First home buyer stunned during nail-biting auction showdown – realestate.com.au

A first-home buyer battled strong bids at an auction from investors and other homebuyers to snap up a modest family home near Adelaide’s city center for $920,000.

Located on a prized corner spot in the fast-growing suburb of Klemzig, the auction attracted no fewer than 21 registered bidders and six active bidders on auction day.

The building: The three-bedroom, one-bathroom house at 17 Dianne Street, Klemzig, sold at auction on January 31, 2026 for $920,000.

The solid brick home offered dual living areas and a functional 1980s vintage kitchen, as well as air conditioning and plenty of storage space.

Snapshot of the suburb: Klemzig is located six kilometers from the city, a stone’s throw from the O-Bahn bus lane and stitched together by the leafy path of Linear Park.

According to data from PropTrack, the average price for a three-bedroom home in Klemzig will be $951,000 in January 2026.

The average house price in Klemzig has increased by 12.8% to $970,000 over the past twelve months, while house prices have risen by 10.5% to $500,500.

Damien Willis of OC Real Estate says the auction resulted in enthusiastic bidding. Image: supplied

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Sales agent Damien Willis from OC Real Estate oversaw the campaign and spoke to realestate.com.au about the fantastic auction result.

What was the most interesting thing about this sale?

This accommodation is in a good location. It is only about four miles from the city and it is a solid brick house in need of renovation.

It’s something that younger buyers could move into right away, but still have room to work on because it hasn’t been renovated.

The house has dual living areas, including an informal dining area and a lounge. Image: realestate.com.au/sold

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It opened itself up to people looking for a building they could tear down and build. It also opened itself up to investors who saw its potential because the house was neat, tidy and on a corner. We also had downsizers look at it because it was already subdivided and required very little maintenance.

How did the auction go?

The price guide was about $750,000 and there were about 20 to 25 bids. The successful buyer opened the bid and closed the bid, so that he was the first to bid and the last.

The functional vintage kitchen from the 80s is a blast from the past. Image: realestate.com.au/sold

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The successful buyer said they had been looking for about 12 to 18 months and had missed other homes. They really liked this and had visited the property more than once.

Were you surprised by the result?

Yes, when I sat down with the family to value the property, we had no expectations whatsoever that it would reach that level. There didn’t seem to be any other properties like this in the area that had sold and achieved that price, which is why the sellers set their price expectations where they did.

How long has the property been on the market?

It was a three-week campaign.

What type of buyers did you see during the campaign?

We had more than 100 groups look at the property during the campaign, and it was quite a mix. We had investors and downsizers, but the majority of buyers would have been investors or young first home buyers.

The house sold under the hammer for $920,000. Image: realestate.com.au/sold

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Predictions for the area?

Klemzig appears to be quite popular. The proximity to the city is one of the things that really appeals to the area. It is only about six kilometers from the city and close to the O-Bahn bus line, so it is quite popular in terms of easy access to the city and public transport.

It has a wide covered outdoor area, a storage room and side road access via the rear. Image: realestate.com.au/sold

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The proximity to the River Torrens is also a major attraction that people really love. Many of the houses in that area are solid brick and were developed in the 1960s and 1970s when solid brick houses were clearly in vogue. Many of those homes are still standing, but many are being purchased and subdivided, and newer homes are being built in the area.