Slice of history: Local family shells out $3m for antique-filled abandoned home
A house that was abandoned for 30 years and rumoured to be haunted has sold at auction for $3.1 million, delivering its new owners a folklore-laced fixer-upper stacked with antiques older than the wiring.
A crowd of 150 gathered to see the storied two-bedder at 31 Perrott Street go under the hammer, with 15 bidders registering for a shot at the dilapidated home.
But after a bold $2.75 million opening bid cleared the field, just four remained in the race. At $2.95 million the home was called on the market and mere minutes later it was over, with a local family paying over the reserve to secure a slice of Paddington history.
Set on an elevated 473 square metre corner block, the home has remained in the same family for more than a century but has sat empty since the ’90s. Locals say the last residents left decades ago, departing so abruptly they left the dining table set.
Co-selling agent Max Hadgelias, of Ray White Paddington, said it was one of their biggest auction crowds on record.
“The buyers were very chuffed to get it. They plan to undertake a big renovation – they just loved the spot and the view. They were the perfect buyers for this home,” he said.
“We had hundreds of groups through and while lots of those were curious neighbours, we also had plenty of serious buyers from Brisbane, interstate and even overseas.”
But at the end of the day, Hadgelias said it was mostly locals who wanted it.
He said the house was last lived in by a family member in the ’90s, who passed away. Since then, it had remained empty “for no real reason”.
“It was such a cherished asset, and it took a long time for them to decide to sell it,” he said.
When the time came to put it on the market, Hadgelias said it took one crew two weeks to get the abandoned abode inspection-ready.
“There was a lot of stuff in there – bits and pieces with dates on them from the ’60s, ‘70s and ’80s,” he said. “Surprisingly, the paintwork wasn’t too bad inside, even if it was on the outside.”
The house was also packed with old furniture, attracting antique hunters hoping to score forgotten treasures. “The vendors will now get to decide what they want to keep, and then they can sell the rest,” he said.
The house was among 177 scheduled auctions across Brisbane last week. By Saturday evening, Domain recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 56 per cent from 107 reported results, with 11 auctions withdrawn.
In New Farm, another rare piece of Brisbane history – this one tied to former Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen through family lineage – sold for $4.575 million, just over the undisclosed reserve.
The four-bedroom home, at 3 Mark Street, was offered to the market for the first time since it was built in 1890.
Set on a prime 810-square-metre block near the James Street precinct, the iconic residence features a wraparound veranda, timber floors, a generations-old poinciana tree and even the original outhouse.
Thirteen bidders registered, while seven were active. A local family hoping to renovate the home kicked things off at $3 million, with the price quickly soaring to $4.3 million.
It was then called on the market, leading to a final bidding battle between the family and an expat returning from the UK. In the end the expat walked away with the keys.
Selling agent Heath Williams, of Place New Farm, said the home drew strong interest, with dozens of buyers inspecting and a huge crowd turning out to watch the historic sale unfold.
“It was a pretty rare listing – there aren’t many blocks this size (in New Farm) … and it was a near flat block too,” he said. “But the market is also interesting right now – previously, renovators weren’t the flavour of the month.”
He said a new build on a similar block nearby recently sold for just $800,000 more – showing buyers were again willing to invest in fixer-uppers.
Over in Holland Park, a couple of investors paid $1.366 million for a five-bedroom post-war home they hadn’t even inspected.
The property at 57 Layard Street sits on a 617-square-metre block and includes a fully self-contained downstairs space. Four bidders competed, with a Toowoomba family looking to relocate to Brisbane opening the auction at $1 million.
“It was pretty competitive until $1.32 million, at which point we were above the reserve,” said co-selling agent Patrick Goldsworthy, of Place Estate Agents Bulimba.
“Then there were just two buyers left battling it out until the end, but the investors got it. And they were really nonchalant and would have happily kept going.
“The fact that it sold for $60,000 over the reserve just shows the value of Holland Park.”
The couple saw the property for the first time mere minutes before the auction.
“It was actually her birthday and she said it was a bit of a gift to herself,” Goldsworthy said. “After the auction, they even asked me if they could take a bit more of a look around.”
He added the vendors had owned the home for 11 years and were making a “tree change” to the Sunshine Coast.
Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee said Brisbane’s auction results showed strong momentum, with their internal clearance rate hitting 87 per cent.
“That’s up from 64.3 per cent last year,” she said. “It tells us people have shrugged off the interest rate hold and that they’re expecting a cut in two weeks.”
The only headwind, she said, remained a significant shortage of listings, though she expected a spring surge.
We recommend
We thought you might like
States
Capital Cities
Capital Cities - Rentals
Popular Areas
Allhomes
More
