There is unlimited potential for listing agents to show their marketing prowess and for homebuyers and their agents to garner information through virtual tours. Here are the right and wrong ways to do virtual tours.
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Month: August 2020
A long-time Denver RE/MAX Alliance Realtor was recently fired for reports of her removing Black Lives Matter signs from the yards of the city’s Hilltop neighborhood where she sells homes.
The view from the terrace at 31 Olola Ave, Vaucluse. The home sold for $7.2m at auction today, $200,000 above reserve.
The incredible Vaucluse home of music industry entrepreneur Pete Lusty — who passed away at 49 in March after a battle with cancer — has sold at auction today for $7.2m, $200k above reserve.
And his widow, Georgia Day, made an emotional tribute, saying living in the Vaucluse home at 31 Olola Ave with her late husband had been “paradise”, comparing it to the 1967 romantic movie, Camelot.
“You know, the musical that starred Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave,” an emotional Day told the Wentworth Courier after the auction.
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Wedding photos of the late Pete Lusty with wife Georgia Day at their home in Vaucluse, which went to auction today. Picture: Gaye Gerard.
The crowd at today’s auction, with Georgia Day the blonde in the centre of the photo. Picture: Gaye Gerard
“My life here with my husband and children in this home was pretty close to paradise.
“We had a lot of great parties — we had so much fun — every child who came had a tantrum because they didn’t want to leave.”
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Incredible Vaucluse home of Pete Lusty
Certainly, the five-bedroom, four-bathroom ‘Olola House’ was a bit like a modern-day castle, high on the hill overlooking a pond, pool, and the grounds of Vaucluse House and the harbour in the distance.
Lusty, who was the co-founder of the independent music company Ivy League Records and management company Winterman & Goldstein, guided rock bands such as The Vines, Jet and Empire of the Sun.
In the aftermath of today’s auction in the open-plan lounge area of 31 Olola Ave, Vaucluse. Picture: Gaye Gerard
Auctioneer Stuart Davies with Sotheby’s managing director, Michael Pallier, during today’s auction. Picture: Sunday Telegraph / Gaye Gerard
The walls of the stairs leading to the lower level music studio are lined with framed gold and silver record awards. Photo: Stephen Nicholls.
The walls of stairs leading down to a lower level music studio were lined with framed gold and silver record awards and Lusty’s 10 Aria Awards were on the mantelpiece of the open-plan living area.
The managing director of Sotheby’s Michael Pallier, who’d sold Lusty and Day the home on a 1168 sqm block for $4.45m just five years ago, had four registered parties at this morning’s auction.
Those registered included Sydney’s most prolific tailor, Patrick Johnson — who was there with his interior designer wife Tamsin — and a friend.
The late Pete Lusty’s collection of Aria Awards. Picture: Gaye Gerard
Promotional photos of the open-plan living room.
The upstairs bedrooms all had harbour views.
With auctioneer Stuart Davies presiding, the friend of the Johnsons had opened their bidding at $5.5m — $500,000 below the $6m guide — before there was a lull in proceedings, prompting Pallier to intervene advising: “There are four registered bidders … I’d suggest you make a bid.”
That prompted another man and his wife to make a $5.85m offer, which then triggered a bidding war between the Johnsons’ friend and the other couple.
While the Johnsons’ friend were making bids of $50k, the other couple was attempting knockout bids of $250,000 and $150k.
The 24-metre lap pool.
The lower level music studio. Photo: Stephen Nicholls.
At $6.6m, Johnson himself took over.
As the bidding hit the $7m reserve, with Johnson immediately countering with $25,000 more, Pallier advised Davies to call the property onto the market.
The second couple probably they’d nailed it with their next offer of $7.15m, but a third couple then jumped in, making their one and only bid of $7.2m.
That won them the keys.
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On the way out, Johnson gave an elbow rub to the couple, congratulating them on their purchase.
