A Balgownie house, on the market for the first time in more than a decade, is the latest to join the suburb's $2 million-plus club after changing hands last week.
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Listing agent Cooper Reed of MMJ Wollongong said the property, which was marketed as a design 'masterpiece', sold under auction conditions shortly after the hammer fell last Monday for a price of $2,125,000.
There were 33 auction results reported over the past week in the Illawarra, according to CoreLogic, with a preliminary clearance rate of 81.8 per cent.
The buyer of the property at 35 Bootie Street, Balgownie was based in Sydney but intended to relocate to the area and had been attracted to the property's architectural design, Mr Reed said.
Built in 1989 to designs by Tony Frank & Associates, the property features soaring timber ceilings and parquetry floors.
"It's a special looking house and the feel of it was very homely, despite being a classic design," Mr Reed said.
"It was built to withstand a bomb," he added.
The property is situated at the end of the cul-de-sac on a 588 square metre block.
It's the fourth-highest sale in the suburb this year, according to CoreLogic records, and joins a growing number of $2 million-plus sales in Balgownie in recent years.
Mr Reed advised the price was a record for a property on a block under 700 square metres.
The suburb record was set in April this year with a $3 million sale at 28A Sherwood Drive.
Mr Reed said that there were three active bidders for the property, including two local parties.
Balgownie's reputation as a "leafy suburb" with a village vibe had helped propel interest during the campaign he said.
"It retains a village feel despite being only within a ten or 15-minute drive of the Wollongong CBD and a ten-minute drive to the beach," he said.
The vendors, who purchased the property for $810,000 in 2008 had made minor changes to the property during their tenure, including the addition of a new kitchen.
Mr Reed also sold a three-bedroom villa at 9/126 Kanahooka Road, Kanahooka for $770,000 at the same auction event.
Read more: Suburb in the spotlight: Kanahooka
The property sold to a Sydney-based buyer who was looking to downsize.
There were nine registered bidders for the property, with five active bidders.
The property's large floorplan, spread across 122 square metres, and a lack of similar stock in the Wollongong area had led to a high level of interest in the property, Mr Reed said.
"Just because it's a single level villa, it was quite large for a single level villa and because of the lack of stock on the market [interest was high]," he said.
In Kiama, a three bedroom apartment in the Sebel Kiama Harbourside complex sold under the hammer for $1.85 million.
The property at 502/2 Minnamurra Street sold above expectations according to selling agent Michele Lay of Ray White Kiama, though restrictions on the number of nights the new owners can use the property meant interest in the property had been "average".
"Probably if it was a normal residential apartment it would have fetched $2.8 million to $3 million," Ms Lay said.
"It is right in the heart of Kiama, overlooking the harbour ... It's the crème de la crème of positions," she added.
Under the conditions attached to the 17-year-old building, the new owners can stay there for a maximum of 42 days per annum, Ms Lay said.
In Bomaderry a redevelopment site at 451 Princes Highway sold at auction for $630,000.
The listing included an original condition three-bedroom house on a 1380 square metre block.
Selling agent Karl Poulton of Professionals Nowra said the property sold to a local investor after 26 bids.
There were nine registered bidders, of which four were "pretty active".
Expectations for the property had been in the high-$500,000 to low-$600,000 range, Mr Poulton said.