A Frankston bathing box has set a new record for the southeastern suburb’s shoreline the day before it was scheduled to go to auction.
And this was despite the owners rejecting a higher offer from a second prospective buyer.
No. 10 Frankston Beach was swept up in a wave of early interest, with three parties making bids for the home from Wednesday to Friday last week.
The beach box fetched $165,000.
In a deal sealed late on Friday, the 6x4m weatherboard box sold for $165,000, topping the suburb’s $163,000 previous record set by a bathing box with a cement base and brick walls, often more appealing to buyers due to their sturdiness.
Ray White’s Ashley Weston said a mother and son duo had bought No. 10.
“They’re from Narre Warren but have an investment property in Seaford,” Mr Weston said.
“They are pretty excited to reconnect (at the bathing box) in summer after much of 2020 apart. It’s their way of having a piece of paradise on the beach.”
Mr Weston added while there had been a higher offer of $170,0000, that buyer had intended to seek finance through the mortgage of their home leading to a longer settlement term.
Instead, the owners went with the “shore thing” $165,000 cash offer with a quick 72-hour settlement.
The hot piece of property attracted 90 inquiries.
The seller was letting the box go after relocating to Queensland just before COVID-19 shut down much of Melbourne.
They bought the bathing box, one of three rebuilt by the orders of Frankston City Council, for $115,000 at a charity auction in 2013.
Mr Weston expected bathing boxes to be hot property this summer, with COVID-19 altering many people’s travel plans.
“We had about 90 inquiries for this box,” he said. “Unfortunately, 90 per cent were from those living outside the Frankston City Council region, which left us with about a dozen people that were local.
“We were quite surprised with the response, but with everyone locked away it shows how important it is to have that outdoor space.”
Another cement and brick bathing box at No. 20 sold for $115,000 on December 16, 2019.
Victoria’s beach box record is believed to be held by shed in Portsea, which sold for an eye-watering $910,000 in November 2018.