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Nadia and Jimmy Bartel are selling their St Kilda West property. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

Jimmy and Nadia Bartel have listed their St Kilda West house, almost a year after announcing their high-profile split.

The Geelong great and his former wife — a fashion blogger, brand ambassador and influencer — have set a $3.7-$4m price guide for the charming five-bedroom Victorian.

The Bartels paid $3.76m for the 44 Mary Street property in September 2017, CoreLogic records show.

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The charming house at 44 Mary Street, St Kilda West has a $3.7-$4m price guide.

Nadia and one of her sons, Aston, at the St Kilda West home.

The purchase followed Jimmy’s retirement in 2016 from his 305-match AFL career, which netted three premierships, Brownlow and Norm Smith medals, and two All-Australian jackets.

And the pair welcomed Henley, their second child and a younger brother to Aston, about a year after buying the property.

The house is packed with striking period details, including original wallpaper and leadlight windows.

The formal dining room.

Another glorious lounge room.

Speaking to the Herald Sun in 2018, Nadia said she loved the 1904-built residence’s “traditional Victorian feel”.

“There are lots of beautiful details that give the house character, such as timber-framed windows, detailed timber fireplaces, intricate leadlight windows, bay windows, and high ceilings with decorative plasterwork,” Nadia said at the time.

The modern living space opens out to a deck.

The French-style kitchen is a standout feature.

The property features five bedrooms.

Listing agent Ben Manolitsas, of Marshall White Port Phillip, declined to comment when contacted by the Herald Sun.

But the agency is marketing the home as “one of St Kilda West’s most elite properties”.

The realestate.com.au listing states that the house “blends the elegance and grandeur of the era with stunning contemporary style and family comfort”, highlighting period flourishes including Baltic pine floors, pressed-metal ceilings, leadlight windows and original wallpaper.

A “children’s zone” is part of the package.

The charming study.

A claw-foot bath graces one of the bathrooms.

Other standout features are an “imposing reception hall”, formal dining and sitting rooms, a wine cellar, a “children’s zone”, and a “glorious” main bedroom with an open fireplace, a walk-in wardrobe and an ensuite.

The open-plan living space contains a gourmet French-style kitchen with stone benches and a breakfast bar, and opens out to a north-facing deck.

The 604sq m property’s expressions of interest campaign closes August 15.

In late 2016, the Bartels also sold for $2.25 million the contemporary house they built in the Geelong suburb of Newtown.

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samantha.landy@news.com.au

The post Jimmy Bartel, Nadia Bartel selling St Kilda West family home appeared first on realestate.com.au.

First homebuyers are looking further out for properties.

Young first homebuyers are casting a wider net in their search for properties and hope to capitalise on better price deals if the economy deteriorates further because of COVID-19.

Nearly two-thirds of first homebuyers polled in ME Bank’s quarterly property sentiment report said they were more likely to consider buying in a regional area during the pandemic to save money.

About 45 per cent of all respondents, including next homebuyers, investors and downsizers, said they would do the same.

First homebuyers were also the most optimistic about the market, eyeing the worsening economy and falling prices as an opportunity to get a foot on the property ladder for less.

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Roughly four in five first homebuyers said they hoped to see bargain properties if the economy continued to weaken. Only 57 per cent of existing homeowners felt the same way.

First homebuyers were also more likely to be planning a purchase, with just over half saying they wanted to buy property in the next year.

ME general manager Home Loans Andrew Bartolo said first homebuyers were the most optimistic about lower interest rates and the prospect of falling prices.

Port Macquarie is one of the most popular regional NSW areas for first homebuyers. Picture: Destination NSW

“First homebuyers may be looking to find a silver lining in the current economic climate,” he said.

Plans to purchase in regional areas may have been influenced by increased work from home arrangements, Mr Bartolo added.

“New remote and flexible working arrangements brought in to accommodate for COVID-19 have clearly influenced Australians’ sentiment towards buying in regional areas,” he said.

The Federal Government’s $25,000 HomeBuilder grant was another factor encouraging first homebuyers.

The grant is available for purchasers of new homes, provided they are priced under $750,000. Eligible buyers need to have an income under $125,000 if purchasing alone, or $200,000 if buying as a couple.

Roughly half of first homebuyers said they would consider applying for the grant, while only a third of existing homebuyers were exploring the option.

The findings echo those of previous bank studies that revealed younger Aussies were generally more positive about the property market.

