12 Harkness Street, Woollahra, is “red hot”, says the managing director of Sotheby’s International, Michael Pallier.
The character-filled Woollahra home of John Lysaght Australia’s former managing director, John Lysaght, is wowing eastern suburbs families because of its huge potential.
Lysaght, 91, who in the 1980s ran the now BHP subsidiary that makes Colorbond roofs and Zincalume steel, is downsizing from the five-bedroom home at 12 Harkness Street after 32 years.
And the Sotheby’s managing director, Michael Pallier, says the charming home on a 630sq m north facing double block is “red hot” ahead of its August 15 auction. It has a price guide of $4.5 million.
“People love it,” Pallier said.
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12 Harkness Street, Woollahra, features huge character-filled entertainment areas with high decorative ceilings.
John Lysaght has lived here for 39 years.
“It has that due north aspect, it’s on the park, elevated and a double block of land … there’s the potential to build on the second block like the neighbours have.”
Son Andrew Lysaght said his father and late mother, Janet, had loved living there.
“My father was a very keen woodworker turned sculptor and artist after he retired, and built a studio workshop on the second title of the place,” he said.
61 Village High Road, Vaucluse, has iconic views from the large open-plan living room …
… and also from the master bedroom.
Pallier describes the market as “very strong” because of the shortage of stock. He sold the Village High Rd, Vaucluse home that property records show was owned by the late Elva Sadler, who died last year at 96, on Saturday for $5,696,000 — $200,000 over reserve — at auction.
The result was the highest price achieved in Sydney on the weekend.
Many of the rooms and rooftop terrace have views of the Bridge, Opera House and city skyline.
The formal dining room also has a Harbour Bridge view …
… but the best view of all is from the rooftop terrace.
The buyer ended up being an eastern suburbs family, though the underbidder was an expat on the phone from Singapore looking for a home to return to.
And the third-highest bidder was a gentleman from the country who arrived in his Bentley, had never seen the property before, had a quick look around and registered, grabbed a paddle and started bidding.
He’d apparently wanted it as a home for his 18-year-old daughter.
Pallier is yet to see any impact on the market from the re-emergence of COVID-19 on our doorsteps.
“We’ve had a lot of sales in the last month — even in the last week we’ve had a lot of sales, with most selling beyond what we were thinking.
“We haven’t experienced any impact yet, but we’re just taking each day at a time and making hay while the sun shines.”
Double Bay royalty
Geoff Kyle , who used to run the high end tableware shop Studio Haus , is selling his unit in Gladswood Gardens, Double Bay. Picture: John Appleyard
A house-sized Art Deco apartment at 1&2/4 Gladswood Gardens, Double Bay owned by Geoff Kyle, who ran the popular Double Bay high-end tableware store Studio Haus, goes to auction on August 12 with a guide of $3 million via Daphne Sauvage and Michael Pallier of Sotheby’s. Offered for the first time in 39 years, it’s a rare find as it’s an amalgamation of two apartments.
Kyle, who mingled with Hollywood royalty such as Barbra Streisand and Woody Allen during a stint a few decades back operating Bennison Fabrics in Los Angeles and New York, is now planning to move on. “I’m gonna downsize — I don’t need three-bedrooms and four carparking spaces these days,” he said.
He’s had plenty of homegrown royalty nearby, with Banjo Bond — grandson of Alan and Eileen — selling next door for $2.95m last May. Big Red still owns the penthouse at No. 9 Gladswood Gardens. And former Little River Band frontman Glenn Shorrock sold his waterfront for $8.55 million in February.
My pick
44/200-218 Goulburn Street, Surry Hills, is in the popular designer block Alto, and comes with a huge 66sq m terrace.
This Surry Hills pet-friendly two-bedder with parking in ‘Alto’ comes with a huge 66sq m terrace.
All up, the apartment, at 44/200-218 Goulburn Street, has 145 sqm of living space. Both bedrooms open to the terrace and the main has an ensuite.
It’s owned by former food and beverage manager for Hoyts Matt Ezra, who is moving to Queensland.
Raine and Horne Double Bay’s Martin Maskin and Jean Michel Rudsdale have a $1,475,000 guide for an August 20 auction.
Dentist cleans up
20 Ray Ave, Vaucluse, originally had a price guide of $20m. It sold for $15.6m.
Dentist Vincent Phung and his BT financial consultant wife Susan have extracted a good deal on the $20m Vaucluse mansion of former Westpac boss Brian Hartzer, paying $15.6m.
The Michael Dysart-designed home at 20 Ray Avenue was first listed on February 27, ahead of Easter with the optimistic guide.
Updated property title records last Friday revealed the identity of the purchasers along with the sale price.
When contacted, listing agent Brad Pillinger of Pillinger refused to discuss anything to do with the sale, which occurred at the start of April.
Though under the circumstances of the time, he did well to sell it for what he did.
When the deal was done, the market was in a confused state, with open homes banned and both buyers and sellers wary.
It’s since improved considerably.
Just two months later, Pillinger locked in a $30m sale in Bellevue Hill, when Shay Lewis-Thorp, daughter of the late property developer Bernard Lewis, sold her five-bedroom mansion in an off-market deal to her neighbour Louise Christie.
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