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Paul Tilse beauty set to go under the hammer this weekend

No. 8 Turner Place in Yarralumla goes to auction on Saturday, August 29.

This contemporary Yarralumla residence is turning heads for all the right reasons.

The handiwork of acclaimed Canberra architect Paul Tilse, the five-bedroom, three-bathroom residence at 8 Turner Place, near the iconic Lake Burley Griffin, has drawn considerable interest ahead of this weekend’s auction.

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“Paul Tilse has a bit of a cult following,” said Steve Lowe, from Agent Team Belconnen.

Gorgeous design.

“We have found that people are interested in his homes and come to have a look at another design because they just love and appreciate his work. It’s not overstated, its actually quite restrained but functional at the same time.”

Set in the sought-after suburb of Yarralumla, the property combines the warmth of timber cabinetry and flooring with natural light to create a stunning and functional home.

It was built last year.

Constructed last year, the floorplan offers 301sqm of living space, including an 11m bank of stacker doors that open out to the backyard entertaining area and solar-heated swimming pool.

“One of the best drawcards is the north-facing living, so the orientation makes really good use of the size of the block. It’s 600sqm but it feels much bigger than that, and the north-facing living spaces are the ideal orientation for winter with the sun streaming in,” Mr Lowe said.

Open plan living.

“From the kitchen space you can monitor all the surrounds from that one central location, so you can watch the kids playing on the swings or kicking a ball in the yard, or the adults having a few beers outside or a swim in the pool. You’re always connected with the family.”

The kitchen, which features a butler’s pantry and an all-in-one zip tap with boiling, chilled and sparkling water, was crowned the Kitchen of the Year in the 2019 Master Builders’ Association Awards.

The kitchen and dining area.

As well as interior design by Vanessa Hawes, additional features include an Escea fireplace, double-glazed windows, a security system with three Google cameras and motion sensors inside the home, motorised blinds and a laundry chute from the top floor.

Heating and cooling has smartphone application and is zoned to each room, while the yard irrigation is connected to Wi-Fi with a predictive weather control.

The property will go to auction on Saturday August 29 at 4pm and is expected to fetch more than $2.6 million.

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Atlassian’s Mike Cannon-Brookes revealed as $24.5 million buyer of Jen Hawkins’ Newport mansion

The Newport mansion built by Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall will have a new owner today – and the $24.5m sale is a new northern beaches record.

Billionaire Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes and wife Annie will hand over $24.5 million today, when they become the new owners of the Newport mansion built by supermodel Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall.

The deal was well over the asking price of $21 million, and sets a new residential price record for Sydney’s northern beaches.

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The purchase adds to the Cannon-Brookes’ impressive collection of trophy homes, including Fairwater, Australia’s most expensive house. They bought the waterfront Point Piper mansion in 2018 for $100 million.

Marketing agent Ken Jacobs, of Ken Jacobs Christie’s International Real Estate, confirmed the Hawkins/Wall sale would settle today and that the buyer was the Cannon-Brookes couple.

He said there were three other buyers who were actively chasing the home, but were outbid by Cannon-Brookes.

GOLD DINNER

Mike Cannon-Brookes and wife Annie.

And he revealed that although he had been told he was “dreaming” to think he could achieve the asking price of $21 million, he always had great confidence in the property.

“It is an extraordinary house and it deserves to get to that level,” Mr Jacobs said.

The home is on the shores of Pittwater.

It was designed by renowned architect Koichi Takada.

An Atlassian spokesperson said today they would not be making any comment on the sale.

The deal tops the previous northern beaches price record set in February this year with the $24 million sale of the oceanfront Palm Beach property owned by the late media mogul Sam Chisholm’s daughter Caroline Jumpertz.

Hawkins and Wall called the home Casa Paloma.

Absolute waterfront.

Hawkins and Wall spent the better part of three years building the luxury four-level compound they named Casa Paloma.

Set on the shores of Pittwater, the mansion was designed by renowned architect Koichi Takada, who also created their previous home in North Curl Curl.

Jennifer Hawkins at home with baby Frankie during the coronavirus lockdown earlier this year. Source: Instagram

The couple, who last year welcomed their first child, Frankie Violet, have had a long association with the northern beaches, but are planning a move to the Central Coast to be closer to family.

Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall Instagram

Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall Source: Instagram

The home, which sits across a double block of 3361sqm on Prince Alfred Pde with a private beach, came to market in November last year, just weeks after the birth of their daughter.

The five-bedroom home has an indoor lift, home theatre, private gym, heated pool, boathouse and slipway – and of course a walk-in dressing room worthy of a supermodel.

Dressing room fit for a supermodel.

Pure trophy home.

The four-storey concrete and glass engineering feat, completed by Wall’s firm J Group Projects, picked up the 2018 Master Builder of the Year Award.

The Calacatta marble kitchen has a reflective splashback so you can enjoy the view of the water while at the cooktop, there is also a pizza oven, a firepit by the beach and feature walls in many of the rooms.

Relax.

The stunning pool.

Mr Jacobs said high-end Sydney property was booming at the moment, although a shortage of stock is frustrating many buyers.

“I’ve got some great buyers with $10 million to $100 million to spend,” he said.

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Croydon home wedged between two apartment towers set to be redeveloped

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No. 14A Grosvenor St at Croydon is on the market with a development upside.

An original Croydon home dwarfed by several apartment towers has come up for sale with a development upside.

The 407sqm house backs onto the railway line near Croydon station and has the potential to be turned into a 26m high apartment tower.

With an original facade and older interiors, it is the only freestanding residence left on the even side of Grosvenor Street.

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The Croydon house is surrounded by multiple apartment towers.

Listed with Knight Frank agents Anthony Pirrottina, Demi Carigliano and Erin Penfold, 14A Grosvenor Street has a $2.5m-$3m guide ahead of an auction on October 1.

Knight Frank is advertising the dwelling as a “rare and unique landholding” with a potential achievable gross floor area of 1221sqm over eight storeys.

The R1 General Residential zoning, allows buyers to construct buildings of 26m in height with a floor to space ratio (FSR) of 3:1. Apartment blocks, boarding houses, child care facilities and community spaces are on the list of permitted uses for the site.

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The block is near the Croydon train station.

Mr Carigliano said the landholding was more suited towards a smaller development compared to similar towers surrounding the landholding.

“Due to existing planning controls, it allows for a boutique residential development which is perfect for the current demand,” he said.

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The site has a height limit of 26m.

While the property is expected to be popular with smaller inner west focused developers, Mr Carigliano said the listing comes at a time when the market is seeing a shift from large scale projects to boutique products.

“Developers have been turning to smaller projects for a while as they’re easier to build, cheaper (easier) to finance and pre-sale ” he said.

The Croydon property near Burwood CBD follows a 3.14ha site in Ashbury coming up for sale last month, that is set to be home to 350 apartments.

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Trafalgar South property comes with glamping business, mini donkeys

Elders Real Estate Yarragon

There’s a lot on offer at 95 Haynes Track, Trafalgar South.

Those looking to make the ultimate tree change will find it hard to pass up this opportunity in the Strzelecki Ranges.

Known as Mirador Springs, the property features a renovated manor, cute cottage and a prosperous glamping business.

The unique packaged deal even comes with three “tame and friendly” miniature donkeys, two sheep and an affable goat.

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The main house was formerly a teahouse, but was completely transformed by the current owners.

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A successful glamping business runs from the property as well.

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Inside the bell tent.

The 6ha site at 95 Haynes Track, Trafalgar South — about 131km southeast of Melbourne — is for sale as an all-inclusive deal and has a $1.65-$1.815m price guide.

Belle Property South Yarra director Grant Wallace said it was the most breathtaking accommodation venue in Gippsland, with a lot of Melburnians showing interest in the offering.

“A lot of people are coming out of Melbourne, looking for a tree change because they are sick of the hustle and bustle,” he said.

“You buy the property and the business comes with it — including the website, booking system, access to current arrangements like the staff — if people want to do that, but you don’t have to.

“But it’s basically paying the owners’ mortgage for them, plus a bit of money. It doesn’t take a lot of work — it’s a set and forget.”

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A private bathhouse is part of the glamping experience.

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The main house also has a luxury tub, plus a sauna.

The cottage is rented out from $170 a night, while the glamping experience in the bell tent starts at $250 a night, according to the company’s website.

The main house has also been leased out for almost $1000 a night, but recently the owners lived in the house full time.

Mr Wallace said once restrictions eased, business would be booming with local travel expected to be Australian’s only option for quite some time.

