEK
4 TINTERN GROVE, CHELTENHAM
A Cheltenham house was snapped up by a downsizer who saw it when they went out to buy bread on Thursday.
Four bidders, mostly young families, competed for the keys to the house at 4 Tintern Grove.
Ray White Cheltenham director Kevin Chokshi said the purchasers, a couple, were “super happy and in a bit of shock” after buying the house.
He said one of the pair went out to buy food earlier in the day and saw the four-bedroom house was for sale, then rang to ask him about it and attended the auction.
“They went out for bread rolls and bought a house instead,” Mr Chokshi said.
The auction started with a $1.2m vendor bid and ended with the home selling for $1.342m, a figure $42,000 above the $1.3m reserve.
The sellers purchased the house 22 years ago, lived there with their family and were now retiring, Mr Chokshi said.
“It’s in a nice quiet location, a bit of a cul-de-sac which people like,” he said.
“There is definitely a good appetite for decent-sized family homes but there is not enough nice homes on the market at the moment.”
He said this was creating “a sweet spot” which was “keeping prices strong” in the suburb.
2/8 BOSCO ST, CHADSTONE
A family was “rapt” after buying a townhouse in Melbourne’s southeast on Thursday.
Ray White Ashburton principal director Bill Gianidis said the three-bedroom 2/8 Bosco St, Chadstone, was built less than a year ago by the developer selling it.
A first bid of about $700,000 kickstarted the auction, which four bidders participated in.
“The property was announced on the market at $905,000, which is the price it sold for,” Mr Gianidis said.
“I think people liked it because it was brand-new and had a huge open plan living and dining area.”
He said buyers were hungry to purchase other, similar homes in the local area.
“Properties that are under the $1m mark, there is a huge demand for them in Chadstone,” he said.
“People want homes much like this one, it’s got accommodation with the three-bedrooms but it’s not on a huge block of land and is low-maintenance.”
The property was advertised with a $850,000-$930,000 asking range.
152 ALFRIEDA ST, ST ALBANS
A 75-minute auction resulted in a family buying a St Albans’ house on Monday evening.
Professionals St Albans agent Minh Tran said about five bidders attempted to secure the
home at 152 Alfrieda St for themselves.
Set on 758sq m, the house has three bedrooms, a kitchen with stone benches and stainless-steel appliances, a laundry, separate second toilet and rear double garage.
The property was marketed as a potential future development opportunity, subject to council approval.
Mr Minh said there was “a lot of bids” including offers ranging from $1000 to $4000, leading to an eventual $875,000 sale.
“I think there was more than 70 bids,” he said.
The house was placed on the market at about the $750,000 mark, Mr Minh said.
35 DIOSMA DRIVE, GLEN WAVERLEY
A three-bedroom house at 35 Diosma Drive, Glen Waverley, sold for $1.318m at a Monday auction.
Offered for the first time in more than four decades, the home features original timber floors,
stainless-steel Blanco and Westinghouse appliances in the kitchen and an entertainer’s patio.
Biggin Scott Glen Waverley area manager Sergey Martynov said four bidders competed for the keys, with a first-home buyer family becoming the successful purchaser.
“The dad was at our auction and the others in the family were at another auction, so they were communicating a lot on the phone,” Mr Martynov said.
He said that while some buyers were waiting to see if house prices would fall next year, many families were searching for homes they could live in for the next 40 years and then potentially sell.
“A lot of people are looking for the long-term and everyone knows a larger property gives you more re-sale potential,” he said.
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