Toorak shop sells $1.5 million over reserve

Fierce competition for a Toorak retail strip property, which was for sale for the first time in 40 years, saw it sell for $3.75 million - $1.5 million over the reserve.

The Teska Carson auction with 100 strong crowd spilling on to the street was one of the most competitive agent Michael Taylor and Tom Maule had seen.

They said the 595 Malvern Road property was sold to an investor on a passing yield of just 1.8 percent.

"This was an outstanding retail investment opportunity within the very tightly held Hawksburn Village and so a keen contest was expected but the result surpassed our most optimistic expectations,’’ Taylor said.

He said the result also reflected the ongoing strength of the market for strip retail investments and the shortage of stock.

"Strip retail has never really been off the investment agenda, but currently it’s attracting perhaps more than its fair share of interest and that’s due to a combination of factors including the dearth of quality alternative investments.

"At the same time we have a shortage of stock which has intensified demand for available properties resulting in ever tightening yields,’’ Taylor said.

The Malvern Road space comprises a 132 sqqm, single level, retail premises with office space and a large rear courtyard on a 337 square metre site zoned Commercial 1 with 6.4 metres street frontage.

The property was sold subject to a five year lease to a long-standing tenant returning $68,936 per annum.