On a sweltering Brisbane afternoon, the auction of 23 Copeland Street, was as much theatre as transaction.

After an hour of hot bidding and hotter coffees, the charming four-bedroom worker’s cottage sold for $2.32 million to a young family, dog Daisy in tow, who agreed to one condition: the beloved backyard gum tree stays put.

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The home, owned by the same vendor since 1999, was on the market for the first time in 26 years. She bought it for $225,000, renovated it twice, and shared one last request before the sale - to preserve the old gum tree that had marked her journey. The buyers didn’t hesitate.

More than 122 groups inspected the property, drawn by its elevated position, proximity to the future Olympic precinct and rich architectural details. Coffee and hot chocolate flowed freely from the on-site van, calming a crowd of over 200.

“It was a tough act,” said Nicholas Stankiewicz of NS Properties. “We had a guy who kept jumping in with five-thousand-dollar raises the moment another bidder opened their mouth. One frustrated buyer kept shouting, ‘Is it on the market yet!’”

Designed by Urban Solutions Architects, the house blends original 11-foot ceilings with a modern kitchen, elevated decks and solar upgrades. Zoned for top schools and just two kilometres from the Brisbane CBD, it offered families and investors a rare mix of charm, location and liveability.

“The result speaks for itself,” said Stankiewicz. “It was a tough, emotional, unforgettable auction.”

According to Cotality, Brisbane saw a sharper drop in activity, compared to the national average, down to 128 homes from 187 the week before, though its clearance rate stayed above 70 per cent at 71.1 per cent.

$1.185m Kilburn corner block exceeds vendor expectation

A unique corner allotment in Kilburn, Adelaide attracted 22 registered bidders and a flurry of competition, eventually selling for $1.185 million in front of a small but mixed crowd of families and investors.

The auction of 62 Le Hunte Street began on a frosty winter’s day with the sun peeking around the clouds and a tentative opening bid of $850,000. Quickly dismissed, a new starting bid of $950,000 set the pace, with bids rolling in at $25,000 increments before the field narrowed to three eager bidders.

Harcourts agent Rajani Barot said the result far exceeded expectations.

“The vendor only anticipated around a million, so they were absolutely ecstatic with the final figure,” she said.

The winning buyer was an investor who saw potential in the Urban Renewal Zone location and the flexibility of the 601 square metre corner site with no easements or strata restrictions.

The property’s four-bedroom, two-bathroom layout, combined with its 3-metre ceilings, dual carports and landscaped gardens, appealed to a broad buyer pool. With separate kitchen, dining and living zones, it’s well-suited to modern family life or future redevelopment (STCC).

“Even in the cold, there was high energy in the crowd,” said Barot. “Buyers knew this kind of property doesn’t come up often in Kilburn, and it showed in the bidding.”

Adelaide lifted slightly in auction volumes volume with 83 auctions, but its clearance rate softened to 65.1 percent reports Cotality.

Cottesloe charmer draws country buyers to coastal prize

A warm, coastal classic in leafy Cottesloe stole the show on Saturday, with 36 Boreham Street selling for $2.8 million after spirited bidding from three active buyers.

Ray White agent Jody Fewster said a crowd of around 40 turned out to watch the reimagined character home go under the hammer.

Bidding opened at $2.5 million and climbed steadily before landing with a young family from regional WA, thrilled to secure their place in this Perth street with serious pulling power.

The vendors, a local couple, were delighted with the outcome, which exceeded expectations for the 663-square-metre block nestled between the river and the sea.

Framed by mature trees and a secure front garden, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home was marketed as a light-filled blend of character charm and polished modern comfort. It offered timber and concrete floors, underfloor heating, high ceilings and a showstopping kitchen with Miele appliances and a vast island bench.

Oversized glass sliders opened to a lush north-facing backyard with entertaining deck, lawns, established trees and room for a trampoline or future pool. Two sheds, a rear laneway and gated entry added extra appeal.

Fewster said the sale reflects growing demand for quality family homes with move-in ready appeal. “It’s a beautiful home with warmth, space and a great energy,” she said. “The buyers fell in love with it straight away.”

The Cottesloe market remains competitive, with homes that blend lifestyle and liveability continuing to draw strong interest.

Around the capitals, auction volumes dipped again this week, with 1,581 homes taken to market-down 7.5 percent on the previous week and 11.1 percent lower than the same time last year. The easing pace reflects a broader pattern in new listings, which have remained below average through much of 2025.

Despite lower volumes, demand is holding. The combined capitals’ preliminary clearance rate came in at 72.3 percent, slightly down from 74.7 percent the week before, which marked the year’s highest to date. Still, it’s the eighth straight week clearance rates have remained above 70 percent.

CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless noted that the market’s resilience continues, with auction volumes expected to stay steady this coming week around the 1570 mark, then lift to nearly 1900 the following week as spring approaches.