227 Bids as Coburg Victorian home sells $1.6m

The 1899 Rose St home in Coburg — a former neighbourhood dairy — that drew 227 bids and sold for $1.604m.

An 1899 Coburg dairy turned family home erupted in a backyard bidding war that stretched 37 minutes and left even the auctioneer stunned.

An original Coburg dairy turned century-old Victorian at 102 Rose St unleashed one of the suburb’s wildest auctions, with two young families slugging it out through 227 bids before the hammer finally fell at $1.604m.

A huge crowd crammed into the backyard on Saturday to witness the drama, as four bidders chased the 1899 residence, once home to the LA Rose family’s neighbourhood dairy and among the earliest houses built in the pocket.

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Jellis Craig Brunswick director and auctioneer Greg Cusack said the sale was the longest of his career.

“It went for 37 minutes and we had 227 bids, that’s the longest auction I’ve ever run,” Mr Cusack said.

“The two families who fought it out at the end both wanted to renovate, and they were so determined they were throwing down $1000 rises all the way from $1.4m to $1.604m.”

The functional kitchen primed for a modern revamp after young families fought for the Coburg home at auction.

A flexible fifth bedroom or study, adding appeal for growing families or work-from-home buyers.

The property, guided at $1.25m-$1.35m, was declared on the market at $1.38m and quickly surged past expectations.

In the end, it sold to the bidder who had opened proceedings, a buyer Mr Cusack described as someone who “negotiated for a living”.

Built on the cusp of 1900, the home reflects Coburg’s shift from quarrying and penal roots to suburban life.

Behind its ornate facade and rosettes ceilings sat practical outbuildings once used for a small-scale dairy that supplied locals before refrigeration and industrial processing made such neighbourhood dairies obsolete.

Original fireplaces and soaring ceilings showcased the character that helped fuel one of Coburg’s longest auctions.

The backyard where a huge crowd watched 227 bids fly during the 37-minute auction marathon.

With four bedrooms, period detail and a backyard still big enough for a veggie patch and fruit trees, the home was marketed as a “historic prize awaiting its next chapter”.

The sale underlined Coburg’s enduring family appeal, with buyers chasing heritage homes on sizeable land close to Sydney Rd, schools and transport.

Melbourne recorded a preliminary 72 per cent clearance rate from 585 results reported, with the Coburg marathon among the standout results of the day.