Auctioneer Tom Panos says he was threatened by an angry bidder after an auction in Guildford over the weekend, describing the encounter in a fiery YouTube video where he also accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of worsening Australia’s housing problems.
“I nearly had a buyer punch me out,” Panos said, recounting how the frustrated bidder “screamed” at him after being outbid. The buyer allegedly blamed auctioneers for rising house prices, a claim Panos dismissed.
“Blaming me for the price that property sold for would be like blaming Tim Bailey the weatherman for the rain,” he said. “It would be like blaming the Uber driver for the traffic. Get real.”
Panos instead argued that government policies, including the First Home Guarantee Scheme, were driving prices higher.
“Anthony Albanese is making the property problem and the housing issues Australia has not better, worse,” he said.
He also warned that many buyers misunderstand the scheme’s conditions at auction.
“You can use the five per cent deposit, but when you go to an auction, it’s a 10 per cent deposit,” he said, advising bidders to seek vendor approval beforehand.
The seasoned auctioneer, known for his appearances on The Block, urged first home buyers to be cautious, adding: “If you’re scrimping to get 5 per cent, I don’t think you should be buying a property.”
Panos noted that rising real estate signboard orders suggest more homes are coming onto the market, which he believes will “keep a lid” on further price surges.
Source: Realestate.com.au.
