Development opportunity. Fixer-upper. Blank slate. Good bones. Bring your toolbox - you know the drill. There's plenty of ways to indicate that a property "might not be at its best", so to speak.
Sydney's had no shortage of homes tagged "renovate or detonate" listed and sold during 2017. Here are some of the most memorable.
761 South Dowling Street, Redfern
The owners of the property said their loyal dog Quondo saved their lives.
This four-bedroom terrace hit the market in April - spacious, in a hip area, with a highly prized car space. There was just a minor issue with some fire damage, which had left the upstairs in need of a dramatic renovation. (Luckily, no one was hurt.)
One of the auction attendees reportedly described the property as "petrifying" but nonetheless, it scored $1.6 million, above the median for Redfern at the time.
12 Sparkes Street, Camperdown
The Camperdown property was described as tired throughout.
This "little cottage with big DA approval" was up for auction in March, with the solid-gold selling point of being about a block away from Sydney University.
It came with an approved development application for a four-storey, 11-room student accommodation build for the 240-square-metre block, and sold for $1,960,000 at auction. It had previously traded for $1,380,000 in 2014.
25 Browning Street, Campsie
This Campsie cottage sold for $515,000 above reserve at auction.
The $1.915 million sale price of this three-bedroom cottage set a street record in May, coming in just over half a million dollars over reserve.
It had been in the same family for over 100 years and according to the agent, sold to a husband and wife who were hoping to renovate.
609 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
One for renovators, apparently.
This "solid yet tired" terrace has the distinction of having traded hands twice this year, both times unrenovated.
It went to auction in May with a reserve of $1.85 million, selling for $2,175,000, and records show it was listed and sold again in November for an undisclosed price.
14 Abbotsford Road, Homebush
A dilapidated character home at a great address.
For sale for the first time in "decades", this four-bedroom, unliveable federation home in Homebush was the subject of a 40-minute auction battle in July.
The seven groups bidding on the 664 square-metre block-with-knockdown-attached pushed the price to $2,320,000.
26 High Street, Strathfield
This Strathfield knock-down sold for $600,000 above reserve at auction.
This two-bedder in Strathfield was up on the auction block in August, where four bidders pushed the price to a "shocking" $2.2 million.
It was under instruction from the NSW Trustee and Guardian, with records showing it had belonged to a pair of elderly sisters.
26 Beechworth Road, Pymble
The bungalow at 26 Beechworth Road in Pymble sold for over $2million.
Sitting on a big 1108-square-metre block in leafy, well-heeled Pymble, this three-bedroom California bungalow - which could be saved with a "major renovation" - was on the market for the first time in 27 years.
About 10 minutes walk from Pymble Ladies College, it scored $2,150,000 at auction in September.
22 Clifton Road, Clovelly
This "original beachside home" was marketed as "a blank canvas ripe for transformation".
On the market for the first time in 80 years, this three-bedroom semi offered "unlimited scope to recreate".
The holes in the ceiling didn't hold buyers back - it sold for $2,350,000 in September.
25 Wellington Street, Rosebery
The home burned down last Christmas - fortunately the occupants escaped unharmed.
Advertised as "pure potential", this fire-damaged three-bedroom home scored a better-then-expected $1,516,000 at auction.
As it's unliveable, the new owners intend to knock it down and take advantage of the 12.19 metre street frontage to build a "quality family home".
544 Elizabeth Street, Redfern
A squatter moved in at 544 Elizabeth Street in Redfern.
Sold in December, this "rundown" terrace has a particular claim to fame - a squatter moved in and tried to take ownership of the property via an "adverse possession" claim in 2016.
The original owner returned to China in 2007 and hadn't been heard from since. Gerard Knapp, a next-door neighbour, went to the Supreme Court to have a trustee appointed for the property.
It was scheduled to go to auction on December 13, sight unseen, as it was too dangerous to take prospective buyers through the terrace.
