A 'click and collect'-style online auction of a Port Kembla property went right down to the wire after running for nearly two weeks.
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As the Greater Sydney lockdown continues, the Illawarra property market has continued to embrace the online auction format.
Some strong results were recorded during the past week, with multiple properties selling for more than $200,000 over the price guide.
According to CoreLogic, for the week ending July 25, the Illawarra had 13 auctions scheduled.
Preliminary figures indicate that of the ten results collected so far, seven were sold, a 70 per cent clearance rate.
The Illawarra area captured by the CoreLogic results include postcodes from the Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama local government areas.
Set on 525 square metres, a free-standing dual occupancy at 4 Forster Street, Port Kembla was sold via a 'click and collect' auction.
It sold for $889,000 to Illawarra investors.
Selling agent, Martine Dippre from KORE Property Group said the property had been opened up to auction conditions for buyers to be able to bid online.
Bidding opened on July 12 and was due to close at 12pm on Friday via the AuctionNow platform.
While there was no price guide established, the starting bid price was $600,000.
There were 28 registered bidders and 49 bids placed.
At 12.20pm, 20 minutes past the scheduled finishing time, three different parties (two from the Illawarra and one out of area) continued to push the auction well into overtime.
"It actually ran about 45 minutes over the (scheduled) end time, as bidding continued," Ms Dippre said.
"Every time someone put a bid in, another five minutes was added on to the auction.
"(This method) just made everything easy for both buyers and the sellers. Easy for the buyers because they could just see exactly where it was up to, and they could make the decision over the two-week period whether they were going to bid.
"And for the sellers, they could just see in real time what people thought of their property."
In other auctions a five-bedroom, three-bathroom home at 121 Brokers Road, Balgownie sold for $2,295,000.
There were eight registered bidders, with indications of interest prior to the auction in the high $1 million range.
It sold to a Sydney buyer.
Features include a saltwater in-ground swimming pool, impressive views, landscaped gardens and an outdoor entertaining area with kitchen, built-in barbecue and bar fridge.
The selling agents were Trever Molenaar and Guy Hampton from Molenaar + McNeice.
Meanwhile, a cottage at 754 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Coledale, circa 1909, began its life as St Oswald's Anglican Church, and has been modernised with a boho chic style.
The two-bedroom home sold under the hammer on Saturday for $1,930,000.
There were seven registered bidders.
The price guide was $1.6 million to $1.7 million.
Co-selling agent, Kane Downie of One Agency Thirroul said it was sold to a local buyer.
He said four parties remained in the running until bidding reached the high $1.8 million mark, after which two Illawarra buyers were left fighting it out.
"There was a lot of interest from Sydney - probably half the buyers were Sydney-based and half were local," he said.
"It was a real mix of investors and owner-occupiers too.
"It was very spirited bidding. It was our first auction with the online platform AuctionNow, and we were pleasantly surprised how it went. It was very transparent for all the bidders."
Heading a little south, the home at 9 Balgownie Road, Fairy Meadow also sold.
Set on 582 square metres, this three-bedroom, two-bathroom home sold at auction on Saturday for $958,000. It had a price guide of $750,000.
Co-selling agent, Andrew Hedley from One Agency Thirroul said it was sold to a local buyer.
There were about 25 registered bidders, with two bidders left in the running once the price reached $880,000.
Some of the last bids between these two parties were in $500 increments, one of which ultimately sealed the deal.
"There were plenty of different types of people who were interested in it - renovators, investors, flippers, first home buyers, downsizers and knockdown buyers," Mr Hedley said.
"There was quite a broad range, and the opportunity to do some work to add value was what got people pretty keen."
Also, a home at 43 Bridge Street, Coniston sold via online auction for $820,000 on Saturday.
It had a price guide of $760,000 to $810,000.
Set on 443 square metres, this three-bedroom, one-bathroom family home features an open plan living/dining area plus level backyard, as well as a recently renovated family bathroom featuring modern fittings.
Bidding opened at $720,000.
Selling agent, David Greenwood from McGrath Wollongong said it was sold to a first home buyer from the Illawarra, who outbid another local buyer at the end of proceedings.
Several investors were also in the running.
He said most interest in the property had been from other Illawarra buyers, with little interest from Sydney.