10 Second Ave, Brunswick, sold unexpectedly well for a house that needs a reno.

---

A Brunswick house with plaster hanging from the ceilings, cracked and peeling walls as well as worn-out carpets has sold $100,000 above expectations.

And the sale could be a turning point for the area’s renovator’s delights, dumps and derelicts that have struggled on the market since 2021.

Four bidders drove the $1.25m sale for 10 Second Ave that even shocked Woodards Carlton director Jason Sharpe.

RELATED: Sold for $6m: best weekend auction results and videos

Spring market house tips: Experts explain if you should buy or sell your house first

Hoppers Crossing first-home buyer couple win their first and only auction

“The market is surprising us out there,” Mr Sharpe said.

“It was an unrenovated house with no love over the journey and would need work from the stumps all the way through.”

Two groups of first-home buyers and another two parties planning a renovation were still willing to pursue the home being sold as part of a deceased estate, with one of the groups looking to make their start in the market winding up as the underbidder.

Mr Sharpe added that it had been about two years since he last saw a home in need of extensive renovation work sell so substantially above expectations.

Worn carpets, plaster hanging from the ceiling and cracked walls — there’s a bit to be done at this address.

---

Some of the home’s out buildings are in the process of collapse.

---

“The pressures on building costs have seen this sector of the marketplace retreat a little bit,” he said.

“In that market, they will spend anywhere from $400,000-$800,000 on the house to take it to the top end of the market.”

In addition to the problems inside, outbuildings in the back yard appear to be leaning at concerning angles — and even the Hills hoist has a notable lean to it.

“The north-facing backyard held it in good stead, and it has an attractive facade — although it needs a significant amount of work,” he said.

“And it’s in a pocket of Brunswick that has been a little bit undervalued for a while, but it has some of the bigger blocks.”

The home’s kitchen hasn’t been updated in decades.

---

Original fireplaces add to the home’s charm, despite otherwise dated aspects.

---

Real Estate Institute of Australia president Hayden Groves, immediate past Ray White chief executive Stephen Dullens as well as prominent buyer’s advocate and Advantage Property Consulting boss Frank Valentic have all indicated renovated homes were buyers’ preference in the past year.

Multiple agents have also reported homes needing even a little bit of an update struggling to sell earlier in the year.

But Mr Sharpe said the surprising result could be an early suggestion that dumps were back on buyers’ shopping lists in the area.

An unusual double-door entry welcomes you into the house.

---

Even the Hills hoist in the back yard is out of kilter.

---

“This just goes to show there’s a bit of confidence in the market now, and the depth of it,” Mr Sharpe said.

“People are again willing to take on the task of renovating, and see an upside at the end.”

Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox.

MORE: Grandparents moving into the back yard to save the Australian home dream

The Block 2023 episode 42 recap: Claws come out for Leslie and Kyle

Former Premier’s Sorrento mansion comes to market on tightly-held clifftop