Sydney maintains its 80% plus auction success rate as Vaucluse bookie family bags $15.3 million
McGrath agent Ben Collier secured a $15.3 million sale when 52A The Crescent, Vaucluse when to onsite auction today.
The art deco home on its 1016 square metre Kutti Beach holding was sold by the estate of the late bookmaker Albert Webster, who died late last year aged 94, having previously traded in 1965 for 31,600 pounds. The opening offer of $13.5 million matched the reserve.
The sale to a local buyer - understood to be rag trader Bob Locke - ranks as the fourth highest price ever paid at auction. There had been two 2013 private treaty sales nearby at 48 The Crescent for $19 million and 52 The Crescent for $15 million.
Albert Webster's death notice was tagged "My Last Bet" ahead of mass at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, Rose Bay last November.
There was an 83.3% preliminary success rate at Sydney's weekend auctions with 583 results counted.
The revised figure for last weekend came in at 80.5%, maintaining the whole of February 80% plus clearance rate.
There are 600 plus auctions expected over the next week, with March 28 looking like the predicted pre-Easter super Saturday
"We look like we have a very big super Saturday just before Easter," Damien Cooley told 2GB.
Cooley Auctions clearance rate was 86% today selling 48 of its 56 offerings.
His auction agency reported high levels of pre-auction sales with February seeing 38% of properties ahead of auction.
The clearance rate of 71 per cent was recorded this weekend compared to 77 per cent last weekend and 67 per cent this weekend last year.
There were 306 auctions reported to the REIV today, with the market gathering momentum from next week onwards.
There are two super Saturday weekends scheduled in the next fortnight – with 1,173 auctions scheduled next weekend and 1,265 the following weekend.
In the year-to-date, there have been more than 3,500 auctions held, Enzo Raimondo, the REIV chief said.