Share A A AA family wanting to be closer to schools paid $1,805,000 for an Essendon family home at auction on Saturday. By Saturday evening, Domain Group recorded a preliminary auction clearance rate of 63 per cent from 465 reported results throughout the week, while 62 auctions were withdrawn. The bidding opened at $1.6 million, with the buyers, a family wanting to be closer to the nearby schools, making the opening offer. Advertisement“It was quite a strong result for Port Melbourne, going above reserve,” Jellis Craig Port Melbourne selling agent Jon Kett said. If they remain stable, we might see auction clearance rates remain a little bit more elevated,” he said.