Auction watch: A new suburb record for Florey

Properties (and shady vantage points) were hotly contested at almost 70 auctions held throughout Canberra on Saturday.

A new suburb record was set in Florey when 106 Ratcliffe Crescent sold under the hammer for $840,000.

The previous record was set in April, 2016, when 11 Priestley Place sold for $815,000.

Independent Property Group agent Jessica Usback said the home attracted more than 120 groups throughout the course of the campaign, a testament to the suburb’s popularity and the presentation of the home.

About 100 people attended the afternoon auction as the mercury soared past 40 degrees.

“The crowd was in really good spirits,” Ms Usback said.

“Mark Larmer facilitated the auction and kept everyone’s humour up despite the conditions.”

The owners had spent the past 23 years maintaining and renovating the five-bedroom house, which included an updated granite kitchen, a self-contained flat and floating timber floors.

There were 11 registered bidders.

“It’s safe to say that we’ve got a lot of disappointed buyers who missed out,” Ms Usback said.

“Properties in Belconnen are in high demand. There are a lot of young couples and families moving into the area.”

About 60 people gathered in the neighbouring suburb of Melba for the auction of 5 Henslowe Place.

The street’s tall gumtrees provided welcome relief from the glaring sun.

Ray White Belconnen agent Jake Battenally said about 80 groups inspected the property, which sold under the hammer for $540,500.

Fully renovated and in immaculate condition, the home featured a gourmet kitchen, polished timber floors and double-glazed windows throughout.

Strong sales were also recorded in the inner north, where a three-bedroom home at 175 Phillip Avenue in Hackett sold for $775,000 – a record for the busy street, which passes through five suburbs.

One Agency Kippax principal Steve Lowe said the high prices recorded in neighbouring suburbs were beginning to spill over into Hackett.

“Hackett is on the rise due to the ripple effect of Ainslie and its close proximity to the CBD, Braddon and the Federal Highway,” Mr Lowe said.

Hackett was also home to the biggest sale of the day. Number 69 Mackenzie Street sold through One Agency’s Robert Crane for $1,246,000.

Canberra’s Saturday clearance rate of 79 per cent was up from last weekend’s 67 per cent, according to Domain Group data.