Dave Bloomer, with children Tegan and Jordan, is feeling good ahead of their auction in Mernda. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

MELBOURNE’s affordable outer suburbs are expected to start the year strongly when auctions kick off again after closing 2017 with the highest clearance rates across the city.

Mernda in the outer north had the strongest clearance in Australia in the December quarter, at 92.5 per cent from 70 auctions, CoreLogic’s latest figures show.

Sunbury, also in the outer north, was Melbourne’s second strongest suburb under the hammer with 87.3 per cent from 149 auctions, followed by Pakenham, 85.7 per cent from 23 auctions.

Hopper Crossing (82.3 per cent), Werribee (81.2 per cent), Point Cook (80.9 per cent), Craigieburn (81.9 per cent) and Dingley Village (85.7 per cent) were other top performers.

Craigieburn was one of Melbourne’s strongest performing suburbs under the hammer at the end of last year. Picture: Alex Coppel.

CoreLogic state director for Victoria Geoff White said suburbs with a large amount of auctions as well as a high clearance rate were in a particularly strong position.

“Those areas that have been at, or below, the Melbourne median house price have continued to perform well in the last quarter and are likely to perform well into the first quarter of 2018 when auctions start to crank back up again,” he said.

“There’s definitely been an increase in the number of first-home buyers, and perhaps a bit of a fall-off in the investor market, and first-home buyers are predominantly driven by the values of properties, affordability; that’s why these areas will continue to prosper and do well.”

Mr White said listings would begin to bloom after the Australia Day long weekend.

Stockdale & Leggo, South Morang/Mill Park, managing director Sugath Warnasuriya said first-home buyers made up about 70 per cent of buyers in Mernda.

Mernda has the strongest clearance rate in Australia at 92.3 per cent, CoreLogic data shows. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“When you look at the infrastructure coming, for example, in 2019 the railway station is coming and a shopping centre next to it … there is enormous potential,” he said.

“At the moment the driving force is probably the affordability, but there is huge potential for investors as well.”

Dave and Ciara Bloomer are auctioning their home at 14 Newington Pde, Mernda, on February 17, with price hopes of $580,000-$620,000.

Mr Bloomer said the suburb had taken off since they built there two years ago.

Hocking Stuart, Melton, sales manager Damien Spiteri said the Melton market had also been boosted by buyers seeking an affordable home.

MELBOURNE’S TOP CLEARANCE RATES

1. Mernda, 92.5 per cent, 70 auctions