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120 McPhersons Road, Adventure Bay. Picture: SUPPLIED

THIS large, unique property, home to a historic cottage, includes an established olive grove with olive pressing machinery shed and equipment — it is unlike any other allotment available in Adventure Bay.

No.120 McPhersons Road is hidden away on more than 10ha of land, however, it is close to the hub of the suburb and steeped in local history.

The home was built by some of the first timber-felling settlers of Bruny Island.

Set at the end of a no-through road, access is via a scenic driveway passing through rainforest.

With no other dwellings in sight it’s easy to be immersed in the nature that abounds.

The four-bedroom farmhouse is warmed via a wood heater positioned to radiate through the home.

Tranquil privacy.

By the warmth of the fire.

Work from home.

Features of the home’s era include original hardwood floors and 10-foot ceilings, while modern additions include a newly installed 1kW system of solar panels and solar hot water.

A spacious farm-style kitchen is highlighted by a combustion stove.

The combined bathroom/laundry area has lots of light via a full-height glass brick panel and windows.

An enclosed 12m-long sunroom serves as an ideal sun-drenched entertaining area, opening to a paved courtyard with a pizza oven.

The large, covered L-shaped veranda at the front of the house will be the perfect place to enjoy the view and serenity.

Bordered by other large acreages, the property has a 12m-long carport accommodating two vehicles, a 6m garage/workshop and a second 6m olive oil press room.

There is a sauna room and pump house as well as an enclosed vegetable garden/chicken run and chicken coop.

More than your average property listing.

A bottle of the good stuff.

The olive grove of about 950 trees produces an annual crop of temperate climate extra virgin olive oil.

Pressing machinery is included and the grove is fully irrigated by a dam and drip line system with a good boundary fence.

There are two dams, the largest of which can be admired from the cottage windows.

Both are spring fed via a creek that runs through the property.

Sea views can be enjoyed from the most elevated corners of the property.

There are two rainwater tanks with a large catchment area — on average 800 to 1000mm of rainwater has been recorded annually — so this location offers an ideal climate in which to live and farm.

Adventure Bay’s No.120 McPhersons Road is priced at “Offers over $625,000”, it is listed with First National Real Estate Kingston.

The post 1900s cottage and an olive grove appeared first on realestate.com.au.

The Block is back; transporting us to a tranquil time when Brighton was alive with activewear clad locals sipping lattes in bustling cafes rather than disgruntled Karens fleeing to neighbouring areas in search of less boring pavements to pound.

Here on a vacant block of blue chip real estate — months before the COVID-19 pandemic turned Melbourne into a virtual ghost town — the production team towed in five rundown houses from across Victoria for the new batch of contestants to renovate for our viewing pleasure.

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Each of these dilapidated houses is from a different decade — ranging from 1910 to 1950 — and the contestants will be expected to reflect their home’s unique style and character in their renovations.

The one thing these properties have in common, besides their new postcode, is that it will take a herculean effort to get them looking like a page of an interior decorating magazine rather than a building with a pressing appointment with a wrecking ball.

Queensland bar manager Tam and plumber Jimmy.

So, who are the brave folks who have put their hands up to roll their sleeves up this year?

First to arrive on the 2020 work site are “Queensland battlers” Jimmy and Tam.

As a plumber, Jimmy should have the experience and the know-how to make life on The Block a breeze. Tam, on the other hand, is a bar manager at a bowls club with a penchant for bouffant hair and bandannas. She boasts that she can “pull the best bloody beer in Brisbane and can do it in my sleep”.

It remains to be seen whether being a quick draw on the pour will be an asset on a reality reno show.

Teacher Sarah and Pokemon-collecting gold jewellery-loving electrician George are from NSW.

From NSW comes Sarah (a high school teacher) and George (a Pokemon card-collecting electrician). George boasts that Sarah’s greatest quality is that she’s always laughing. But, by episode’s end, Sarah’s signature smile was well and truly gone. And this sunny-natured teacher became the first on The Block to weep (repeatedly).

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South Australia has brought us farmer Daniel and wife Jade, a hairdresser. The couple live 250km from Adelaide with their three kids so moving into The Block — where personal space is usually in short supply — could well prove a challenge. But the hardworking pair are up for anything as the drought has left them about $1 million in debt. Daniel is also keeping a secret — he has worked as a carpenter.

Farmer/carpenter Daniel and hairdresser Jade have arrived from outback SA.

From WA it’s the glamour duo, carpenter Luke and teacher Jasmin. The couple have two young kids and Jasmin boasts that her husband, who also moonlights as a model, has a face that “pays some bills”.

