A Property that Arouse the Senses

What happens when we have lucky double eights on a Saturday? A date such as 8/8 will appeal to the Chinese as they are golden numbers.

Interestingly, both of the auctions that I attended last weekend have Caucasian buyers bidding in the “8” increments rather than the Chinese. A hippie bloke with a hoodie sat on the planter box bidded “$888,888” in Carlton. The property eventually sold for $1,047,000.

Meanwhile in North Melbourne, the atmosphere was tensed. An alluring property I shared last week was about to go under the hammer. This is a townhouse that can arouse our senses, whether it is the architecturally sculpted space, materiality or the styling. Definitely the best townhouse on that street, if not in the vicinity. It is obvious. On a wet day, the other townhouses built around the same time already looked tired and weathered but this one stood out looking really good – like it had a dose of anti-aging serum. One can feel the finesse on the facade, with the silky smooth pre-fab tilt panel concrete and the detailing of the joints – things an architecturally-trained eye like mine will pick up quickly. Inside, the premium Carrara marble, silken polished concrete, luminous Victorian Ash and solid Royal American Oak caress our receptors. No expense is spared as it is conceived, designed and constructed by its builder and designer owners. Not your average townhouse developed to be flogged off to the masses. For the lucky buyer, this is a masterpiece that has been built with passion and infused with delight.

Quoted at $1.1 million plus, this 3 2 2 profile property on an allotment of 283sqm attracted a crowd of more than 100 people. Porsches, Mercedes and a host of sports cars lined the streets. Woodards auctioneer Anthony Gattuso did not waste any time lighting up the fire in the crowd with an auspicious bid of $1,188,000 from a Caucasian bidder. From then onwards, the bidding war became fast and ferocious. A total of 8 bidders fought hard to get a piece of the action. Surprise bids came from every direction. Eventually, the hammer fell to the highest bid from a Caucasian family, who ‘killed off’ other competitions with their $1,710,000 bid. After the auction, the ‘wounded’ bidders were seen lingering in groups debriefing in disappointments. Such was the magnetism of this property that even the underbidders didn’t want to leave after their defeat. Amazing.