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33A Hope Street, Geelong West has been popular with Melbourne-based buyers – but they’ll need to prove they’re ready to go if they want to inspect it.

Regional real estate agents are screening prospective buyers from Melbourne amid concerns some are using property inspections as an excuse to escape lockdown.

Citywide isolation measures, which also cover residents of Mitchell Shire to the city’s north, allow residents to travel for private inspections of homes — but not for open for inspections.

Maryborough Ballarat Real Estate’s Kate Ashton said she had encountered prospective buyers who appeared to be using inspections as something to do, or with only vague plans to buy in six months time.

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Covering a patch of Victoria’s goldfields just outside of Bendigo, about two hours from Melbourne, she said the region was enjoying springlike conditions and was very attractive for a daytrip, but urged Melburnians to stay away for now.

“On Thursday afternoon I declined two people who asked for me to write them a letter to say they are going to look at a property,” Ms Ashton said.

Last weekend a couple from Narre Warren arrived unexpectedly at a home in Dunolly she had open for inspection and questioned whether she had the right to refuse them entry.

“I think there are some people using it as an excuse to come to the beautiful country areas,” Ms Ashworth said.

Off-the-grid homes such as 85 Baker Road, Amherst are attracting Melbourne buyers.

Unless a buyer had finance approved and a 10 per cent deposit, or was a cash buyer, she said she was turning them away.

Even those who are looking for a home to buy with plans to then sell their property in Melbourne to finance the purchase are being asked to wait until after COVID-19 has been contained again.

“I would hate there to be an outbreak that is traced back to real estate in our community,” Ms Ashton said.

30 Thompson Street, Dunolly is for sale at $230,000 and has investors keen.

She added that she was making most of her weekend available for private inspections to accommodate genuine buyers, with recent high demand from Melbourne.

In the past week house hunters from the city had been showing strong interest in a $285,000 two-bedroom mud-brick, off-the-grid house at 85 Baker Road, Amherst, she said.

Meanwhile, a pair of homes in Dunolly — north of Maryborough — for under $250,000 had been popular with city slickers looking for a good rental return.

A two-bedroom house at 91 Broadway expected to fetch $195,000 had attracted significant inquiry, as had a two-bedroom house at 30 Thompson Street with a $230,000 asking price.

With a $195,000 asking price, 91 Broadway, Dunolly, is exceptionally affordable.

In Geelong, Gartland’s Nathan Ashton, no relation to Ms Ashton, said he was turning away buyers unless they were ready to buy that day and had only allowed one couple from a hotspot suburb to inspect after they showed proof of a negative COVID-19 test two days prior.

“Most of our vendors aren’t comfortable with having Melbourne buyers come through at the moment,” Mr Ashton said.

“And most people and buyers are being really good about it, they are being understanding, though a lot are trying to sneak down. Some people will be misleading about their whereabouts.”

For those that were being allowed to inspect, they were confirming they had finance arranged before allowing them to visit a property.

“We are treating it like they are coming to an auction, they need to be able to buy ‘today’,” Mr Ashton said.

14 Emerald St, Geelong West sold to a Melbourne-based buyer last month.

He said Geelong West properties such as 33A Hope Street had been particularly popular with Melbourne based buyers recently.

Another home in the suburb at 14 Emerald Street sold for $650,000 to a Melbourne-based buyer on June 17.

Both agents said they would enforce the government ban on Melburnians attending open for inspections and turn buyers from the city who hadn’t made private inspection arrangements away this weekend.

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Life’s good at 122 North Oatlands Road, Yarrambat.

Striking architectural style, resort-style grounds, and enough shedding to satisfy a petrol head, come together to make this Yarrambat home a real catch.

Morrison Kleeman’s Peter Kleeman said the vendors engaged an “innovative inner-city architect” to draw up the triple-level residence at 122 North Oatlands Road a decade ago.

They’ve now listed the home for private sale, with a $1.95-$2.05m price guide.

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Hints of red add to a retro feel by the pool.

Stretching views.

Soaring high ceilings are a highlight.

Design highlights include soaring 5.9m-high ceilings in the formal living room, full-height double-glazed windows, and a stylish kitchen with stone benches, Miele appliances, wine racking and a butler’s pantry.

