The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

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Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

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Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

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The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

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The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Clearance Rate

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The Melbourne auction market had a weekend off, while Sydney saw its busiest Saturday so far this year.
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There was a significant drop in the auctions volume across the combined capital cities, with 1,262 homes taken to auction, down on the 1,983 auctions held in the prior week.
 The overall lower activity was mostly attributable to the drop in activity across Melbourne given the AFL grand final long weekend.
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The Sydney auction market had its busiest weekend for auctions since November last year, with 939 homes taken to market over the week.
There were 719 Saturday auctions, with 558 results captured and 442 sold.
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It reflected a preliminary clearance rate for Saturday of 79 percent - which was slightly higher than the prior weekend, suggesting demand was keeping up with supply.
Last year, 608 Sydney homes were auctioned when a much lower 43 per cent sold, Kevin Brogan the CoreLogic auction analyst noted.
Saturday's highest result in Sydney was when seven registered bidders sought the five-bedroom, three-bathroom offering on Cherry Street, Warrawee (pictured main).
It fetched $5.35 million when sold to a local family whose son attended nearby Knox Grammar.
Sydney's cheapest was $290,000 at Greenwich for a studio unit within a 1965 apartment complex (below).
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The unit, at 303/284 Pacific Highway, had 26 sq m of open plan space with a kitchenette.
There was a covered car space on title. The flat previously sold in mid-2005 for $160,000.
It has been rented out to tenants since, with a most recent advertised price of $335 per week.
It was sold by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate agents Justine Collins and Lloyd Allen.
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Melbourne saw a significant drop in volumes with only 103 homes taken to auction, down from the week prior when 1,020 Melbourne homes were taken to auction. 
The lower volumes returned a preliminary auction clearance rate of 82.5 percent, coming in higher than last week’s final clearance rate of 75.6 per cent and last year’s 57.7per cent when there were the 70 auctions.
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First home buyers secured the four bedroom, two bathroom offering at <a href="http://ecomms.raywhite.com/collect/click.aspx?u=jRYOrR8N39QzG/Nyy8oj1FUm79H1eIB70W+u2VuCzsdNyWoyjKrjdyivCTgwf18/FNllg72X7zS86C8pouCB9GqSidTrutcWDvUbMQcPh/FGv07iJCzp49gxkly4IgCQ&amp;rh=ff00527bcb13770fbf5ade1e654082af1e50531d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">382 Dandelion Drive, Rowville</a> (below).
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The Ray White marketing suggested the home needed TLC, with keen renovators bidding after the initial bid of $480,000.
There were five bidders for the house which was called on the market at $620,000. A young couple paid $760,000.
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Across the smaller auction markets, auction volumes were lower week-on-week across all cities. 
The best performing in terms of clearance rates was Adelaide with 62 per cent of auctions returning a successful result, Canberra followed with a 58 per cent preliminary auction clearance rate.
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There was a 50 percent success rate in Brisbane where the top sale was a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house at New Farm<a href="https://www.domain.com.au/77-langshaw-street-new-farm-qld-4005-2015602762">,</a> in Brisbane’s inner north (below).
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The Queenslander at 77 Langshaw Street attracted six registered bidders when sold for $2,195,000.
It last sold in 1988 at $205,000.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Sydney weekend auction results remain strong