Two thirds of Aussies aged under 30 polled in a recent Westpac survey claimed they’ve become more serious about buying a home since the COVID-19 crisis started.

Another Finder.com survey showed close to half of Gen Z respondents were in a better financial position compared to before the coronavirus pandemic started. Only about a quarter of Gen X respondents agreed.

First homebuyers are more optimistic about the property market than existing owners.

Westpac head of savings Kathryn Carpenter said younger Aussies were more inclined to save for a home deposit during COVID-19 because social restrictions were making a dramatic lifestyle change.

“With limitations around travel and experiences that are usually popular with this generation, like attending concerts or festivals, it’s encouraging to see that many have seized this as an opportunity to double down on their home ownership goals,” Ms Carpenter said.

ME’s report also revealed the rest of the buyer market outside of first homebuyers may be more inclined to sit on their hands during the coronavirus-led economic crisis.

Asked about their actual property plans over the next 12 months, 61 per cent of the Aussies polled said they would neither buy nor sell.

MOST POPULAR REGIONAL NSW SUBURBS (by sales volumes)

Port Macquarie $585,000 (median house price)

Orange $430,000

Dubbo $360,000

Coffs Harbour $490,000

Goulburn $433,000

The post Where first homebuyers are hunting bargains during COVID-19 appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Whitestone Point at Austins Ferry. Picture: SUPPLIED

WHEN northern suburbs residential development Whitestone Point first hit the market, the reception was extraordinary.

Stage one sold out before these riverside blocks of land officially hit the market. Since then, the project – which has hundreds of blocks – has gone from strength to strength.

Knight Frank sales consultant Rorie M. Auld said Whitestone Point’s developers had made a concerted effort to ensure this Austins Ferry project was a “destination development”.

This includes a wide range of attractive lifestyle features such as parklands, dog-walking areas, lookouts and recreation trails to be built around the site, he said.

“There are three commercial lots available, too, which could attract a child care, small supermarket or medico,” Rorie said.

“It is interesting to note that about 60 per cent of the selling stages were sold prior to the recent government builder stimulus, and 37 per cent has been sold since June 4.”

Whitestone Point land sales running hot.

Rorie said market reception to the development was it was long overdue. Many wished there were more like it.

“It is the most significant land release in the area for over a decade and a half, and has been very well received across the whole demographic spectrum,” he said.

“The market is crying out for land, even prior to the HomeBuilder stimulus, but it is a slow burn for the developers who spend years and an extraordinary amount of money working on these types of projects before they see any return on investment. In this instance, it has been 14 years to get to this point.

“The purchaser demographic has been across the board, from first-home owners to upsizers, downsizers, sidemovers and investors.”

Of the first eight stages of land releases, there are only two lots left that will be titled this year and will be eligible for the HomeBuilder grant.

New stages just released.

New stages have been released in July, stages 9-12. The lots range in size from 509 to 2061sq m and Rorie said 24 had already been allocated, leaving 42.

“Among those properties there are some waterfront opportunities but naturally they are proving popular and many have been allocated to buyers,” he said.

Construction has started in stage 1, however titles have not been released yet for stage 2 onwards.

Glenorchy Mayor Kristie Johnston has said the proposed light-rail service to areas such as Austins Ferry would provide significant benefits.

“Importantly, it would connect northern parts of Hobart with the CBD and really drive tourism,” she told the Mercury.

For more information, contact Knight Frank or visit whitestonepoint.com.au

The post Most significant land release in the area for over a decade appeared first on realestate.com.au.

92b Eastlakes Boulevard, Lara, sold for $555,000 at an online auction.

Prices achieved for Lara homes sold at an in-room auction this week should give sellers confidence the property market is holding up.

Two Lara homes found new owners at the online event, but it was the sale prices — $555,000 and $1.022 million — that provided most comfort to sellers.

Ray White Lara agent Terry Cleary said the first sale of a three-bedroom house at 92b Eastlakes Boulevard gave the best indication of the market’s strength to withstand pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Sellers celebrated after two buyers competed for their Eastlakes Blvd property at an online auction.

Mr Cleary said the $555,000 sale price matched the expectations of the sellers when they decided to sell in March, on the eve of the first lockdown.

He said the auction, at the agency’s Hicks Street office and conducted by Matt Condon from Ray White’s corporate office at Southbank, enabled as many as 57 groups to watch and bid. Six properties were offered — two in Corio and four in Lara.

