A Victorian-era double-storey terrace in Brunswick East shattered expectations when it sold a colossal $340,000 above its $1.85m reserve.
The four-bedroom house at 123 Barkly St sold for $2.19m on Saturday after its owners moved overseas.
Nelson Alexander agent Charlie Barham said two bidders turned the auction into a “really competitive” event.
“I think it came down to the fact that it was a recently renovated property,” Mr Barham said.
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He added that as building costs rose, househunters were increasingly prepared to pay premiums for turnkey homes.
“Finding a builder is tough, I have heard some builders have a two-year wait before they become available,” Mr Barham said.
The kitchen includes Caesarstone bench tops, a large island bench and a Smeg 900mm stove and oven.
Victoria recorded a preliminary 56.9 per cent clearance rate last week from 483 reported results, according to PropTrack.
About 651 auctions were scheduled across the state last week, with 816 properties expected to go under the hammer this week.
A stylish kitchen boasting ample timber cabinetry, stainless-steel dishwasher, electric oven and five-burner gas cooktop with wok.
Slightly further out of the city, a three-bedroom townhouse at 18/1 Manna Gum Court, Coburg, also achieved a strong result on the weekend.
Barry Plant Inner City Group agent Jarrod Couch said seven bidders drove the price to $820,000, above its $720,000-$770,000 asking range.
“The market is holding up, buyers are coming out of hibernation as the weather gets warmer,” Mr Couch said.
About 7km away, a California bungalow at 96 Athol St, Moonee Ponds, attracted three bidders.
Matthews Essendon chief executive John Matthews said the property sold for $1.37m, slightly higher than the $1.25m-$1.35m price guide.
Mr Matthews said families wanting to demolish the existing home and build a larger abode had expressed interest in the 468sq m site.
“The buyer was rapt, as he had been looking for a while and losing out to bigger developers,” Mr Matthews said.
In Melbourne’s east, a three-level mansion at 42 Madeline St, Glen Waverley, went under the hammer with four prospective buyers registered.
Sold By Auctions director Andy Reid said the auction rose to $3.8m, followed by a vendor’s $3.9m bid.
LLC Real Estate Mt Waverley agent Lily Chen said the property was passed in but she was still negotiating with two potential buyers.
“There are not as many overseas buyers now as there were pre-Covid,” Ms Chen said.
“There are quite a few local properties similar to this on the market so buyers have a few choices.”
The mansion has a home cinema, Czech crystal chandeliers and Iranian marble benchtops.
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