First-home buyers find success at Highton auction

Callan Baldwin and Zalie Allen bought their first home in Highton.

A slight easing in conditions for homebuyers and professional help has landed an Anglesea couple their first home at a Geelong auction on Saturday.

Zalie Allen and Callan Baldwin were emotional after they secured a renovated three-bedroom house in Highton’s Roycroft Ave.

The couple, who said they’d been trying to break into the property market since June, enlisted buyers advocate Cate Bakos to help get them over the line.

Their first home is a renovated brick veneer residence on a 654sq m rear north-facing property that backs on to Highton’s McDonald Reserve.

But it was no easy purchase as three bidder competed equally hard for the property.

Barry Plant auctioneer Kieron Hunter called bids.

Ms Bakos opened the bidding for the property at $700,000, with the two other hopefuls also raising a hand before Barry Plant, Highton auctioneer Kieron Hunter called the property on the market at $755,000.

Bidding increments ranged from $20,000 to as little as $1000 before Mr Hunter knocked down the property for $836,000.

It was $81,000 after he declared it on the market and came after Ms Bakos texted her clients, standing in the crowd, to place a final bid to shake off the Melbourne-based underbidder.

7 Roycroft Ave, Highton, sold for $836,000.

The updated house has crisp white walls and hardwood floorboards with a spacious living, dining and kitchen area.

A rear timber deck looked over the backyard, which has a garage, chook run, pizza oven and rear access to McDonald Reserve.

Mr Baldwin said the couple started looking in Torquay but quickly discovered the Surf Coast capital was out of reach.

7 Roycroft Ave, Highton, sold for $836,000.

“We quickly worked that one out and started looking in the Belmont area,” he said.

Ms Allen said a house with three bedrooms and a big backyard that was north-facing was on their shopping list.

“We only bought Cate on quite recently,” she said.

Buyers advocate Cate Bakos congratulates buyers Zalie Allen and Callan Baldwin after the auction.

“Cal’s sister used Cate to buy her first home as well.”

Highton’s median house price has reached $880,000 after a 20 per cent jump in a year, PropTrack data shows.

But a recent jump in listings, timed after the Covid lockdown in Melbourne was lifted, allowing more buyers to travel to Geelong, has increased the amount of choice for buyers.