Chinese buyers are increasingly dominating home auctions as they race to get on the property ladder soon after arriving in Australia.

Such is their enthusiasm that in some suburbs it is rare to find house hunters of other nationalities bidding on family homes, even in crowds of 50 or more.

All but one of seven auctions Daily Mail Australia visited in Sydney’s northern suburbs this weekend was won by a Chinese bidder, with one home only contested by Chinese buyers.

Chinese buyers are increasingly dominating home auctions as they race to get on the property ladder soon after arriving in Australia

Though Chinese property foreign investment has quadrupled from $5.9 billion in 2013 to $24.3 billion last year, about half of which is residential, it’s not just offshore buyers helping to drive Australia’s housing boom.

Real estate companies say Chinese-origin buyers who are Australia citizens or permanent residents are among the biggest groups visiting their open homes and attending auctions.

Kitchen supplies wholesaler Andrew Shen was one of dozens of bidders for a four bedroom house in Epping that sold for $1.8 million on Saturday.

Andrew Shen (centre) was one of dozens of bidders for a four bedroom house in Epping that sold for $1.8 million on Saturday

The 26-year-old, who moved from Jiujiang, near Shanghai, in 2010 and is now an Australian citizen, was looking to move his new family out of their cramped flat

Like many young Chinese homebuyers, he got help from his parents to buy his first property – a flat nearby he acquired in 2014

The 26-year-old, who moved from Jaixing, near Shanghai, in 2010 and is now an Australian citizen, was looking to move his new family out of their cramped flat.

He said he had been house hunting in the area for more than two months and had his heart set on the brick home next door to West Epping Park, but was priced out by another Chinese buyer.

'I think this price was a bit too high for the market. It was incredible, crazy. I hope I can find another one,’ he said.

'I've worked so hard to get money and buy a home for my family.’

A mostly Chinese crowd contest for a house in Epping

Buyers assemble for an auction in Eastwood

Bidding gets underway in the all-Chinese auction

Mr Shen first came to Australia to study at university, following his older sister who moved years before, and was soon joined by his parents.

He is now married with a five-month-old daughter and his parents and sister now own property in Sydney, and came to the auction to support him.

Like many young Chinese homebuyers, he got help from his parents to buy his first property – a flat nearby he acquired in 2014 – but said he had to finance the new house himself.

'I have to work very hard to hopefully get a big house, that's my dream. I hope it comes true,’ he said, adding that he also planned to keep the flat as an investment.

A property in North Ryde goes under the hammer, and was won by a Chinese bidder over some local competition

Chinese-origin buyers who are Australia citizens or permanent residents are among the biggest groups visiting their open homes and attending auctions

In nearby North Ryde, the changing face of many suburbs was apparent as the only people of European descent present were the auctioneers and the family selling the house.

The modest three bedroom house was owned since 1961 by well-known jazz musician Ken Flannery, who died in June aged 89.

Patrick and Sue, who declined to give their last name, snapped up the 1950s property for $1.505 million after a three-year hunt for the perfect home.

Patrick (left) and Sue (right, placing a bid) snapped up the 1950s property for $1.505 million after a three-year hunt for the perfect home

A rival Chinese bidder competes for the home in North Ryde

The couple had attended more than a dozen auctions and displayed many of the bidding skills that have allowed increasingly savvy Chinese buyers to beat local competition.

'It comes down to how ready you are and how much homework you do but you also have to go with your heart,’ he said.

Like many successful Chinese auction winners, Patrick deliberately joined the bidding late as 'you don't want to start a horse race that you're not going to win'.

'The ones that are keen to bid will go early but you'll find out who you're really up against close to the finish line,’ he said.

'If you start from the beginning you'll just waste a lot of breath.'

Chinese property foreign investment has quadrupled from $5.9 billion in 2013 to $24.3 billion last year, about half of which is residential