The Illawarra property market is expected to remain hot during spring, as long as there remains a shortage of stock throughout the region.
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This Saturday marks the first weekend of the traditionally strong spring selling season.
Ron Kissell from Ray White Helensburgh said it was difficult for anyone to predict how long "this velocity is going to last" within the Illawarra market.
"The market is very aggressive, (with) people missing out on properties," he said.
"A lot of that is due to lack of stock. Are the stock levels going to change? That's going to be the important thing.
"Normally we see that happen in spring, but will it happen this year to the extent that it normally does?"
Mr Kissell said it was difficult to maintain stock levels when properties had been selling so quickly throughout the region.
"This year, it's the unknown," he said. "We're in unchartered waters.
"If stock levels rise, it may level off. But if they don't rise to the extent they normally do in spring, I think this market's going to maintain the velocity it's got.
"There's a lot of guessing with spring this year, because are people going to be willing to put their properties on the market with COVID still around?
"This year with the Delta strain being more contagious, are people going to want to hold off? Are sellers not going to want people from the city going through their properties?"
Among Mr Kissell's current listings is 21/15 Park Avenue, Helensburgh.
Freestanding and occupying a corner position, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouse will be up for sale via online auction on Saturday.
It has a price guide of $1 million.
Mr Kissell said the property was attracting interest from a mix of Sydney and local buyers, largely due to the price point.
"It's difficult to get a house around here for a million dollars now," he said.
Meanwhile, in the Illawarra's southern suburbs, two neighbouring properties are scheduled to be sold back-to-back via online auction on Saturday.
The properties at 126 Wentworth Street, Oak Flats and 128 Wentworth Street are both up for sale.
Samantha Johnson from MMJ South said the homes were owned by separate unrelated parties, and it was purely coincidental they both had come on to the market at the same time.
Miss Johnson said the three-bedroom house at No.126 was more aimed at renovators. "It needs a lot more work, but the block is substantial at 734 square metres," she said.
"The one next door is four bedrooms, nearly 100 square metres bigger, and is more of a ready to move in family home."
Miss Johnson said there wasn't a bidders guide for either property, but there had been some interest from developers, "given that it's two homes side-by-side in Oak Flats, which is a growing suburb for developments".
"We've also got some first home buyers, we've got some investors, and we've got some people looking to relocate to the area from Sydney," she said.
As the spring selling season gets under way, Adam Martin from MMJ South said the Illawarra market didn't seem to be slowing down at all.
However, he said open homes not being allowed due to COVID-19 restrictions had made the process more time-consuming in some respects.
"A 20-minute window where we could get 20 groups through, now takes two hours (with one-on-one private inspections)," he said.
"Apart from that, buyer interest has been great, and inquiry has been exceptional across the board.
"It's all about supply and demand. There's minimal stock out there, the demand is strong and prices are still soaring."
Meanwhile, Ali Yagmur from Domain Illawarra Real Estate said he believed this year's spring selling period would achieve stronger results when compared to the likes of 2020, largely due to a lack of supply.
"Regardless of whether we're in lockdown and COVID is continuing, I believe the lack of supply, the level of interest and the record low interest rates will continue to drive it," he said.
"I feel the prices that we're going to achieve will be greater, due to a lack of supply of stock throughout the region. The demand is definitely outstripping the supply.
"I think it will just keep on going for at least until the end of the year. Until the borders open up and the government looks at maybe raising interest rates, I think the market will continue to rise as long as there's a lack of supply out there."
Among Mr Yagmur's current listings is the 566.9 square metres of residential land at 226 Nolan Street, Berkeley.
The property will be auctioned on Saturday. It has a bidders guide of $380,000.
The land is being sold on behalf of the NSW Land and Housing Corporation.
The land was previously the site of a social housing property which was damaged by fire earlier this year and demolished.
Mr Yagmur said interest in the property was "50/50, people from out of the area and locals".
Also due to be auctioned this Saturday is 147 Koloona Avenue, Mount Keira.
The two-bedroom, one-bathroom home sits on 3.7 acres of partially cleared R2 zoned land in a rainforest setting.
It has a price guide of $1.3 million.
Co-selling agent, Laila Dahab from Betschwar & Co said the property was attracting plenty of interest from Sydney.
"Also, being such a great size and in that location, there are quite a few people in the Illawarra who have just been waiting for that type of property to come up," she said.