Canberra home buyers were out in force at the weekend, vying for property as the auction market returned to pre-Christmas volumes.
There were 142 properties taken to auction across the capital, producing a 71.6 per cent preliminary clearance rate, CoreLogic data shows.
The median sale price across the Canberra auctions was $830,000.
First home buyers were among the most active bidders, agents said, looking to take advantage of lower prices compared to this time last year.
Below are three Canberra houses that sold under the hammer for less than $850,000.
Flynn - $730,000
A first home buyer became the new owner of 7 Bennett Place, Flynn on Saturday, sealing the deal with a $730,000 bid.
Seventy groups inspected the three-bedroom house throughout the campaign and two bidders registered on auction day.
The property's recently renovated bathroom, large backyard and rooftop solar panels were among its biggest selling points, selling agent Robert Murphy of LJ Hooker Belconnen said.
Its location in a street with long-standing, owner-occupier residents was also an appealing factor for buyers.
Nine of 10 auctions hosted by the LJ Hooker Belconnen office were successful on Saturday, showing "there is still money in the marketplace," Mr Murphy said.
Wanniassa - $831,000
In Wanniassa it was also mostly first home buyers competing for 20 Greeves Street: a three-bedroom home on a 1000-square-metre block.
And it was a first home buyer couple who became the new owners, after putting forward an $831,000 bid.
Selling agent Mark McCann of McCann Properties said the home had everything to suit those looking to get a foot in the door of the property market.
"While the bathroom had been renovated in the last couple of months, there was still scope to do a few other things to the property," he said.
"It had a nice entertaining area at the back ... it just had a nice feel about the house."
Mr McCann said the auction attracted five bidders and plenty of interest throughout the campaign.
"The fact that there's still a lot of buyers, there's still a lot of interest and good competition, I think bodes well for the year," he said.
Latham - $760,000
Ray White Canberra kicked off the year with 63 auctions, including 41 that were held at the group's Belconnen and Tuggeranong offices on Saturday.
There were more than 130 registered bidders across the 63 auctions, resulting in $37 million worth of sales.
Among the successful in-room sales was 8 Shand Place, Latham which sold under the hammer for $760,000.
The three-bedroom home had been extensively renovated with new floors, an updated bathroom and landscaped gardens.
Ray White auctioneer Troy Reddick said the strongest demand across all auctions on Saturday was for renovated family homes nearby to schools.
"The majority of buyer interest for these homes is from local buyers looking to upgrade their current accommodation while staying close to their places of employment and social networks," he said.
"First home buyers were active in the sub $750,000, although most of these auctions recorded just one to two bidders each.
"Again, the majority were local buyers taking advantage of lower prices and escaping higher rents."
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