First published 16 Nov 2026, 4:00am
The two-bedroom property at 45 The Esplanade, Toolakea, failed to sell at auction after 12 years of damage had ruined the house.
What was once a well-kept cottage by the Townsville beach has now failed to sell at auction, after 12 years of neglect turned it into a run-down wreck.
The two-bedroom house at 45 The Esplanade, Toolakea, was last purchased in 2014 for $230,000, sold by a local who lived in a neighbouring home.
Now, the home is full of water damage, broken walls and windows, and even holes in the floor where potential buyers would walk.
Holes can be found in the floor, walls, windows and roof, causing agents to enforced a closed shoe policy during inspections.
Ray White Townsville agent Dakota Clarke said the team needed to set a strict closed shoe policy for people inspecting the home to avoid potential injuries.
“We have turned away people that are just wearing flip flops,” he said. “You’ve got holes in the floor on the property, and we don’t know how the previous tenants lived.”
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The house last sold in 2014 for $230,000, but failed to sell at auction in November when no one would offer more than $200,000.
The home had become a mortgagee estate, having been abandoned for several months.
Mr Clarke said the home had been abandoned for several months, and had since become a mortgagee estate.
“What was the state of the family that was living there?” he asked. “The neighbour next door just said they were a rowdy bunch.”
The home had been completely transformed from its old self.
Potential buyers were only interested in the house for its land size, shed and proximity to the beach.
Tiles can be found cracked and ripped up in the home’s bathroom, while one of the bedrooms is covered in markings made by one of the old residents.
“I can understand some damage that has happened to the home like waterproofing, but you’ve got holes in the floor and roof,” Mr Clarke said. “It used to be an amazing property.”
The auction had four registered bidders and three active bidders, but none was able to make an offer that met the reserve price.
Several visitors were turned away completely because they were wearing thongs while trying to walk across broken floorboards.
An auction for the property took place this month with four registered and three active bidders, but the home was passed in when no one would make an offer above $200,000.
Agent Jaiden Hasted said the damage to the property meant any interested buyers had no intention to leave the house standing.
“Everyone was saying they’d bid for the land value plus the shed,” he said. “It’s quite a good block of land to start from scratch.”
Offers are being sought for the home at a price of $330,000, which may be negotiated down over time.
Offers are currently being sought for $330,000, with the potential to decrease the price if a sale cannot be made.
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