And finally, the locals — Harry and Tash — who quickly reassured the other slightly baffled contestants that they were father and daughter and not a Sugar Daddy and his much younger partner. Despite rumours among the other contestants that Harry is secretly a master builder, the IT worker’s sole experience with renovations was from watching others do them. And that quickly became very evident.

Teacher Jasmin and carpenter/model Luke bring the glam from WA.

When the teams are let loose on the houses, they are shocked by the state they are in – remarkable given this is now the eleventh season of the show and it’s the same story every time.

Protective Harry is instantly worried his beloved daughter might trip on the rubble strewn about the place. And Sarah, a self-described neat freak, wonders how she will cope with all the mess when, at home, she loves nothing more than to be let loose on her pantry with a labeller and neatly stack her Tupperware.

While it’s bare bones to start with, there are big plans ahead with each property eventually set to boast a second storey extension as well as a garage (with self-contained studio apartment above it) and a swimming pool.

Don’t panic. Harry and Tash are father and daughter, from Victoria.

To decide who gets which house there is — wait for it — a challenge. Each couple is given $3000 to build a beach box in the backyard and furnish it as a bedroom. The best box got first pick of the properties and so on until the poor couple who did the worst job was left with the one nobody wanted.

Poor sparky George and Sarah thought all their Christmases had come at once when the teams were permitted to hire a carpenter to help with the job.

Their chippie talked a good game suggesting they make their bathing box bigger to edge out the competition. With no experience in such matters they follow his bum steer and are left high and dry when it turns out they don’t have enough materials to finish the job.

Making matters worse the smooth-talking carpenter says he can’t work at the weekend to fix his mess. Thankfully Block veteran Jason (Mitch and Mark’s builder from 2019) comes to their rescue.

Sarah and George aren’t thrilled with the judges feedback on their beach box.

Sadly, not even Jason’s magic touch and his quick bond with George — the pair dubbing themselves the bling brothers because of their shared love of gold jewellery — can make up for George and Sarah’s poor styling. Judges Shaynna Blaze, Neale Whitaker and Darren Palmer also weren’t wowed by the decision to lower the ceilings which made their longer beach box feel claustrophobic. The feedback brought the supposedly sunny Sarah to tears (again).

The trio of judges were equally unimpressed with Harry and Tash’s efforts. While they could see the merits in Tash’s styling, they felt Harry let the team down with his shoddy workmanship – well and truly quashing any rumour he was secretly a gun on the tools.

Feedback for Jimmy and Tam’s Sunshine Coast-inspired yellow breach box and Jasmin and Luke’s 70s party house was largely positive. That should prove interesting as both couples have their eyes on nabbing the same property, the 1950s house at the far end of The Block.

Finally, Daniel and Jade’s efforts, despite Jade’s insecurity over shopping, got the thumbs up for everything except the choice of pendant light which the judges felt belonged in an industrial setting rather than a beach shack.

And so, after two hours of waiting to see who would claim which property, we were left none the wiser. It seems the producers are keeping that for tomorrow night. Watch this space.

The post Sarah becomes the first 2020 contestant to turn on the waterworks appeared first on realestate.com.au.

412 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree, is the only $4m house to have sold in Ballarat.

The Ballarat market has sustained its popularity with buyers after notching its first $4m sale last year — even throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

Jellis Craig Ballarat director Tony Douglass labelled the regional city “the place to be”, with local and Melbourne-based buyers scrambling to secure homes there.

He tipped more $4m-plus sales to follow the record-breaking $4.25m deal he secured for a seven-bedroom lakeside mansion, with a tennis court and indoor pool, early last year.

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412 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree’s large block featured a tennis court.

Ballarat’s top-selling house also offered an indoor pool.

The 1992sq m property at 412 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree still holds the house price benchmark for postcode 3350, according to CoreLogic.

Its sale to a local family broke the previous record (424 Wendouree Parade’s $3.73m) by more than half a million dollars.

No. 424 changed hands off market in early 2018 and remains Ballarat’s second-priciest seller, CoreLogic records show.

“We’re seeing more interest in the $2-3m range, and I would expect there are a number of homes on Wendouree Parade that are worth $4m,” Mr Douglass said.

424 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree, holds Ballarat’s second-highest reported residential price following a 2018 off-market deal.

Bishops Palace at 1444 Sturt Street, Lake Wendouree, achieved Ballarat’s first $3m house sale.

This stretch encircling Lake Wendouree and streets flowing off it, namely Webster Street, are home to Ballarat’s 10 highest-selling homes.

