A Northcote couple have splurged more than $900,000 on the way back from the shops

222 Darebin Road, Northcote
Sold $911,000
Agent Nelson Alexander
Price range $750,000 – $825,000

A local couple on the way back from a hardware store were the winning bidders of this three bedroom brick house. Listing agent Annalise Newell said it was an “expensive shopping trip” for the middle-aged couple, who were nipping home from Masters when they stopped by the auction and won the keys. The surprise bidders beat two other contenders, both young professionals, under the hammer of auctioneer Spiros Karagiannidis. Ms Newell said campaign interest was dominated by younger buyers. The property had two levels, an outdoor entertaining area and high ceilings in the living areas. Emily Power

131 Raglan Street, Preston

Sold $845,000
Agent Nelson Alexander
Price range $650,000 – $700,000

Auctioneer Michael Fry did not even have time to announce the home was “on the market” as rapid-fire bids quickly pushed the value to $760,000, when he told the crowd “it passed the reserve a long time ago”. The reserve was $700,000. A man did not hesitate to offer an opening bid of $650,000, and a woman standing beside him offered $10,000 more. It looked to be a two-horse race until the property was formerly declared selling, when two more bidders jumped in to have a go. However, it was a young family who entered the race in the home straight who won the keys. Christina Zhou 

3/23 Albert Street, East Melbourne

Sold $430,000
Agent Caine
Price range $420,000-plus

When General Douglas MacArthur set up a command post in Melbourne in March 1942, this block of eight one-bedroom units and two neighbouring buildings were used to house US naval officers. A battle of a different kind was expected on Saturday as first home buyers and investors squared off for one of very few sub-$500,000 units on offer in East Melbourne. But a hefty owners’ corporation bill (more than $2500 a year for each unit) to pay for underpinning and gas line works appeared to scare off some would-be buyers. Auctioneer Paul Caine dubbed the east-facing ground-floor property a “good old flat” and highlighted the roominess of the lounge room. A $400,000 vendor bid was posted before a man in his 40s, an investor, offered $10,000 more. There were five or six 20-something onlookers in the crowd of 15, but they held fire and allowed the apartment to pass in to the investor for $410,000. However, a Dutch auction between interested parties soon got under, with a first home buyer wining out at $430,000. Chris Tolhurst

106 Eleanor Street, Footscray

Sold $794,000
Agent Jas Stephens
Price range $660,000-$720,000

This Edwardian was touted in its advertising as “the first home you’ll never forget”. It has two bedrooms, off street parking and is very close to Footscray, which was abuzz thanks to Derby Day at Flemington. A man jumped out of his ute to offer $650,000 to start and auctioneer Terry Fitzpatrick followed with a vendor bid of $660,000. A family offered $10,000 more, and a woman decided to get involved too. At $720,000 the original bidder declared he was finished by jumping back into his ute. Just after the property was declared “on the market” at $760,000, another keen would-be buyer appeared. He snatched the keys from the family for $794,000 after making seven quick bids. Jayne D’Arcy

2A Elizabeth Street, Newport

Sold $750,000
Agent Compton Green
Price range $630,000-$670,000

This two-bedroom, two-storey townhouse is brand new, very white and quite spacious, but auctioneer Nathan Johnson let the crowd of 35 know that there were still details going through council. According to Johnson, he’d been to council himself and everything was going as planned. After this disclosure he made a vendor bid of $630,000. A woman quickly offered $10,000 more and a man was a one-bid wonder at $650,000. Buyer’s advocate Cate Bakos came in at $665,000 and found serious competition when another young couple entered the bidding. She kept going until $748,000, but the couple bought it for $750,000. It was on the market at $700,000. Jayne D’Arcy

711 Warrigal Road, Bentleigh East

Sold $955,000
Agent McGrath
Price range $640,000-$700,000

There’s a shortage of houses priced below $1 million in the middle-ring suburbs and it showed at this auction. Four contenders flew out of the boxes to compete for the tired yellow brick home on one of Melbourne’s busiest roads. In so doing, they pushed the sale price $260,000 above reserve, which was more than one-quarter of the value of the 630-square-metre property. Even auctioneer Con Lazogas was surprised by the strength of the bidding. He had to double-check prices with one would-be buyer who trumped an initial $580,000 bid with a $760,000 counter-offer; and this when Mr Lazogas had asked for a modest $10,000 rise. Then someone else lobbed a $50,000 rise, and at $820,000 (seriously in excess of the $695,000 reserve) the property was declared “selling.” In all, four bidders had a go in front of 70 onlookers gathered in the backyard. The main road house, which last traded in 1983, sold for $955,000 to a family who plan to keep it as an investment property and may redevelop at a later time. Chris Tolhurst