Mr Kleeman said the house was ideally zoned for families, featuring two mirror-image main bedrooms with walk-in wardrobes and ensuites at either end of the second storey

Two other bedrooms, a study and a bathroom make up the rest of that level, while the ground floor is dominated by an open-plan living, dining and kitchen space, plus the formal lounge.

One of the home’s two garages, with space for two cars, occupies the basement level alongside a gym.

A spiral staircase is a design focal point.

Crisp contemporary style in the kitchen.

A nice way to wake up.

Bold light fixtures feature throughout.

The second, where there’s room for four further cars, joins a pool, a covered barbecue terrace, and vast gardens on the 1ha grounds.

Mr Kleeman said the property also offered “wonderful views” across the Kinglake Ranges.

He noted mostly local families had expressed interest in the property in its early days on the market.

“We have a shortage of properties (for sale in Melbourne’s outer northeast), so there’s a good amount of interest in our stock,” he said.

Soak in the views as you soak in the pool.

A tranquil bathroom.

Modern design.

“Everything is selling quite well, although prices are a bit more realistic (than pre-coronavirus).”

CoreLogic records show the North Oatlands Road property was also on the market for 154 days from October to March, with asking prices between $2-$2.2m.

Plenty of angles to enjoy views from.

An exotic touch.

Light filled.

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samantha.landy@news.com.au

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Art deco beauty – 24 Rickard Ave, Mosman.

This original 1930s art deco home in Mosman has come to market for the second time in as many years – and it offers not only a prime waterfront reserve location but a rare design that is brimming with possibilities.

The 1069sqm property at 24 Rickard Ave, has a 50m frontage and direct access to Sirius Cove Reserve. The walk to the harbour foreshore is just 80m.

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The house itself is one of a kind, and has a multistorey glass block wall at the front. This rounded vestibule showcases a sweeping staircase and original terrazzo floors.

But if you think it looks pretty at the front, take a look at the back. Arches and rounded balconies, both covered and open catch the eye, and the privacy is impressive.

The rear of the home.

An aerial view showing the proximity to the beach.

The kitchen and dining leads out to a covered balcony.

Richard Simeon, of Simeon Partners, said the property, known as Conway, had only ever had three owners.

The current owners bought the home in April with plans for a major renovation, but their plans have changed and they are moving to the upper north shore.

Make an entrance.

Formal dining.

There are three bathrooms.

Mr Simeon said they had done some work to the property, and there were also DA approved plans for renovations and to add a swimming pool.

“It’s incredibly eclectic – the staircase makes you feel you are in a theatre, it’s amazing,” he said.

“This really is a rare opportunity, to have a 50m frontage and be so close to the beach. We don’t see these properties come along for sale very often.”

The lounge room has a fireplace.

Relax.

The view.

With a price guide of $5.5 million, he is expecting plenty of interest, especially from local families looking to upsize.

“You can’t overcapitalise on a property like this one,” Mr Simeon said.

The home has five bedrooms, three bathrooms and plenty of space. The formal lounge room has a fireplace and flows out to a loggia-style balcony.

The open plan kitchen has marble bench tops and DiDietrich appliances.

The self-contained accommodation.

80m to Sirius Cove Reserve.

The main bedroom has a private balcony with amazing city and harbour views.

The entire lower level is self-contained, and could be used as a teen retreat, in-law or au pair accommodation or to rent out for additional income.

This level also has its own covered terrace and is big enough for a games room, gym or dining space.

The main bedroom has a massive private balcony that with harbour and city views.

Other features include a separate home office, garage and additional parking, and lots of storage space.

Inspection is by appointment and the property is being sold by private treaty.

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The Prestia family are selling their renovated Clareville house at auction Saturday. Picture: Toby Zerna

Larger houses in the Canterbury-Bankstown area, lower north shore and other pockets close to the CBD have been getting the best results at auction since the COVID-19 crisis began.

Auction clearance rates in these areas were the highest in the city over the past three months, with three in four auctions producing a sale in the suburbs of Cremorne, Leichhardt and Revesby.

Auctions also delivered stronger results in Wollstonecraft, Bondi, North Bondi, Elizabeth and Alexandria, where about two thirds of auctions were a success, according to a CoreLogic review of the past quarter of sales.

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The higher clearance rates in these areas generally indicated buyers were competing for a small pool of available properties – considered favourable conditions for auctions.

