No walls, no worries: gutted house sparks tradition rush – realestate.com.au

No kitchen, no bathroom, no walls – and yet a gutted house has drawn offers and crowds, including a contractor and six carpenters, as buyers scramble to acquire a home.

Stripped homes have become a rare entry point for buyers desperate to get their foot in the door – with this three-bedroom shell attracting more than 45 groups and multiple offers during Saturday’s open inspection.

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Hot demolition work has been carried out to remove asbestos and prepare for the renovation. Source: Bright Makelaars

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The house at 62 Halsmere Street, Geebung in Brisbane’s north may lack everything you would normally show a buyer, but what it does offer is opportunity, according to real estate agent Tristan Rowland of Bright Estate Agents.

As builders become increasingly difficult to secure, gutted homes offer a rare shortcut to the renovation market – especially for practical trades locked out by rising prices.

The worst of the work — costing tens of thousands of dollars to remove and remove asbestos, clean the interior and prepare it for renovation — had already been completed, he said.

“I had 45 groups through on Saturday,” Mr Rowland said. “Six carpenters showed up, which is unheard of at the moment. It’s so hard to find a chippie, and yet here they were.”

“Some people said oh my god when they came in, but the tradies came in and said yeah, all the great demo work has been done. They finally want to get into the market (themselves).”

“My mom and pop buyers realized how good it was because of the elation from the tradies.”

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The house is located on a corner block with double street facade. Source: Bright Makelaars

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A builder was heard explaining the home’s post-war craftsmanship to mom and pop buyers as they inspected together.

“It really is an amazing era of house building,” Mr Rowland said. “These post-war houses have amazing bones. You don’t realize how well built they are until you see one like this.”

The house sits on a flat 610m² block with double street frontages, with a north-facing rear garden and a park just meters away – all ticking the boxes for families looking to explore the area.

It is also within walking distance of one of the largest shopping centers in Brisbane, Westfield Chermside, attracting strong interest even from interstate buyers, especially those looking to move from Melbourne.

The ad said “if these walls could talk – this house would be silent… ready to renovate – or detonate.”

Brisbane’s property market has become so hot that homes like these – once considered unsellable – now offer rare opportunities for buyers desperate to get their foot in the door.

The auction for 62 Halsmere Street, Geebung will be held on site on Saturday 31 January at 5.30pm.

The house is 12.4km from Brisbane CBD and within walking distance of 7th Brigade Park and Westfield Chermside. Source: Bright Makelaars

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