Buyers get in before Easter

Ray White NSW/ACT head of auctions Perry Edmondson-Clark said as this quarter drew to a close, looking at the group’s data he was predicting a strong period over the coming months.

“While our active bidders per auction dropped slightly this week, our clearance rate remained very strong at circa 80 per cent,” Mr Edmondson-Clark said.

“The amount of sellers still does not correlate with the amount of buyers, making it a great time to list and experience great competition.

“We eagerly await the RBA’s decision at their next meeting, as buyers are certainly filled with confidence currently.”

14 Quebec Ave, Killara (pictured at top)

• Sold for $3.955 million

• Four registered and active bidders

• Agent: Scott Phillips (0402 272 575)

• Ray White Upper North Shore

“The auction started at $3.3 million, right at the beginning of the guide, and it went up in $50,000 increments for the first couple of $100,000 then good chunks after that,” lead agent Scott Phillips said.

“During the campaign we had a couple of builders look at it but it was mostly families with young kids wanting to get into the local school catchments and be close to family and friends. We had really good numbers throughout the campaign with close to 90 groups inspecting it.

“The buyer came from out of the area, a family wanting to get close to the local schools and move into a bigger home on a bigger block of land.

“The home has a fantastic backyard with a great, level grass lawn and lovely shady tree along with a beautiful swimming pool. The house also has a bit of potential, there’s still room to add your own touch.”

10 Watkins St, Bondi

• Sold for $2.82 million

• Six registered bidders and two active bidders

• Agents: Andrew Cary (0409 822 494) and Connor King

• Ray White Centennial Park

“The buyers are a young family from the local area who have been looking for the last six months. They viewed it about six times during the campaign,” lead agent Andrew Cary said.

“The campaign was popular, we had about 60 groups go through it. They were pretty much all families, most of the interest was from locals upsizing out of apartments.

“It's a deceased estate and the first time it’s been offered in about 40 years.”

6 Penrose Ave, Belmore

• Sold for $2,102,500

• Eight registered bidders and three active bidders

• Agents: Jordon Le Breux (0414 585 364) and Domenic Boustani

• Ray White Bankstown

• Auctioneer: Tony Roumanous, Ray White Bankstown

“The auction started at $1.8 million, it was a slow start but then when more buyers started getting into the bidding the competition started to heat up and it ended up going down to two people going back and forth,” lead agent Jordon Le Breux said.

“Ninety per cent of the interested buyers were developers and it just came down to the competition between them. The buyer is going to knock the home down and build a brand new, single level home on the block.”

Later in the day, Mr Le Breux sold 27 Esme Ave, Chester Hill for $1.472 million. The Bankstown agent had seven bidders register and sold the home to an owner occupier looking to upsize.

2/33 Alfred St, Rozelle

• Sold for $1.95 million

• Three registered bidders and two active bidders

• Agents: David Meadowcroft (0412 247 818) and Michelle Meadowcroft

• Ray White Rozelle

• Auctioneer: Bryce Bevan, Ray White NSW/ACT

“This was a good campaign from start to finish, we had good numbers through our inspections,” lead agent David Meadowcroft said.

“ All three registered bidders were first home buyers and the sellers were original owner occupiers but for the last three years we were managing it for them as a rental

“The auction started at $1.7 million which was the guide. It went up in $50,000 bids, then $25,000, it slowed a bit but then at $1.93 million, the eventual underbidder came back in and it took off again.

“It’s a great location, handy to the city and there are parks close by. The fact that you are able to move in and not have to do anything was a bonus and even though it is strata-titled, the property is freestanding and street-facing.”

Ray White Victoria and Tasmania chief auctioneer Jeremy Tyrrell said with all major events and festivals in Melbourne done and dusted for the first quarter, real estate took centre stage as auctions dominated the urban landscape in the lead up to the Easter break.

“A total of 203 auctions were scheduled for the Ray White network this week across Melbourne, as auction volume now settles into a consistent level above 200 each week,” Mr Tyrrell said.

“Across the broader industry, auction volume rivaled ‘Super Saturday’ numbers with well over 1,300 auctions in total.

