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63 Bruce Street, Coburg

Selling after Melbourne entered stage four COVID-19 restrictions has paid off handsomely for a young Coburg family.

Vendors Lillian and Daniel Skinner achieved a $115,000 premium with the online auction of 63 Bruce Street, despite the citywide lockdown turning the pair’s sale campaign on its head.

Private inspections were banned as part of the city’s coronavirus restrictions, which are due to last until September 13.

“We literally had three days to get everybody that was interested through the house (before stage four lockdown started),” Ms Skinner said. “It was nerve-racking, to say the least.”

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A rear extension was added to 63 Bruce Street, Coburg.

Open-plan living with a skylight at the Coburg home.

The family spent hours walking the block to ensure as many prospective buyers as possible could view the five-bedroom home, which sold under the virtual hammer for $1.815 million.

Realestate.com.au records show the property, which the couple renovated and extended, last sold for $990,000 in June 2017. “We really tried to keep the period charm of the home, then also have the modern day family in mind,” Ms Skinner said. “My husband did everything, even the vanities — he made them himself, it’s a testament to him.”

One of two tiled bathrooms in the Coburg home.

There are also five bedrooms.

The house sold for $1.815m.

The pair completed the renovation to live in, before the arrival of their one-year-old son forced a change of heart. They now plan to move regionally, to a 10-acre block closer to family.

Ray White Brunswick director Alex Ilyin said the Skinner family had presented an “exceptional home that’s been fitted to the utmost, pristine standard”.

In nearby Preston, a tired three-bedroom house at 12 Stott Street smashed the reserve price by $190,000.

The dated home at 12 Stott St, Preston, has structural issues.

The property still presented well for buyers.

The house fetched $950,000.

The run-down investment property sold for $950,000.

Stockdale & Leggo Reservoir agent Aldo Verga said about half of the bidding came from buyers that didn’t get the chance to see the house in person. “It does need some structural attention,” Mr Verga said. “A lot of (buyers) were looking to knock it over anyway and build their dream home,

Elsewhere, marathon bidding ended with a $741,000 sale at 8 Carex Way, South Morang. The three-bedroom brick home topped its reserve price by $61,000 in the hour-long auction.

No. 8 Carex Way, South Morang, sold for $741,000.

The property’s virtual auction lasted close to an hour.

Barry Plant North Eastern Group agent Tony Ong said the vendors had been nervous heading into the virtual auction. “Now they’re very happy, they’re jumping up and down,” Mr Ong said.

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jack.boronovskis@news.com.au

@jackboronovskis

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Inside the beautiful 3 Kerley St, Geelong.

THIS stylish inner-city townhouse occupies one of the city’s most magnificent locations.

Perched just back from the waterfront on the verge of Geelong’s CBD, new owners can watch the dolphins play in Corio Bay, or enjoy a coffee along the strip every day.

Perfect for the professional couple (the train station is within walking distance), investors and downsizers, the architect-designed residence at 3 Kerley Street offers the best of inner-city living a 206sq m block.

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Hodges, Geelong West agent Jeff Begg has the listing, with a price guide of $1.35m to $1.45m.

Timber trimmings offer natural warmth and a pleasing aesthetic inside.

Mr Begg said the architecture was influenced by the city’s historic woolstore warehouses located just a block down the street, while new owners would reap all the rewards of Geelong CBD living.

“It’s a great apartment alternative, on its own title with no owners’ corporation expenses and or involvement in a multi-level complex,” Mr Begg said.

“There are not too many freestanding townhouses with such uninterrupted views around.

“It would be ideal for people looking for a city investment or a base in Geelong if they come here for work.”

As for the mentioned views – Geelong, Corio Bay and beyond await from the north-facing first floor deck.

(And, the Ashby Presbytery of St Peter and St Paul next door is heritage listed, so new owners won’t need to worry about losing their view).

Inside, the beautiful residence offers cosy simplicity.

A peaceful retreat.

The ground level is home to the three spacious bedrooms, the main has a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite, while the other bedrooms each have a built-in wardrobe.

Downstairs is for sleeping.

