31 Clowes Street, South Yarra.
This is one of the better inner city residences I have been to. Luxuriously appointed kitchen and bathrooms and very nice living spaces. The home was completely refurbished in 2007 by Nicholas Day and absolutely oozes class. We rated this property 638/1000.

Positives (apart from the building itself) – proximity to Botanical Gardens, Yarra River, sporting precincts, extra good storage and car garaging.

Negatives – south facing courtyard lacks light, road noise from the Monash and for me, no downstairs bedroom can be a negative (the study could be used, but no bathroom to support it), and there are flats across the lane way.

Agent Marcus Chiminello from Marshall White is seeking somewhere in the mid four millions. There is not a long list of recent comparable sales to draw a conclusion regarding the price, but emotion and appreciation of quality should see it sell in and around that level.

13 Edro Avenue, Brighton East.
This is a victim of tough selling times in Brighton East if I have ever seen one. This is a good part of the suburb and a good street. The street’s just off Hampton Street such as Sashta Avenue, Bright Street, Camperdown Street, Binnie Street  are, in good times, hotly contested properties given their proximity to Brighton. This property is land value only, but a good size north facing rear block. Agent from RT Edgar was quoting $950,000 – $1,040,000 prior to auction.

We rated the property at 749/1000, as a land only rating.

About forty people  turned out, weather was nice, but bidding was slow and weak. Bidding opened at 850, auctioneer had his half time break at 900, and announced the property was on the market – not all that common for this to happen well below the agent’s quote. Deceased estate according to the agent and all proceeds of the sale were going to a worthy cause, and in fairness he did announce during the speel that the property would be sold on the day. Two bidders battled it out in small increments and the property sold at $980,000. Based on land size and location, I thought this was a $1.1m property.

11 Osborne Avenue, McKinnon.
This is a very nice family home that we rated at 771/1000. Agent Trent Collie from Hocking Stuart was quoting 1.17m – 1.32m prior to auction and on a cold and damp afternoon, a good crowd of about seventy to eighty people turned out and there was a good vibe about the auction. Lots of agents and a few buyer advocates were amongst the crowd.

Auctioneer Nick Renna opened with a vendor bid of $1.2m, and there was competitive bidding from two parties to $1.35m and the property was passed in. $1.35m would not be a bad result even in a good market. The property sold after the auction for $1.46m, a strong result in this market. A similar, albeit larger home in Chalmers Street McKinnon sold recently for $1.535m, but in a better and quiter street.

Osborne Avenue has a wide variety of homes in it, and does connect with McKinnon High School at the end of the street. It is an area that a significant number of homes have sold to Chinese buyers so their children can attend that school. The area also has a number of good primary schools.

10 Anderson Avenue, Bentleigh East.
Very family orientated area, in the north western corner of Bentleigh East. Good family home, 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom and a great living area. We rated the home 743/1000. Nice feel, but not nice enough for any bidding. Auctioneer Nick Renna from Hocking Stuart opened with a vendor bid of $780,000, had the traditional half time break, but still no bidding upon his return. A crowd of forty of fifty people attended, but there was no buzz and the home was passed in on a vendor bid of $800,000.

The pre auction quote was $770,000 – $850,000 and there are scores of comparable Bentleigh East sales to suggest this is a good buy, even at the top of the range. The reserve was reported as being $879,000. This time last year, I would not have been surprised to see four or five bidders on this home and a result that may have seen something closer to the high $800,000’s, given it’s inclusion in the McKinnon High School zone.

902E/126 Rouse Street Port Melbourne.
This top floor penthouse has very special views across the bay and to the city from the huge wrap around terrace (about 24 sq. according to the agent). Inside, 4 bedroom, 3 bathrooms, ample living spaces and high quality kitchen and bathrooms. No downstairs bedroom may limit the market and the asking price of mid three million dollars could also offer a challenge to selling agent Selly Santoso of Ray White in Port Melbourne. REIV data does not give me any confidence to suggest a sale at that level will occur in a hurry; Rouse Street is a long way short of Beaconsfield Parade in terms of buyer appeal and you can see countless other high rise blocks from the terrace; something similar properties on Beaconsfield Parade may not have to encounter.

Nethertheless, the views are great, the living space is impressive, location is fantastic and I could put up with the view from the master bedroom each morning.
We rated this home at 593/1000.