“Since they started (the business) three years ago, it has pretty much been booked out every night,” he said.

“They had plans to extend out the glamping side of things as it seems to be more popular. (But) they are skipping borders and looking to go to Byron Bay.”

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Check out those views.

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These miniature donkeys, two sheep and a goat are included in the deal.

The main house features four bedrooms and was recently renovated from a tea house into a luxury home.

“They opened up the living room and did everything they should have like installing bi-fold windows so you can take in the glorious views,” Mr Wallace said.

Other features of the property include a self-watering orchard with more than 30 fruit trees and a natural spring-fed lake, which is perfect for swimming.

The vendors are willing to sell everything, including the main house’s furniture. A quad bike, ride-on mower, trailer and everything in the cottage and tent are included.

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Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes buys $24.5m Newport home

Billionaire Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes and his wife, Annie love their trophy homes.

They have emerged as the buyer of the Newport waterfront home of Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall.

It sold for $24.5 million in June, with the mystery until this week’s settlement on the buyer’s identity.

The home set a recent record for the northern beaches area.

The pool looks out onto the waterfront at Newport.

The home comes with a boatshed.

The price pocketed by the glamour couple was a record for the northern beaches playground after a spike of buyer interest saw the price soar past its initial $20 million price guidance.

It highlights the trend seen during the COVID-19 pandemic of a surge in prices in the luxury second home market.

There’s no sign yet on Jen and Jake’s next project which was mooted to be on the NSW Central Coast, to be closer to the former Miss Universe’s family following the birth of their first child, Frankie last October.

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The previous highest northern beaches sale was when the late television executive Sam Chisholm’s Palm Beach home was sold to Mike Messara, the co-chief investment officer at Caledonia, for $24 million in February.

The property price soared past its initial $20m guide.

The Cannon-Brookes also own a home at nearby Palm Beach.

Luxury outdoor living.

“By any measure, Casa Paloma is one of Sydney’s trophy properties,” its Christie’s International selling agent Ken Jacobs advised during its eight month marketing campaign.

“It generated extraordinary international, interstate and local buyer competition which resulted in a new price benchmark for the northern beaches,” he advised.

Many inspectees suggested it was the best built home on the pricey peninsula.

The four-level residence, designed by Koichi Takada on its 3360 square metre holding sold just short of three years after Wall completed their home build.

They bought the adjoining building blocks in 2014 for $4 million.

The Cannon-Brookes already own at Palm Beach, having paid $8.7 million in 2013, which sits in their near $200 million property portfolio.

Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall Instagram

Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall.

Mike Cannon-Brookes. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Views from every angle.

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Mannum properties with bunker offer a chance to create the perfect hideaway

The Mannum sites at allotment 3 River Lane and allotment 7 Randell St are offering keen buyers the chance to create the perfect spot to hide away. Pic: realestate.com.au

Looking for a place where you can hide from the rest of the world when times get tough?

Two neighbouring properties at the heart of Mannum are offering prospective buyers the chance to create the perfect quiet escape, and more.

The blocks at allotments 3 River Lane and 7 Randell St are mostly vacant with a brick and concrete bunker, which includes a bathroom and kitchen facilities as well as a living area, in the middle.

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Whether you’re keen to live out your doomsday fantasies or build a dream home overlooking the Murray River, the 810sqm site has the potential to be the perfect hideaway.

BH Partners Woodside/Mannum principal Rob Brown said the owners were using it as storage space.

“The bunker has been built there, but (the land) has always been vacant for as long as I can remember,” he said.

One of the sites has a bunker, complete with kitchen and bathroom facilities, as well as a living area. Pic: realestate.com.au

The bunker is being used for storage. Pic: realestate.com.au

“It’s in the middle of Mannum so it’s a fantastic spot.”

Mr Brown said while it looked the part, the bunker wouldn’t work as a real survival shelter because it probably wasn’t bomb proof.

That aside, he said the blocks were ripe for development as they overlooked a reserve with barbecue areas and a boat ramp into the Murray River, which was popular among tourists.

“A developer could do a lot with it, and the (Mid Murray) Council is keen to see it developed,” he said.

“Ideally it would be retail businesses, like restaurants, with possible residences on the River Lane side.

Both sites have views of the River Murray. Pic: realestate.com.au

“You could possibly put a house on the River Lane side but with that you’ll probably have to incorporate (retail) on the other side.”