The couple sold their four-bedroom, three-bathroom home — redesigned by Tamsin Johnson Interiors — with ocean views at 7 Ashley Street, Tamarama, for $5.65m via Ray White TRG principal Gavin Rubinstein on Wednesday.
It had passed in for $5.525m at its Tuesday night auction.
The post Widow’s emotional tribute as Vaucluse home of music legend Pete Lusty sells for $7.2m appeared first on realestate.com.au.
This Campbell St home in Glebe was firebombed last year.
A Glebe house that went up in flames last year after a random arson attack attracted 33 registered bidders at auction Saturday and sold for $916,000 – much more than expected.
The smoke-stained house on Campbell St required at least $100,000 in repairs according to builders, but this failed to deter keen buyers, many of who registered after viewing the home for the first time just prior to the auction.
Selling agent Peter Natoli of Ray White listed the home with a price guide of $700,000 and said bidding was surprisingly competitive considering the condition of the home.
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“You’d think it’s a buyer’s market, or at least a price sensitive market, but that wasn’t the case with this home,” he said, adding it took close to an hour to register all the interested parties.
The opening bid was $550,000 and nine of the bidders put in offers.
“We didn’t even need to call it on the market, the bids just kept coming. It was a very strong result,” Mr Natoli said.
The front of the home sustained the most damage from the fire.
The fire was one of five deliberately lit blazes reported on a single night in the Glebe area. Picture: Bill Hearne
The fire was understood to have started on the front porch, with smoke spreading into the rest of the house.
It was one of five deliberately lit fires reported in the Glebe area over a single night last October. A nearby property at Derwent St was torched, with the flames spreading to a nearby garage.Police also discovered a car burnt out on Westmoreland St.
No casualties were reported from the attack on the one-bedroom house on Campbell St but then resident Kevin Isdahl told reporters he was lucky to be alive.
A nearby garage was set alight in the same spate of arson attacks. Picture Rohan Kelly
“There were big fires at the front of the house. Then this black smoke just hit me. I had black soot all over me and I ran out the back of my place,” he said after the incident.
The buyers were a young couple bidding via the phone. They are reportedly planning a renovation but it is not clear what they plan to do with the former housing commission property after that.
It is the second fire-damaged home to sell this month. A burnt down house in Enfield sold three weeks ago for $1.38m, nearly $500,000 over reserve, despite lacking a roof.
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The auction at 79 Isabella St, Geelong West, smashed its reserve price by $130,000.
A Geelong West house that half the bidders planned to knock down has smashed its reserve price by $130,000 at a marathon online auction.
Twelve potential buyers registered to bid for the 417sq m property at 79 Isabella St, held by the same family since the 1880s.
Richardson, Newtown agent Matt Poustie said he declined several other potential buyers moments before Saturday’s online auction as they were not verified to bid.
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Bids opened at $400,000 using the Gavl app, starting in $10,000 increments.
Mr Poustie called the property on the market when the price hit $470,000.
He took 178 bids — some as small as $100 — before selling the house to a Geelong buyer for $602,500. The auction took 45 minutes to finish.
79 Isabella St, Geelong West.
The two-bedroom California bungalow, built in 1926, is not liveable to rent in its current condition, but that didn’t worry the hopeful buyers.
Mr Poustie said half the bidders wanted to knock down the weatherboard house and rebuild, while the others planned to retain the period-style facade to renovate and extend.
“It needs a little bit of extra TLC. It’s not in rentable condition currently,” he said.
79 Isabella St, Geelong West.
“The parcel of land is superb and it will be a really good property to renovate in that period style.”
Mr Poustie increased competition aided the result, with a number Melbourne parties inspecting the property over Facetime once travel bans were enforced under the city’s Stage 4 coronavirus lockdown.
79 Isabella St, Geelong West.
“I think if you look at what’s sold around the $600,000s (in Geelong West), I thought you would say that we’ve got an A-plus result,” he said.
“But this was the perfect canvas to both knock down and rebuild or to renovate so you get competition from both parties.
“Also we know the Geelong West pocket continues to perform really well at auctions. We were really happy we elected to continue with our auction campaign and not change it.”
