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This house was at the centre of a social media frenzy after its ensuite without walls was revealed.
THE Wynnum house that became a global talking point when its ‘ensuite without walls’ went viral on social media was passed in at auction for $1.9 million with one bidder arriving 15 minutes after the auction started.
Troy Williamson at his newly renovated house in Wynnum where the master bedroom has an ensuite with no walls. Picture: Annette Dew.
A ‘community event’ was created around the auction of 18 Alverna Close, Wynnum, earlier this month with wine and pizza being served to more than 40 people who came for the 7pm start.
Lead agent Joseph Lordi had no time for pizza. He was on the go throughout the auction.
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Auctioneer Justin Nickerson delayed the start by five minutes but was forced to begin the auction at 7.05pm with just one of the expected three registered bidders in attendance.
Auctioneer Justin Nickerson made the most of his captive audience to introduce the auction of 18 Alverna Close, Wynnum.
“With three bathrooms, there’ll be an absence of morning queues,” he said by way of introduction.
It wasn’t the bathroom queues that had created a frenzy on Twitter over the past month, but rather the lack of bathroom walls, with the ensuite toilet, bath and shower having uninterrupted views of the wall-mounted TV, bed and backyard.
This is the photo that went viral on Twitter.
Over 100,000 people were interested in that.
“Ablutions sans frontieres!” said @JFitz8144 on twitter.
“Anyone with children knows that the walls and doors of the ensuite is the closest thing a parent has to a fully armoured panic room.” said @AnOldWombat from Queensland.
The woman with paddle number eight made a quick opening bid of $1.5 million and then one of the neighbourhood children made a move.
“Are you winking at me young man?” Mr Nickerson asked.
“There’ll be no pocket money for you for the next five years.”
This was to be the last attempt at crowd jollying. The auction paused and negotiations moved behind closed doors.
Pizza and a movie in the home cinema would have been good while the crowd waited for a result.
“He’s arrived!” Queensland Sotheby’s International agent Joseph Lordi announced as the second bidder made an entrance at 7.15pm.
The auction resumed with an increased bid of $1.8 million but the second bidder, a high school teacher with his own open ensuite at home didn’t lift his paddle and the auction paused again, this time for over an hour.
“It was a tough one,” Mr Lordi said afterwards.
“Two bidders would have created competition but the second bidder came late.”
The property passed in at $1.9 million and is now for sale with offers over $2 million invited.