Also on this level is the laundry and soothing main bathroom, as well as access to the private and secure paved rear courtyard.

Upstairs is all about living, and living large.

A spotless zone for cooking and eating.

Here, timber and natural light play a leading role with exposed beams, floor-to-ceiling bi-fold doors and polished timber floors.

All the ingredients for an easy-breezy lifestyle are on offer, including the relaxed kitchen with stone benchtops and stainless steel appliances, and one hell of an island bench.

The family chef will also love the amount of cabinetry and benchspace on offer, too, and can easily chat to guests while preparing meals.

Meals will be a taken with a view, so too after-dinner drinks, in the dining and living zone or, from the north-facing deck.

Bring on spring and summer.

Two words: Yes, please.

And, set up the work from home station in the handy study nook just off the living zone (although we can’t guarantee how much work will get done with so much to look at).

The secure abode has extra storage, off-street parking for two cars, with a single garage offering internal access to the laundry and rear courtyard.

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Will Hampson and Kate Lumby, with sons James and Lewis, on popular street Carters Rd in Dural. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

They’re Sydney’s most popular streets – the tree-lined avenues and waterfront roads where owning a home comes with the ultimate bragging rights – but you need deep pockets to buy there.

A review of real estate search activity revealed the Sydney streets where properties attract the most interest from home seekers are dominated by some of the country’s priciest homes.

They included small coastal streets in the city’s east along with long roads that meander through orchards and lush bushland dotted with mansions in Sydney’s semirural northwest.

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Other streets where the homes ranked among the most popular with home seekers were in private pockets of the northern beaches and north shore, according to the realestate.com.au research.

Outside the prestige market, Hills District suburbs Castle Hill and Baulkham Hills also had some of the most popular streets measured by online searches of property listings over the past three years.

Tivoli Ave, Rose Bay is Sydney’s most popular street.

But the street with the most popular houses was Tivoli Ave in Rose Bay, which nudged out Jane Place in Dural and Pacific St in Watsons Bay as the most coveted real estate address in NSW.

The Rose Bay street has the prestigious Kambala School on one wide while on the other are multimillion-dollar homes with direct water access.

Among the street’s most recent transactions was the sale of the Spanish Mission-style residence Villa Biscaya for close to $12.5m. Two other houses on the street sold last year for about $22m.

Other streets where listings attracted high buyer interest were Martin Rd in Centennial Park and Carrara Rd in Vaucluse.

The Carrara Rd homes have similar views to Tivoli St, while Martin Rd has historic upper market homes that look over the park.

Popular cul-de-sacs Pioneer Place in Castle Hill and Carmel Close and Caloola Place in Baulkham Hills featured mostly two-level houses that were larger than on surrounding streets.

Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee said Sydney’s most popular streets had homes that captured the imagination of buyers.

The houses along Pacific St in Watsons Bay, another of Sydney’s most popular streets.

“(The streets) are particularly nice, even for those affluent areas,” she said.

“They might have a better view, nicer houses or something else desirable that leads to higher levels of interest.”

Ray White TRG founder Gavin Rubenstein said houses along Tivoli Ave got “unbelievable interest” whenever they were listed.

“The Harbour aspect is pretty spectacular,” he said. “It’s like a postcard.”

Dural residents Kate Lumby and Will Hampson have lived on a cul-de-sac off Carters Rd, one of the northwest’s most popular streets, for 20 years and said it offered a country lifestyle with city conveniences.

“It’s a lush street with a lot of market gardens, a bit of bush. The homes are spectacular,” Mr Hampson said.

The couple run the local real estate business Lumby Hampson and recently sold $30m worth of homes on the street and its surrounds.

“It’s getting very popular,” Mr Hampson said. “Many of residents are multi-generational families, they’ll often be two houses on one block.

The Lumby-Hampson family walk down popular Carter Rd.

“People like the space. You can get a pool, tennis court, stables and many have veggie gardens. Pretty much every house has a home cinema.”

Ms Conisbee said the most popular streets for renters were vastly different, with Waterloo’s South Dowling Rd the most popular, followed by Naulty Place in Zetland.

