Price triples as St Ives property leaps from $1.4m to $4.5m in fifteen year hold

Sunshine lit the stage for a fierce auction in St Ives, where 3 Bimburra Avenue sold for $4.5 million, an eye-watering 206 percent jump from its 2010 sale price of $1.468 million.

Auction volumes dipped this week, marking the quietest stretch since the King's Birthday long weekend. A total of 1,458 homes went under the hammer across the capitals, down from 1,794 the week prior and slightly below the 1,512 held this time last year.

Despite the softer volume, buyer momentum is holding. The preliminary clearance rate came in at 72.2 percent, easing from the year-to-date peak of 74.5 percent recorded three weeks ago. Still, it's the fifth consecutive week that early results have tracked above 70 percent.

Melbourne led the action with 630 auctions, down from 767 a week ago. While activity aligned closely with last year, clearance dipped to 70.5 percent, its lowest level in 12 weeks. Yet that still makes it 11 straight months Melbourne's early rate has held above the 70 percent mark.

Activity in Sydney dipped from last week's 685, with 578 homes taken to auction, edging above the 560 recorded this time last year. Buyer demand remained strong, lifting the clearance rate to 76.2 percent, equal to the year's peak set in mid-February.

Brisbane's auction scene cooled this week, recording just 103 homes under the hammer, the lightest turnout in nearly three months. The early success rate dipped to 61.3 percent, the softest showing since early June, hinting at hesitancy in the winter market.

Adelaide, on the other hand, delivered a standout result. Of 75 homes auctioned, 75.6 percent found buyers, rebounding sharply from last week's lull and clearing well above the city's 2024 average. Momentum there is building while other markets take a breath.

Canberra hosted 61 auctions this week, with the preliminary clearance rate easing to 68 percent from 73.1 percent the week prior, as winter momentum slowed. Volumes are tipped to lift slightly in the week ahead, offering a clearer read on buyer appetite.

Smooth moves and family focus as Hope Court home hits $1.9m in 15-minute flurry

Hope was in no short supply at 7 Hope Court, where three family bidders brought fast-paced energy to a polished Kew auction in Melbourne's East that wrapped in just 15 minutes with a final sale of $1.9 million.

The crowd of 45 watched as bidding opened at $1.7 million and rose steadily, moving with calm precision toward a figure just over reserve. All three bidders were families chasing a move-in-ready home in one of the suburb's most established areas.

"It was smooth, fast, and really genuine," said McGrath agent Cherie Sun. "The bidders were clear and focused, and the sellers were happy when the hammer finally fell. There was real celebration."

Cheers erupted as the final bid landed, sealing the deal and sending one family into their next chapter with big smiles and a strong sense of arrival. The auction may have been short, but the emotional payoff was loud and lasting.

Freshly renovated with modern finishes, the home appealed to buyers looking for both lifestyle and liveability without needing to lift a finger. Its location, tucked within the leafy Kew Gardens Estate, just metres from the Yarra River and moments from top private schools, made the decision easy for many.

Fifteen-year hold pays off as St Ives home rockets from $1.4m to $4.5m

A radiant winter's day set the tone for a scorching result in St Ives, where 3 Bimburra Avenue sold under the hammer for $4.5 million, a staggering 206 percent increase on its 2010 sale price of $1.468 million.

Seven active bidders made quick work of the early rounds, punching past $4 million with barely a breath. Things briefly slowed near $4.2 million before momentum kicked back in, with the hammer falling at $4.5 million. The result landed a cool $600,000 above the $3.9 million reserve.

The solid brick single-level home sits on a wide-fronted 1043-square-metre parcel in a whisper-quiet street, zoned LMR for redevelopment. It was this north-facing slice of potential that drew bidders in, with the eventual buyers set to knock down and build anew.

"This was a textbook auction," said Ray White listing agent Coco Cui Roskam. "It was fast, clean bidding on a picture-perfect day. The energy was there from the first bid."

The vendors had called this family haven home for 15 years, enjoying the sun-drenched living spaces, pool and lush garden surrounds.

With strong local amenity, school proximity, and future flexibility, the result speaks to St Ives' quiet evolution, a suburb where lifestyle and land go hand in hand.

At $3,452 per square metre, it's a price that proves north-facing potential still shines brightest when the block is big, the zoning is right and the bidders are hungry.

Belmont's riverside charm draws fierce bidding as first-home buyer lands $710k win

A crisp winter morning and a crowd of 60 set the scene for a spirited auction at 10 Victoria Terrace, where five determined bidders chased their chance to buy into one of Belmont's most coveted pockets.

Opening at $580,000, bidding flew past the $630,000 reserve in minutes before slowing into a tense back-and-forth that ended with a final $710,000 knockdown. The winner, a young tradie, is taking his first leap into home ownership.

"It was exactly the kind of auction we love," said Jellis Craig agent Ross Bywater. "Clean, competitive and full of energy. There was a real sense that people didn't want to miss out on this pocket."

Over just three weeks, the home drew 50 buyer groups through the door with a strong mix of first-home buyers, downsizers and investors. But it was the location that set it apart: a leafy, walkable stretch near the Barwon River, Balyang Sanctuary and village shopping.

The vendors, who bought the home as their first in 2011 for $370,000, saw a 92 percent increase in value over 13 years, proof that the area's lifestyle pull continues to pay long-term dividends.

"With land in Belmont's riverside zone increasingly hard to come by, this sale showed how eager buyers are for quality homes in prized positions," said Bywater. "Especially when the sun's out and the crowd's ready."