Coming in third place on the list was another Lake Wendouree house at 1444 Sturt St, also known as Bishops Palace, which achieved Ballarat’s first $3m sale in 2014.

The 1877-built Gothic mansion set on 1.6ha of botanical gardens now functions as a boutique accommodation business, offering six regal suites.

Bishops Palace is now boutique accommodation.

A divine spa at Bishops Palace.

Another highlight of the top 10 is a five-bedroom house on more than 1000sq m of lakeside land at 120 Wendouree Parade, which featured a 1200-bottle wine cellar and a pool and fetched $2.925m late last year.

A residence flanked by resort-style grounds at No. 309 on the golden street also made the list thanks to its $2.7m sale in 2014.

And a 1928-built five-bedroom home at 129 Webster Street, with a modern extension and a striking period-style bathroom with its own fireplace, emerged as Ballarat’s highest-selling house of 2020 so far. It fetched $2.55m in April.

120 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree, sold for $2.925m late last year.

Sleek living spaces inside 120 Wendouree Parade.

Mr Douglass said closeness to several standout schools — including Ballarat Clarendon College, which was named Secondary School of the Year at the 2019 Australian Education Awards — further boosted Wendouree Parade and Webster Street.

He said while the first COVID-19 wave slowed the Ballarat market right down, it bounced back in June and July, with his agency notching 69 sales in the latter month. This was well above the normal yield of 35-40.

Living at 309 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree, is like living at a resort.

309 Wendouree Parade sold for $2.7m in 2014.

They included the $880,000 sale of four-bedroom, 1930s-era house at 103 Chisholm Street, Soldiers Hill, to Melbourne-based buyers.

Major drawcards for out-of-town purchasers had included Ballarat’s quality private schools that didn’t break the bank and affordable period houses, Mr Douglass said.

He had also seen a recent surge in demand for 2-4ha lifestyle properties on Ballarat’s fringe, in areas like Invermay and Buninyong.

129 Webster Street, Lake Wendouree, is Ballarat’s highest-selling house of 2020 so far.

This bathroom is a highlight of 129 Webster Street.

While Melbourne buyers aren’t permitted to travel to regional Victoria to inspect homes during the stage four lockdown, Mr Douglass is expecting the floodgates to open when the restrictions ease.

“We’re excited about what the spring’s going to bring,” he said.

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samantha.landy@news.com.au

1. 412 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree:

$4.25m, February 2019

2. 424 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree:

$3.73m, January 2018

3. 1444 Sturt Street, Lake Wendouree:

$3m, October 2014

109 Webster Street, Lake Wendouree sold for $3m in 2016.

Inside 109 Webster Street.

4. 109 Webster Street, Lake Wendouree:

$3m, November 2016

5. 120 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree:

$2.925m, November 2018

6. 309 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree:

$2.7m, October 2014

143 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree, is another of Ballarat’s top sellers at $2.6m.

A snazzy bedroom at 143 Wendouree Parade.

7. 143 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree:

$2.6m, February 2018

8. 129 Webster Street, Lake Wendouree:

$2.55m, April 2020

13 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree, sold last year, according to CoreLogic.

A bar, rumpus room and indoor pool at 13 Wendouree Parade.

9. 13 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree:

$2.45m, March 2019

112A Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree, fetched $2.34m last year.

The sleek interior of 112A Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree.

10. 112A Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree

$2.34m, July 2019

Source: CoreLogic

Some off-market or undisclosed transactions may be missing. Only single residential dwellings included

The post Ballarat’s most expensive sales dominated by Lake Wendouree houses appeared first on realestate.com.au.

187-191 Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach.

A Mermaid Beach mansion has changed hands in an off market deal being touted as the “highest sold price that settles in 2020”, putting the sale in the vicinity of $20 million.

Nat King and Amir Mian of Amir Prestige Property Agents reported 187-191 Hedges Ave as “just sold” on social media over the weekend.

187-191 Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach.

The somewhat cryptic post hints at the sale being somewhere in the same league as the $25 million deal done on 2 Heron Ave, Mermaid Beach in May – the highest on the Gold Coast so far this year.

The 1214 sqm Hedges Ave holding was last sold for $16.5 million by real estate king and racehorse owner David Henderson and his wife Rhonda in August 2017.

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187-191 Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach.

The Hendersons built the house in 2010 after paying $4.5 million for the absolute beachfront block surrounded by parkland.

They first put it to market in August 2016 with an asking price of $19.75 million, later slashing that to $16.995m in a bid to revive the campaign.

187-191 Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach.

The discount did the trick, with a cash offer from Austworld plumbing group’s Sam Raso and wife Rosa proving too good to refuse.

