TG

“I’d sell, but no-one is buying…” “I’d buy, but no-one is selling…” “Did you see what the place down the street went for?” “Really? It did?” And so the dominos begin to fall. [pullquote]… we’ve seen more action than we have seen all year.” [/pullquote]Over the past several weeks we’ve seen more action than we have seen […]

It seems there’s been a conspiracy among the boardroom auctioneers over the past couple of weeks: don’t let anyone get home in time for dinner. Surprise, surprise: there’s been some action. Horses have left stables, the tennis set has its whites on. 15 Chastleton Avenue, Toorak, with four bidders, bolted: $300,000 above reserve (and was

OK, the town’s a little horse-crazy and the real estate world is not immune. But we do have our own kind of fever. More Marx Bros than Melbourne Cup. First-off: Super Saturday! Says who? Compared with this time last year there were fewer auctions and a lower clearance rate. “Way Below Average Saturday!” Not exactly

Soothsayers? Oracles? Statisticians? We’re surounded by industry experts who know exactly where the market is going. They say. Those persuaded by voodoo are reading the entrails of chickens, those around us are more likely to be pondering the droppings of neighbours’ spoodles. And now allow us to introduce some real numbers into the equations. Toorak

Your questions answered … Pass-ins? All over the top end. Spinning wheels, little traction. Rhetoric? Up, action down. Agents and would-be advocates talking up Spring awakening. Our view? This is more than a holiday – think long-service leave. Direction? Top end leads, the rest follows. $5 million +? Dead end. Extinct. Only the desperate are selling.

The top end, as is its want, continues to march to a different drum. Or drums. Near-city? Asleep. Bayside? Occasional stirrings with fitful nightmares. So we go. Still quietly active behind the scenes but not much in public prospect in the near-city until the football is decided, the kids are back in school and the

A faint ringing sound came from beneath a pile of cobwebs that had lain undisturbed for as long as he could remember. A faintly familiar ringing sound. He rolled up the form guide he had been reading and, tentatively, pushed the mess aside. It was a telephone. He picked it up. “I want to sell

The Top End still has a heartbeat, it’s very faint but there are a few transactions taking place; although some at levels less than they were offered last year. Don’t knock it, it’s a kind of life. Life? We have a client who believes the whole real estate world is like life in a zoo

Strange thing about the top end market we’re seeing today. We’re not seeing it. It’s like a footy game with the crowd turning their backs to the field; looking to see what’s happening out of sight up in the stands. Yes, yes, yes. There are exceptions (see below). Enough of them, at least, to keep

… nothing. As we said last week: “Top End property wasn’t making the news last week, it won’t be this week and it won’t be next.” So little to report. We won’t waste your time. David Morrell