Your Domain: Family's home of 63 years sells to couple who always wanted to live in suburb

The end of a six-decade chapter for one family, but a new beginning for another.

That’s what this house in Rosebery, in Sydney’s south, represents for the sellers and successful buyers following a tense auction in which it sold nearly $200,000 above reserve.

The sale by Paul Buist was prompted by his mother Joan’s move into aged care.  Now in her nineties, Joan’s backdrop to so many family memories had to go under the hammer.

“I hate losing my home. It’s been my home for 63 years. My kids were raised here,” Mrs Buist says.

Mr Buist said though his mother had come to terms with the sale, she wasn’t happy about it. He hoped, however, that the property could help a new family have their own memories.

“It’s been a good family home; it’s been a good place to live. This place will always have memories for me,” he says.

“Maybe it’s time for somebody else to have the same experience as I had.”

The three-bedroom Californian bungalow is in need of some work: its only toilet is outside and the interiors need a refresh.

But that didn’t stop more than 100 groups inspecting the property in the lead up to the auction, says selling agent Joe Recep from N G Farah.

Rosebery is near Sydney airport has a median house price of $1.4 million and the Buist family set their reserve at $1.8 million.

Bidding started slowly, with auctioneer Damien Cooley from Cooley Auctions trying to warm up the large crowd that congregated on the front lawn.

The first bid came in at $1.65 million, and it wasn’t long before two active bidders battled it out to hit reserve.

A third bidder joined the fray, but it was one of the original bidders that won out with a bid of $1,972,000 – $172,000 above reserve.

“Today was an absolutely unbelievable result,” Mr Cooley said.

The winning bidder had lived in neighbouring Zetland for 10 years and fell in love with the area. The auction result was the end of a five-year search for him and his wife.

“[I’m] a little bit in shock but very happy,” he said after the auction. “My wife will be even more happy; she’s always wanted to live in Rosebery.

“It’s good to be able to get it done.”