It was a different story in much of the rest of the city, where auctions tended to get mixed results.

The lowest suburb clearance rates were recorded in Botany and Cronulla in Sydney’s south, where less than 30 per cent of auctions were a success for the vendors.

Sellers also generally struggled to get success under the hammer in Parramatta, Rosebery, Marsfield, Redfern and Mascot, where clearance rates were about 33 per cent.

CoreLogic noted the predominant outcome for failed auction campaigns was a seller converting their auction to a private sale.

The pandemic initially sparked a mass cancellation of auctions in April after on-site sales and public open for inspections were banned. Withdrawals began to ease after the bans were lifted in May.

The result was that only about half the Sydney properties originally scheduled to go under the hammer over the past three months actually sold at auction.

The withdrawals, which are counted as unsuccessful auctions, dragged Greater Sydney’s auction clearance rate over the June quarter to 51.5 per cent.

The Sydney-wide auction clearance rate in the preceding three months was 66 per cent and over the same period in 2019 it was just under 60 per cent.

My Housing Market economist Andrew Wilson said the auction market was weaker compared to long-term trend but still relatively strong given how hard the coronavirus pandemic hit the wider economy.

“(The market) is shaping well if you consider we’ve been through a black swan event,” he said. “The prospects are for a reasonable market going ahead.”

Auctioneer Damien Cooley said there was a flight to quality properties. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Cooley Auctions director Damien Cooley said upsizing families were the most active buyers in the market and larger properties that appealed to them – generally houses with backyards – tended to get the best results.

Vendors of family-friendly properties were also helped by a lack of seller competition because few other houses were available for sale in some areas, Mr Cooley said.

McGrath-Avalon selling agent Jonathan Fletcher said sellers could often improve their sales prospects with good presentation. “Buyers want properties that are ready to move into,” he said.

Home sellers Leah and Rob Prestio, who operate renovation company Presto Property Solutions, will be taking their Clareville home to auction on Saturday and said they were feeling confident.

The Prestia family’s home has attracted plenty of buyer groups. Picture: Toby Zerna

They did multiple rounds of renovations on the Hudson Pde property and their “turnkey” offering attracted plenty of buyer groups through the open for inspections, Ms Prestio said.

“No one wants to pay top dollar and still have to renovate,” she said, adding that many of the homes they noticed were for sale were not presented in the best light.

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The Freeling property at 65 Fiddlewood Drive has a gnome garden in its yard. Pic: realetstate.com.au

The new owners of one Freeling homestead will share the property with a family of garden gnomes.

The idyllic country retreat at 65 Fiddlewood Drive is also home to Gnomeville, a man-made island with mushroom houses and a miniature playground for a group of the mythical creatures.

Owner Shirley Williams said her late husband built the colourful outdoor feature for his beloved garden figurines.

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The 3890sqm block also has multiple sheds and rainwater tanks, orchards and vegetable gardens. Pic: realetstate.com.au

It’s modern inside, with a neutral palette and wide widows giving it a fresh look. Pic: realetstate.com.au

“He loved gnomes,” she said.

“When we came out here, there was nothing as a feature outside the kitchen window.

“He said to me one day, ‘I’m going to build a gnome garden’.”

Ms Williams said he spent weeks creating the concrete structure, which has become a popular feature of the home among her grandchildren and local wildlife.

“It’s a little wonderland that my grandkids have loved,” she said.

“The water wheel and a couple of the little swings all move, there’s music too.

“Quite often you’ll get wild rabbits hopping around in there as well.”

Wide windows offer views of the garden. Pic: realetstate.com.au

Ms Williams said she would miss Gnomeville but it was time to sell the property because it was too difficult to maintain by herself.

“I’m looking forward to a new chapter – and a smaller garden,” she said.

Ray White Gawler-Willaston’s Courtney MacGowan and Peter Souter are selling the 3890sqm property.

It includes the modern four-bedroom house, multiple sheds and rainwater tanks, an outdoor entertainment area and separate gazebo, greenhouse, orchard and vegetable gardens.

The property is scheduled to go under the hammer on August 11 at 6pm, unless sold prior to auction.

A gazebo offers a quiet place to enjoy the surroundings. Pic: realetstate.com.au

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