Under the hammer this Saturday

RAY White Group is expecting to take more than 300 properties to auction across Australasia this Saturday, which is a significant increase on last Saturday’s volume of 135 auctions when Aussies were hitting the polls.

We’re kicking off this preview in Adelaide where two of the city’s grandest homes will go under the hammer at midday local time through Ray White Port Adelaide principal Nick Psarros.

When George Skrembos, director of Eastern Building Group, purchased 81 and 87 Hall St, Semaphore 12 months ago the 1890s villas were being used as an aged care facility.

“It was a very substantial building, converted from two beautiful villas to an aged care facility so a lot of character was destroyed in that process,” Mr Skrembos said.

“We restored both buildings back to their former glory, and modernised the homes entirely while enhancing the historical features.”

Number 87 (above) is the larger of the two homes, but both share the same meticulous finish and attention to detail with original wrought iron and column fencing, a bluestone facade, imposing verandas, triple and quadruple-sized rooms, high ornate ceilings, polished floorboards, stunning light fittings and a huge modern extension which has been designed and built to meld with the existing character and stature.

“We’ve had huge numbers through the properties, now the election is behind us and people know there will be no significant changes,” Mr Psarros said.

“We’ve had over 119 groups through both properties, with interest from local families, some from the hills and up north where people are looking for a sea change.”

In Brisbane, a West End character home held by the same family for more than 70 years will go to auction at 1pm.

The property in its entirety has two street frontages on two titles with a combined 1,239sq m of land, and is also in the highly desirable new Brisbane State High School catchment zone.

At 7 Doris St is the home (above), which consists of two separate flats over two levels, on a substantial 607sq m block.

The vacant lot at 194 Lower Hardgrave Rd is of a slightly larger land size of 632sq m with a lapsed DA to build townhouses.

The properties will be auctioned separately on-site this Saturday through Ray White South Brisbane principal Luke Croft.

“We have people trying to buy the whole parcel, and others interested in either the house or the land,” Mr Croft said.

“Both are larger than average blocks for the area. Vacant land is really hard to find in West End because it’s a demolition control precinct. It’s in a really good pocket of West End surrounded by multi-million dollar homes.”

Mr Croft said interest was coming from owner-occupiers including young families wanting to live in the new Brisbane State High School catchment.

Around 4kms away at Kangaroo Point is the 9am auction of a deceased estate which has received a lot of interest during its sales campaign, according to Ray White East Brisbane’s Peter Laoudikos.

The 645sq m parcel of prime inner-city land with a raised freestanding residence at 138 Princess St (above) is on the market for the first time in more than 50 years.

“It’s got dual street frontage so it’s quite rare,” Mr Laoudikos said.

“Interested parties include local owners, repeat Kangaroo Point investors, and young families looking for a big block in the area to build a house on. I think Kangaroo Point will be the next area that’ll take off in Brisbane’s inner-city. There’s been only seven residential transactions this year so a low turnover but huge high demand.”

Mr Laoudikos is also taking a second deceased estate to auction on the same day, at 20 Jasper St, Holland Park (above).

He’s also expecting a large amount interest at the 4pm auction of the 728sq m property when it’s offered to the market for the first time in 60 years.

“It’s a post-war home so it can be removed, which offers massive opportunity,” Mr Laoudikos said.

“That pocket is so tightly held. Only in the last few years have we seen new houses pop up and houses there being renovated.”

A renovated Kedron home in the popular Padua precinct at 31 Allan St (above) is going to auction at 9.30am on Saturday through Ray White Wilston’s Brooke Copping.

“Professional couples or young families with little kids, that’s the main target,” Ms Copping said.

“It’s fully renovated so people that are busy can just move in and not do anything. The location is great too, being close to schools and the tunnel which gives easy access to the city and surrounding suburbs.”

At 2pm, Ray White Coorparoo’s Cliff Tarr is taking a solid brick home at family-friendly Camp Hill to auction.

Mr Tarr said the 658sq m block at 52 Thomas St (above) had drawn not only the eyes of owner-occupiers, but developers keen to knock the house down and rebuild one, possibly two, new homes.

“First home buyers want to be close to schools, transport and it’s just behind Camp Hill Marketplace,” he said.

“They’ll do a bit of a reno and live in it, but we’ve also had developers interested who have the option of knocking it over and building. There’s the chance to have city views as well.”

Mr Tarr said it was in a highly sought after pocket of homes backing onto Whites Hill Reserve.

In the inner-western Sydney suburb of Earlwood, Ray White Earlwood principal Peter Vasil is taking a deceased estate to auction at 12.30pm.

Mr Vasil said the home at 10 Caroline St (above) had been owned by the same family for almost 50 years.

“It’s very original but in extremely good order,” he said.

“People are talking about keeping the original bathroom because it’s in such great condition. It was built by a builder-owner and the brickwork is terrific. It’s got a 17m frontage so it’s unique for Earlwood.”

Mr Vasil is taking the property to auction with a price guide of $1.1 million.

To Melbourne where Ray White Craigieburn’s Trish Orrico is auctioning off 47 Athol Ave, Roxburgh Park (above) at 11am with a price guide of $530,000 to $560,000.

The four-bedroom character home is a winner for families wanting an outdoor entertaining area and a location close to schools and transport.

“The layout is great with the outdoor entertaining area being the biggest drawcard,” Ms Orrico said.

“Mostly family buyers are coming through so that outdoor space has been a big hit, and it’s all in immaculate condition.”

Also at 11am, a property purchased by current owners in 1971 and extended in 1984 is on the market through Ray White Cheltenham’s Kevin Chokshi with a price guide of $820,000 to $900,000.

The cul-de-sac four-bedroom home at 5 Kristine Court, Cheltenham (above) is 3kms from Cheltenham Station, close to Kingston Heath Primary and Cheltenham Secondary College, and Westfield Southland.

“Mainly young families are interested in what was a family home for a number of years,” Mr Chokshi said.

“They really like the floorplan and the gardens. The owner’s passion was looking after the garden.”

At 1pm in Forest Hill is the auction of a home loved by the same family for 53 years.

The original owner-builder property at 4 Cumberland Court (above) is on the market through Ray White Forest Hill’s Chris Dods with a price guide of $790,000 to $840,000.

“It’s had over 60 groups through which is quite good,” Mr Dods said.

“I feel the place has great bones and is a renovator’s delight. You could move in tomorrow but if you pull up the carpet it’s got great Tasmanian oak floorboards.”

On Sunday in Melbourne at 11am, a two-bedroom apartment at 4/34 Barry St, Reservoir (above) is going under the hammer through Ray White Taylors Lakes principal Peter Travlos.

“We’ve had quite a few groups through, and a broad span of buyer,” Mr Travlos said.

“The completion of the election has worked in our favour, if anything we had no investors on the property until this week.”

Mr Travlos has listed the property with a price guide of $460,000 to $490,000.