Over recent months, some of the Launceston's most prominent homes have been put up for sale, but in the current economic climate, buyers are in short supply.
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Launceston's big end of town is on the move, and some of the best addresses in town bear "For Sale" signs.
And a number of other luxury houses formerly belonging to prominent figures have recently been sold.
But agents say there are not more prestige houses on the market _ they are just taking longer to sell.
Chief among the departures is media proprietor Edmund Rouse, whose 1930s mansion in Gascoyne St was sold recently for around $300,000 to stockbroker Tom Ellison.
Mr Rouse and his wife, Dorothy now live at South Yarra, in Melbourne.In Lyttleton St, the Georgian house owned by 1980s property developer Serge de Kantzow and his wife, Flora has been sold.
In leafy High St, a number of older-style mansions are on the market, including Eurella, the home of property developer Robert Hosken, for around $700,000.
Mr Hosken and his wife, Heather, are living in Hobart and running the Whisky Distillery.
Next door at 50 High St is Carysville, the home of prominent orthopaedic surgeon Berni Einoder.
The 1854 neoclassical Georgian home has an asking price of more than a $1 million, which would be a record for a Launceston home.
Bushby and Co. agent Graeme Hay said that the house had been extensively refurbished.
The previous highest price for a Launceston home was the $830,000 paid by Joe and Debra Pintarich in 1994 for Fairlawn, in Elphin Rd.
Further down High St, Rosemount, the home of car dealer Jack Bain and his wife, Lynn, is also on the market.
The home of Toyota dealer Bruce Stevenson, at 1 Kenyon Grove, was passed in at auction last week for $475,000.Harrison Humphreys real estate principal Rob Harrison said that luxury houses were taking longer to sell, making it appear that there were more than usual on the market.
``Some are not in tune with market prices, but any that are in tune are selling within a reasonable time,'' he said.
Richards Woolcock managing director Bill Woolcock said there was a shortage of top-end buyers, but higher-priced houses had never been cheaper in relative terms.