79 Isabella St, Geelong West.
Geelong West’s median house price is $705,150, according to Hometrack data.
He said the family have held the property since the 1880s.
“They had an older home on there – they owned the whole block originally but the back block had horse stables on it, obviously not there any more.”
The post Geelong West ‘knockdown’ sells $130K over reserve at marathon online auction appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Auctioneer Damien Cooley at the sale of an Epping home with no reserve. Picture: James Gourley
It was an alluring prospect for house hunters accustomed to the Sydney norm of pressure cooker auctions – a family home going under the hammer with no reserve.
The rare offer meant the home could theoretically sell for just $1 if it was the only bid placed.
The prospect of a bargain attracted 65 bidders who lined up in the cold early morning Saturday to register for the auction.
But any chance of a low price evaporated when the opening bid of $20 was followed by an increase to $50,000 and then $1m.
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The four-bedroom house on Third Ave eventually sold under the hammer for $1.871m – one of the highest prices recorded in the Epping area over recent months.
Comparable homes in the nearby area had recently sold around the $1.5m mark.
Seller Steve Hantos said he was surprised by the price but felt “uncomfortable” with how high it was.
Sellers the Hantos family set no reserve for the auction.
He and his family had made the decision to list without a reserve in the hope of getting a “record” low price and helping a young family get a leg up in Sydney’s pricey housing market.
The family of six will instead be using the unexpected windfall from the auction to make charitable donations.
“Each of us is going to pick a charity,” Mr Hantos said, adding they had received multiple letters from struggling families after the home was listed without a reserve.
“We were really touched by the messages,” he said. “We wanted to ensure the home sold to a young family, not to a developer, so in that sense the auction was a success.
“But it was higher than we expected and we’re uncomfortable with that.”
Bidders had to stand 1.5m apart on assigned blocks.
Mr Hantos said he felt a duty to “pay it forward” because his family had been lucky in business. They also had treasured memories at the home and wanted a new family to create their own history.
The buyers were understood to be a local couple who had looking for a home for nearly two years. They had been outbid at another Epping auction a few weeks ago.
Agent Catherine Murphy of The Agency, who sold the property in conjunction with Belle Property’s Nick Bedford, said she was inundated with inquiries – all from families and young couples.
The auction also launched a “conversation” in the real estate industry, she said.
Steve Hantos said he was uncomfortable with how high the price was.
“Some agents were saying this is how we should do all auctions,” Ms Murphy said. “It was appropriate that a couple who were in a similar position to Steve when his family were starting out got the home. It’s come full circle.”
Auctioneer Damien Cooley said it was refreshing to know the property would sell no matter how low the offers were.
“It’s the ultimate transparency, you could never get that with a private treaty sale,” he said.
Ms Murphy said this was the only auction she knew of where the seller was unhappy with how high the price went. “I never heard anyone say that before.”
The post Auctions: seller ‘uncomfortable’ with high price for house, pledges charity donation appeared first on realestate.com.au.
AN isolated island shack, an 1800s Huntingfield homestead and a Sandy Bay mansion are among the top Tasmanian properties most searched in 2020.
New data from realestate.com.au shows the website’s top ten most viewed properties between January and June this year, with three Sandy Bay homes featuring in the list.
A 2ha, 200-year-old Huntingfield home was the most viewed property listing over the first half of the year gathering more than 79,000 clicks.
Property listing agent Craig Patterson said the property was under contract subject to development approval.
112 King Street, Sandy Bay. St Andrews Estate Agents.
The second most-viewed Tasmanian home was 112 King St Sandy Bay which sold in June.
It made the list ahead of a shack lease on East Kangaroo Island, which has a price tag of $65,000.
The agreement area is approximately 2,400m2. In addition to the three-bedroom shack, there is a shearing shed, a wharf and rainwater tanks.
The purchase is subject to approval of transfer of lease by the Crown.
