California bungalow in Elwood rockets $620,000 over reserve

3 Hood Street, Elwood

Sold $1.95 million
Agency Chisholm & Gamon
Price range $1.3 million-$1.4 million

With the opening bid of $1.5 million, Chisholm & Gamon auctioneer Sam Gamon called 3 Hood Street, a red-brick house at a tree-lined Elwood T-intersection, on the market. Five bidders kept the offers coming, mostly in $10,000 rises, until just two prospective purchasers fought it out from $1.68 million. The 80-strong crowd watched a quick series of offers and counter-offers push the price to $1.95 million, nearly $600,000 over the top end of the advertised price range. A professional couple outbid a single gentleman who was representing vendors over the phone. Marc Pallisco 

70 Pakington Street, Kew

Sold $2.67 million
Agent Kay & Burton
Price range $2 million+

Auctioneer Scott Patterson described the extended 1902 home as having “one of the best renovations and extensions I’ve seen in the area”, and seven prospective buyers agreed. A $1.8 million opener was trumped by a $400,000 knockout bid that didn’t have the desired effect. When the house was put on the market at $2.42 million, two fresh bidders stepped up. The 30-something men slugged it out for several minutes, with the bolder of the two lobbing $40,000 and $30,000 rises. He won out at $2.67 million before a big crowd of 130. Chris Tolhurst 

40 Reed Street, Spotswood​

Sold $1,456,000
Agency Biggin & Scott
Price range $1.2 million-$1.3 million

The opening bid for 40 Reed Street, an offer of $1.4 million, instantly put the property ahead of the previous suburb record, by $500,000. Two bidders were eager to win the keys to the California bungalow, which had a swish renovation in 2008 and sat on a generous 600-square-metre block. The opening bidder made no further attempts, and two other contenders were left to slug it out against auctioneer Tristan Tomasino. It is the second time in a month that the Spotswood price record has been broken. Emily Power 

205 George Street, East Melbourne

Sold $3,505,000
Agent Marshall White
Price range $3.2 million+

Flanked by the MCG and Fitzroy Gardens, this East Melbourne trophy home was going to command top dollar. Built in a row of six between 1855 and 1872, the three-bedroom terrace had two contenders willing to fight hard for the keys. James Tostevin needed a vendor bid of $3 million to get started before the pair jumped in, trading $25,000 increments. At $3,425,000, the elegant property was on the market. It took another 10 bids for the new owner to win the right to ink the contract. Emily Power 

53 Wrights Terrace, Prahran

Sold $1,707,000 
Agent Jellis Craig 
Price range $1.4 million-plus

A woman offered $1.4 million to start the auction of this two-bedroom 1970s house, renovated two years ago. The attention to detail – including leather door handles and delightfully textured surfaces – made this property stand out. Three would-be buyers took turns trying to snatch it from the woman. A late entrant made two offers before saying “she can have it”, though they made one more bid, anyway. Jovial auctioneer Mark Robertson sold it to the woman for $1,707,000 to a round of applause. It was on the market at $1.67 million. Jayne D’Arcy 

145 Charles Street, Abbotsford

Sold $1,108,000
Agent Nelson Alexander
Price range $830,000-$900,000

Near Collingwood station, this pretty house was a neat entry into the coveted terrace market, sandwiched between parkland and the Yarra River. Five bidders were in the mix for auctioneer Arch Staver, who put the two-bedroom Victorian gem on the market when it hit reserve at $900,000. Young couples were mostly in contention, lured by the proximity to trendy Fitzroy and Abbotsford’s suburban leafiness. The home had been updated and has a neat courtyard and some intact period flourishes. Emily Power 

4 Clonaig Street, Brighton East

Sold $1.47 million 
Agent RT Edgar 
Price range $1.2 million-plus

There was a lot of familiarity at the auction of this three-bedroom 1970s home, with auctioneer Greg Costello telling the crowd he sold it to the vendor 29 years ago, then proceeding to refer to a couple of would-be buyers by name. An opening bid of $1.1 million was optimistic, but quickly “Michael” and “Mosh” were in the game, pushing it to its on-the-market price of $1,325,000. Mosh fought off six others, including Michael, to buy the retro property for $1.47 million. Jayne D’Arcy