“Renters are not aspirational, they are more practical,” she said. “They might be (looking) in suburbs like Marrickville or Petersham that are fun to live in, super cheap or close to universities.”

The post Sydney real estate: the most popular streets for buyers and renters revealed appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Janice and Paul Riley at their Kent Hughes Road block. Kent Hughes Road was rated by REA data as one of the top streets buyers are falling over themselves to get into. Picture: Mark Stewart

A prestigious Wheelers Hill street has trumped more fancied stretches in Toorak and Balwyn North to be crowned Melbourne’s most popular street for househunters.

Fairview Avenue came out ahead of Elsternwick’s Regent Street — which hosted model Elyse Knowles’ 2017 season of The Block — in the realestate.com.au research. It revealed the Melbourne streets that have attracted the most views for each listing over the past three years.

Rounding out the top four were Barnard Road, Toorak — once home to socialite Rose Porteous — and Agnes Avenue, Balwyn North.

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Aerial image of the towering mansions on Agnes Avenue, Balwyn North. Picture: Mark Spinosa

Developer Mark Spinosa recently sold 12 Agnes Avenue for $7m. Picture: Alex Coppel

MJ Building Group director Mark Spinosa sold two multimillion-dollar mansions on Agnes Avenue last year: No. 12 for $7m and No. 8 for $7.3m. He’s now building a third there.

Mr Spinosa dubbed it one of the city’s most exclusive streets, featuring large, flat blocks capable of housing prestige homes close to shops and the city.

“There’s a lot of wealth being pumped into that little pocket,” Mr Spinosa said.

Two Eltham stretches — Jayson Avenue and Kent Hughes Road — made the top 10.

Local Jan Riley plans to sell a home on adjoining Culla Hill when Melbourne’s COVID-19 restrictions ease to build a property on Kent Hughes Road. She has lived in three houses in the suburb over the past 40 years.

Janice and Paul Riley are building along Kent Hughes Road, Eltham. Picture: Mark Stewart

A sprawling home at 10 Kent Hughes Rd, Eltham sold for $3.7m last August.

“Part of why we’re building there is we don’t want to leave the area,” Ms Riley said. “It’s just a wonderful environment. The birdlife, the wildlife — we have kangaroos hop through the backyard and echidnas walking through.”

A sprawling seven-bedroom pad at 10 Kent Hughes Road sold last August for $3.7m.

Also in demand with househunters were blue-chip Belvedere in Kew and Bromham Place in Richmond.

Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee said many of the streets that attracted lots of buyer interest were aspirational.

A stately home at 1 Fairview Ave, Wheelers Hill has been on the market for 800 days.

No. 8 Barnard Rd, Toorak was on the market last year for close to $12m.

A home at 3 Fairview Avenue, Wheelers Hill sold for $4m last July.

“The fact we see so many views for homes on these streets is probably due to people dreaming about their ideal home,” Ms Conisbee said.

A surprise inclusion was Trindall Place in Taylors Lakes, which notched the sixth most views per listing.

Barry Plant Taylors Lakes agent Las Anastasiadis sold a four-bedroom house at
9 Trindall Place for $1.45m in early 2018, and said there were several “beautiful pockets” in the suburb.

No. 9 Trindall Place, Taylors Lakes sold for $1.45m in early 2018.

Buyers could land 9 Belvedere, Kew for $4.4-$4.5m.

“There are a few blue-chip locations in Taylors Lakes, but that property was just a really nice home in a nice street,” Mr Anastasiadis said.

Improved infrastructure and good schools were bringing families into the area, Mr Anastasiadis added.

“We were once considered out in the bush, but now we’re pretty close to the city,” he said.

Only streets with a minimum of five listings since June 2017 were included in the data.