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Clearance rates remained strong even with higher spring volumes, Domain economist Trent Wiltshire noted after the weekend results.
And while the final clearance rate always dip as the late results are tallied, SQM Research's Louis Christopher advised the weekend results were "quite firm given the rise in volumes."
Wiltshire told Domain clearance rates above 70 percent point to price growth.
CoreLogic calculated there were 1,022 Melbourne homes taken to weekend auction, with 77.8 per cent sold, up on the 74.5 per cent final auction clearance last week when volumes were lower at 826.
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One year ago, 53.8 per cent of the 1,161 Melbourne homes taken to auction cleared.
Volumes drop next weekend to avoid the clash with the AFL grand final.
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<div>Melbourne's top notified sale was $3,875,000 at Black Rock, a home complete with backyard putting green (top and below).</div>
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The home was designed by architect Gabriel Oroszvary for its 953sqm site.
The four bedroom 30 Fourth Street offering was through Buxton who had given a $3.4 million to $3.6 million price guide.
There was an unnotified result when the three-bedroom home at 23 Huntingtower Road, Armadale (below) sold to downsizers for $4.35 million.
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It was a single level residence built by Glenneagles Homes.
The cheapest sale across the nation's capitals was $240,000 at Kingsville in Melbourne.
The one bedroom 5/22 Bishop Street 1970s unit was listed with $220,000 to $240,000 price guidance through Jas Stephens Real Estate Yarraville.
It last sold at $127,000 in 2006.
It was a $280 a week rental offering late last year. 
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Sydney returned a preliminary auction clearance rate of 76.6 per cent as volumes increased across the city.
There were 647 homes taken to auction, up on the 585 homes auctioned the week prior when 76 per cent sold. Last year, a higher 851 Sydney homes were auctioned returning a 51.1 per cent success rate.
The top sale across the nation was in Hunters Hill at $5.86 million (below).
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The four bedroom home at 17 Lloyd Avenue sold pre-auction through McGrath agent Tracey Dixon who had issued $5.75 million price guidance.
There was a $4.8 million sale in Brisbane when four bidders competed for the offering at East Brisbane.
The five bedroom 26 Balmoral Terrace (below) was a 1920s renovated Queenslander with 466 sqm internal space.
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The double-storey home as CBD views and river glimpses from its 1,477 sqm block with pool, spa, pond and cricket pitch.
It was offered as by a downsized who had paid $2.7 million in 2005.
Domain reported it was bought by the medical industry couple with children attending a local school.
Canberra was the best performing of the smaller auction markets, with a preliminary auction clearance rate of 65 per cent, Adelaide followed with 59 per cent of homes selling at auction.
Canberra's top sale was a two bedroom at 10 Gipps Street, Barton which Luton Properties advised had only had the three prior owners in its nine decades.
The rear extension to the 1927-built house was designed by architect, Nino Bellantonio.
The marketing advised no pesticides have been used in the garden since the house was bought by the current owner in 1997 at $335,000.
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There were just under 2,000 capital city homes taken to auction this week; an increase in volumes of 20 percent over the prior week's 1,639 last week.
The higher volumes returned a national preliminary auction clearance rate of 74 per cent, increasing last week’s final result of 72.8 per cent. 
"While we did see a pickup in auction activity this week, volumes remain lower than one year ago, over the same week last year around 400 more properties were taken to auction, although almost half of these failed to sell," CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan said
Across the individual property types, the last five weeks has seen houses consistently outperformed units in terms of clearance rate with 74.9 per cent of houses selling at auction this week, while across the unit market a lower 71.2 per cent preliminary clearance rate was recorded, CoreLogic noted.
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Weekend auction volumes rise with downward clearance rate pressure 

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The $4.62 million sale of Brooklyn, the 1880s heritage-listed Fitzroy property currently operating as a four star hotel, topped the weekend auction sales.
It was on the market for the first time in a decade, listed by the filmmaker and designer Maggie Fooke.
Fooke paid $1.5 million for the landmark property (above and below) in 2006.
The George Street building was constructed in 1865 and later extended in Ecclesiastical Gothic style with a double loggia façade by the shoe importer Joseph Levy.
The property with 12 rooms had also previously been ran as a boarding house.
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Nelson Alexander agents Arch Staver and David Sanguinedo gave a $4.2 million to $4.5 million pre-auction price guide, suggesting it was suitable for conversion into a luxury family home.
After it sold $125,000 above reserve Staver old domain the piece of “old Fitzroy” would now be converted into a private home. It fell short of Fitzroy's $4.9 million record price on Gore Street in 2017
The number of homes taken to auction across the capital cities increased to 1,633 this week returning a preliminary clearance rate of 75.7 per cent, according to CoreLogic.
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The previous week saw 1,533 homes taken to auction returning a final clearance rate of 72.3 per cent.
 
"Although the final clearance rate across the combined capitals will revise lower as remaining results are collected, it will likely hold above 70 per cent for the fifth consecutive week," CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan said.
Over the same week last year, auction activity was higher with 1,983 homes taken to auction, returning a significantly lower clearance rate of 51.8 per cent.
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Melbourne was host to 824 auctions, returning a preliminary clearance rate of 75.7 per cent marking the eighth consecutive week where the clearance rate has held above 70 per cent.
There were several trophy homes sold pre-auction with undisclosed outcomes including an 1888 Hawthorn home marketed with $6 million to $6.5 million price guidance.
The five-bedroom home, at <a href="https://www.marshallwhite.com.au/property/518-glenferrie-road-hawthorn-821307/" target="_blank">518 Glenferrie Road</a> (below), was built on a 1297sq.m block.
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It features four bathrooms, an internal lift, a cellar, and a five-car basement garage.
The house underwent significant renovation in 2010, at which time a pool and spa were also added. 
Nikki Van Gulick, Hamish Tastevin, and James Tastevin, from Marshall White Boroondara, listed the home that had last sold in 2004 for $2.1605 million.
The prior weekend in Melbourne saw 765 Melbourne homes taken to auction with a 74 percent final clearance rate.
Over the same week last year, a clearance rate of 54.1 per cent was recorded across 988 auctions.
Melbourne had the nation's cheapest sale when $255,000 was paid in St Kilda.
It was the one bedroom <a href="https://www.woodards.com.au/property/208-129-fitzroy-street-st-kilda-3182-822726" target="_blank">208/127-129 Fitzroy Street</a> (below), set within the George Hotel. It sold at $159,500 in 1995.
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Woodwards agent Juanita Kelly had given a $250,000 to $275,000 price guide.
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Sydney recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 80.3 per cent across 580 auctions this week.
 Over the previous week, final results show 75.7 per cent of the 528 auctions were successful. 
One year ago, 669 auctions were held across Sydney returning a final clearance rate of 48.6 per cent.
Sydney's top sale was at Northwood when $3.71 million was paid for <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house/nsw/lower-north-shore/northwood/414599" target="_blank">46 Northwood Road</a>, a two storey five bedroom brick house (below).
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It was marketed by McGrath agent Brent Courtney has having water and city views.
Across the smaller auction markets, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth saw lower auction volumes week-on-week while Brisbane and Tasmania saw an increase in the number of homes taken to auction over the week.
Adelaide prices ranged between $420,000 at St Agnes to $1.047 million at Myrtle Bank.
Both were three bedroom homes.
<a href="https://sheppardproperty.harcourts.com.au/Property/800628/SME23366/16-Radar-Street" target="_blank">The 16 Radar St, St Agnes offering</a> sold through HAR Sheppard Property had $400,000 price guidance.
The three bedroom 1925 bungalow at <a href="https://www.raineandhorne.com.au/glenelg/properties/3-lindsay-avenue-myrtle-bank-5064-south-australia-49483601-7a89-4582-b3fb-b6d2e9bb24c1" target="_blank">3 Lindsay Avenue, Myrtle Bank</a> was sold by Peter Emes at R&amp;H Glenelg having sold in 2010 at $800,000.
A pool was installed several years ago costing $35,000.
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Brooklyn, Fitzroy four star hotel to close after weekend auction

