Property clearance rates moving in the right direction for vendors

In signs that confidence is returning to the Australian property market, the combined capitals recorded their highest preliminary clearance rates since April last year, CoreLogic reports.

More than 2,290 homes went to market across capital cities last weekend with early data revealing a 71 percent clearance rate. This compares with a revised clearance rate of 64.2 percent last week. It marks the second busiest auction week to date this year.

Melbourne led the way, with 1,122 homes taken to auction. Of the 916 results collected so far, 73.5 percent were successful. It was a similar story in Sydney, with 791 homes to go under the hammer. Preliminary results indicate a clearance rate of 71.5 percent.

The smaller capitals including Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra all experienced higher clearance rates week on week, with Adelaide out in front at 78.6 percent. It was a less spectacular result in Canberra, with a 59 percent clearance rate and in Brisbane at 56 percent.

In Perth, just three of the 13 auctions tallied so far were successful.

One of the priciest homes for sale in the Los Angeles area just got $40 million knocked off its listing price.

The Beverly Hills megamansion is now listed for $135 million, the highest asking price on the open market in Los Angeles County.

One other property , in Bel-Air, is also asking $135 million after a similar-sized price cut last month.

“It’s time (for the sellers) to move to the next chapter…They’re ready to pass the torch,” said Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency, who shares the listing with his colleague Stephen Shapiro.

The home was built for Tony Pritzker—heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune and brother of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker—and Jeanne Pritzker, who listed the home for sale in October 2024 for $195 million after settling their divorce, The Wall Street Journal reported at the time. That price was lowered to $175 million in April.

The estate is made up of multiple parcels, and, under an LLC, they bought at least some underlying property in 2005 for about $14.7 million, according to records accessed via PropertyShark.

The Pritzkers hired architect Ed Tuttle to design their contemporary mansion, made of steel, glass and limestone and completed in 2011. At 50,000 square feet, it’s one of the largest homes in the U.S., and nearly as big as the White House.

It stands on a 6-acre promontory—an unusually large lot size for Beverly Hills—allowing for an unobstructed view that stretches across Los Angeles all the way to the ocean.

“It’s one of the best and largest view promontories in Los Angeles,” Rappaport said. “The architecture design and scale of the property are irreplaceable.”

The 16-bedroom, 27-bathroom home is filled with all the expected high-end amenities, including a theater, a game room, a bowling alley, a wellness centre, a gym and a wine cellar, according to the listing.

There’s also a security room, 18 fireplaces, solar panels, and a heating and cooling system powered by geothermal technology.

On the grounds, there’s a two-story, two-bedroom guest house; parking for up to 100 cars; a green marble infinity pool and hot tub; an outdoor kitchen; and a lighted tennis court with a pavilion, according to the listing.

The Pritzkers couldn’t be reached for comment.

Property clearance rates moving in the right direction for vendors

Australian auction sales warm up week on week as temperatures cool

The megamansion was built for Tony Pritzker, heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune and brother of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.