Melbourne power couple Robyn McLeod and Barry Smith sell up at Brighton

Melbourne power couple Robyn McLeod and Barry Smith have listed their executive townhouse in bayside Brighton.

Offers for the three-level home of Melbourne power couple Robyn McLeod and Barry Smith close October 29.

Melbourne power couple Robyn McLeod and Barry Smith have listed their executive townhouse in bayside Brighton.

It comes with $4.4m to $4.6m expectations through Kay & Burton agent Alex Schiavo.

The philanthropic couple are downsizing, having been at the abode with four bedrooms plus a study, since they paid $3.05m for it back in 2009.

McLeod, the former national director of water at KPMG, has held leadership roles including South Australia’s inaugural commissioner for water security and executive director of major water projects at Victoria’s Department of Sustainability and Environment.

She currently sits on the board of Yarra Valley Water and the ASX-listed CleanTeq Water.

Her passion for environmental stewardship is evident in the home’s drought-tolerant, sustainable garden plantings with irrigation system. It was collaboration with landscape designer Andrew Seccull.

Julia Gillard was the maid of honour at McLeod’s 2010 marriage to Smith, a longtime advocate for social equity.

He had a decade-long tenure as president of the State Schools’ Relief Board, the not-for-profit organisation for disadvantaged Victorian students. He was the owner operator of Your Employment Solutions and currently sits on the board of Elder Rights Australia.

Offers for the craftsman-built, three-level home with 360sq m of internal living space plus rear pool close October 29.

Brighton listing

Despite having attracted 19,000 page views on realestate.com.au, there was no sale advisory for the weekend auction listing of the five-bedroom, three-bathroom Edwardian residence at 478 New Street, Brighton.

It remains listed with $3.5m to $3.8m hopes, having initially hit the market in February.

Melbourne’s top advised auction outcome was in Richmond at $3.25m.

The early Victorian-era house at 1 Brougham St on Richmond Hill attracted a $2.6m opening bid, with three buyers seeking the keys to the three-bedroom, three-bathroom home on its 315sq m holding.

The vendors renovated after they paid $605,000 in 2000.

The price guidance had been $2.6m to $2.8m from its Jellis Craig agents Elliot Gill and Jodie McCarthy.

There was an under offer advisory for a Canterbury listing. The five-bedroom, two-bathroom house on 674sq m at 34 Alexandra Avenue had been listed with a $3.9m to $4.29m guidance.

Luxury with a view

Brisbane recorded the nation’s top auction advisory when the 1937 residence at 122 Abbotsleigh Street, Holland Park sold through Sarah Hackett at Place Estate Agents for $5m.

Loking back at the property at 122 Abbotsleigh Street, Holland Park.

The elevated 1650sq m site with views of the Brisbane CBD skyline was built in the Spanish Mission to a design by architects Blackburne & Gzell for the shoe retailer William Mathers.

The two-storey home features stucco rendered walls, sandstone pillars and twisted barley-sugar columns under Spanish terracotta roof tiles.

There were three bidders among the seven registered bidders for the house, which had been renovated since its 2011 sale for $2.65m.

Warehouse bonanza

Sydney’s dearest weekend result was the two-bedroom, one-bathroom warehouse at Darlington for $4.07m. Last sold in 2009 for $1.28m, it was listed with a $3.2m guide by Melinda Antella of Bresic Whitney.

The 136a Shepherd Street property was a three-level 1930s warehouse residence – originally a soap factory, then a commune in the 1970s.

The property at Shepherd Street, Darlington was the weekend’s top result.

There were plans for upper-level extensions with a green roof.

The 139sq m land came with 196sq m of internals plus northeast-facing outdoor spaces.

There was an undisclosed pre-auction sale of the heritage-listed 1902 Federation Chiswick residence, Corradrinnen, when offered for the first time in nearly three decades with $6m hopes.

It original owner, when it ran down to the Parramatta River, was Patrick O’Neill, a diamond merchant.

A five-bedroom, four-bathroom house at 2 Westbrook Avenue, Wahroonga, was sold pre-auction for $4.55m. The 1296sq m property showcasing an HIA GreenSmart design was sold by Alex Mintorn at Pello Upper North Shore.

The prior weekend’s top offering, at Bronte, on which there were no bids, sold mid-week through PPD for around $14.8m.

Clearances slide

CoreLogic research director, Tim Lawless noted the combined capitals clearance rate continued to fade, falling to 63.9 per cent on preliminary numbers.

“The result was down from 64.5 per cent a week earlier, revised to 60.6 per cent once finalised.

“A low preliminary clearance rate in Sydney was the main drag on the capital city headline result,” Lawless said.

The Sydney success rate came in at its lowest level so far this year at 62 per cent, down from the prior week’s 66 per cent a week earlier, which was revised down to 60 per cent.

Only 524 homes were offered given the Labour Day long weekend.

Melbourne secured a slightly stronger result at 64 per cent. Its auction volume rose to 1059 after dropping in the prior week due to its AFL grand final long weekend.

Across the smaller capitals, Brisbane hosted 152 auctions, returning a preliminary clearance rate of 61 per cent. There were 129 auctions in Adelaide, with a 70 per cent rate, its third lowest result so far this year.

Canberra’s 51 per cent success rate was the weakest capital city result after 38 auctions.

Perth held 10 auctions with 85 per cent sold. Perth’s top sale was at Marmion for $2.46m.

The 2011-built, five bedroom, two-bathroom home at 14 Radbourn Street, just an eight-minute walk from the beach, sits on a 740sq m block.

The sale was described by Ray White WA chief Mark Whiteman as a “very strong result.”

There were 13 registered bidders, although just three were active.

Most-viewed mansion

Anne Flaherty, the PropTrack economist, calculates national auction activity will bounce back over the upcoming fortnight, with 3270 and 3026 auctions scheduled over the subsequent weeks.

Sydney has 1155 auctions scheduled this week, which is up 29 per cent year-on-year.

There are 1200 auctions scheduled in Melbourne, up 12 per cent year-on-year.

Flaherty advised the most viewed residential listing on realestate.com.au last week was Stoke House, the restored nine-bedroom, six bathroom 1887 Victorian Gothic Revival residence in New Town, the Hobart suburb.

Stoke House, which sits in 4408sq m grounds, last sold in 2018 for $3.55m.

Since it has been listed by Deb Stephens at EIS Property last month, the triple-storey, 20-plus room house has garnered over 17,000 page views.

The property, built for its lieutenant governor Sir John Dodd, features a 9m-high ceiling in its cathedral-like entrance, with Italian mosaic tiles underfoot, stained-glass windows and a hand-turned blackwood staircase.

Stoke House, which sits in 4408sq m grounds, last sold in 2018 for $3.55m when it ranked as Hobart’s fourth-priciest sale for the year.

Its current guidance is $5.5m-plus with the vendors looking to move to Sydney. Offers close on October 16.