Secret sales, totalling more than $50 million, have flown under the radar in Toorak over past weeks.

Theses deals include 2 Heymount Close and 9 Hill Street, selling for a combined $31 million at private auctions.

Buyers' advocate David Morrell, who bid on behalf of local buyers for these homes, believed his clients were trumped by Chinese buyers who paid over the odds.

Describing the scenes at the private auctions, Mr Morrell said buyers were bidding against each other through Mandarin- or Cantonese-speaking agents.

He said each home sold significantly over reserve ??? the Hill Street property was on the market at $14 million and sold for about $14.6 million.

And the four-bedroom home on 2322 square metres at 2 Heymount Close ??? with scope for redevelopment ??? was on the market at about $16.15 million and sold for $16.72 million.

"We can't make the numbers stack up," he said. "It's not that we can't afford it, but we just don't want to be overpaying."

Mr Morrell said Chinese buyers had come back into the market over the past weeks after disappearing for nearly 12 months.

Competition was driven by a lack of choice in the prestige market, and it was frustrating from a buyer's perspective, he said.

"Last year there was half the number of transactions as there were the year before ??? you'll find this quarter there's even less," Mr Morrell said.

"And you only need to drive around Toorak and see why ??? everyone's renovating."

A five-bedroom Victorian terrace on about 1050 square metres at 1 Cross Street is believed to have sold for about $8 million.

There is also whisperings of another hushed Toorak sale which takes the total at least over $50 million.

Kay and Burton's Mike Gibson declined to comment on any of the prices, but said three of the four properties were sold to local families.

"Local buyers have been out in force this year, greater than last year," Mr Gibson said.

"Not everyone gets off an aeroplane and buys a property ??? that happens infrequently these days."

There were three expressions of interest campaigns that turned into successful private auctions, he added.