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There were 1,529 homes taken to weekend auction across the country, but just the one was raising funds for charity.
The Gold Coast home auction raised $986,000 with sale price at the no-reserve auction going to Mater Little Miracles, that helps more than 2000 sick babies a year.
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom Hamptons-style house at 19 Laurel Drive, Helensvale (above and below), was built by Plantation Homes on the Gold Coast’s northern corridor on land donated by Villawood Properties.
The selling agents Brad Clarke and Siarne Loeve, of LJ Hooker, had 18 registered bidders at the auction where auctioneer Damien Cooley officiated.
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Cooley noted there were 332 homes that changed hands in Helensvale over the last year - almost one new family moving into the suburb every day, attracted by the train station, Westfield, great schools and parklands, all which are big features for families.
It was the eighth house sold to raise funds for Mater Little Miracles.
"The open plan living home effortlessly opens on to the alfresco and resort style pool with sun deck to celebrate the best of Queensland living," the marketing said.
The weekend saw an overall national preliminary clearance rate of 77 per cent, according to CoreLogic, which noted a small decease in offerings on the prior weekend's 1,615 homes taken to auction, with the final clearance rate came in at 70 per cent.
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Ate the same time last year, 1,916 auctions were held across the capital cities with a final clearance rate of just 55.3 per cent. 
"The final clearance rate across the combined capitals has held at or above 70 per cent for the last 3 weeks and this week is set to be no different," CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan said.
Melbourne was host to 769 auctions, returning a preliminary clearance rate of 76.6 per cent. 
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Sydney recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 83.1 per cent across 522 auctions. The nation's top sale was in Sydney when $5,275,000 was paid pre-auction for an architecturally transformed character home in Manly with harbour views.
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The home at 80 Addison Road, Manly (below) came with a separate self-contained flat and cabana with wet bar plus a spa.
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It was set on a 544sqm block in the Eastern Hill precinct.
It last sold at $2.6 million in 2008.
There was a $4.16 million sale when 18 Tindale Road, Artarmon was auctioned through McGrath. The four bedroom 1910 home, with with pool and spa, last sold at $2.1 million in 2009.
The nation's cheapest sale was a one bedroom apartment at 10/109 Mary Street, Richmond that had been listed with a $255000 to $280000 price guidance.
It sold for $302,500.
It was a $300 a week rental in 2017.
The first floor apartment with around 36 sqm space sits in a block of 12.
A Toorak trophy home on a large corner block sold at auction for $4.7 million.
The house was offered with a price guide of $4.2 million to $4.4 million.
Fiona Counsel and Justin Long of Marshall White secured the sale of <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-toorak-131719694" target="_blank">11 Kent Court</a> (below), a three bedroom, three bathroom home spread across a single level.
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Set on 613 sqm, the cul de sac listing was marketed as providing "an opportunity to move in or redevelop (STCA)."
The northerly oriented home features multiple fireplaces, landscaped gardens and a roof retreat.
Adelaide was the next strongest auction market after Sydney and Melbourne, recording a 76 percent success rate.
Canberra had a 66 percent clearance rate and Brisbane sat on 60 percent, its strongest for some time.
The top sale in Brisbane was a Queenslander in Red Hill. 
The five bedroom home at 28 Bramble Terrace sold through Belle Property at $1,675,000. It had last traded at $756,000 in 2005.
Canberra's top sale was also in its Red Hill.
The 4 Arnhem Place, Red Hill ACT three bedroom house sold through Hayman Partners at $1.4 million.
It had last sold in 2011 at $1.15 million.
It had recently been a $975 a week rental.
Perth was the weakest auction market at 43 percent.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Mater Little Miracles auction home sells for $986,000

