Real Estate auction blog: Livestreams and rolling updates from the auction market

A Heidelberg house with a built-in wet bar and pool has sold to a family, while a unit in Melbourne’s southeast fetched a price six figures above reserve in today’s run of auctions.

Alesha Capone

6 min read

August 4, 2023 - 11:00AM

News Corp Australia Network

9 Mortimer St, Heidelberg, sold at auction today.

Property

Don't miss out on the headlines from Property. Followed categories will be added to My News.

A Heidelberg house designed for entertaining sold to a family shortly after passing in at auction today.

And a Cheltenham unit surged $111,000 above reserve as its owners head out of the city for a lifestyle change.

Check out the latest results in the Herald Sun’s blog on Saturday and catch up on auctions at Gavl.com:

How Prime Minister Anthony Albanese can solve our housing crisis

Melbourne landlord exodus: PropTrack figures show spike in property investors selling up

PropTrack is expecting about 782 auctions across Victoria this week.

2/81 LATROBE ST, CHELTENHAM

The unit is located close to the Mentone and Charman Rd shopping strips, Cheltenham and Mentone railway stations, Southland shopping centre and the beach.

Six bidders drove a Cheltenham unit to sell for $1.111m today, a sum $111,000 above the $1m reserve.

Ray White Cheltenham’s Kevin Chokshi said the three-bedroom property at 2/81 Latrobe St was snapped up by a young couple from Colombia, purchasing their first Australian home.

Mr Chokshi said the pair had booked a winery tour for the afternoon, thinking they would not be the successful bidders, but now had “a reason to celebrate”.

The bidding started out at $950,000, Mr Chokshi added.

The spacious unit has been well-cared for.

“Our open houses and auctions in Cheltenham, Mentone, Beaumaris and Highett were well-attended today, I think the pause in interest rates on Tuesday has brought about some positivity for buyers,” Mr Chokshi said.

The unit featured wraparound north-facing windows, a double garage, powder room, laundry and kitchen with a 900mm electric oven.

Owner Julie Coombs said she and her husband had lived in the home for about 10 years.

Ms Coombs said the living and dining room were among her favourites, as she enjoys cooking and having guests visit for meals.

An undercover deck in the rear garden.

She also created a tropical-themed garden with palms and a pergola.

“I like the outdoor area, I’m from New Zealand so I like anything green,” Ms Coombs said.

Along with her husband, she is moving closer to Geelong for a lifestyle change to a more rural location.

“I’m finding Melbourne is a bit too busy for me,” Ms Coombs added.

9 MORTIMER ST, HEIDELBERG

The home is close to Warringal Shopping Centre, the bustling Burgundy St’s shops and cafes and Heidelberg train station.

A house at 9 Mortimer St, Heidelberg, sold for an undisclosed price within its $2.4m-$2.6m asking range today.

The four-bedroom property boasts a swimming pool, separate rumpus room with a built-in wet bar and backyard basketball hoop.

Nelson Alexander Ivanhoe’s Liz Walker said the owners had extended and renovated the original 1940s-era house.

The pool and backyard basketball hoop.

“It sold to a local family with young children,” Ms Walker said.

“The owners are over the moon.”

Although the house passed in at auction, it sold shortly afterwards following negotiations with the sole bidder, Ms Walker added.

11 PERCY ST, NEWPORT

Three bedrooms and three bathrooms feature in the home.

A house at 11 Percy St, Newport, attracted three bidders today.

Ray White director and auctioneer Joanne Royston said bidding started out strongly for the three-bedroom house featuring an outdoor deck and landscaped garden.

The 24-minute auction led to the house selling for $1.17m, a sum just above the $1.16m reserve.

Ms Royston said the owner, a landlord, has put their investment property on the market.

The open-plan kitchen is equipped with a stone island bench.

“It was purchased by two owner-occupiers who were very happy, they had been looking for a while as there’s hardly any stock available,” Ms Royston said.

“Certainly in our areas, across Williamstown, Newport and Spotswood, we are finding stock is very limited, which is good for vendors but not so good for buyers.”

19 EYRE ST, BALWYN

The house was one of today’s top results.

An elegant three-level house at 19 Eyre St, Balwyn, attracted a large crowd when it went under the hammer today.