Agents said bids were made on each property, with negotiations continuing later on homes that were passed in.

92b Eastlakes Boulevard, Lara, sold for $555,000 at an online auction.

Mr Cleary said the Google Meet event was beneficial for buyers in lockdown in Melbourne, including the purchasers at Eastlakes Boulevard.

“The young fellow looked at it at 3pm and three hours later he was bidding under auction conditions,” Mr Cleary said.

He said the young couple from Preston had family ties to Lara and his partner’s parents — long-time locals — had inspected the property last Saturday.

60 McNeill Court, Lara, sold for $1.022 million at an online auction.

“There was emotion in the online auction with those vendors and the vendors who were in our backroom here,” Mr Cleary said.

“They said they got the price for the property they had expected to get seven months ago when they decided to sell.”

Lara’s median house price has remained steady compared to the same time last year, rising 1.5 per cent to $550,000, according to Hometrack data for June.

60 McNeill Court, Lara, sold for $1.022 million at an online auction.

That data shows median house prices have held up across the wider Geelong region on an annual basis, rising 2.9 per cent over 12 months to $591,500.

A young Lara couple found their “forever home” when they paid $1.022 million for the 1ha property at 60 McNeill Court, agent Matthew Wade-Taylor said.

60 McNeill Court, Lara, sold for $1.022 million at an online auction.

There were five bidders for the four-bedroom house, which has a panoramic hillside view to the You Yangs.

Mr Wade-Taylor said two buyers traded $500 bids as the price eclipsed expectations.

“They had been at the property about five times fell in love with the lifestyle,” he said.

The post COVID-19: Lara in-room auction sales point to confidence Geelong house prices are holding firm appeared first on realestate.com.au.

No. 1 Bruce Place in Farrer will go to auction on August 5.

As the saying goes, timing is everything – and the current owners of this charming Farrer home know that better than most.

“They had previously owned the house and sold up to move for personal reasons, and then had an opportunity to come back to Canberra,” said Kaylene King of LJ Hooker Canberra City.

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A renovation brought new life.

“They loved so much about it and so bid for it at auction. The owner in between had done a bit of renovating and they finished it off. Now they’re off up north to be closer to family.”

The light-filled, three-bedroom house has been tastefully updated inside with a predominantly white and neutral colour scheme giving a crisp modern look. A wealth of windows and skylights warm up the interior with natural light.

“The amount of sunlight is definitely an outstanding feature, as the home has a beautiful aspect just east of north,” Ms King said.

High ceilings.

The contemporary kitchen.

Extra-high ceilings give the split-level living area an air of spaciousness. It’s open plan but bespoke built-in shelving creates the feeling of separate zones for lounging and dining, as well as connecting directly to the outdoors.

The renovated kitchen is stylish and well-appointed, including a walk-in pantry, gas cooktop, ample benchspace and a dishwasher.

Both minor bedrooms have built-in robes and the master has a walk-in robe and ensuite.

The modernised main bathroom is a particular standout, with high-quality tapware, tiling and fittings.

Location-wise, the home is across the road from a school, walking distance to Farrer shopping, and close to the Isaac Ridge Nature Park.

No. 1 Bruce Place will go to auction on Wednesday, August 5 at 6pm.

The post Canberra property: The house so nice the owners bought it twice appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Homeowners in some of Sydney’s most sought after pockets have been reselling their properties for an average of $1.3 million above the prices they paid for them, a new study indicated.

The CoreLogic pain and gain report examined the average profit home sellers made in various city markets over the first three months of the year and revealed most long-time owners had considerable equity in their properties.

“Profit” was measured as the average difference between the price they paid for the property and the resale price.

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By this criteria, the majority of Sydney sales were profitable. Only 7.6 per cent of sellers made a loss on their properties.

Resellers made the biggest profits on the northern beaches. The median resale profit was $1.31 million. The length of ownership for these sellers was just under nine years.

Sellers in the Blacktown council area also got well above their purchase prices: the median resale profit was almost $630,000, with the average hold period for the property at eight years.

The average northern beaches home seller got about $1.3m above the price they paid.

Blacktown homeowners who sold after only a few years after owning their properties tended to have a harder time making a profit.

Close to 7 per cent of Blacktown sellers made a loss on their properties and the majority had owned their homes just three years.