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Media places undue reliance on auction clearance rates as a barometer of all things real estate. Some commentators appear to regard them as the prime measure of the health of our markets. Even the Reserve Bank seems addicted to the weekly reports on clearance rates.
It’s a flawed policy for many reasons. The figures themselves are notoriously unreliable, if not bogus; they tell us nothing worthwhile about the vast majority of locations in the nation; and even in the two biggest cities where auctions are prevalent, they’re a snapshot of only narrow sectors of the overall market.
Auctions are big in Sydney and Melbourne but are not prominent elsewhere. Even in the two big cities, they tend to focus on the prestige end of the market, so don’t necessarily inform us about the wider scenario.
Until the recent revival, we had a year of poor clearance rates in Sydney and Melbourne, but this failed to reveal key elements of markets within those cities. In Melbourne, the top end suburbs were suffering big declines in their median prices, but pricing was holding up strongly in many of the outer-ring areas such as Melton and Cranbourne.
In Sydney, the ultra top end (suburbs with median house prices above $2 million) did not suffer price decline. Many of those suburbs have median prices higher than a year ago. The faltering auction clearance rates told us nothing about that or about the solid resistance to price decline (minor drops only in median prices) in many of the outer-ring areas. Meanwhile, prices in Sydney’s middle market dropped a lot.
Elsewhere in capital city Australia and throughout regional Australia, auctions are irrelevant as a market barometer. Brisbane, Perth, Hobart, Canberra, Darwin, Newcastle, Wollongong, Ballarat, Bendigo, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and elsewhere - despite the best efforts of real estate agents, auctions are not the prime choice for vendors across the broad sweep of the nation.
So auction clearance rates this week in Sydney and Melbourne tell as nothing about the health of markets nationwide. The media’s focus on this reflects the reality that most of our major media comes out of the two biggest cities and writers are obsessed with those markets, to the exclusion of all other locations.
So for several years we heard about a “national property boom” that never existed. Then for the past couple of year we’ve read about a “national market downturn” that also never happened. And now, god help us, media is spruiking a “national property market revival” which is also fundamentally about Sydney and Melbourne.
Brisbane isn’t “recovering” because it didn’t have a major downturn, nor Adelaide or Canberra - or most of the rest of the nation.
It’s worth noting that 16 million Australians - the vast majority - don’t live in either Sydney or Melbourne.
The biggest problem with clearance rates is that they’re the worst kind of dodgy data. Clearance rate figures abound with furphies - often sales that did not occur under the hammer at auction are claimed as auction sales. There’s also the reality that agents are more likely to report the results of auctions that are successful than those that are not.
A 75% clearance rate means that 75% of the auctions reported by the agents allegedly resulted in a sale under the hammer. But the figures take no account of the auctions that took place during the weekend for which the results were not reported.
Media generally reports the preliminary clearance rates. The final clearance rates, once more results are in, are always significantly lower but seldom are reported. 
In the past I have researched clearance rates and found that the published figures are always much higher than the true figure, because so many of the unsuccessful auctions were not reported. I estimated that a true clearance rate was usually 12 to 15 percentage points lower than the claims in the media.
More recently, Louis Christopher of SQM Research has researched this area and came to similar conclusions. So, if media reports an auction clearance rate of 75%, the true figure would be closer to 60%.
The research conducted by Christopher’s SQM Research team noted that, as the Sydney and Melbourne booms wound down over the past 1-2 years, the number of unreported auction results rose. Christopher said, based on his latest research and also analysis conducted in the past, that around 70-75% of unreported auctions were failed auctions. 
On one weekend in Sydney last year that was studied by Christopher, the reported clearance rate was 76%. But 239 of the scheduled 836 auctions were not reported. 
If we assume, as Christopher suggests, that 70% of the unreported auctions did not achieve a sale, then the true clearance rate was 63% - well below the reported 76%.
On the same weekend, media reported a 77% clearance rate for Melbourne. But 256 auctions went unreported and the true clearance rate was 65%.
So, while clearance rates have a part to play in analysing major markets, they need to be considered alongside other data. In isolation, they’re not particularly useful.
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

How useful are auction clearance rates? Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

