Darren Lockyer's Brisbane house for sale in tough selling season
Darren Lockyer, the 36-time Queensland State of Origin team hero, has listed his Brisbane house for August 6 auction in a big test of the city’s seriously challenged auction market.
Brisbane’s auction clearance rates have hovered around 23% so far this year, according to Australian Property Monitors.
The property has also been scheduled for auction six days after the Queensland government’s unpopular stamp duty increases come into effect in Queensland.
The contemporary Paddington property cost Lockyer $1.49 million in 2004.
The five-bedroom, three-bathroom place might be expected to fetch around $2 million based on the standard growth (and then decline) experienced in Brisbane over the past seven years. A nearby $2.15 million will have given Lockyer some comfort.
No public price estimate has been given by its listing agents Tim Douglas and Gail Miller at Place Estate Agents.
Naturally it comes with barbecue facilities that befit any Queenslander sportsman.
In 2007 Lockyer married Loren Pollock, his girlfriend of three years, who gave birth to their first child, Sonny James, in early 2010.
In March the Broncos captain announced he will retire from all forms of rugby league at the end of the NRL season, his 17th season in first grade.
Tim Lawless at RP Data says real estate professionals had reported some improvements in buyer activity in the Brisbane market leading up to the end of July.
Although only anecdotal, early sales information collected by RP Data suggests a surge in transactions as buyers bring forward their purchase decisions in order to avoid the stamp duty changes announced in the June 14 budget, which are due to take effect on August 1.
“The surge in buying activity was to be expected, with owner-occupier buyers likely saving themselves around $7,000 in stamp duty expenses if they purchased prior to August 1,” Tim Lawless, the RP Data head of research says.
“The improvement in sales activity leading up to the end of July is likely to be temporary: the result of buyers rushing to avoid the higher stamp duty costs for owner occupiers from August 1,” Lawless says.
“The higher stamp duty rate for owner occupiers comes at a time when transaction volumes are running about 30% below the five year average across Queensland and the duty changes are likely to act as a further disincentive for buyers to become more active.
“The dampening effect of the higher stamp duty rate for owner occupiers may be partially offset by the $10,000 builders boost, however the grant is only available until the end of the year whereas the stamp duty changes are permanent.”
