Your Domain: Hilarious auction sees a Melbourne man sell the home he bought when he was 18

In what had the vendor and bidders in stitches last weekend, the hilarious auction of a Melbourne man’s property of 62 years saw it sell for $1.256 million.

“I purchased this block of land at the age of 18 back in 1958,” Geoff toldYour Domain. “When I came here it was dirt roads, two tracks through the grass.”

Geoff, a retired salesman, owned the Bulleen property for 62 years. After getting married at 27, he built the current house there in 1967 and has lived there since, raising his three daughters there.

It was his mother who had encouraged him to buy the block of land for just 825 pounds. After renovations, Will-o-glen has become a great investment for Geoff, but he was ready to move on.

“I lost my wife in 2005. It’s getting too much for me,” Geoff said. “I’ve got to downsize to find a smaller unit – something I can manage. Hopefully somewhere central to the family.”

There was plenty of interest ahead of the auction with no concerns from the vendor or the agent that the home would sell.

“Bulleen has always been one of Manningham’s best-kept secrets,” selling agent and auctioneer Mark Di Giulio of Barry Plant Manningham said ahead of the auction. The addition of a $22 billion freeway to the area had started to send more buyers his way.

“We have had a significant amount of buyers come back for a second viewing with mum or dad, family or friends,” Mr Di Giulio said of the home. “But there’s a lot of unknown factors with the dark horses, so fingers crossed.”

The traditional ringing of the auction bell got the auctioned fired up for Mr Giulio, who was a natural at keeping the crowd engaged (and entertained).

A clean bid of $1 million started off the bidding and it was quick from there. In what would be an emotional moment for Geoff, he couldn’t keep the smile off his face watching the auction from inside. As the audience served up their bids, Mr Di Giulio served up the jokes.

“Sir, we’ve got Tim Tams inside,” Mr Di Giulio said to one of the more dominant bidders, pushing him for another go. “OK, one more,” the bidder said back, raising the price to $1.215 million.

“That’s an expensive packet of Tim Tams,” Mr Di Giulio joked.

The stand-up comedy routine/auction didn’t stop there. Bidding continued until the property sold for $1.256 million, with Mr Di Giulio pulling out all the tricks – from a stuffed toy bear to boxing references.

“It was really good. It was a positive outcome for an older-style home, so we’re really pleased,” Mr Di Giulio said as Geoff and his family celebrated the success inside.

How much Mr Di Giulio’s jokes played in the great result, we’ll never know.

Your Domain airs at 10am on Saturdays on Nine. Catch up on all episodes on 9Now.