Other council areas where long-time sellers made big profits were the Hills Shire, Sutherland Shire and Woollahra. The median profit for these sellers was over $500,000.

CoreLogic noted the market may have shifted somewhat since the first three months of the year considering this was before the COVID-19 lockdowns, but this change may only be minor.

Sydney’s median home price fell 0.8 per cent over June and 0.4 per cent over May but grew over April and March, according to the research group.

COVID-19 has so far made more of an impact on real estate transaction volumes than prices. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Price movements have been minor largely because few properties have come up for sale, reducing the level of choice available for buyers.

CoreLogic head of research Eliza Owen said government support for struggling households, such as the JobKeeper payment, also helped to reduce distressed sales.

“The Pain and Gain results over the second half of 2020 could see an increase in the portion of loss-making sales, but the volume of sales activity may be more subdued,” Ms Owen said.

The Sydney region where sellers were most likely to make a loss on their properties was Burwood, where about a fifth of the properties changed hands for less than the owners paid. The bulk of the properties that sold for a loss in Burwood were units and there were few sales, CoreLogic noted.

CoreLogic head of research Eliza Owen.

About one in eight properties resold for a loss in Parramatta, Ryde and Strathfield, also predominantly units. Most the units were resold after about four years. Each of these areas has an abundance of new units available, particularly in high-rise blocks.

Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee said the larger choice of new units meant buyers could be picky and had more room to negotiate prices down.

Many of the units in these areas were also built to appeal to investors, who have been a less active buyer group over recent years due to lender restrictions, Ms Conisbee said.

Houses that appeal to families have been getting the most buyer inquiries. Picture: Tim Hunter

Other regions with higher losses were Liverpool and Rockdale, where about 10 per cent sales were at a loss.

BEST SUBURBS FOR AUCTIONS

Sellers in Cremorne, Leichhardt and Revesby were the most likely to sell successfully under the hammer over the past three months, auction sales data revealed.

Three in four auctions in these areas were a success over the period, which was significantly higher than the 51 per cent auction clearance rate reported for the Greater Sydney area, according to the CoreLogic data.

About two thirds of auctions were a success in Wollstonecraft, Bondi, North Bondi, Elizabeth Bay and Alexandria. Higher clearance rates in these areas suggested buyers were competing for a smaller pool of available properties – considered favourable conditions for auctions.

Auctioneer Michael Garofolo said scarcity factor gave auction sellers a boost.

Auctioneer Michael Garofolo of Cooley Auctions said properties that appealed to owner occupier buyers, especially upsizing families, tended to get the best results at auction.

Buyers were also willing to spend big at auction if they saw value: homes with rare features that many buyers wanted were still selling for high prices, Mr Garofolo said.

The post Most profitable postcodes: where homeowners are getting biggest payback from reselling properties appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Ring road precinct: 87-91 Prosperity Drive, Corio, has sold for around $1 million.

JOB creating developments in greenfields industrial land hugging the Geelong Ring Road continue as another land sale was chalked up in the city’s northernmost suburbs.

A Geelong buyer paid around $1 million for the 8026sq m industrial land at 87-91 Prosperity Drive, Corio, eyeing plans to develop the site.

Darcy Jarman selling agent Tim Darcy said logistics hubs, factories, warehouses and other facilities had taken shape in the past few years in the estate along O’Briens Rd between Bacchus Marsh and Broderick roads.

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Mr Darcy said the development was largely built on Geelong’s growth, while the estate’s position at the northernmost suburb giving occupants ideal access to Melbourne’s western growth areas.

The month-long private sale campaign generated interested from developer-investors and owner occupiers, he said.

“Geographically it’s the most northern point in an industrial sense to Melbourne’s south and sit’s right on the ring road,” Mr Darcy said.

Ring road precinct: 87-91 Prosperity Drive, Corio, has sold for around $1 million.

While logistic benefits play a part, Mr Darcy said the large sites had allowed businesses, local and from afar, to build to their own specifications.

“You can’t find an 8000sq m site in infill parts of Geelong,” he said.

Mr Darcy said a lot of the recent development was in the construction industry, including civil contractors and builders.

“That’s what is driving the area in terms of our growth,” Mr Darcy said.

The Prosperity Drive site offers a 142m frontage to the street, which runs off O’Briens Rd and neighbours Ritchie Bros auctioneers and phosphate fertiliser firm Wengfu Australia.

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