“Auctions were well attended with reports of big crowds across a number of auctions and bidder numbers well up on the same period last year. Auction suburb hotspots were once again Reservoir and Mount Waverley.

“Overall, there were 2.5 active bidders average across all auctions this week, resulting in a healthy competitive landscape and an overall clearance rate of 73 per cent for the week.”

41 Elliott St, Cheltenham

• Sold for $1.76 million

• Eight registered bidders and three active bidders

• Agents: Trevor Bowen (0417 501 327) and Julia Poggi

• Ray White The Bayside Group

• Auctioneer: Greg Brydon, Ray White The Bayside Group

“The campaign was good, we had about 70 or 80 groups through open homes and they were really good quality buyers,” lead agent Trevor Bowen said.

“It was a beautiful day in Cheltenham’s Golden Triangle. The auction started at $1.4 million and we had 34 bids in total, when it was called on the market, it just took off.

“The buyers are a local family who are upsizing while the sellers are a family moving to Queensland (pictured above). Buyer interest was mainly all families too.

“The home has been fully renovated, has big rooms, two living areas and a north facing backyard with a kitchen bench where you can sit and look out into the backyard and watch the kids.

“It was well priced with a guide of $1.46 million to $1.6 million. It’s the highest price in the Golden Triangle since 2022."

10 Gladeswood Dr, Mulgrave

• Sold for $1.187 million

• Five registered and active bidders

• Agents: Nicholas Richards (0401 610 003) and Luka Siljegovic

• Ray White Mount Waverley

“The auction opened at $800,000 and it went straight up to a million, when it hit about $1.13 million bidding then switched to $1,000 and $2,000 bids between three parties up to the final result,” lead agent Nicholas Richards said.

“They were all home buyers and a young couple ended up getting the property, they were first home buyers. The other competing buyers were all families with kids around high school age.

“The home is on a corner block, it’s close to good schools, a local shopping centre and the freeway. It ticked all the boxes with four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

“We had close to 100 groups go through during the campaign so it was very popular.”

23A Lorienne St, Heathmont

• Sold for $1.060 million

• Seven registered bidders and five active bidders

• Agents: Chris Watson (0406 003 856) and Olivia Mackie

• Ray White Ringwood

“The home was built 10 years ago by the owner who is a builder so it’s a really nice build and the first time it’s been offered. They are a young family selling to get into something bigger,” lead agent and auctioneer Chris Watson said.

“We had good numbers through the property, probably about 50 groups. It was a mix of downsizers because the home is single level, and young professionals and families.

“In the end the successful buyer was a lady downsizing from the country who bid remotely. While others were bidding in thousands, she was bidding in $10,000 increments.

“The auction started at $800,000 and it went up quickly in $10,000 bids to $900,000 and then slowed a bit but took off again when it was called on the market at $950,000.”

Ray White Queensland's chief auctioneer Gavin Croft said the Brisbane market was seeing increasingly tight auction and listing volumes.

“You see that real focus on a good quality property when they come to the market, and the market responds well. You can see some really strong outcomes and some really strong bidding and wonderful energy on those campaigns,” Mr Croft said.

“Then you get properties that probably don’t tick a lot of the boxes that buyers are looking for at the moment, and you just don't see the buyer depth there.

“So while supply is limited, buyers can still be very particular about some properties but when there’s interest, they are very competitive.

“Some auctions in Brisbane have been explosive but then there's been auctions with minimal depth, so it’s really chalk and cheese in different types of markets across north, east, west and south of Brisbane.”

97 Bowman Pde, Bardon

• Sold for $1.675 million

• 10 registered bidders and five active bidders

• Agents: Adam Downes (0418 872 022) and James Gilbert

• Ray White Ashgrove

"It was a local Bardon family who bought the home, and the sellers were also a family with kids at a nearby school. They’ve purchased another property in Bardon to upsize,” lead agent and auctioneer Adam Downes said.

“The auction opened at $1.45 million, and we had a full crowd in the front yard. There were tears of happiness from both sides, it was a really great outcome for everyone.