MELBOURNE’S MOST POPULAR STREETS

Fairview Avenue, Wheelers Hill

Regent Street, Elsternwick

Barnard Road, Toorak

Agnes Avenue, Balwyn North

Jayson Avenue, Eltham

Trindall Place, Taylors Lakes

Belvedere, Kew

Bromham Place, Richmond

Amberley Way, Lower Plenty

Kent Hughes Road, Eltham

Seacombe Grove, Brighton

Yatama Court, Mt Waverley

View Street, Hawthorn

Wingfield Parkway, Williams Landing

Willow Street, Elsternwick

Heritage Boulevard, Doncaster

Brickworks Lane, Northcote

Grange Avenue, Plenty

Brewery Lane, Collingwood

Cloverlea Drive, Kilysth South

*Source: realestate.com.au, from July 2017 to June 2020. Ranked based on average views per listing. To be included, streets had to be within 30km of the CBD, and have a minimum of five listings and two properties sold over the three-year period.

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jack.boronovskis@news.com.au

@jackboronovskis

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Tracey Lester has sold a rare open warehouse space in Fitzroy.

Publican Tracey Lester has sold a Fitzroy warehouse she bought to turn into her dream home.

The creative mind behind colourful bars The Carlton Club, the Windsor Hotel and Helza Hotel sold 4 Wood Street for an undisclosed sum.

Nelson Alexander Fitzroy agent Sonya Laferla declined to comment on the sale price of the former artist’s residence, which was advertised with price expectations of $3.3-$3.5m.

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The warehouse space is a blank canvas.

It was formerly used as an artist residence.

“(Tracey’s) very pleased with the result and the buyers are ecstatic to have got such a special property,” Ms Laferla said.

She added that artists, designers and locals familiar with the building had all expressed interest in the property.

“A lot of the interest was from people looking at it from the point of view of working there as well as living there,” Ms Laferla said.

Tracey Lester is behind bars including The Carlton Club and Windsor Hotel.

Ms Lester added an upstairs deck to the property.

The site adjoins a park.

“The buyers would like to live in it for now and potentially use it later on for their business.”

Ms Lester purchased the property for $2.875m in September 2015, CoreLogic records show.

She previously told the Herald Sun the site would have been transformed into her dream home or a hospitality venue with an upstairs wellness centre, before the coronavirus pandemic prompted a change of heart.

Fitzroy Town Hall is just behind the property.

The property sold for an undisclosed sum.

The buyer is expected to move in, with later plans to operate their business out of the site.

“I always used to say, ‘I’m going to own that place one day’,” Ms Lester said.

“It’s actually huge though — it’s way too big for one person and a small dog. I guess COVID-19’s made me go, ‘Oh my house is amazing, I love my house’.”

Ms Lester lives at a nearby warehouse conversion.

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jack.boronovskis@news.com.au

@jackboronovskis

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The property at 26 Rennison Street, Parkdale is priced from $2.2-$2.4m.

International yachtsman Stewart Rose and his Sydney-Hobart sailing wife Kerryn are selling their Parkdale “forever home” just months after finishing a renovation.

The pair and their five-year-old son William are trading up from the 26 Rennison St property to a unique boaties paradise at 1 Bowman Court, Aspendale, with its own slipway and Mordialloc Creek access.

Mr Rose’s international career included contesting a berth in Australia’s 1996 Atlanta Olympics sailing team in the 470 Class.

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What a locale.

Bright, airy living.

Though he was overlooked for a position, he still claimed a number of gongs including Australian Junior Sailor of the Year in 1996 and was a three-time Lightweight Sharpie Australian champion.

Ms Rose competed in three Sydney-Hobart events and a Melbourne-Hobart race.

She said they fell in love with the bay views at the four-bedroom Parkdale property and bought it in 2017.

Architect Andrea Piotrowski then overhauled the home to flood the lower level with natural light.

Natural light permeates the floorplan.

Indoor-outdoor floor.

“And it has the most amazing top floor that spills out to this balcony where you can see from Arthur’s Seat over house rooftops to the You Yangs,” Ms Rose said.

A gas-heated plunge pool heats up to 40 degrees in “about two hours” and was as enjoyable on a cold day as it was in the heat of summer, she said.

During Melbourne’s first lockdown they also came to appreciate the home’s multiple living spaces, which provide space for time to yourself when needed — or to spread the party out when guests are allowed to visit.

Plenty of space to entertain, when allowed, on the balcony.

Schmick finishes in the updated kitchen.

Take the plunge.

