An investor has snapped up an outback home for just $68,000 in a hotly contested auction, marking the cheapest sale across Australia during the month of August.

The Broken Hill property sold for one third of the price of a median house in the outback NSW town, and 13 times less than the national house price, which hit a record $924,000 in August according to PropTrack.

This Broken Hill house sold for $68,000 at auction, with five registered bidders. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

A roundup of Australia’s cheapest home sales last month reveals a mixed bag of properties, and a common theme in their advertising was buyers would need to take them on “as is”.

From mould infestations, abandoned cottages and a house full of furnishings and random items, here is a glimpse at some of Australia’s cheapest house sales in August: 

Broken Hill bargain

“Ready for a transformation” was a rather apt depiction of this three bedroom 1920s home in Broken Hill, which sold for $68,000, placing it in the top five cheapest home sales in the country for August.

Set on a 505sqm landholding, 528 Lane Lane, Broken Hill was snapped up at auction, where five registered bidders vied for the listing.

An investor plans to restore and resell the property. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Sales agent Mitchell Halpin from First National said the property sold to an investor who planned to restore and then sell.

“It needed to be renovated front and back and I suppose at that price point where they are, it’s still viable for investors to do it, because there is still money be made, and in Broken Hill renovated stuff always goes really well for either rental, or for sale,” he said.

A spacious backyard offers ample room to extend or landscape. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

 “Anything really under that $100,000 price point buyers are always very excited about it, because there’s money I suppose to be made from them.”

Ripe for renovation

On the other side of town, another keen renovator snapped up this Broken Hill fixer-upper for $78,000 with plans to extend and modernise its dated and dilapidated interior.

This Broken Hill house sold for $78,000. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Selling at auction, the “perfect canvas” two bedroom home at 167 Piper Street was advertised as offering scope to “renovate, extend, or reimagine entirely.”

It’s in need of some love and imagination. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Mr Halpin also sold this home, noting money is to be made by those who can roll up their sleeves.

“It seems there is still money to be made by doing the renovations I suppose, and that type of stuff is appealing to people that are handy, or do have a trade background, because they can do a lot of the work themselves, as trades are so hard to get here in town.”

Chairs, crockery and wheelchairs all included

Victoria’s cheapest home sale was a deceased estate that was sold on one condition – that the new owner take all of the home’s contents, including wheelchairs, kitchen appliances, white goods, to name just a few.

The charming cottage was picked up for $105,000. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Selling for $105,000, the weatherboard two bedroom, two bathroom cottage was advertised with a disclaimer that the “property would need a significant amount of money spent on it to comply with the minimum standards for rental properties in Victoria.”

It also noted that there had been evidence of termites in the front porch of the approximately 90- year-old residence.

Everything is included in the sale. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Sales agent John Hadley from NorthWest Real Estate said taking on all the belongings and the home’s array of furniture was not a deterrent for the owner who planned to renovate it and live there.

“The executor of this estate lives in New South Wales up the other side of Sydney, and she’s elderly, so she just couldn’t get down to do anything about cleaning out the house, so just sold it walk-in, walk-out,” he said.

Large shed… and a house

With an intriguing headline advertising this listing as a ‘large shed with concrete floor,’ this one bedroom property in the South Australian town of Port Pirie was snapped up for $105,000.

Also on the property is a one-bedroom home. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Earning the accolade of the cheapest property to change hands in South Australia last month, 14 Edward Street, Port Pirie featured a huge garage/workshop with power.

The shed is described as the home’s ‘standout feature’. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Set on an 800sqm landholding, the listing noted that the one bathroom home was not connected to the sewer system which “should be considered when exploring its potential.”

Bankruptcy sale with renovation works abandoned

The buyer of this “renovator ready” home in Narembeen in WA’s Wheatbelt had been given a head start on the mammoth tasks needed to bring it back to life.

Walls and ceilings in the midst of removal, and sans flooring in many rooms was the state this three bedroom, one bathroom home at 21 Currall Street, Narembeen was presented for sale in.

The lounge room. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Sales agent Lindsay Willock from Elders Real Estate Lake Grace said the home was listed for sale as a bankruptcy estate, and attracted a fair amount of buyer interest.

“The cheaper houses are attracting a lot of attention at the moment,” he said.

 “I think it’s just because it’s a lot cheaper than living in the city.”

Buyers have a headstart with renovations as most of the plaster walls and ceilings has been removed. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

The home sold for $85,000.

Trashed home an ‘almighty mess’

The buyers of this trashed three bedroom home in the rural Queensland town of Chillagoe have a big task ahead of them

With rubbish and broken furniture strewn throughout the home, the listing made it clear that 36 Queen Street, Chillagoe was being sold “as is” and needed cleaning out, a new paint job, new windows and electrical works.

The Queensland home sold for $88,888. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

“The owner didn’t live in Chillagoe and he had it rented. They [ex-tenants] didn’t pay rent and left it in an almighty mess,” sales agent Kendall Booth from @realty said.

Despite the immense renovation needed, the home sold for $88,888.

Abandoned cottage to be given new lease of life

A completely unliveable, five bedroom Queenstown cottage that is believed to have sat idle for up to 10 years, was Tasmania’s cheapest sale at $90,000.

The home is believed to have been abandoned for a decade. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

The dire conditions of 17 Preston Street also made it impossible to advertise any interior photos, sales agent Rodney Triffett from Harcourts West Coast said.

“It was very dark, very mouldy in there… the camera that I had, you weren’t able to get presentable photos,” he said.

The home has no interior photos. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Mr Triffett was unsure of the home’s history and said it did take some time to sell.

“Thankfully we got there in the end, because it was quite a beautiful house – it was just in quite a poor condition,” he said.

The new owners have plans for a complete renovation, Mr Triffett said.