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A Centennial Park weekend auction offering sold for around $12 million post auction, with just the one Saturday to go before the onset of spring listings.
The London-based bankers Peter Stokes and Annabel Spring placed a vendor bid of $11.8 million at the auction.
The subsequently negotiated sale price has not been disclosed by agent Ben Collier who has always advised $12 million expectations for <a href="https://bencollierteam.com.au/property/22-lang-road-centennial-park/" target="_blank">the Federation mansion</a> (above and below).
Collier had previously sold the property for $9.8 million in 2015 when it was bought by the then Commonwealth Bank wealth boss Annabel Spring and her Macquarie director husband Peter Stokes. 
The Lang Road residence was built in 1909 for bookmaker Alfred E. Hickey.
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Sydney recorded a bullish preliminary clearance rate of 84.7 per cent across 500 auctions, the highest preliminary clearance rate since February 2017.
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Over the prior week, final extra results being reported showed 76.2 per cent of the 446 auctions were successful.
One year ago, 721 auctions were held across Sydney returning a final clearance rate of 53.2 per cent.
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Sydney's top reported under the hammer price was in Willoughby. It sold for $4.01 million, which was $10,000 above reserve.
The offering at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house/nsw/lower-north-shore/willoughby/408404" target="_blank">7 Cobar Street, Willoughby</a> (below) had been listed for auction last year.
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The renovated five-bedroom, four-bathroom 1920s house<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-willoughby-131626054"> </a>had bidding from all four registered bidders.
It last sold at $1,515,000 in 2013.
The number of homes taken to auction across all the capital cities increased to 1,412 returning a national preliminary clearance rate of 79.6 per cent, while the previous week saw 1,228 homes taken to auction returning a final clearance rate of 73 per cent, the highest final clearance rate recorded in over two years. 
"Although the clearance rate across the combined capitals will revise lower as remaining results are collected, it will likely hold stronger than last week’s final," CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan said.
AMP Capital senior economist Shane Oliver said the emerging stronger clearance rates was still premised on low volumes.
"Rate cuts still work," he said, adding that the traditionally busier spring selling season would prove to be a test.
"Tight credit, the unit supply and unemployment will constrain prices versus past cycles," Oliver forecast.
Over the same week last year, auction activity was significantly higher with 1,915 homes taken to auction, returning a much lower clearance rate of 54.6 per cent.
Perth had the weakest clearance rate at 62 percent, and other smaller auction markets put in strong performances including Brisbane at 67 percent, Canberra at 69 percent and Adelaide at 72 percent.
Domain advised the cheapest weekend sale was in Adelaide at $280,000.
The two bedroom house at <a href="https://harcourts.com.au/Property/797915/SCB7236/35-Maturin-Avenue" target="_blank">35 Maturin Avenue, Christies Beach</a> (below) had sold at $325,000 in 2016.
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It was marketed as partially renovated by Harcourts Christies Beach.
Melbourne was the busiest capital.
It was host to 665 weekend auctions, returning a preliminary clearance rate of 79.7 per cent marking the fifth consecutive week where the clearance rate held above 70 per cent. The prior week saw 588 homes taken to auction with a 76.2 per cent final clearance rate.
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Over the same week last year, a clearance rate of 56.5 per cent was recorded across 899 auctions.
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There were four bidders when a 2018-built Camberwell property fetched $4,566,000.
The five bedroom, four bathroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-camberwell-129711982" target="_blank">38 Cochran Avenue</a> saw agent Brett Vanderwart at RT Edgar place a $3.6 million opening bid.
It was announced on the market at $3,750,000.
Buyers agent Mal James advised it was a "40-minute spectacle" with an offering with "strong Asian market appeal."
The home was a collaborative design by Christopher Krambias and Petrifies Architects which was initially listed 300 days ago.
The 800 sqm block sold at $2,665,000 in 2015 with the building approval cost at $1.2 million.
 
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$12 million Centennial Park sale tops weekend results

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A Toorak trophy home fetched $7.05 million at weekend auction in the nation's highest sale, in what has been described as the best weekend for auctions since 2017.
There were just two bidders who took the sale price some $400,000 above reserve.
The result ranked as the most expensive Melbourne auction sale so far this year, according to CoreLogic.
Auctioneer Justin Long opened with a vendor bid of $5.9 million having pulled it from its May 18 election day auction given the vendor had had a medical scare the night prior.
The Herald Sun reported the five-bedroom property sold to a young couple. 
The 1930s home (top) on 739 sqm at <a href="https://www.marshallwhite.com.au/property/19-sargood-street-toorak-784484/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">19 Sargood Street</a> had $6 million to $6.5 million price guidance.
It last sold in 2011 at $4.7 million.
Sydney's top sale was $6 million for a new build at Strathfield.
The six bedroom <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.randw.com.au/property/0000412793" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">10 Chalmers Road, Strathfield</a> mansion (below) was sold by Lawrence Chong at Richardson and Wrench who had offered a price guide of $5 million to $5.5 million.
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The home, with an internal lift to all three floors, had full resort-style amenities, including a home theatre, gym, sauna, pool, wet bar, billiards room and an alfresco dining area.
Brisbane's top sale was $1.75 million at Camp Hill, which just edged out a $1.73 million sale of a restored Queenslander at Balmoral.
The <a href="https://www.eplace.com.au/property/QLD-Camp-Hill-R2-1863519" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">42 Koondara Street, Camp Hill</a> offering (below) was a five bedroom home marketed by Place agent Joanna Gianniotis has having a Hamptons style interior.
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The elevated house on a double block at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://raywhiteascot.com.au/properties/residential-for-sale/qld/balmoral-4171/house/2145524" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">62 Victoria Street, Balmoral</a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-balmoral-131600146" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable"> </a>last sold for $79,000 in 1984.
Auctioneer Phil Parker took bids from four of the 14 registered bidders after a successful marketing campaign by Ray White agent Damon Warat. 
Brisbane saw a 47 percent success rate.
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There were 1,221 homes taken to auction across the combined capital cities returning a preliminary clearance rate of 76.6 per cent, up on the previous week that saw 1,111 homes taken to auction returning a final clearance rate of 67.8 per cent.
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"I expect the final clearance rate across the combined capitals will revise lower, however it will likely hold above 70 per cent which is something we haven’t seen since May 2017," CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan said.
Over the same weekend last year, auction activity was higher with 1,684 homes taken to auction with a lower clearance rate of 53.3 per cent.
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Melbourne was host to 588 auctions returning a preliminary clearance rate of 78.3 per cent. 
Last week saw 500 homes taken to auction and a final clearance rate of 72.3 per cent.
Over the same weekend last year, a clearance rate of 54 per cent was recorded across 860 auctions.
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The highest reported number of registered bidders was when some 22 registered bidders descended on the semi-rural 2.4ha acreage property at <a href="https://www.raywhite.com/vic/yarrambat/2145314/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">56-62 Ashley Road, Yarrambat</a>, 23 km north-east of Melbourne's CBD.
Ray White Diamond Creek agent Alan King said nine of them were active in the bidding for the property which had the potential to be sub-divided into 1ha lots.
One of the two neighbours bought it for $1.42 million after there was a total of 50 bids.
There had been $900,000 to $990,000 price guidance.
Sydney recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 81.7 per cent across 444 auctions, while final results for the prior weekend showed 76.2 per cent of the 367 auctions were successful.
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"It’s likely that thefinal clearance rate will revise down to similar levels again this week as the remaining results are collected," Brogan advised.
One year ago, 572 auctions were held across Sydney returning a final clearance rate of 51.9 per cent.
A four bedroom penthouse in the Manly apartment complex, Trident fetched $4.55 million.
Over 120 groups inspected the apartment throughout the campaign. 
Over 13 contracts were issued with three registered bidders present at the auction. 
There were two bidders after the $4 million opening bid.
The apartment at <a href="https://www.stonerealestate.com.au/property/4975221-41-62-north-steyne-manly-nsw/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">41/62 North Steyne</a> offered 214 sqm space which had been a $1700 a week rental.
Candice Cattell, of Stone Real Estate Manly, noted every room had ocean views from the 14th floor which clears Manly’s renowned Norfolk pine trees.
The 1970s block is the second tallest on the oceanfront.
The penthouse last sold at $2.9 million in 2011 and at $2.5 million in 2003.
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$7.05 million Toorak auction result topped the weekend results

