coronavirus

PHOTO: The auction for 13 Noel Street Brunswick East was well attended. Photo: Stephen McKenzie

Melbourne’s auction clearance rate has slipped amid the economic uncertainty prompted by the global health crisis, even as buyers dropped large sums for top homes across the city.

Property buyers were still out in numbers on Saturday despite growing concern over gatherings of people because of the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

Even as agents introduced temporary distancing measures such as banning handshakes, they said crowd and bidder numbers were steady.

A healthy 1,090 auctions were held in Melbourne on Saturday.

By evening, Domain Group had recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 68.0 per cent from 751 reported results. A fortnight ago, before the long weekend, Melbourne’s preliminary clearance rate was a stronger 77.4 per cent, later revised to a final 69.5 per cent as more results were collected.

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