![\"Wes](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792254018_235_62260e856e5deacf47c16645e58a88f9513fb355be454aa2a0088a6dfde3d44d.png\")
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October 17, 2026 \u2014 1:30pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Gift this free article<\/p>\n Share full article with anyone \u2014 no subscription needed to read it. It won’t deduct your gift credits. Learn more<\/a><\/p>\n Share article as gift<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n A double-fronted three- bedroom heritage house in Seddon, which the agent described as \u201cnot livable\u201d, sold for $1.01 million on Saturday \u2013 almost $200,000 over its listed reserve.<\/p>\n The property at 16 Browning Street<\/a> had unpolished exposed floorboards, stained walls and ceilings, a bath half-filled with water and cobweb-covered windows, as well as a sewage connection in need of repair. It had an advertised reserve of $820,000.<\/p>\n The property was one of 553 scheduled to go to auction in Melbourne this week. By evening, Domain recorded a preliminary auction clearance rate of 53 per cent from 385 reported results throughout the week, while 59 auctions were withdrawn. Withdrawn auctions are counted as unsold properties when calculating the clearance rate.<\/p>\n Saturday marks the first weekend where all vendors were required to make their reserves public at least seven days before auction day.<\/p>\n Jas Stephens auctioneer Tate Moore told a crowd of about 40 that the period facade and structure, as well as the large rear yard, provided significant scope for improvement.<\/p>\n An $880,000 genuine bid opened the auction, immediately shooting the price $60,000 above the property\u2019s $820,000 reserve. A second large bid followed, shooting the price up to $950,000 in under a minute.<\/p>\n From there the price climbed in $10,000 increments traded between three bidders, before selling to a local renovator.<\/p>\n Jas Stephens agent Elise Nemer said she hadn\u2019t anticipated such fierce competition given soaring construction costs and the clear amount of work the building required.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were no developers on this one,\u201d she said, but noted that Browning Street was a \u201cblue chip\u201d inner-west street, known for its heritage looks and appeal to renovators.<\/p>\n Nemer thought the realistic listed reserve had helped the property sell.<\/p>\n \u201cThe market is still good if you listen to market feedback, and you run the campaign well from start to finish,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n In Carlton North, a two-bedroom, top-floor 1970s apartment sold for $752,000 at auction, with three bidders pushing it almost $40,000 above its listed reserve.<\/p>\n With a classic design featuring windows on three-sides, the light-filled mid-century home at 15\/109 Wilson Street<\/a> had been owned by the vendors as an investment for more than 35 years, and was listed as Carlton North but sits in the smaller, sought-after pocket of Princes Hill.<\/p>\n As well as a separate bathroom, laundry and toilet, the property has two large bedrooms and an east-facing balcony off its long living room, and had a listed reserve of $715,000.<\/p>\n Related Article Jellis Craig Fitzroy agent and auctioneer Charles Atkins said he thought the legislation had \u201cbrought more transparency to the marketplace\u201d and was part of the reason the property had such a \u201csolid campaign\u201d, with competition between three active bidders on the day.<\/p>\n He said a young couple opened the bidding at the $715,000 reserve, with bids then going up in increments of $5000 and $1000 before it eventually sold to first home buyers.<\/p>\n The couple have a design background and were keen to make the home their own, Atkins said.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople enjoy that \u201970s style block,<\/a>\u201d he said. \u201cIt has great natural light, big bones, great proportions. Terrific scope to add some value.\u201d<\/p>\n In Hampton, a contemporary four-bedroom townhouse sold for its listed $1.85 million reserve in post-auction negotiations, after passing in on a single genuine bid of $1.81 million. The property last sold in 2022 for $1.91 million.<\/p>\n The home at 14A Field Street<\/a> features open-plan living and dining areas looking out to a large rear yard through floor-to-ceiling windows, and a choice of two main bedrooms across the two levels, and a study nook, upstairs retreat and butler\u2019s pantry.<\/p>\n Buxton Sandringham agent and auctioneer Richard Slade said the size and scope to live on either level had made the home attractive to both upsizers and downsizers.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cIt was the north half of the two [townhouses], so from a natural light perspective, it was very well received,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Slade opened the auction with a $1.8 million vendor bid, which was followed by the sole $1.81 million bid on which it passed in.<\/p>\n He said two other parties had indicated they would be keen to negotiate post auction, but the high bidders, local downsizers, met the reserve and sealed the deal.<\/p>\n Slade said he thought the first weekend of listed reserves suggested vendors who had a realistic idea of what their property was worth would sell well.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will hopefully help encourage buyers to pursue a property and do their final due diligence in that final week to auction,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The vendors were selling as they have moved to Sydney.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Gift this free article<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bc7be3aef6f39372ce065893b737ae95c5021a0b.jpeg\")
The property was in a state of disrepair, and \u201cnot livable\u201d, according to the agent, but offered the opportunity for a complete redesign on one of Seddon\u2019s \u201cblue chip\u201d streets.Simon Schluter<\/p>\n![\"Auctioneer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/d53682f5fd0158aeee24d4aef2cb279542db9fdb.jpeg\")
Auctioneer Tate Moore tracks the crowd as bids shoot up in $60,000 and $70,000 increments within minutes of the auction opening.Simon Schluter<\/p>\n![\"Shafiq](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/269ca889a186196d58adca44b842ad9c5a659c57.jpeg\")
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With windows on three sides, typical of the era but rare in modern apartments, the property is well-lit throughout.Jellis Craig Fitzroy<\/p>\n![\"Graeme](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ed1ed863e3c81e24830c0e5750227f714a7d271d.jpeg\")
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