Having four bidders emerge from the crowd to bid on an ex-rental house in Highton should be comforting news to people considering selling their homes, Hayeswinckle agent Michelle Winckle said.
Among the quartet were investors looks to return the brick veneer house at 286 Mount Pleasant Rd to the rental market, though young buyers managed to secure their first time when Ms Winckle brought Saturday’s auction to a close with the price at $676,000.
The injection of interest from the fourth bidder added $10,000 to the value of the 604sq m property directly opposite the Highton cemetery and near Montpellier Primary School.
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286 Mount Pleasant Rd, Highton, sold for $676,000
Ms Winckle said she was almost ready to call the house sold with the price stuck on $666,000 when the final bidder came out of the woodwork.
The house was presented with new blinds, a fresh coat of paint and enough to do for new owners to add their own touch.
There were two bathrooms, including the main bedroom ensuite, while there were also two living zones with a formal lounge and dining room and a separate family-meals room set at either side of the kitchen.
The house was presented with fresh paint and new blinds.
Floating floors added a touch of warmth throughout the home.
“That was really neat, ready to move in. A perfect first home,” Ms Winckle said.
“It had been an investment property for the owners for quite a while, and they were prepared to set a reserve in the low $600,000s. So we ended up setting it around the $620,000 mark itself.”
The property has been held since 2008 when it last sold for $269,000.
Highton’s median house price sits at $900,000, which is marginally below the figure recorded the same time last year.
First-home buyers secured the three-bedroom house
First-home buyers have been among the most active groups in the market, although more investors are beginning to hunt budget and ready-made opportunities.
But with price sensitivity high, Ms Winckle said it was important to ensure sellers meet the market.
“I think there’s more in the price range of $600,000 to $700,000 than we’ve had previously, because people have come back a little bit. So I think it’s a good time,” she said.
“You just need to listen and price accordingly to the market, and you should be able to achieve what you’re hoping for, because I still think buyers are out there.
“There’s first home buyers and there’s still investors out there that are buying. So there’s always going to be buyers in strong suburbs. In Highton, Grovedale and Belmont, it’s pretty strong.”
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