“Character homes like this always attract strong interest. Everyone loved the charm of the home, and the location is unbeatable, it’s just a quick stroll to Bowman Park, great schools, and the foothills of Mt Coot-Tha. It’s such a leafy, family-friendly area."

1 Murray St, Wilston (pictured above)

• Sold for $1.53 million

• 10 registered and five active bidders

• Agent: Andy Flanagan (0412 318 086)

• Ray White Ascot

• Auctioneer: Phil Parker, Ray White

“The property was pretty popular and the owner had done an immaculate renovation. The character coupled with the renovation attracted a lot of buyers, it was definitely done to a style that’s not like other cottages in the area,” lead agent Andy Flanagan said.

“We had about 50 odd groups go through the inspections. I specialise in Wilston and there’s always been a lot of interest from buyers for the suburb.

“The majority of buyers were either first home buyers or upsizers. The buyers were a young professional couple and the under bidder was a buyer from Sydney.

“The auction went relatively quickly and there was good energy. It started at $1.1 million and towards the end it was just the young couple and buyer from Sydney going back and forth.”

Ray White South Australia chief auctioneer John Morris said with a clearance rate of around 74 per cent for the whole of 2025, so far it’s truly still a seller's market.

“The state clearance rate for all auctions is about 60 per cent but Ray White South Australia’s clearance rate is consistently 70 per cent plus,” Mr Morris said.

“We’ve had bidding at the majority of our auctions with just over five per cent of all auctions for this year not receiving bidding so far.

“Really interestingly, about 20 per cent of auctions going ahead are investors selling, and about 30 per cent of purchasers are investors. There's a slight imbalance there, but it means that the investors are still keen to get into the market.”

27 Webster St, Klemzig

• Sold for $1,257,500

• 21 registered and nine active bidders

• Agents: Adam Humzy (0488 586 552) and Stefan Siciliano

• Ray White Prospect

• Auctioneer: John Morris, Ray White SA

“The home has been in the family for a very long time so it was an emotional sale,” lead agent Adam Humzy said.

“It was very popular during the campaign, more than usual for a potential development block. Buyer interest was predominantly from developers and investors with just a few owner occupiers enquiring.

“The auction started at $800,000, it was a bit slow to begin with but as it moved forward it became more fast paced. The winning bidder was a developer who is still deciding exactly what to do with it.”

1 Parslow Rd, Para Hills

• Sold for $733,500

• Six registered and four active bidders

• Agent: Lukasz Jaworek (0455 229 646)

• Ray White Norwood

• Auctioneer: John Morris, Ray White SA

“The seller was a first home buyer when she bought it so she was hoping another first home buyer would get it and that’s what we had. The final bids were between a first home buyer and an investor,” lead agent Lukasz Jaworek said.

“First home buyers loved the fact that it was neat and tidy, the presentation was key. It was ready to be moved into and the kitchen and bathroom had recently been updated.

“Developers were also interested in the fact that it could be subdivided and investors were looking at it as a long term investment.

“We had about 30 people in attendance and the bidding opened at $500,000. It went from $500,000 to over the reserve quickly and having multiple different buyer groups helped create that competition.”

In Western Australia, Ray White South Perth started the day with three properties submitted at their in-room auction event.

Ray White Western Australia CEO Mark Whiteman said the results today highlighted the need for creating competition.

“The strong auction results seen today underline the strength in the Western Australian market with five of six properties selling under the hammer so far. The power of competition was on full display,” Mr Whiteman said.

No. 115/49 Mcgregor Rd, Palmyra sold for $697,000 after bidding was reduced to $500 increments. Sales agent David Kirkbride said the eventual buyer, who is relocating back to Perth from South Australia, was ecstatic about the purchase.

Later on, 2/72 Gardner St, Como rounded out the event (pictured above) selling under the hammer for $890,000. Marketing agent Jack Shaw said the buyer, who is downsizing, was delighted to secure the property in the transparent format.

North of Perth, Ray White Geraldton | Dongara agent Matthew Nugent also sold 49 Pearse Rd, Port Denison for $550,000 with Ray White Western Australia auctioneer Patrick Derrig bringing down the hammer on the four bedroom home.