Designed by architect Paul Uhlmann, the three-storey mansion holds a commanding street presence across three blocks, featuring intricate hand laid stonework.

An internal lift provides access from the seven-car basement to multiple living areas and five bedrooms, with a sauna, cocktail bar, library and a gym among the luxury inclusions.

The post Millionaires’ Row mansion sale among the biggest this year appeared first on realestate.com.au.

No price guide? No problem! Picture: Thinkstock

Found a house but it’s been advertised with no price guide? No worries. Here are a few tips to help you work out what it’s worth:

Build rapport with agents

The more rapport you build with the selling agent and the other agents in the area, the more they are likely to share their genuine thoughts as to how good a property is and what it might sell for. They might also warn you off properties that look good on the outside but have some hidden nightmares that you may not discover until after purchase.

Contact property managers

It’s best to try and build up a relationship with a property manager who’s connected to the selling agent as they are more likely to give you an unbiased opinion of what a property will likely rent for and what price it also might sell for. Property managers have a wealth of information as they are in the market every day and understand the demand and supply of various types of properties.

Go online

Realestate.com.au has a Sold section which enables you to check out which properties have sold and at what price in recent months. This is a great way to build up your knowledge on what properties have actually sold for as opposed to the estimated price quoted. Online photos don’t always show the true picture, so try and at least drive by the property to get a clearer picture.

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Hit the streets

It takes at least 50 to 100 property inspections to really familiarise yourself with an area and to know which are the good and bad properties. It’s best to keep a simple spreadsheet to summarise the key features of every property, how much the agent was quoting and what the final sales price was.

Attend auctions

Auctions can be a great place to find a bargain but they can also be a great place to get caught out and pay well above the odds if you don’t know what that property is really worth. Before buying, attend as many auctions as you can in the area you’re looking to buy to get a strong idea of how much they’re selling for and how many people are bidding. A property can sell for well above the reserve price for a whole number of reasons, however, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s what the property is worth.

Use a buyer’s agent

Why pound the pavement every weekend scoping out 100+ properties when a buyer’s agent with specialist knowledge in the local market can do this on your behalf? Buyers’ agents have strong relationships with real estate agents, and have many sales comparisons to back up their bids. As they are in the industry they often know which ones to target and which to avoid. They often buy properties before they go on the market and negotiate from a non-emotional ground.

The post No price guide? No problem! How to navigate properties that aren’t priced appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Agent Andrew Harding as Real Estate Central is launching a new realo app called Openn Negotiation. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

A NEW online sales method has exploded onto Darwin’s real estate scene.

Real Estate Central on Thursday launched Openn Negotiation, an online auction app that allows qualified buyers to bid on a property over a set period of time.

The vendor can watch the auction in real time and the buyer can see how many people are bidding and how much their bids are.

Real Estate Central sales professional Andrew Harding said the app would revolutionise the sales process.

“The benefit of Openn Negotiation is that every buyer can get involved in the process, whether they are local, national or international,” he said. “It also provides the flexibility for buyers to get involved in the online bidding process, even if they require their offer to be conditional upon finance.”

The post Auction app Openns up possibilities in Darwin appeared first on realestate.com.au.

C’mon and love me, C’mon and list me.

Kiss co-founder and bass player Gene Simmons has made the decision to part ways with his four-bedroom Los Angeles home — and has listed the Laurel Canyon multi-level abode for $3.1 million (US$2.2 million), according to the NY Post.

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A look at the back of the multi-level home. Picture: Realtor

Gene Simmons’ Laurel Canyon home has expansive 360-degree views. Picture: Realtor/NYPost

Gene Simmons performing with Kiss in concert at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. Picture: Ellen Smith/Herald Sun

Located at 2103 Ridgemont Drive, the split-level home, built in 1968, most notably looks out on 360-degree views of the city.

The sights include the downtown skyline, Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood sign and the Pacific Ocean. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows helps Simmons, and the new buyer, enjoy these stunning vistas inside too.

The luxe bedroom. Picture: Realtor

The living area. Picture Realtor

The living room also has a gas fireplace. Picture Realtor

The three-level house also fits two living spaces and two bathrooms across 220 sqm.

The bathrooms and two kitchens have been updated, with touches including Carrara marble. As for the windowed kitchens, which open to living areas, they have updated stainless-steel appliances.

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One of the bedrooms backs onto the deck. Picture: Realtor

One of the homes two living areas. Picture: Realtor/NYPost

Views for days. Picture: Realtor

The 60s-era abode boasts decks on all three levels of the house, as well as nice-sized bedrooms — one of which features a built-in reading nook.

