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10 Thompson St, Tamarama, has a price guide of $11m to $11.5m ahead of a September 19 auction.

The Tamarama house that sold in five days for $11.2m and smashed the suburb record last time it sold has hit the market again.

The Walter Barda-designed five-bedroom, four-bathroom Pavilion House at 10 Thompson St with 180-degree views has been the home of Lynette Rex, wife of retired Ramsay Health Care boss Chris Rex, for just three years.

She bought it from the Bronte Surf Club president Basil Scaffidi and wife Catherine, via Phillips Pantzer Donnelley’s Alexander Phillips, who, unsurprisingly, has picked up the listing again.

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10 Thompson St, Tamarama, has incredible ocean views …

… and a swimming pool.

With the Rexs now downsizing, Phillips is quoting an $11m to $11.5m price guide ahead of a September 19 auction.

Apart from its northerly views of the beach, ocean and Mackenzies Bay, the Hamptons-style beach house features include pool, a dream kitchen and glass-enclosed wine cellar.

There’s a four-car garage with lift access to all three levels.

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The Tamarama market has moved on since 2017, with the suburb record now $15.75m after last year’s sale of the Gaerloch Ave home of Annie Conley, daughter of the late aviation pioneer and philanthropist John Conley, selling for $15.75m to Karen Michael, the daughter of the late property mogul David Burger.

Tech duo selling up

Brett Heil and Patrick O’Rourke and the counders of tech company Currious.

Not quite as salubrious but still within a stroll of both Tamarama and Bronte beach is the apartment of Brett Heil and Patrick O’Rourke, founders of creative/tech company Currious.

The well-positioned two-bedroom apartment with lockup garage at 4/21 Illawong Ave, Tamarama is also considerably more affordable with its $1.4m price guide via The Agency’s Mary Howell.

On the northern side of the Art Deco block of just six, the lounge and sunroom get the morning sun. The dine-in kitchen has a large Ilve gas stove and there’s a north-facing entertainer’s deck with barbecue gas outlet.

4/21 Illawong Avenue, Tamarama, has a price guide of $1.4m. It goes to auction next Saturday.

Other highlights are the timber floors and 2.9m high ceilings.

Heil and O’Rourke, whose company is globally recognised for its VIVID projections on the Opera House and opening ceremonies such as the Commonwealth Games, have owned the apartment for 30 years.

Heil bought the apartment for $180,000 in 1990 and met O’Rourke soon after, who bought in. The couple are now planning to move to Western Australia to be closer to Heil’s family.

O’Rourke says one of the things they love about the apartment is how quiet it is. “It’s just 200m from Bondi Road but you can’t hear the traffic there … you can have the window open and you can hear the surf crashing, that’s how quiet it is.”

The apartment goes to auction on August 22.

Starr and Waitsman’s new venture

Alain Waitsman and Peter Starr are co-principals at Belle Property Double Bay.

Veteran agents Alain Waitsman and Peter Starr have teamed up as co-principals of Belle Property Double Bay.

The duo have a combined 60 years of experience, with Waitsman being associate director at LJ Hooker Double Bay for the past nine years and Starr most recently at Raine and Horne Double Bay before a long career at McGrath.

Waitsman said the new business has come at the ideal time. “The property market has a lot of distraction at the moment, but over the past six months we have seen that real estate is still transacting, especially at the top end of town.”

He said that with people spending more time at home during COVID-19, there was a growing appetite to upsize.

Starr said the principals’ experience set them apart from other agents: “We live and

breathe this area and we have both worked locally for 30 years,” Starr said.

“It’s something that our competitors can’t offer.”

They said they were attracted to Belle Property for its premium marketing.

Waitsman said: “Belle Property is high end brand that is very much aligned with the eastern suburbs.”

Belle Property Double Bay is located at 28 – 34 Cross Street, Double Bay.

Rubinstein and Cohen to star in ‘Selling Sydney’

Gavin Rubinstein to star in ‘Selling Sydney’ with buyer’s agent Simon Cohen.