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The Melbourne sports star manager Ralph Carr’s Hawthorn trophy home was passed in at its private weekend auction.
Carr was seeking $10 million plus for the five-bedroom Victorian home on <a href="https://www.abercrombys.com.au/property/26-shakespeare-grove-hawthorn-vic-3122/1156/" target="_blank">Shakespeare Grove</a> (above and below) through Abercromby's agent Jock Langley.
The nation's priciest weekend auction offering had actually been initially listed with $12 million plus expectations during the auction selling season.
No bidding details have emerged but Langley told The Herald Sun that buying interest had come from local, national and expatriate buyers especially from Hong Kong.
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Carr had paid $7.55 million for the 1318 sqm property in 2013.
With just three Saturdays before the spring selling season kicks off, Melbourne returned an improved initial auction clearance rate of 73.2 per cent, up on last week’s final clearance rate of 70.9 per cent as volumes remained steady across the city at 500 auctions.
Last year the Melbourne clearance rate was 58 per cent from 721 auctions.
Melbourne's top sale was at Malvern where $3.82 million was paid for <a href="https://www.rtedgar.com.au/property/806263/19-chesterfield-avenue-malvern/" target="_blank">19 Chesterfield Avenue</a> (below) which was marketed by RT Edgar as suitable to "renovated, rebuild or redevelop."
There were five bidders after the $3.5 million opening bid with further bidding after it had been declared on the market at $3.66 million.
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Melbourne buyers agent Mal James noted the Melbourne prestige market had a "buzz about, admittedly on very low stock and admittedly it’s early days."
He detected the positivity of June had "trickled" into August.
But James advised the market was "not on a rise - it's just that right now the falling seems to have eased and buyer, sellers and agents seem to have a sense of relief."
It might only be temporary, he warned.
Saturday saw 303 auctions in Sydney, with the priciest listing failing to find a buyer at Bellevue Hill (below).
The <a href="https://theagency.com.au/19725/57-bundarra-road-bellevue-hill" target="_blank">57 Bundarra Road property</a> was passed in at $6.5 million on a vendor bid by agent Ben Collier who had given a $6.5 million price guide.
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There had been just one bidder who offered $6 million for the five bedroom, four bathroom house.
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There were 365 homes auctioned across Sydney during week, slightly lower than the 386 auctions held in the prior week.
The lower Sydney volumes returned a preliminary auction clearance rate of 81.2 per cent well up on the 72 per cent final clearance last week.
This time last year there were 458 auctions with a much lower clearance rate of 53.8 per cent.
Although emerging in early 2019, Sydney's strengthening auction clearance rate really gained momentum just after the May federal election.
Sydney's top sale was when <a href="https://www.belleproperty.com/listings/808719/21-wakeford-road-strathfield-nsw-2135/" target="_blank">21 Wakeford Road, Strathfield</a> (below) fetched $5,686,000.
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Set at one of the highest vantage points in Strathfield, the custom-built home offered 640 sqm of internal living space over its three levels.
Canberra returned a preliminary auction clearance rate of 63.8 per cent, making it the best performing of the smaller auction markets,
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Adelaide followed next with 58.6 per cent of homes selling, while Brisbane and Perth both returned clearance rates below 40 per cent.
A $2,250,000 sale was achieved at The Gap in Brisbane when a modern four bedroom home with city views (below) was sold.
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Ray White agent Angela Mastrapostolos sold <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://raywhitepaddington.com.au/properties/residential-for-sale/qld/the-gap-4061/house/2144046" target="_blank">26 Moyry Street</a> with four active bidders.
“The buyers were a local family from Ashgrove who wanted a bigger yard for their kids - and they had stiff competition with groups coming back for third, fourth and fifth inspections," Ms Mastrapostolos said.
The house had 412 sqm internal space along with 118 sqm of balconies.
There were 1,107 capital city homes taken to auction, unchanged from last week when final results saw 1,108 auctions held.
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The steady week-on-week activity returned a preliminary auction clearance rate just at 70.4 per cent, coming in higher than last week’s preliminary figure of 68.3 per cent, which later revised down to 66.4 per cent at final figures.
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CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan noted the strengthening results over recent week was "mostly attributed to Melbourne and Sydney," where both cities have consistently reported clearances rates above 70 per cent over the past few weeks.
"The consistent trend where final clearance rates hold above the 70 per cent mark imply the market is responding to the stimulus of lower mortgage rates, improved sentiment following the federal election and lower serviceability tests for borrowers, as well as low advertised stock levels," Brogan said.
The Ray White Group, which had 188 scheduled auctions across Australia on Saturday saw an average of four registered bidders per auction and three active bidders.
Across NSW there were six registered bidders per auction. "You can feel the positivity on the ground and you get the sense the tide is really beginning to turn," Ray White NSW auctioneer Jason Andrew said.
Melbourne had the nation's cheapest sale which was $232,500 was paid in Footscray through Meallin Real Estate.
The one bedroom <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-footscray-131504062" target="_blank">4/3 Gordon Street unit offerin</a>g had been listed with $200,000 to $220,000 price guidance.
It last sold at $41,000 in 1988.
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Ralph Carr fails in Hawthorn amid strengthening weekend auction success rates

