Bidders at Canberra's first Mr Fluffy auction of the year were not deterred by fears of residual asbestos contamination on their block, in spite of warnings from previous buyers and legal experts.
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At least 100 people attended the auction at the Hellenic Club in Woden on Thursday of more than 90 blocks remediated by the ACT government.
Among the property agents and developers were mothers bouncing babies on their knees and elderly couples.
The Steve family went halves with their friends, the Jeffcotts, in a $1.6 million block in Griffith but have since been stung with clean-up and delayed work costs owing to the presence of bonded and Fluffy asbestos.
Anthony Steve stood on the staircase of the Hellenic club as buyers streamed in, handing out printed copies of The Canberra Times article that detailed his family's situation.
He said most people took them, a few handed them back and more than a few wanted to know more about what happened.
But of the first 21 blocks auctioned off, more than 80 per cent were passed in.
Properties that failed to meet their reserves included a 2092-square-metre block on Northcote Crescent in Deakin, where bidding started at $2 million. A 2099-square-metre block in Arthur Circle, Forrest was passed in at $2.2 million.
Another property where bonded asbestos was found this week, 37 Goulburn Place, was passed in at $650,000.
Colliers International auctioneer Dan McAlpine read a statement from the ACT government before that block was auctioned, confirming the asbestos had been removed.
However in the myriad of disclaimers that preceded the auction - including a clause that stated "by participating in the auction, registrants warrant that they have made their own inquiries regarding the land, its value and its suitability for development and have not bid on reliance on the material included in the auction documentation" - there was no mention of the risk of residual contamination.
In a statement, Access Canberra said it was "misleading" to think only blocks that used to house loose-fill asbestos carried the risk of contamination.
"Historically in the ACT, particularly in established suburbs, there are often contaminants 'buried' on residential sites, in what used to be a common practice – called 'builders' pits'," the statement said.
"In the past when properties were built or renovated waste materials would be buried on the site (rather than transported away) which then may be covered by soil, concrete slabs, sheds, garages and even gardens.
"It is therefore not unusual when modern renovations or knock down rebuild works occur in established suburbs across the territory (particularly those that had dwellings constructed prior to 1990) that contaminants such as bonded asbestos sheets and fragments, paint tins, lead, treated wood, bricks, gyprock and other items are located."
Clare and Jason Jiang, who snagged a block in Yarralumla for $1.05 million at the auction, said they weren't too worried about the extra cost of remediating their block if contamination was found because of its small size.
They've been going to Fluffy auctions since last year to try and score what they see as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a block with "more room to stretch" in the heart of Canberra.
"We were relieved to get something," Mr Jiang said. "The turnout today was so much bigger than the last one. I think people are getting the pressure because they're getting to the end of the land release."
The Jiangs weren't aware of the clause in the contract that would stop them from making a claim against the government if contamination was found, until Mr Steve's handout drew their attention to it.
"They didn't mention it at the auction, it would have been nice if they did," Mr Jiang said.