Mr Brown said the council had approved development plans for the sites before but any future plans would need to be lodged again.

Allotment 3 with the bunker is listed for $299,000 while allotment 7 is on the market for $249,000. They can be purchased together or separately.

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Alan Bond’s former mansion sells for record price of $27.5m

One of Perth’s most iconic homes, built by high-profile businessman Alan Bond and his wife Eileen, has sold for $27.5 million, in what could set a property sales record for Perth this year.

The spectacular riverfront mansion at 89 Watkins Road in Dalkeith is believed to have been purchased by former bodybuilder Danny Pavlovich and his wife Suzie. Mr Pavlovich is the chief executive of Nutrition Systems, a distributor of supplements and nutritional products.

But the hefty price tag is well shy of the $50 million it was originally listed for in 2017 before Mr Bond’s real estate agent daughter Jody Fewster took over the listing last year with a heavily reduced price guide of $35 million.

Bond home living room

The spectacular riverfront mansion might have set a property sales record for Perth. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

Originally designed by renowned Perth architect Geoffrey Summerhayes and updated by Andrew Boughton, the 6406sqm estate is spread over six titles on a quiet cul-de-sac and takes in 270-degree views of the Swan River.

The six-bedroom, eight-bathroom residence offers an array of resort-style features, including a swimming pool with a 12-seat swim-up bar, a sauna, indoor squash court, floodlit tennis court, gymnasium, children’s playroom and stunning dressing room fit for a princess.

There are three kitchens, a walk-in cool room and a quaint basement wine cellar and tasting room with storage capacity for 10,000 bottles. On the lower level is a marble-floored ballroom complete with a stage for a band, as well as a 21-seat cinema.

Ms Fewster declined to confirm the sale price or the identity of the new owners, other than to say the property had been sold to a “beautiful young family”.

“I don’t have any emotional attachment to the house other than a lot of memories of fantastic parties and [having] lots of friends over,” Ms Fewster said. “It was so much fun for me to sell because it’s full of great memories – I got married on the tennis court and my husband proposed to me there.

“I just think that it’s so nice that it’s going to a beautiful young family who is going to keep it and enjoy it.”

Ms Fewster said the sale of such an exclusive property in the current COVID-19 market was remarkable.

“Quite frankly, getting the figure we got in the market that we’re in is pretty special. I’ve had five offers since October and that was the best offer,” she said.

The property was sold by Eileen Bond in 1995.

Since then it has had a string of renowned owners including mining magnates Ross Atkins and Barry Patterson. The current owner Sue Gibson, bought the property with her then-husband, mining tycoon Steve Wyatt, for $39 million in 2011.

Over the years the property has entertained the likes of Elton John, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan, as well as former prime ministers Paul Keating and Bob Hawke.

The sale is expected to settle in late September.

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Five top tips for filming a winning virtual property tour

They’ve been around for a while, but virtual tours of properties for sale and rent have really come into their own in 2020.

Between COVID-19 rules restricting movement in some parts of Australia to a more general growing preference for everything to be available online, virtual tours are the new must-have for selling and rental campaigns.

While agents usually shoot footage themselves or outsource to a professional videographer, property owners themselves are increasingly being asked to take footage, too.

Regardless of who is doing the filming, there are five golden rules to follow. Here’s the top tips from the experts.

1. Style it up

Atlanta Bell is from Brisbane-based Hocus and specialises in creating high-resolution 360° virtual tours and virtual interactive tours for yet-to-be-built properties. She said before even picking up a phone or camera, think about how rooms are styled.

“Adding in details like artwork or floral arrangements can really make a room ‘pop’. If your space has a lot of character, consider removing some decorative elements so prospects can envision how they themselves would style it,” Ms Bell said. “Also ensure everything is as neat and tidy as possible.”

lovely living room

Adding some style to the rooms in your home could make your virtual tour stand out from the rest. Picture: Getty.

2. Plan your route & pick your spots

James Kirkland, from Upside Realty, said before filming, it’s wise to walk through the property a few times to plan the most logical path to follow.

“Start from the street, or the front door if it’s an apartment, and walk through your property in a way that flows most naturally. It can become disorientating following the lay-out of the house via video, so it’s a good idea to try not to turn back on yourself where possible,” Mr Kirkland said.

