Overall an interesting auction weekend – the shortest day of the year (in terms of daylight hours) and a typically cold and wet Melbourne one. Crowds at auction were down, and typically there were one-to-two bidders. Vendor bids and pass-in are becoming more and more the norm and buyers need to be prepared for this. The difference between a good and bad agent is becoming more and more obvious.

8 Glen Street Hawthorn. Step back in time 30 years to experience some real 70’s architecture here. Typically small bedrooms and a floor plan which does not really suit contemporary living contributed to a rating of 553/1000. The big positive here was the location – Scotch Hill.

This auction was always going to be interesting and the upper end of the quote range was always going to be tough to achieve. A vendor bid opened the bidding at $1.275m and two bidders nibbled at this in the $1.3m’s. It would take a skilled agent such as James Tostevin to sell this, and it did after passing in for $1.32m to eventually sell for $1.42m. Not a bad result, we have seen many properties of this ilk pass in at land value and not sell on auction day recently.

8 Colvin Grove Hawthorn. Not the same esteemed position here, but a renovated period style house of some quality which may appeal to more. This rated 668/1000.

About 40 at the auction, yet it was clear to me that there was only one serious bidder. The auctioneer Maurice Di Marzio of Jellis Craig opened with a vendor bid of $1.2m and the one bidder was easily dragged along to $1.27m. The property was then passed in. Perhaps a pre-auction offer might have been the way to go here – or maybe just a match of the original vendor bid. The property is now for private sale for $1.42m.

40 Frederick Street Yarraville. Attractive period style home close to the village. North facing rear with off-street car-parking and a lovely feel. We rated this 722/1000. In front of a crowd of around 40 people, auctioneer Craig Stephens of JAS H Stephens opened the bidding with a vendor bid of $540K and then 2 bidders fought this out. On the market at $625K then selling for $635K. A good campaign by Tate Moore, and a good result for vendor and purchaser alike.

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