Auction Watch: Big sale in Harcourt Hill and two suburb records in Canberra

A grand family house designed by one of Canberra’s leading architects has sold for more than $1 million on Saturday, leading a day of more than 60 auctions across Canberra including two new suburb records.

A crowd of about 80 gathered at the five-bedroom house, designed by Terry Ring, at 8 Kleinig Street in Nicholls, with eight vying for the 961-square-metre property.

An opening bid of $900,000 quickly climbed past the million-dollar mark, with quick bids firing among three of the registered parties. 

After a brief pause at $1.36 million, a remaining few bids pushed the price a little higher before the hammer fell at $1.38 million, breaking a previous Kleinig Street record of $1.21 million.

It was also Canberra’s biggest sale of the day, contributing to a clearance rate of 70 per cent, according to Domain Group data.

LJ Hooker Belconnen selling agent Lyn Chambers said the house was snapped up by a young family who had been looking for their “forever” home since moving to Canberra from Sydney about one year ago.

More than 125 groups had inspected the Harcourt Hill house in the lead up to the auction, with the name Terry Ring and the location of the property contributing to the interest.

“He’s a well-known architect around Canberra,” she said. “I think a lot of people respect his designs.

“In this area here you are so elevated so you get lovely, lovely views. It really is a lovely street and the proximity to get down into the city and into south Canberra is just so easy with the Barton Highway right there.”

Strong results continued in the neighbouring region of Belconnen where two suburb records were broken.

A house at 11 Ashkanasy Crescent sold for $1.12 million under the hammer, breaking Evatt’s previous record of $925,000.

Scullin’s record was broken by about $95,000 after the sale of 18 Ross Smith Crescent for $790,000.

Luton Properties Belconnen director Tim McInnes, the selling agent of both properties, said encouraging prospective buyers to look beyond their suburb checklist had contributed to the top sales.

Aside from Belconnen’s schools, shops and sense of community, each property had its distinct drawcards.