The Israeli-born Simmons and his wife, Canadian actress and 1982 Playboy Playmate of the Year Shannon Tweed, still own a mansion in Beverly Hills.

Simmons and Paul Stanley created ‘the ultimate rock bank’ known as Kiss back in 1974, and was made famous for his ‘Demon’ make-up he wore on stage.

In addition to playing bass, Simmons is known for his long tongue, which he frequently sticks out while performing.

KISS bass player and singer Gene Simmons has also toured Australia solo.

One of the home’s four-bedrooms. Picture Realtor/NYPost

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This story originally appeared in the NY Post and was republished with permission.

The post Gene Simmons kisses his LA home goodbye appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Michael Bartley bought one of NSW’s most popular homes in Glenbrook. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Homebuyers used to get excited by houses with a walk-in wardrobe or a glimpse of trees — now you need laser rooms, forests of palm trees and a setting near mountains or the beach.

Research into the most popular homes of 2020 revealed COVID-19 has reshaped our real estate tastes, with many seeking out dream homes on the urban fringe or in regional areas — often with unusual features.

The listings that attracted the most interest from prospective buyers online included properties on the north coast, Hunter Valley and the outskirts of Sydney.

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Among the most popular was an estate in Dural with parking for 61 cars, a retreat near Palm Beach known as a “moon lodge” and a Blue Mountains cottage styled like a French provincial manor.

This Hudson Pde house was the most popular northern beaches listing.

Other homes attracting an unusually high amount of interest on realestate.com.au were a Bangalow house styled like a resort, complete with a forest of palm trees.

But the most popular listing in Australia was surprising — a North Gosford house with multiple holes in the wall, a rotting deck and a mould problem.

The four-bedroom house on Linden St drew more eyeballs than any other Australian property listing thanks to unconventional marketing by the agent.

6 Burrawan Place, Bangalow got a huge reception from buyers.

Gittoes agent Richard Faulkner produced a video where he gave viewers a tongue-in-cheek tour of the property describing how he “loved” the kitchen’s “mould splashback” and the “one-of-a-kind stained carpet” in the bedrooms.

He also commented that a renovation on the property — damaged allegedly by wild parties — had been started “one punch at a time”. The video went viral.

“I didn’t want anyone to think before they came that the house was better than it is,” Mr Faulkner said, adding that most of the interest was from Sydneysiders wanting to make a move.

“I’ve never seen this kind of push from Sydney buyers in this area of the (Central) Coast, especially from first homebuyers,” he said.

71 Lilli Pilli Drive, Byron Bay – the Byron area is getting more popular.

“Many people are working from home so they don’t need to be as close to Sydney any more so this area is appealing.”

Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee said interest in regional real estate had surged since COVID-19, particularly in the Northern Rivers region near Byron Bay.

“It’s always been a popular area but it’s become even more popular,” she said.

The second-most popular home was the Dural estate with more parking than many offices. The 2.23ha property on Carters Rd, listed for about $6.4m, comes with unique features including rooms with laser technology and green screens.

50 Carters Rd, Dural was the second most popular listing.

Images included in the listing for the property showed off the size of the pool by floating a 10m speedboat in it.

A cottage at the foot of the Blue Mountains in Glenbrook also attracted considerable interest.

Selling agent Milton Player of Chapman Real Estate said people liked the country-style setting.

“It is a charismatic home, styled really well but five minutes down the road are kangaroos and gorgeous cliff lookouts … COVID-19 is bringing more people who want greenery and to get away from the hustle and bustle.”

The buyer of the Glenbrook home Michael Bartley said his family moved to the area because they were tired of the traffic and growing density near their previous home in the Hills area.

“We wanted to be near the walking trails and mountain biking trails,” he said. “We didn’t want to be near too much development. COVID was part of it … this house had plenty of garden and character.”

10 MOST POPULAR NSW HOMES OF 2020

1. 1 LINDEN ST, NORTH GOSFORD

2. 50 CARTERS RD, DURAL

3. 6 BURRAWAN PL, BANGALOW

4. 25 PAPERBARK DR, POKOLBIN

5. 71 LILLI PILLI DR, BYRON BAY

6. 29 LESLIE RD, GLENBROOK

7. BERRY (ADDRESS WITHHELD)

8. 5 BLACK MYRTLE CRT, TERRANORA

9. 53 HUDSON PDE, AVALON BEACH

10. 38 CITRIADORA DR, EWINGSDALE

…

The post NSW’s 10 most popular homes of 2020 reveal real estate tastes are changing appeared first on realestate.com.au.