Other properties in the top ten include a five-bedroom, four-bathroom Amanda Crescent mansion in Sandy Bay, as well as a waterfront Sandy Bay home.
Knight Frank real estate agent Pam Corkhill said Sandy Bay continued to be the most-sough after Tasmanian suburb for buyers.
“It’s close to the water, it’s a 10 minutes drive to Kingston and minutes into the city. It has a good array of shops, restaurants and services so it’s popularity is no surprise,” she said.
Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee said the top ten most searched Tasmanian properties all shared a common theme.
1 Brisbane Street, Launceston, Tas 7250. Knight Frank
“The properties topping the list are all pretty nice, and in some cases, quite magnificent,” she said.
“We know Australians love dreaming about property so it’s not surprising that a lot of beautiful homes are some of the most viewed.
“Some of the more affordable most viewed properties are very interesting because it is likely that it is the price driving interest.”
She said there was much to admire the most searched Tasmanian home at Huntingfield.
“There isn’t much to dislike about it. It’s a solid family home on a big block with a historic look and feel but extensively renovated, and in one of Hobart’s best suburbs,” she said.
PP 20/06/2020 1 Brisbane Street Launceston pics 1-8 of 8
TOP TEN:
1. Address available on request, Kingston, Tas 7050
https://www.realestate.com.au/property-acreage+semi-rural-tas-kingston-130163822
2. 112 King Street, Sandy Bay, Tas 7005
https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-tas-sandy+bay-133465390
3. East Kangaroo Island, Whitemark, Tas 7255
https://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-tas-whitemark-700044034
4. 34-36 Braddon Street, West Ulverstone, Tas 7315
https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-west+ulverstone-133018906
5. 1 Brisbane Street, Launceston, Tas 7250
https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-launceston-133026422
6. 29 Amanda Crescent, Sandy Bay, Tas 7005
https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-sandy+bay-132878330
7. 56 Clarence Street, Perth, Tas 7300
https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-tas-perth-133608478
8. 854 Sandy Bay Road, Sandy Bay, Tas 7005
https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-tas-sandy+bay-133236566
9. 199 Kalonga Road, Nicholls Rivulet, Tas 7112
https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-nicholls+rivulet-132709586
10. 61 Peddie Drive, Dilston, Tas 7252
https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-tas-dilston-133525238
The post New realestate.com.au data shows the searched Tasmanian listings for the first half of 2020 appeared first on realestate.com.au.
Expressions of interest are being called for 8840 The Point Circuit, Sanctuary Cove.
IT’S the kind of project that designers and builders dream about — having free rein to create a luxury house in a prime location with a generous budget.
Based in NSW, owner Penny Hall handed over full control of the Sanctuary Cove new build to Reece Keil, of Reece Keil Design, and Matt McLennan, of Bespoke Projects & Developments.
“They were both amazing because we did it all from Sydney and would check in occasionally,” Mrs Hall said. “It was all very stress free.”
The 1200-bottle glass-walled wine cellar is a standout feature.
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The brief was to create a modern and open design that capitalised on a north-facing position in a subtropical climate.
“We set out to create something unique,” said Mr Keil, whose design won a new residential house category at this year’s Building Designers Association of Queensland Design Awards.
“Given that the owners were open, design wise, we wanted to create a landmark that stood out, one that people notice and talk about. In this area, there is nothing like it. ”
Facing north west down the mouth of the Coomera River, the layout of the house was heavily influenced by the aspect.
“The home is designed to protect itself from the west and share light from the north in through the guts of the house,” Mr Keil said.
The brief called for an open plan design.
The ground floor is dedicated to open plan living with the lounge, dining and office zones wrapped around a grassed courtyard.
Rest and relaxation dominate the upper level where the spacious master suite has a walk-in robe, ensuite and a private balcony.
There is no shortage of wow moments either — a glass-walled walk-in wine cellar displays 1200 bottles, each bedroom boasts its own view and a gas fireplace runs the length of the living room.
