91 percent
by Gina Kantzas, Mal James, Simone Clarke, Kathy Russell, Phoebe James, Randall Smith
Market in a Minute
Market fast start
The title says it all – no need for adjectives or lily gilding – 91, the number says it all.
Of the 32 auctions we covered today, 29 sold before, under the hammer or immediately after – that is a clearance rate of 91%.
Over 50% sold were in excess of the agent quote with:
- 4 selling $300,000 over the top end of the quote
- 3 selling $500,000 over the top end of the quote
- 2 selling $600,000 over the top end of the quote
Bidder numbers were incredibly strong and more on that next week.
- Huge crowds
- Many young couples never seen before, were out
- Wounded underbidders aplenty
Market beginning to feel like 2016. Heat has increased since October Lockdown ended.
These results feel they will continue for the next few weeks at least, as there is simply way too much urgent buyer sentiment in the market right now, for things to cool quickly.
Stock levels are a big factor and whilst more stock or world events may ease things after Easter, right now the market is on fire if the home is:
- A PPP A-Grader
- Quoted to attract
- Publicly listed rather than off-market
Demand – last year what the predicting economists and bank leaders said was absolute BS (with little basis in modern history or logic), but it did hold some buyers back.
In early 2021 those and a new crop of cashed-up buyers are not waiting and the pile-in, particularly in the $2m to $6m range, is causing a major demand/supply imbalance, leading to significant price increases.
Prices must continue to rise and sharply whilst the current sentiment prevails in the $2m to $6m range. Are we up 5% in a month – yes! Are we up 10% since October – probably!
The Top of the Top End is really the only $ segment we are unclear on. However, with a few big sales and two over $20,000,000 this week, all markets may be in for a strong, pre-Easter period.
Market Strength
Market Statement
Today’s market was an unequivocal statement on living in Melbourne.
Tree change, state of mind change, sea change, economic change, Covid change.
Some people are saying and doing change.
However, many, many more are stating their unending love for Melbourne and Melburnians.
They are saying Melbourne is the place I want to be, and Melbourne is the place I want my family to grow up in.
Many spoke loudly, very loudly today on how proud they are of this great city.
And how strongly they are prepared to fight to join or to continue to be a part of.
Vive la Melbourne and Vive la Melburnians in all languages!!!
Market Test
Methodology: Four times a year (Early, May, Spring and pre Xmas) we at James Buy Sell measure the auction markets over a 3 week period, by covering 100 Top End auctions. We randomly choose the auctions before the weekend and we cover or chase down every result, so the measurements are accurate.
Here are the first 32 auctions, next week a similar number and then the week after the March long weekend we will complete 100 Auctions. This will tell all where the markets are truly at and how they compare to previous years.
Suburb | Address | SOI | Result |
GLEN IRIS (Stonnington) | 9 Dorrington Avenue | $4,000,000- $4,250,000 | SOLD HAMMER |
GLEN IRIS (Stonnington) | 47 Aintree Road | $2,400,000- $2,600,000 | Sold – Before Auction |
PRAHRAN | 21 Airlie Avenue | $3,000,000- $3,300,000 | Sold – Before Auction |
MALVERN | 2 Hunter Street | $2,800,000- $2,900,000 | SOLD HAMMER |
MALVERN | 16 Alice Street | $2,400,000- $2,600,000 | PASSED IN |
MALVERN EAST | 2 Wynyeh Street | $2,600,000- $2,800,000 | Sold – Before Auction |
SOUTH YARRA | 27 Hope Street | $2,500,000- $2,750,000 | SOLD |
MALVERN EAST | 33 Ardrie Road | $2,000,000- $2,200,000 | SOLD |
PRAHRAN | 48 Larnook Street | $3,500,000- $3,850,000 | SOLD |
MALVERN EAST | 17 Nott Street | $2,000,000- $2,200,000 | SOLD |
HAMPTON | 8 Kerferd Street | $2,300,000- $2,400,000 | SOLD |
BRIGHTON | 10 Hartley Street | $3,000,000- $3,300,000 | SOLD |
MIDDLE PARK | 109 Wright Street | $3,300,000- $3,500,000 | SOLD AFTER |
BRIGHTON | 26 St Ninians Road | $8,000,000- $8,800,000 | SOLD AFTER |
ELWOOD | 25 Spray Street | $2,800,000- $3,000,000 | SOLD |
BRIGHTON | 27 Were Street | $3,800,000- $4,180,000 | SOLD AFTER |
ALBERT PARK | 17 Kerferd Place | $2,400,000- $2,600,000 | Sold – Before Auction |
ALBERT PARK | 5 Boyd Street | $2,900,000- $3,100,000 | SOLD |
BRIGHTON EAST | 49 Marriage Road | $2,400,000- $2,600,000 | SOLD |
HAMPTON | 66 Littlewood Street | $2,100,000- $2,200,000 | SOLD |
GLEN IRIS | 63 Great Valley Road | $2,200,000- $2,420,000 | Sold – Before Auction |
KEW | 3 Wimba Avenue | $2,400,000- $2,600,000 | SOLD |
HAWTHORN | 46 Illawarra Road | $4,840,000- $5,300,000 | PASSED IN |
CAMBERWELL | 35 Donna Buang Street | $3,250,000- $3,575,000 | SOLD |
GLEN IRIS | 19 Bourne Road | $2,800,000- $3,000,000 | SOLD |
HAWTHORN | 24 Lyndhurst Crescent | $3,200,000- $3,500,000 | Sold – Before Auction |
CANTERBURY | 1 Griotte Street | $2,300,000- $2,500,000 | SOLD |
CAMBERWELL | 92 Cooloongatta Road | $1,900,000- $2,090,000 | PASSED IN |
CAMBERWELL | 41 Pine Avenue | $2,700,000- $2,970,000 | SOLD |
HAWTHORN EAST | 16 Airedale Avenue | $2,700,000- $2,900,000 | SOLD HAMMER |
KEW | 10 Belmont Avenue | $4,100,000- $4,500,000 | Sold – Before Auction |
HAWTHORN | 19 Gardiner Road | $3,600,000- $3,950,000 | SOLD Hammer |
Market Balance
Please: We are not trying to imply that the Melbourne family home markets will not have hiccups in the near and medium-term or that you should be financially impulsive on any home. All markets involving human emotion are prone to rises and falls and good and bad decision making.
