Auction watch: Street appeal seals the deal for $1m O'Connor property

The autumn selling season was back in full force on Saturday, as buyers hit the leafy streets to bid for more than 70 homes across the capital.

While long weekends and the school holidays have seen fewer homes go under the hammer in recent weeks, there were 73 homes up for grabs on Saturday.

About 60 people gathered around a backyard to watch 31 Westgarth Street sell for an even $1 million to an interstate buyer.

McGrath Dickson director Maree van Arkel said eight parties registered to bid for the three-bedroom home on “one of the prettiest streets” in the suburb.

Street appeal is proving to be a huge driver of sales in the inner north. Top streets in O’Connor and Ainslie are in short supply and high demand, Ms van Arkel said.

A beautiful location in Curtin helped a country-style family home achieve a six-figure sale.

Cream Residential director Chris Wilson sold 4 Jennings Street under the hammer for $1,050,000.

“We weren’t expecting that it would sell for over $1 million,” Mr Wilson said.

Mr Wilson said interest in Curtin, Garran and Hughes was particularly strong as they were more affordable than the inner south.

“Part of the reason these suburbs are so popular is people see good value there as opposed to Yarralumla and Deakin,” Mr Wilson said.

“You pay a lot more to get into those locations.”

Richard Luton, whose agency sold 19 of the 26 homes they had listed for auction on Saturday, said it was a busy day for Luton Properties.

Luton Kippax agent Ben Oostermeyer sold two of his properties prior to auction and two on the day. Three of these properties were situated in the Belconnen suburb of Dunlop.

A home at 56 Percy Begg Circuit achieved Dunlop’s second highest price on record when it sold for $810,000.

Mr Oostermeyer said the suburb has become more attractive as it has matured and now offers a good balance of modern homes, large block sizes and lovely streetscapes.

Saturday’s clearance rate was 61.5 per cent, according to Australian Property Monitors.