Ten years later, Grange property sells to first home buyers – again

A decade ago, 8 Leyton Street was bought by a first-home buyer couple looking to start a family. On Saturday, that family handed the keys to another young couple, hoping to do the same.

“It makes us feel good, because we’ll be starting a family soon,” winning bidder Kaity MacRae said.

“Well, fingers crossed,” husband Wade interjected, laughing. “It’s awesome to hear it’s worked well for a first home for someone else.”

The young pair had missed out at four auctions in the area, and had promised themselves they wouldn’t get their hopes up. But the three-bedroom home was perfect.

“We were a bit disheartened but we were so keen because we live a few streets away and we just love all the quietness and the opening up onto Grange Forest Park, which we walk the dog through every single day,” Mrs MacRae said.

“We both know how beautiful the forest is,” Mr MacRae added.

They weren’t the only young couple to see the value in the property on auction day with another two fighting tooth-and-nail under the hammer.

Bidding started at $560,000 and paused around the $690,000 mark. The vendors then placed it on the market, sparking another flurry of bidding. But the MacRaes wouldn’t be beaten, eventually snagging it for $705,000.

Vendors Mark and Camilla Chaplain were thrilled their first home sold to another pair of first-home buyers.

“It’s a nice ending that it’s first-home buyers who are going to live it, and make it their home,” Mrs Chaplin said.

The Chaplins, who will soon to their growing brood, moved to Bardon to be closer to family, and were happy the house wouldn’t be knocked down or rented out.

“I think they’re going to be really happy here, I’m stoked for them,” Mrs Chaplin said.

Space Property Paddington agent Michael Kleimeyer said the home attracted a lot of interest because it backed onto the parklands.

“When you’re there, all you hear is birds and that sort of stuff,” he said.

Houses rarely sell in Leyton Street, with some homeowners having lived there upwards of 50 years.

“It’s a pretty usual home, but in that area, not many properties come up that often,” Mr Kleimeyer said. “People tend to stay there a long time.”

In Cannon Hill Saturday afternoon, a luxurious like-new Queenslander was passed in after a brief auction. 

Place Bulimba agent Chris Rice said he had expected the auction for 62 Muir Street to break a suburb record when it sold. 

“It’s the kind of property you’d see in Norman Park and Hawthorne,” he said. “This build sets a new benchmark.”

“There’s not a huge choice when it comes to character homes.”

Bidding started with a $1 million vendor bid. A buyer’s agent made the next offer, but it closed after another vendor bid of $1.1 million. 

Auctioneer Paul Curtain said the result was disappointing, but he was confident the home would sell outside of auction. 

“What we’re seeing in Cannon Hill is what Bulimba was at say, 10 years ago,” he said. “There were a lot of small lot homes selling in the early millions.”

The renovated four-bedroom home was done up by a family who had plans to live in it, but had to move due to family issues. 

In Ascot, the home of former Governor of Queensland Major General Peter Arnison sold at auction for $2,761,000 million.

The Vietnam war veteran bought 86 Yabba Street when he retired from the armed forces in 1996.

The property was marketed by Ray White New Farm and auctioned by Haesly Cush.