They include a lounge room and family room with a concealed kitchen downstairs, and an open-plan living room and dining area configured around a lavish Caesarstone-topped kitchen.

“We instantly fell in love with it,” Ms Rose said. “And I’m really going to miss the view. You can stand in the kitchen and make a cup of tea and enjoy it from inside, too.”

The property is expected to sell for $2.2-$2.4m.

Buxton Mentone director Matthew Cox said the home was “the pick of the bunch” from three for sale in what is considered among Parkdale’s most exclusive pockets.

“It’s a terrific family home and perched high on the hill,” Mr Cox said.

The family is moving to this Aspendale property.

You can see the appeal for sailors.

Margaret Allnutt sold her family home of 59 years to the well respected sailing family, including the boat building shed her husband worked from for decades. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Prior to stage four lockdown restrictions coming into force the agency was able to show the home to five prospective buyers and they were working with them, Mr Cox said.

It was unlikely any buyers would emerge who had not inspected the property in person.

Expressions of interest close at 4pm September 7.

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nathan.mawby@news.com.au

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Melbourne’s stage four COVID-19 restrictions have significantly changed the way the real estate sector can operate.

Notably, home inspections and auctions can only be carried out online, and the construction industry has been scaled back in the effort to curb infections.

Here’s a rundown of what the Victorian Government says market participants can and can’t do during the hard lockdown, which is due to last until September 13.

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Can I sell my home? And should I?

You can put your house on the market for private sale or auction, but all inspections and auctions must be carried out remotely.

Real Estate Institute of Victoria president Leah Calnan said the ban on physical inspections would prompt many would-be buyers to pause their searches as “purchasers don’t buy properties from virtual tours”, making it a challenging time to list.

Adding to the difficulty is the fact photographers, videographers and stylists cannot attend homes to prepare a listing. Real estate agents are also not allowed to visit properties to film inspections, leaving the vendor as the only option to virtually guide buyers through their home.

Searches for Victorian residences for sale on realestate.com.au plunged 13.3 per cent in the first week of stage four restrictions. This was the state’s largest weekly decline this year.

REA Group’s Cameron Kusher expected search activity to “start to rebound as COVID-19 cases come under control and the lockdown period comes to an end”.

Open houses are banned in Victoria under current restrictions.

Can I buy a home? And should I?

Property purchases can still take place. But would-be buyers can only view homes virtually.

Real Estate Buyers Agents Association president Cate Bakos said buyers who had already physically inspected properties prior to lockdown could safely proceed with purchases, noting they may even “get a good deal”. But she advised against buying a property without inspecting it in person, as while a home “might look good in the video and photographs, (it) can feel very different in the flesh”.

Budding buyers should use the lockdown period to obtain loan pre-approval, research their target suburbs and form relationships with real estate agents, Ms Bakos said.

Buyers can only inspect properties virtually in Melbourne under stage four.

Can I settle on a sale?

Yes, if you’ve already committed to settling during the stage four lockdown period, you can proceed. Services relating to a property settlement — including property valuations, pest and building inspections, pre-settlement inspections, and contact-free key collection — have been approved as permitted activities.

Can I end a lease and start a new one?

Yes, Ms Calnan said services relating to ending a lease and starting a new one were permitted, but the process must be carried out as efficiently as possible.

This meant property managers could go to their office, collect keys and other documents, and then attend the rental property. While there, they could carry out a final inspection for the outgoing tenancy, and then prepare for the next tenancy by filming a virtual inspection and installing a lockbox for contact-free key handover.

Ms Calnan said tenants could give 28 days’ notice and vacate within the lockdown period. Tenants ending a lease are permitted to use removalists, and also professional cleaners if required due to disability, impairment or their tenancy agreement.

Melburnians should only start a new lease if it would be unsafe not to, according to the government.

REIV President Leah Calnan. Picture: supplied

Can I move house?

Yes, if you’ve already arranged to move. But the 8pm-5am curfew hours still apply.

Members of your household can help you move. Friends and family who are not part of your household can only help you move if you and those you live with are not physically able to because of age, health or disability reasons. You must stay at least 1.5m apart, wash your hands regularly, wear face coverings at all times and not share food or drink.