However, the longer-term fundamentals of demand increases (returning ex-pats, new wealthy migrants and increased local wealth) combined with limited supply (good homes on good land at good prices – PPP), mean Melbourne with its world-class features of education and politics and pollution and safety and…. will continue to be a far more attractive investment proposition, than what was stated in some parts of the general financial media last year.
So today all we are reporting is Melbourne has great long-term property fundamentals and has started 2021 very fast and strong and for now price, is heading upwards at some pace.
Malvern
2 Hunter Street, Malvern
Auctioneer: Daniel Wheeler
Open: $2,700,000 (vendor bid)
On market: $2,980,000
Under Hammer: $3,060,000
Bidders: 2
Crowd: 50
‘Get your weekends back. No more dealing with agents’, it was good to see auctioneer Daniel Wheeler’s sense of humour intact. It was to be a fairly quick affair played out between two bidders. Both were comfortable trading swift bids up to $2,900,000 before moving in 20s to the ‘on market’ price. A few more bids followed before the hammer came down.
Glen Iris
9 Dorrington Avenue, Glen Iris
Auctioneer: Andrew McCann
Open: $3,900,000
On market: $4,325,000
Under Hammer: $4,860,000
Bidders: 6
Crowd: 50
Six bidders had a go with several entering at their own trigger points as the price climbed. Plenty of action played out beyond the on-market call when Bidder 5 stepped in at $4,420,000 and Bidder 6 at $4,550,000. It was to be the earlier entrant, Bidder 2, who locked horns with the latecomers. A call and response battle of bids ensued when $10,000s were answered with $1000s, Bidder 2 eventually holding on for the win.
Hawthorn
46 Illawarra Road, Hawthorn
Auctioneer: James Tostevin
Open: $4,900,000 (vendor bid)
Passed in: $4,900,000 (vendor bid)
Bidders: 0
Crowd: 52
The rain comes as the auction commences but the weather-hardened Melburnians are prepared with umbrellas. Otherwise, it is a very quiet event with one vendor bid the sum of it.
Hawthorn East
16 Airedale Avenue, Hawthorn East
Auctioneer: Lloyd Lawton
Open: $2,600,000
On market: $2,950,000
Under Hammer: $3,236,000
Bidders: 3
Crowd: 60
The three-year-old auction attendee’s t-shirt reads ‘I do all my own stunts’. Auctioneer Lloyd Lawton is doing his own too. He fronts the rough and tumble of the back and forth of late bids, big bids and small. There are no half-time breaks. The auction chugs along steadily enough to surpass the reserve figure where two keen bidders in particular battle out until a confirmed bid of $3,236,000 by Bidder 3 takes the key.
Brighton
27 Were Street, Brighton
Auctioneer: Stephen Smith
Crowd: 75
OB: $3,800,000 (vendor bid)
Result: Sold After
Bidders: 2
Bidding was not quite so energetic, more a slow start and a gentle simmer. When no initial bids were forthcoming, Stephen Smith opened with a vendor bid of $3,800,000. Eventually two bidders carried the bidding to $4,020,000 where the property was passed into Bidder 1. Negotiations moved inside and the property was later sold to bidder 1 for an undisclosed amount.
Brighton
26 St Ninians Road, Brighton
Auctioneer: Matthew Pillios
Crowd: 35-40
OB: $7,850,000 vendor bid
OM: did not reach reserve
No. Bidders: 1
Result: Sold After
Matthew Pillios started off with a vendor bid of $7,850,000. The crowd remained still and quiet and the rain began to fall. After much effort, and no bids, Matthew announced he would take a quick break. At this point a bidder offered a bid of $7,500,000. The auctioneer stepped inside to consult the vendor. Upon his return, a bid of $7,500,000 was accepted and with no further bids.
Elsternwick
21 Long Street, Elsternwick
Auctioneer: Bill Stavrakis
Crowd: 97
Opening Bid: $2,450,000
On the Market: $2,800,000
Result: Sold $3,000,000. Hammer
Bidders: 4
It was hot. It was steamy. It was busy. As soon as Bill called for bids Bidder one boomed “$2,450,000”. Promptly bidders 2, 3 and then 4 joined in and the price swiftly climbed to $2,800,000. The auctioneer stepped inside to consult the vendors. Upon his return, the property was declared on the market. Bidder one was standing front and centre, clip board in hand, witty retorts at the ready and a counter bid in an odd number against all competition. That is, until the final bid. Bidder 2 purchased the property to a round of applause.
Hawthorn
Kew