8840 The Point Circuit, Sanctuary Cove.
Once the design and build phases were complete, the team handed the baton to interior designer Jill Chilton.
“We had one day there where we were given a whole array of furnishings and finishes to choose from,” said Mrs Hall, who was also having an apartment built in Manly.
“By the time it was all finished, I couldn’t remember what we were getting!”
When it came time to sign off the investment project, the review was glowing.
“They turned to Matt and I and said, ‘You guys nailed it,’” Mr Keil said. “I’m just glad they loved every single facet of the home.”
The design makes the most of the riverfront position.
Having remained on the Gold Coast during the COVID-19 period, Mrs Hall is spending time with family before returning to Sydney.
“It’s just a very comfortable and practical house to live in,” she said. “If you put the fireplace on at night, you don’t even need heating during the Queensland winter. Come summer, when you can open up the doors and let the breeze flow through, it’s just superb.
“We get so many comments, not just about the house, but the furniture too. They delivered everything we wanted and more.”
Glenys Pitkin is taking expressions of interest for 8840 The Point Circuit, Sanctuary Cove until September 11.
The post Team scores a home run on striking new build appeared first on realestate.com.au.
A long-time Denver RE/MAX Alliance Realtor was recently fired for reports of her removing Black Lives Matter signs from the yards of the city’s Hilltop neighborhood where she sells homes.
Melbourne’s 5km lockdown radius is a shortcut to finding a great location.
Melburnians are stuck in a 5km bubble and many of us are becoming acquainted with just how well located our home is — or isn’t.
Real estate experts have revealed the list of what you need within that bubble to be living in a top location, and how close you really need to be to certain amenities.
Advantage Property Consulting director Frank Valentic said the universal must-haves for Melbourne included schools, cafes, shops, sporting facilities, somewhere nice to go for a run or walk, and public transport.
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Mr Valentic said while most buyers would appreciate a park across the road, the same was not true of a train station. This was despite many preferring homes within a 15-minute walk of public transport.
“This might change a bit with people not commuting as much to the city for work,” he said. “But for a pre-COVID-19 era, that was one of the biggest factors.”
1/26 Winifred Street, Essendon comes with a convenient location in the heart of the suburb.
A supermarket down the road could increase traffic in your neighbourhood, but having one within 2km was convenient.
Real Estate Institute of Victoria vice president Adam Docking said school zones were well-known for their effect on home prices and many would pay a premium to be near public transport. But geography increasingly governed budgets.
He said many buyers today were hunting across a wider range of suburbs but limiting themselves to particular pockets, often due to the prevalence of a particular home type, such as California bungalows.
Exploring your own neighbourhood for exercise during lockdown could reveal if you lived in an area likely to be targeted for its type of home, he said.
But sellers should consider whether out-of-area buyers would put the same value on a particular park or reserve that they did themselves as a local.
1/29 Wilson St, Moonee Ponds is a stone’s throw from Moonee Valley Racecourse.
Certain amenities could even be a turn off.
“Some people don’t want to be anywhere near a Chadstone,” Mr Docking said.
Barry Plant Keilor East sales manager Bill Karp said his firm had been seeing signs buyers were prioritising location since Melbourne’s first lockdown in late March.
A rise in demand for home offices and good natural light also indicated buyers intended to spend more time at their residences and therefore, in their own neighbourhoods.
“People will be more focused on location after lockdown,” Mr Kemp said.
The Calvario family have loved the location of their 26 Wyong Street, Keilor East home.
Tony Calvario has listed his 26 Wyong Street, Keilor East, home for $760,000-$815,000 and said the latest lockdown had reinforced the importance of having his favourite cafes and restaurants, as well as an IGA supermarket, around the corner. He’s hoping to upsize nearby.
“We love this area, it’s so close to everything,” Mr Calvario said.
Mr Valentic said keeping a close eye on your local coffee shops during lockdown was a good way to gauge how much gentrification could push prices up in the future.
“If an area doesn’t have good coffee shops or restaurants, it’s probably waiting to take off,” he said.
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