Removalists are allowed.

Where possible, the government is encouraging Melburnians to delay moving until stage four ends.

What is the situation in regional Victoria?
Regional Victoria, including Mitchell Shire, is under stage three restrictions. Auctions must be online.

Physical inspections of homes are allowed by appointment. Only the person inspecting the property and a real estate agent can be present. The resident must temporarily leave their home for one of the reasons permitted under the stay-at-home directions.

Physical inspections are still allowed by appointment in regional Victoria.

Can Melburnians inspect properties in regional Victoria
?

No, metropolitan Melbourne residents cannot travel to areas under stage three restrictions to inspect properties.

I can’t afford to pay my rent anymore, can I seek a rent reduction?

Yes, if you’re struggling financially due to COVID-19.

Tenants Victoria chief executive Jennifer Beveridge advised tenants in this situation to work out how much rent they could afford to pay and try to reach an agreement with their landlord or property manager. Tenants should not stop paying rent altogether, and should get any agreement in writing. They should then register their agreement with Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) to gain access to “support and protections”.

More than 17,500 rent reduction agreements were registered with CAV by July, at an average discount of $155 per week or 27 per cent, a Victorian parliamentary inquiry report showed.

Ms Beveridge said tenants who couldn’t strike a fair agreement should use CAV’s formal mediation process.

Rental increases are also banned in Victoria until September 29.

Tenants Victoria chief executive Jennifer Beveridge.

Can I be evicted from my rental?

A moratorium on residential and commercial evictions remains in place until September 29. Evictions are only permitted if a tenant is engaging in threatening behaviour or maliciously damaging a property, or if a landlord is selling the home or they or their family need to move into it. When this publication went to print, the Victorian Government was yet to confirm an extension to the moratorium. But Premier Daniel Andrews has said he would have more to say on this soon.

I am a landlord and my tenant has asked for a rent reduction, is there any support for me?

Landlords who reduce rents for tenants in coronavirus-related hardship are eligible for a 25 per cent discount on their land tax as part of a $420m Victorian Government package announced in April. Any remaining land tax can be deferred until March 2021.

An $80m rental assistance fund is also available for tenants who are still paying at least 30 per cent of their income towards rent following mediation with their landlord, and who have less than $5000 in savings. Assistance payments go directly to landlords.

Can I continue renovating my home?

If you are living at the property, the renovation needs to pause once it’s safe and urgent issues are resolved.

If you have moved out, the renovation is treated as small-scale construction, for which a maximum five people are allowed on site.

Can tradies come to my house?

Yes, but only for emergency repairs. Mr Andrews said earlier this month: “There’ll be no cleaners going to your house. There’ll be no one mowing your lawns. It’s not the time to be painting your house or having unnecessary, non-urgent work happen.” You must keep at least 1.5m distance between yourself and the tradesperson and wear face coverings.

Can my new home build continue?

Yes, this falls under small-scale construction for which a maximum of five people are allowed on site.

How will the stage four restrictions impact the residential market?

Property experts expect very few new listings and sales to occur during the stage four lockdown.

Earlier this month, CoreLogic head of research Tim Lawless said low levels of activity — coupled with low interest rates, government support measures like JobKeeper and mortgage holidays — had so far insulated Melbourne from significant price falls, with home values shedding 3.5 per cent since March. But he warned this decline could deepen, with consumer sentiment diving and “urgent sales” becoming more likely.

But Ms Bakos reminded would-be buyers and sellers the restrictions were temporary: “(They) need to keep that in perspective and use this time wisely.”

Ms Calnan also noted many of the real estate sector directions were only in place until August 16, at which point they could be amended.

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samantha.landy@news.com.au

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HAS this Gold Coast mega mansion been built in the wrong suburb?

The Oxenford house is on the market at more than $3 million and will smash the suburb record if it sells for its asking price.

The property, at 9 Temple Island Circuit, is on a sprawling 1000sq m block overlooking Regatta Waters Lake but “oozes Sovereign Islands luxe on an unprecedented scale”.

