Footballers star in Super Saturday auction success

Footballers star in Super Saturday auction success
Jonathan ChancellorDecember 7, 2020

Footballers were busy with their property plays across Melbourne amid the bumper pre-Easter weekend auctions, while Sydney had mix of football, horse racing and similiarly strong auction success. 

Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy secured $1.71 million when 32 Newry Street, Carlton North (above) sold through Hockingstuart. There had been a $1.4 million plus price range pre-auction on the two storey three bedroom, townhouse that was announced on the market at $1.54 million. It last sold at $1,015,000 in late 2007 when offloaded by then Essendon footballer Scott Camporeale.

Collingwood star Travis Cloke and his fiancee, Rebeccah Panozza sold two days before their scheduled weekend auction, accepting an offer of almost $3.1 million for the fully renovated, triple-storey Kew home, and almost simultanously buying a contemporary home on an eight ha rural property at Kangaroo Ground. The Pies forward had paid $2.5 million in 2013.

The former NORTH MELBOURNE, turned Essendon recruit Nathan Grima’s Ascot Vale home fetched $1.73 million, some $100,000 over reserve. The four bedroom property at 204 The Parade had been renovated since bought for $735,000 in 2011. Grima and his wife Jacinta renovated and ­extended the property over 12 months and added a solar-heated pool.

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Richmond midfielder Bachar Houli had his three bedroom Altona North property at 1/9 First Avenue listed with $470,000-plus and secured $562,500 on the last AFL-free weekend before the formal season starts on Thursday night in the Carlton-Tigers game. Houli subdivided the block and also has the second home set for private treaty sale.

But A-League footballer, the Socceroo and Melbourne City defender Ivan Franjic failed to score with his Greenvale auction listing. Franjic, who played in his teenage years for the Melbourne Knights and St Albans Saints, placed a $1 million vendor bid when 18 Casablanca Court went to auction amid Melbourne's 1780 super Saturday stock.

Set across 2000 square metres, Franjic's four bedroom home with a four-car garage, tennis court and pool has been given a $1.1 million asking price through Nelson Alexander agent Stefan Stella.

Even Channel 9 and 3MMM sports reporter Seb Costello was among the mix with The Age reporting 2 Colvin Grove, Hawthorn was almost knocked down to Costello, who had his mother, Tanya, rather than father, Peter, by his side at the auction of the 1890s cottage on a 215 sqm block. It sold at $1,077,000, just $500 above Seb Costello’s top offer. It last traded at $330,000 in 1999 when his dad, the Federal Treasurer Peter Costello introduced the capital gains tax discount. 

"I had a punt, but there was someone who was prepared to pay more than it was worth.....Mum came along, dad was overseas," Seb told 3MMM.

Melbourne's 1,784 auctions was the highest level since late November last year.

But the clearance rate rose to 72 percent, up from 68 percent last week when just 420 residential auctions were held given the long weekend break, according to CoreLogic RP Data.

Across Melbourne’s sub-regions, the inner region was the best on ground at 78 percent success followed by the North East with 74 percent and the inner east at 74.5 percent.

Melbourne’s inner region was also the busiest auction market with 390 auctions.

The priciest Sydney offering - with $7.6 million plus hopes at Rose Bay - was not among the city's overall 75 percent clearance rate.

There were four registered buyers, but no bids when Lynton, the vacated 27 Kent Road trophy home of the horse owner and breeder Frank Tagg had Lynton, went to auction yesterday.

The unrenovated yet grand 1912 Edwardian home was bought in 2007 for $8 million by Tagg, who made his name as a former Western Suburbs first-grade footballer.

The more recently retired Roosters footballer Braith Anasta missed out when a coastal Sydney apartment was sold by the film director, Dame Jane Campion.

She certainly scored when five of the 10 registered bidders competed for the Tamarama offering, selling her 241 sqm investment property for $2.55 million through Bethwyn Richards of McGrath. 

The recenty separated Braith Anasta attended the auction, with his mother, Kim who recently sold her home. They were the underbidders at $2,545,000 for the two level apartment bought by the film director in $1.2 million in 2001.

The busiest and most successful regions were North Sydney and Hornsby, both at 84 percent.

There was a low of 46 percent clearance rate in the South West.

One year ago, Sydney’s overall clearance rate was substantially stronger at 84 percent.

Brisbane auction volumes rose to their highest levels since 2014 with 280 held across the city, the second highest volume of auctions for the city on record.

Preliminary results show that auction clearance rates rose week-on-week, from 38 per cent the previous week to 55 percent.

A total of 144 Adelaide auctions with a 68 percent success rate.

It was 45 percent in Perth and the 76 percent in Canberra, was the nation's best result.

Prices ranged from $180,000 at Albion in Melbourne to $5.71 million for a seven bedroom house at Strathfield in Sydney.

The two bedroom 2/25 Ridley Street 1960s apartment price through Barry Plant Sunshine was just $10,000 up on its 2007 sale.

Jonathan Chancellor

Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.

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