The auction of 24 Starritt Place, Macarthur, broke the suburb record by $255,000. Photos: LJ Hooker Tuggeranong.
A Tuggeranong Valley ”unicorn” has set a suburb record at a recent auction, selling for $1,755,000.
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom Macarthur house with three living areas and an outdoor entertainment area and pool had been held by the same family since it was built in 1991.
It smashed the $1.5m record set by a property across the road nine months ago.
Updated and extended, 24 Starritt Place sits at the end of a cul-de-sac on a 1099-square-metre block, backs on to a reserve and boasts plenty of space for a growing family, and that’s just who won out in spirited bidding.
LJ Hooker Tuggeranong agent Sally McCallum said the buyers, a young couple with three children from Lanyon Valley, were looking to upsize and fell in love with the property the first time they viewed it.
The sellers had raised their family there, knew everyone in the street, now had grandchildren and were downsizing.
After a campaign in which 75 groups inspected the property, the auction attracted five registered bidders on the day, including one via phone from Wollongong.
Ms McCallum said that with such a wonderful property and location, and the benchmark set nearby, she knew the record would be up for grabs, but the result still exceeded expectations.
The buyers were thrilled, with the young father saying, “Sally, it was just a unicorn. We didn’t think we’d find a house like that.”
The great outdoors. The property’s location was a winner.
Ms McCallum said the outcome reflected a rising market generally, but especially in Tuggeranong, where prices were surging with increasing buyer interest but supply remained tight.
“Tuggeranong is a standout [district],” she said.
“It’s getting really good prices, really good engagement. Something’s happening out this way; the market’s definitely picked up.”
Ms McCallum said people were realising that block sizes were bigger, there were established trees and green spaces, and mountain views.
“The value has always been pretty good out in Tuggeranong,” she said.
The new Home Guarantee Scheme was also making an impact with first-home buyers looking for properties under $1 million.
“Some of them are families and some of them are just young couples that might have had a bit of help from mum and dad somewhere along the line, but it’s all walks of life,” Ms McCallum said.
But she warned potential buyers not to tarry, as prices were on the move.
A colleague had a three-bedroom, two-bathroom original home in Monash that sold for $984,000.
“That’s an indication of how the market is. It feels almost like COVID times,” Ms McCallum said.
On average, open homes were attracting 15 to 20 groups, but listings were down 20 per cent on last year.
“We’ve been busier these last couple of weeks doing a lot of appraisals, so maybe it’s going to start to pick up,” she said.
“But that spring rush never really happened this year.”
Ms McCallum isn’t confident the record will stand for long.
“I’m hoping we can hold it for a while, but in this market, who knows?”