9 Temple Island Circuit, Oxenford.

9 Temple Island Circuit, Oxenford from the street.

The vendors, who moved from up-market Sovereign Islands to the leafy suburb of Oxenford, enlisted a designer and builder who typically work on the Sovereign Islands.

Ray White Sovereign Islands agents Rhonda Gunn and Edin Kara are marketing the property and said they were blown away when they first stepped inside.

“When I first walked into it I was just stunned,” Ms Gunn said.

“The quality just jumps out at you right from the word go. It just oozes luxury.”

Inside the luxury abode at 9 Temple Island Circuit.

Entertain while overlooking the lake.

The vendors moved from Sovereign Islands at Paradise Point to Oxenford, west of the M1.

Among its standout features is a curved Venetian plaster wall, gourmet kitchen, resort-style pool, media room, parent’s retreat, three car garage and gym.

Mr Kara said the vendors loved the position on Temple Island Circuit so much they decided to make the move west.

CoreLogic records reveal they paid $600,000 for the block in 2017 before building their dream home.

The house features an open-plan design.

And a cinema room.

“They loved the lake and the fact the block faces northeast and is so peaceful and quiet,” Mr Kara said.

“They always used to run around the lake and so bought a block of land to build their dream home.”

While a sale of more than $3 million would be a record for the suburb, the agents are confident of finding a buyer.

Property records show the highest sale in Oxenford is $1.26 million 2017 for a house on Brittany Drive.

Oxenford’s median house price is $527,250 according to REA Group.

Style at every turn.

The luxurious kitchen.

The house overlooks the lake.

The post Pricey Oxenford house hits the market at more than $3 million appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Rugs from the Agra collection by Armadillo & Co bathes this living space curated by stylist and designer Sarah Ellison in a golden glow. Picture: Anson Smart

It’s the colour of love, compassion and obvious wealth. No wonder gold makes us feel good.

And at the moment, anything that puts us in a positive frame of mind deserves a second look.

Colour expert for Dulux Andrea Lucena-Orr says gold, which sits between yellow and brown on the colour spectrum, is an instant mood lifter.

“From a psychological perspective, it can give you a warm, happy feeling,” she says. “It’s a beautiful colour.”

Gold brings depth to living spaces. Styled by Bree Leech. Photographer: Lisa Cohen. Wall (rear) in Dulux Golden Sand, wall (front) in Apricot Fool

When most of us think about gold, we think of shiny, metallic surfaces, but take away the reflective gloss and it becomes a lot more interesting, says Andrea, because of the way it absorbs light and adds warmth.

“The beautiful thing about gold is that often it has complex undertones,” she says.

“We’re not talking about full-on gold as a metallic. It can have a mustard undertone or it can have a greenish or yellowish undertone, almost a tan colour.”

Gold plays well with others. Dulux design gold effect in Gold Vintage. Stylist Liberty Interiors

Colour expert for Porter’s Paints, Melanie Stevenson, says gold is a surprisingly versatile colour for interior spaces.

“It is super easy to work with, and it goes with so many other colours,” she says. “It sits well with pinks, greys, blues and greens — it works like a neutral.”

Andrea says the colours you pair it with will set the tone for the whole room.

“If it is a formal room, you can use gold with dark green, or white looks good if you want to spruce up the living room,” she says.

Gold has a cocooning effect in this bedroom. Porter’s Paints Capsule Collection in Sundance.

If you’re after a warm, inviting space, team gold with earthy colours like burnt orange, sage and rose, which will not contrast with it strongly but still allow the lustre of gold to shine.

Andrea says using gold is the perfect solution for drab, dark rooms that need a lift.

“I would never recommend painting a dark room white,” she says. “If you want to lift a room on the south side of your house, go with a warm colour in a mid tone. It takes away that bluish reference from being on that side of the house.”

She knows from experience the difference it can make.

“I once painted a guest room on the south side of our house gold,” says Andrea.

“It’s a great colour. The first time I went into that room after we painted it, I knew I had done the right thing.”

More: armadillo-co.com; dulux.com.au; porterspaints.com; sarahellison.com.au; libertyinteriors.com.au

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