In the auction room were first home buyers, movers and out-of-towners.
There was auction "mayhem" in Whangārei this week after 36 buyers registered to make bids on a three-bedroom bungalow.
The 1930s deceased estate home at 39 Lovatt Cres in Kensington sold for $725,000 - $200,000 above its rating valuation.
The listing agents, Zoltan Waxman and Devon Cameron, from Ray White Whangārei, said the interest in the house had been huge.
"We had 36 registered bidders. It was one of the biggest auctions we've had – it was mayhem," Cameron said.
In the auction room were first-home buyers, movers and out-of-towners and once the property reached $700,000, there were just two bidders left competing.
"The auctioneer couldn't keep up with the numbers people were calling out," Cameron said.
The winning bidder was a woman who had been looking for a house for some time.
"Because it's a deceased estate everyone knew it would be sold for a fair market price."
Cameron said more than 140 groups had been through the open homes and buyers had responded well to the modern renovation.
About 48 per cent of buyers in Whangārei, he said, were from out of town, with Aucklanders dominating.
An Auckland family at the same auction bought a six-bedroom lifestyle property in Whangārei's Karanui Estate for $1.625 million - $388,000 above its CV.
Located on a 1.46ha section, the property at 9 Cornerstone Pl had 46 groups viewing it during the campaign.
"It's cheaper here compared to Auckland," Cameron said.
The incident was reported about 7.30pm.