John McGrath oversight sees real estate licence lapse

John McGrath, the McGrath Estate Agents founder, turned up unannounced at an inner western Sydney auction over the weekend.

He auctioned the $1.825 million home for $175,000 over reserve after volunteering to do the auction himself.

The Sunday Telegraph was there to photograph and report on the auction, given it was set to be a bonanza result for the north shore bound vendors.

A crowd of more than 70 people attended with 20 registering to bid with McGrath listing agent Adrian Tsavalas.

It was McGrath's first known auction for many years, perhaps decades.

“When the Michael Jordan of real estate shows up, you let him do his thing,” Mr Craven, a veteran auctioneer who moved aside to allow McGrath to hold the gavel, told the Sunday Telegraph.

Issues arose however Monday morning when a simple check of NSW Fair Trading licencing revealed John McGrath was no longer licenced to conduct the auction.

Or even perform the mid-week duties of a NSW real estate agent.

McGrath, who in recent times can't take a trick, had inadvertently allowed his licence to lapse last Monday.

He has quickly reportedly sent off the paperwork to retrieve his licence.

Fair Trading provide agents with three months to renew, along with providing some additional education on their responsibilities.

McGrath's longtime weekly column on the Switzer website has recently lapsed with estate agent Charles Tarbey instead likely to pick up the regular expert columnist spot.