The five-bedroom property boasts an attic-style playroom and retreat, leadlight windows and bi-fold doors opening to the vine clad pergola, not to mention a cinema and wine cellar with a 500-bottle capacity.

AUCTION REPLAYS AND RESULTS

Kay & Burton’s Mark Sproule said three bidders participated in the “rapid fire auction with a fluid $3.2m reserve price”.

The home cinema is one for movie fans.

“Drawing a massive crowd of 100-150 and inspected by more than 160 groups during its campaign, the picture-perfect family home in a quaint pocket of Balwyn was one to watch this Saturday,” Mr Sproule said.

“Three very interested parties took part in the bidding, placing a total of 10 back and forth bids before the hammer fell at $3.62m to a family with young children.

The garden was designed by the award-winning Ian Barker Design.

“This home really pulls on the heart strings – it’s gorgeous period facade, beautifully manicured gardens and sizeable corner block made it a truly rare offering.”

77/1 SANDILANDS ST, SOUTH MELBOURNE

The apartment has multiple living areas and alfresco zones.

A South Melbourne apartment auction took “off like an absolute rocket” today.

Buxton director Rohan White said the large two-bedroom apartment at 77/1 Sandilands St had attracted 90 to 95 inspections by midweek, and another 27 groups inspected prior to today’s auction.

“We’ve been surprised by how popular it is’,” Mr Moss said.

The property’s highlights include the location near Albert Park Lake, two bathrooms, a fully-fitted home office, two car spaces, a large storage cage and shared residents’ rooftop set up for entertaining.

The granite-fitted kitchen is equipped with Miele appliances and a breakfast bar and servery.

“The auction ended up taking off like an absolute rocket,” Mr Moss said.

The owners, a couple, had a $880,000 reserve but four bidders drove the price to $1.0605m.

This figure was $180,000 above reserve.

“A first-home buyer ended up getting the apartment,” Mr Moss said.

“It was pretty emotional, they have been looking through Covid and the lockdowns, literally for years.”

A balcony in one of the two bedrooms.

Mr Moss said the owners were “over the moon”.

“We always want to get as much for clients as we can, but a figure in excess of $1m was never talked about,” he added.

“We thought, at most, it would sell in the nine hundreds.”

36 MAPLE ST, BLACKBURN

The house is set on 694sq m.

A circa-1940s house described as “in need of major renovations” sold after more than 75 auction bids today.

The three-bedroom home at 36 Maple St, Blackburn, was listed with a $1.05m-$1.15m price tag and announced on the market at $1.175m.

At least four bidders competed for the keys to the home, which McGrath Blackburn’s James Moss said had been in the one family since the 1950s.

Mr Moss said although the home was in need of renovating, it has a “good external brick structure”.

The house was popular with families who wanted to demolish it and build a new home.

About 90 per cent of the buyers who inspected were families wanting to build a new home on the land, with the remaining 10 per cent investors and would-be renovators, he added.

A $950,000 bid began the auction followed by a $1m vendor’s bid.

The 40-minute auction came to down to a battle between two bidders who fought it out in mostly $1000 and $2000 increments.

The house ended up selling for $1.43m, a figure $280,000 above the advertised price’s upper range.

29 THACKERAY QUADRANT, AVONDALE HEIGHTS

The house features a large kitchen and garage with a workshop.

A four-bedroom Avondale Heights house which the owner obtained his builder’s licence to construct in the 1980s has sold in an exciting auction today.

Barry Plant partner and auctioneer Paul Filippone said the property at 29 Thackery Quadrant

had been in the one family since it was first constructed.

“It’s a much loved home and their two boys grew up there,” Mr Filippone said.

He described the house as having “olive trees aplenty” and located in an area settled by many European migrants.

The house is on a 650sq m block.

Mr Filippone said 53 groups had inspected the house prior to the auction, including one person who did so seven times, with the property popular among buyers who lived in a 10-15km radius, due to the nearby schools, shops and other amenities.

“When it first opened up for inspection, many people said, ‘I just wanted to have a look because it reminded me of my grandmother’s place’,” he said.

The auction kicked off with a $900,000 bid followed by a $1m vendor’s bid.

Several bidders jumped in, with the home declared on the market at $1.18m.

Mr Filippone’s gavel almost came down on a $1.305m bid but seven successive last-minute bids followed in rapid succession, all after the third “sold” call.