He added that when planning the route, find the best vantage points for each of the main spaces and look for a spot that gives a good indication of the entire space – it’s often the same place a photo would be taken from.

3. Get stable

There’s nothing worse than shaky footage, but it can be avoided. Most good smart phones have in-built stabilisers nowadays, but alternatively, an add-on stabiliser, also called a gimbal, can be purchased for about $100. A cheaper alternative, Mr Kirkland said, may be a selfie stick or tripod.

“The most important thing is to think about is the viewer when you are creating the footage. Consciously making camera movements slow and steady is the key to avoiding nausea-inducing footage,” he said.

4. Think about lighting

Stuart Greig, a Jim’s Real Estate franchisor, said lighting should also be a key consideration when taking footage of a home.

St Kilda house

Mid-morning is often the most optimal time to capture the best light in your home. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

“The best time of the day to shoot will depend on the direction the home faces. You don’t want to see shadows of adjoining homes filtering through the video and you also don’t want overshadowing of homes into your garden areas,” he said.

Mr Kirkland said the simplest way to think about it is: for outdoor footage, make sure the sun is facing the front of the property, and for internal, film when rooms are bright and the light feels natural.

“The safest time for this tends to be mid-morning when the light is clean compared to afternoon sun, which has more of an orange glow to it. Unless a room is bathed in light, it’s also a good idea to turn on internal lighting and open blinds to introduce more light,” Mr Greig said.

5. Focus on the positives

It seems obvious, but key to a winning virtual tour is filming the property in a way that shows off its best features, Mr Greig said.

“Think about what you love in the home and try to include those elements to shine through the lens of your camera,” he said.

Bondi apartment

If you have great water views, make sure they feature in your virtual tour video. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

Mr Kirkland said while during a normal inspection, a prospective buyer can look around the room, with a virtual tour, they only see what they’re shown.

“If you have amazing water views, they will only know this if you point the camera out the window. You know your property and its best features more than anyone else, so take the time to make a list of these features and ensure you show off the best ones.”

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The worst house in one of Hobart’s best suburbs

17 william Street, West Hobart,

WHEN this West Hobart fixer-upper hit the market, it immediately caused a stir with buyers who love to renovate, builders and property watchers.

In the week that it launched No.17 William Street zoomed to the top of the realestate.com.au charts as the most viewed home in Tasmania.

Then over the past three weeks it has piled up near 16,000 views on the property site — and counting. That’s a figure heading toward Tassie’s Top 10 most viewed of the year.

17 William Street, West Hobart,

Property representative Brad Stephens from Devine Property said he had shown over 100 groups through the property and received over 50 email inquiries.

He said it had been incredibly popular, one of the most popular he has taken to market.

“It is such a unique little property … but the response, that has blown me away,” Brad said.

“I’ve not sold a home in need of this much work before.

“And the consensus among my colleagues is that it’s among the worst they’ve seen. It fits that ‘worst house, best street’ moniker.

“Interestingly, the majority of interest we’ve had is from people who want to restore what is there. They want to rebuild it from the inside out and restore it to its former glory.

“Being a bit rough around the edges is actually attractive to buyers rather than off-putting.

“Then there are others that might prefer to knock it down and start from scratch.”

17 william Street, West Hobart,

Mr Stephens said a rundown house that people can put their stamp on in this suburb was always going to be a hit with buyers.

He described the small cottage as having “an amazingly quaint nature”.

17 william Street, West Hobart,

“The location means an owner can easily walk to everything the city offers. It is just steps from the golden triangle of Forest Road and Goulburn Street,” he said.

“The tiny little plot, just 172sq m, is a defining feature. That is one of the things people have been remarking about at inspections — not in a good or bad way, it’s just something that grabs attention.”

17 william Street, West Hobart,

The 77sq m weatherboard cottage offers a two-bedroom single-bathroom floorplan.

There is a combined living and dining space, a kitchen and a separate outhouse.

The home was owned by a well-liked older man who passed a few months ago.

Mr Stephens said while the property was not listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register, he recommends prospective purchasers make their own inquiries prior to bidding at auction.

No.17 William Street, West Hobart is heading to auction on Saturday August 29 at noon.

It will be open to inspect tomorrow from 12.30pm-1pm and on auction day from 11.30am-12pm.

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