Battle of wills for former church by Maroubra beach $300,000 over reserve A fierce bidding war erupted in a former Catholic church. Domain was front and centre on this huge auction day. PT3M8S http://www.smh.com.au/action/externalEmbeddedPlayer?id=d-3je0n 620 349 November 1, 2014 - 6:04PM When the former church a few streets back from Maroubra beach first went on the market, agents had been quoting more than $1.8 million. But given the uniqueness of the property - which had been converted into two residences with seven bedrooms and two bathrooms on a 607 square metres - it was no surprise to hear the McGrath auctioneer, Adrian Bo, announce to the crowd that had gathered in the back yard of 4 Bellevue Street: "This may go for a bit more than you anticipated because there's been so much interest." Selling for $2,301,000 - more than $300,000 over the reserve - it was one of the standout sales on another huge big auction day for Sydney - the third-biggest for the year. About 880 properties went under the hammer. The Maroubra house is about 100 years old, having initially been a Catholic church, then a school and, according to a development application lodged in the 1950s, a residence. With 639 of the results in by Saturday evening, the Domain Group put the clearance rate at 82.4 per cent. There had been 21 contracts out on the Maroubra property, which was about 100 years old, having initially been a Catholic church, then a school and, according to a development application lodged in the 1950s, a residence. John Molyneux, of Cremorne, had made the opening bid of $2 million and was the eventual buyer, who, encouraged by his wife, Amanda, wanted the property for his family of four children ranging between 15 and 21, one of them a surfer. Although there were five active bidders, he'd been engaged in a fierce battle with another couple. "Towards the end of the bidding duel, I actually stepped aside to eyeball the other party, just to let them know that I'd been given the instruction to buy the property by my wife and therefore I was here for the duration," he said, laughing. The property has been converted into two residences with seven bedrooms and two bathrooms on a 607 square metres. Being visible and showing intent, maybe that's the only thing I took out of the bidding duel. What was their limit? "We were over our limit," Molyneux said. How much over? "We're not telling you," his wife, Amanda, chipped in. John said: "Enough!" The fact it was a former church certainly didn't worry them. Our last place had a chapel in it, so maybe that's what I like ... no, I just love the high ceilings, love it's history, we'll keep it pretty much as it is. It was unclear whether they would live in the back section and rent out the front, or turn it into one large family home. McGrath Coogee agent Mark McPherson said he wasn't particularly surprised by the result. I knew we had good interest. I haven't had a property of this nature for a long time. He said the vendors had moved to Newcastle. The vendor's actually lying down on the bed inside - very emotional - she had lived here, really enjoyed it, with her family.