North Melbourne AFL player Luke McDonald sold his two-bedroom Victorian terrace in Kensington for $1.06 million at auction on Saturday. The property, which was updated but retained its classic exterior and listed with a guide of $900,000 to $990,000, saw rapid bidding that surpassed the reserve price within 40 seconds. Ryan Currie of Nelson Alexander Flemington noted this swift transaction occurred partly due to new legislation coming into effect on October 16 requiring vendors to disclose their auction reserves at least a week in advance.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Luke McDonald, a defender for the North Melbourne Kangaroos since 2018, recently sold his two-bedroom corner Victorian terrace at 1 Albermarle Street, Kensington. The property was listed with an estimated price range of $900,000 to $990,000 and ultimately sold at auction for $1.06 million to first home buyers on a Saturday. The home featured polished floorboards, a stepped open living area, a new kitchen and bathroom, and a landscaped garden while retaining its traditional façade. Auctioneer Ryan Currie of Nelson Alexander Flemington conducted the sale, adhering to pre-auction legislation that required vendors to disclose their reserve price at least seven days prior, which goes into effect on October 16.
Written for “AFL Defender's Home Sale” on 2026-10-10,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
A two-bedroom corner Victorian terrace in Kensington owned by North Melbourne defender Luke McDonald sold to first home buyers for $1.06 million at auction on Saturday.
asserted
terrace → own → Saturday
Held by the Kangaroos player since 2018, 1 Albermarle Street has been updated throughout – with polished floorboards, a stepped open living and dining room, new kitchen and bathroom, and a landscaped garden – while maintaining its classic front.
The property was listed with a price guide of $900,000 to $990,000 on the last weekend before new legislation kicks in requiring vendors to advertise their reserve at least seven days before an auction.
asserted
legislation → hold → auction
The new laws come into effect on October 16.
asserted
laws → come → October
Nelson Alexander Flemington agent and auctioneer Ryan Currie said he had “pre-empted the new legislation” and told buyers during the week, as well as in his auction preamble, that the reserve in Kensington was $990,000.
asserted
reserve → say → Kensington
Currie opened the auction with a vendor bid of $900,000, which was matched by a genuine bid.
asserted
which → open → bid
Another vendor bid took it to $920,000, followed by a genuine bid of $940,000.
asserted
bid → take → 940,000
From the moment it hit $940,000, Currie said, increments of $10,000 and $20,000 from the two bidders pushed it to $990,000 in less than 10 seconds.
asserted
increments → hit → seconds
The auctioneer declared the home on the market, and said the rest of the bids were so quick that “the whole auction was done in less than 40 seconds”.
“The vendor was sunning himself [on holiday],” he said, and McDonald’s sister attended the auction while on the phone to him.
asserted
sister → declare → him
McDonald and wife Brooklyn initially lived in the home and kept it as an investment.
asserted
McDonald → live → investment
It was the first purchase for the buyers, a couple renting nearby, Currie said.
asserted
Currie → rent → buyers
The property was one of 698 scheduled to go to auction in Melbourne this week.
asserted
property → schedule → Melbourne
In Armadale, a three-bedroom Edwardian home sold for $1.75 million at auction, with four bidders rocketing it more than $300,000 above its $1.44 million reserve.
asserted
bidders → sell → reserve
Moments from both Glenferrie Road and High Street, 5 Stanhope Street features terracotta tiled floors, open-plan living and a bricked rear terrace with right-of-way access, and had a price guide of $1.35 million to $1.45 million.
asserted
Street → feature → million
Jellis Craig Stonnington agent and auctioneer Carla Fetter opened the auction with a $1.35 million vendor bid, and she said two bidders pushed up the price in $10,000 increments until it hit the reserve.
asserted
it → open → reserve
After the property was declared on the market, another two bidders joined the fray, and a mix of $10,000 and $5000 increments sent the home soaring $400,000 past the opening bid to sell to a young professional.
asserted
home → declare → professional
Fetter said bidders were a mix of couples and singles.
asserted
bidders → say → couples
The home was sold as a deceased estate.
asserted
home → sell → estate
She said the upcoming reserve disclosure requirement was a “massive change”, and expected some trial and error from buyers, sellers and agents as they “try to navigate” it.
asserted
they → say → it
“It’s about making sure we can still find a way to help our vendors sell for the price they’re happy with,” she said.
asserted
she → ’ → price
The Aporia