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Capital city auction markets recorded their highest preliminary clearance rate in over a year, reaching 70 per cent, but price recovery remains erratic even as Sydney and Melbourne forged a path towards being a sellers' market.
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After having quit Melbourne, Socceroo Aaron Mooy scored a sale at weekend auctions when his Yarraville penthouse fetched $901,000 (top and below).
While the Herald Sun advised there was a shootout between three bidders, it sold for less than its initial purchase price.
The UK based star midfielder bought it off the plan for $914,000 in boom time 2015, when he was playing for Melbourne City in the A-League.
Having never got to reside there after signing a £10 million deal with Huddersfield Town in 2017, the <a id="LPlnk750284" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.bigginscott.com.au/property/1P3401" target="_blank">608/125 Francis Street penthouse</a> had an $800,000 to $880,000 price guide.
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The three bedroom apartment sits in the sort-after north-east, south floor corner position on the top floor in the tallest residential building in Yarraville.
Mooy retains a house in Scotland, in the west end of Glasgow.
A modern 2012-built French-inspired Hawthorn East trophy house (below) was passed in at weekend auction at $2.7 million from the only bidder.
The auction commenced with a $2.65 million vendor bid.
The four-bedroom Edwardian style <a id="LPlnk938253" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.greghocking.com.au/listing/l289916-52-harold-street-hawthorn-east-vic-3123/" target="_blank">52 Harold Street</a> was last sold in 2018 for $2.9 million by Appetite for Excellence’s 2010 Young Restaurateur of the Year Kim Cornice.
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Greg Hocking Persichetti had price hopes of $2.75 to $3 million for the four bedroom home which features a glass encased cellar encased with a wine and cheese display area.
Queensland had the nation's cheapest sale when <a id="LPlnk999077" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.eldersrealestate.com.au/residential/auction/21-frome-street-laidley-qld-4341-20888365/" target="_blank">21 Frome Street, Laidley</a> (below) fetched $175,000 through Elders agent Darryl Muckert.
Set in the Lockyer Valley of South East Queensland, it had sold in 2008 at $209,000 when rented out at $210 a week.
The now vacant three bedroom home, that sits on a 1015 sqm holding, had a had fresh paint job on the inside along with new floor coverings. 
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There is a reverse cycle air-conditioner in the lounge room, meals area off the kitchen, and internal laundry and bathroom. 
Sydney topped the nation's weekend results with a $4.68 million sale in Pymble.
The <a id="LPlnk614773" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://mcconnellbourn.com.au/real-estate/309229/36-bobbin-head-road-pymble-nsw-2073" target="_blank">36 Bobbin Head Road offering</a> (below) was marketed as a "modern interpretation of Federation style that satisfies contemporary living while embracing classic grandeur." Set on 1896sqm with manicured gardens with a pool and tennis court, the two storey home had six bedrooms.
The home with 596sqm of solid brick construction had a price guide of $4.5 million through McConnell Bourn Lindfield agents Carole McCrea and Matthew Bourn.
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It last sold at $1.4 million in 2001.
There was also a $4.065 million sale when <a id="LPlnk932602" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.ch.com.au/25-campbell-street-abbotsford-nsw-4927283/" target="_blank">25 Campbell Street, Abbotsford</a> (below) went to auction through Cobden Hayson.
Built in 2000, the five bedroom contemporary home was sold sold at $1.95 million in 2012.
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"The auction market is back favouring sellers in a big way," said estate agent Matt Hayson.
"What a wild eight weeks it has been for Sydney property which has completely flipped the script," he said.
There were 350 fewer auctions held nationally on the weekend, compared to 2018, with the drop in Melbourne offerings at 32 percent and in Sydney with 25 percent fewer listings.
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There were 901 homes taken to auction across the combined capital cities this week returned a preliminary clearance rate of 70.6 per cent.
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CoreLogic advised the the prior week saw 847 homes taken to auction with the final clearance rate at 65.4 per cent, the first time a final clearance rate held above 65 per cent since March last year.
Over the same week last year, auction activity was higher with 1,257 homes taken to auction returning a clearance rate of 57.0 per cent.
Melbourne was host to 416 auctions on the weekend, returning a preliminary clearance rate of 70 per cent. 
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The same week last year saw a clearance rate of 59.9 per cent across 613 auctions.
Sydney recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 81.5 per cent across 303 auctions this week. 
"It is likely that the final clearance rate will revise down to around the mid-70s once remaining results are collected," a CoreLogic spokesperson said.
Over the previous week, 72.8 per cent of the 316 auctions were successful, the second week in a row where the final clearance rate held above 70 per cent. 
One year ago, 407 auctions were held across Sydney returning a final clearance rate of 55.2 per cent.
The smaller capitals have yet to get much momentum with Canberra at 60 percent, Adelaide at 58 percent, and Brisbane with a 45 percent success rate.
SQM auction analyst Louis Christoper said the end of school holidays would "very likely start to see a rise in auction volumes from as early as next weekend." 
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Price recovery remains eratic even as Sydney and Melbourne forged a path towards being a sellers' market 

