Sunshine, stone and a six-way showdown

Adelaide’s inner south hosted a throng of onlookers waiting to watch 85 Kenilworth Road, Parkside go under the hammer in an Adelaide street seething with anticipation. The air was warm, the villa’s stone faade gleamed, and by the time the auctioneer called for an opening, sixteen registered bidders stood ready. What followed was pure theatre.

Bidding launched at $1.3m and surged past $1.5m in minutes. Voices rose, numbers volleyed, the auctioneer barely pausing to draw breath as the figure climbed to $1.7m. From there, two determined buyers took centre stage, their final bids falling like measured strikes. When the hammer finally dropped at $1.78m, the applause broke like a wave.

“It was a lovely day,” said Ouwens Casserly agent James Robertson, who helmed the event before a crowd of 120 onlookers. “Strong bidding, great energy, and a result that reflected how tightly held this pocket really is.”

The victors, local buyers who had long coveted a Parkside address, were congratulated moments later by the outgoing owners, investors who’d decided the time was right to hand over the keys.

For those who watched, it was a reminder that Parkside still knows how to put on a show. By the end, even those who went home empty-handed left knowing they’d witnessed something special.

Adelaide recorded 143 auctions this week, holding steady with the previous week’s 144. The city’s preliminary clearance rate climbed to 77.1 percent, according to Cotality, up from 70.8 percent last week.

Lightning strikes twice after 30 minutes and 50 bids

The auction at 32 Steele Street listed by Place Camp Hill drew a crowd of 80 eager onlookers, gathering as dark clouds rolled over Holland Park in Brisbane’s inner south and distant thunder announced an approaching storm. Nine registered bidders took their positions, and from the moment bidding opened at an even $1 million, the atmosphere crackled with anticipation.

Early bids surged in confident $50,000 increments, quickly propelling the price to $1.2 million. Two bidders emerged as frontrunners, testing each other with calculated jumps of $25,000 as the storm edged closer. Lightning flashed beyond the windows, punctuating the tension, while spectators leaned forward, watching every hand raised and each pause between calls.

As the auction approached the half-hour mark, momentum shifted to smaller increments of $5,000 and $1,000, a true test of nerves and strategy. The competition narrowed, and the final call echoed through the hall, local investor eyes steady, hands firm. The hammer fell at $1.36 million, securing the property just as the first raindrops hit the asphalt.

The vendors, who had originally lived in the home and later rented it out, were delighted with the result and pleased to pass the keys to someone who recognised the property’s potential. The buyer now holds a prime family home in a suburb experiencing strong demand, with knock-downs and rebuilds particularly popular.

Brisbane hosted 218 auctions this week, the highest weekly volume since the week ending November 24 last year, Cotality reports. The preliminary clearance rate responded positively, rising to 77.9%, the highest since the first week of July 2024.

Historic semi triggers high-stakes showdown

The auction for 52 Solomon Street drew a crowd of 100 locals eager to witness a rare piece of Fremantle history change hands.

Eleven registered bidders lined up, five of them active, ready to test their nerves and wallets against one another in the heart of this tightly held street.

Bidding opened at $1.09 million, immediately stirring murmurs among the crowd as offers rose in varied increments of $50,000, $10,000 and $20,000.

The heritage charm of the early 1900s semi seemed to energise bidders. By the time the price reached $1.25 million, the pace slowed, creating a tense pause, but excitement flared again at $1.32 million when a new bidder entered the fray.

At one point the eventual winners, a young couple returning from Sydney, paused to re-enter the house to make a phone call. The room held its breath, spectators leaned forward, anticipation was hanging, it was a real auction showdown moment worthy of a ‘Good Block’ finale. .

When they re-emerged, their bid of $1.34 million sealed the sale, concluding a dramatic contest that reflected both the value of the property and the spirit of the street.

The vendors, family of the original owners, handed over the keys after holding the home for more than seven decades, splitting the terrace pair in the process.

The couple now inherits not just a house, but a canvas for coastal views, restoration and a new chapter in Fremantle’s heritage story.

Perth saw 21 homes go to auction, the highest number since mid-December 2024, according to Cotality. So far, half have reported a successful result.