24 Sycamore St, Hamlyn Heights recently sold for $607,000, more than $130,000 above reserve, at auction.

IT’S anybody’s guess how high prices will climb on auction day in booming Hamlyn Heights.

The suburb ranks among the city’s hottest property markets after recording price growth of 20 per cent in the past 12 months.

Buxton, Newtown agent Matt Plunkett said strong buyer demand continued to produce impressive results and big crowds.

He recently had 67 groups at one open home for an original house listed for sale.

Paul Bell, Geelong agent Renay McIntyre has just sold 14 Kirriemuir St, Hamlyn Heights for $640,000.

“Hamlyn Heights is hard to predict because there has been some pretty big sales in the past couple of weeks,” Mr Plunkett said.

“But there have been other houses that have passed in.

“It seems to be that the popular properties are the ones that are on larger blocks.”

Proximity to Kardinia International College is a drawcard for families looking to move into the area. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Luckily, there are plenty of these up for grabs in Hamlyn Heights, which means the neighbourhood is popular with both families and developers looking for townhouse sites.

Mr Plunkett singled out Toyne Ave and Logan St as attracting strong interest because of their leafy character and Kirriemuir St for its fantastic bay views.

“It depends on where the house is. If it’s near Kardinia International College people will buy it to be close the school,” he said.

75 Sladen St, Hamlyn Heights will be auctioned on May 12 with price expectations of $479,000-$509,000.

For developers, the growth zone around Vines Rd offers good opportunities to subdivide.

Median house prices in Hamlyn Heights have hit $500,000, according to CoreLogic, but it remains more affordable than nearby Geelong West and Manifold Heights.

“People priced out of the area are looking at neighbouring suburbs like Hamlyn Heights and Bell Post Hill,” Mr Plunkett said.

“Over in Herne Hill you need to have $600,000 just to be able to buy a pretty original home.”

Paul Bell, Geelong agent Renay McIntyre has just sold a two-bedroom house at 14 Kirriemuir St for $640,000.

The property was passed in at auction on a vendor bid of $550,000 but several parties later negotiated to buy the Modernist mid-century house on 815sq m.