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The Sydney auction clearance rate has certainly been improving in recent weeks.
The calendar interruptions of early 2019, along with the seasonal winter slowdown, has meant volumes have been below average. Saturday's offering were down 25 percent in Sydney and 32 percent in Melbourne.
Given renewed buyer interest, this means there's been often stronger competition that any agent expected for their offerings. Auctioneer Damien Cooley saw four bidders register at his 214 auction last month as against the two bidders at his 346 auctions last June.
The big question remains whether the forthcoming spring selling season will see a sizeable boost in listings, and with the choice will there be a levelling off in the competitive prices being paid especially for houses.
Earlier this month there was a $700,000 over the reserve price achieved when <a href="/expert-insights/buying/auction-momentum-continues-as-surry-hills-terrace-sells-700-000-over-reserve">$3.3 million was paid in Surry Hills</a>. There were 14 registered parties.
There had been a $3.05 million sale further along Bourke Street last year, so I was interested whether it was an emotional two horse race in then end to secure the five bedroom corner terrace.
Its selling agent advised there were still four of the eight involved in the bidding with $150,000 to go. There is some comfort for buyers that they aren't the only one who saw the higher value.
While I am a great believer in going that extra little bit, especially if you are weary from having looked for ages, I do think setting a limit before auction is a wise strategy.
Some buyers get just too emotional in the excitement, and then have regret for a decade after while neighbouring prices catchup.
Hopefully you have viewed to a few recent auctions in the lead up as that way buyers can be more comfortable in the high stakes environment. 
Of course research is king by checking the recent sales results so as a buyer you have an up to date estimation of your desired property and type.
It could well be that your research convinces you that the market is on the move, so getting in that Saturday means you seize a limited opportunity at that level of pricing.
I think it wise to check what the property last sold for, plus the cost of recent improvements, to work out the price growth since it last sold.
Also check its recent on-the-market history as it helps to know if it had been previously marketed.
It's also a good idea to find out what you can about the vendor's circumstances.
Just pop the query into conversation with the listing agent or even a savvy rival agent who knows what is happening in your neighbourhood. That knowledge might prompt a pre-auction offer whereby you avoid the auction angst.
I'm of the view that you think about three price points you would be willing to meet. The first is the price you would love to pay! Then a price you would be prepared to pay, and then a stretch price which is the most you are prepared to offer. Of course consider adding $1,000 or $2,000 to that as sometimes an odd number gets you the home.
Earlier this month in Adelaide a couple of buyers were minded to do just that as the nation's cheapest offering came in at $273,102 which saw the <a href="/expert-insights/buying/1-higher-bid-secures-australias-cheapest-weekend-auction-offering">final bids get down to $1 bids</a> at the Ray White auction of a Parafield Gardens 1960s, three bedroom home.
There were 18 registered parties, which shows Sydney's not the only place where house buyer numbers are a bonanza for sellers.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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