You might have thought the mooted real estate TV show ‘Elite Agents’ was dead in the water given COVID, but apparently not.

The whisper is the contracts are now sitting with some of the stars, which include Ray White TRG principal Gavin Rubinstein and buyer’s agent Simon Cohen.

Now to be known as ‘Selling Sydney’, it seems set to be screened on Amazon, up against Netflix’s Selling Sunset.

Ray White TRG made three deals of $8.5m last week: Cae Thomas (with Ray White Woollahra’s Randall Kemp) sold in Kambala Road, Bellevue Hill; Rubinstein made another $8.5m Bellevue Hill deal and Oliver Lavers had one in Drummoyne.

RX Global boss sells

95 Balfour Rd, Bellevue Hill, sold for $7.25m

The chairman of electronic manufacturer SRX Global Joe Browne and his wife, Alison, has sold for $7.25m. No. 95 Balfour Road, Bellevue Hill had been on the market for nine months, but the deal was done by Ray White Double Bay’s Elliott Placks and Adam Reichman. There’d originally been hopes of $7.4m.

Placks said: “If a buyer wants to present an offer they should as we’re off the peak but stock levels are limited.”

Gazebo record

A new record for a one-bedder at Gazebo.

And the one-bedroom record has been broken at Sid Londish’s Gazebo in Elizabeth Bay. Richardson & Wrench’s Jason Boon has sold a one-bedder there for $1.45m, bettering the previous record of $1.4m set in February.

Boon and Daphne Sauvage of Sotheby’s also recently sold the Darling Point apartment of former Options trader David Waterhouse for $5.4m in five days this week to an offshore buyer.

The post Tamarama’s Pavillon House hits market with $11m-$11.5m guide appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Steadfield Melton South has homes priced at half Melbourne’s median.

A Melbourne development is selling houses for less than half the city’s $750,000 median house price.

Steadfield Melton South has homes available for as little as $370,000, which is also $50,000 below the affordable western suburb’s own median house price, according to latest realestate.com.au figures.

With 48 houses on blocks ranging from about 150sq m to 300sq m, the Sphere Group project’s prices top out at $469,500.

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Firm director Tony Bevacqua said they had been popular with young families and couples, with 19 now sold as first-home buyers scored up to $35,000 in government assistance.

“The whole development is targeted at first-home buyers and first-home investors, and given the current situation with COVID-19 and owner-occupier incentives, most are first-home buyers,” Mr Bevacqua said.

Despite this, they had also received strong interest from downsizers in the region.

The development will feature modern home designs at affordable prices.

Low-maintenance garden and living spaces have appealed to first-home buyers.

To be built as an in-fill project on surplus land previously owned by a neighbouring retirement community, the new homes are walking distance from shops, schools, recreation areas and Melton train station.

The houses are also bringing a modern aesthetic to the suburb.

Floating timber floors and good natural light will add to the homes’ charms.

Caesarstone benchtops feature in the homes’ kitchens.

A mix of render and lightweight cement frontages will replace the typical brick facade. Inside, the double-storey floorplans range between 150-185sq m and include three bedrooms, an open-plan living area and a single garage as standard. Larger residences have a second living area upstairs and a double garage.

Caesarstone benchtops, floating timber floors, landscaping and European appliances are all included.

Land is due to be titled in October, construction to start shortly after and residents to move in from about April.

Bathrooms have been designed with a light and bright aesthetic.

Three-bedroom houses cost between $370,000 and $469,500.

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The post Steadfield Melton South selling houses at half Melbourne median appeared first on realestate.com.au.

One Agency director Josh Hart says interstate buyers have set their sights on Launceston. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

LAUNCESTON is the place to be.

The message has come through in the latest Price Predictor Index from Hotspotting that highlighted the strength of the northern capital rather than Hobart.

Hotspotting director Terry Ryder named Launceston among the national Top 10 best performing municipalities and described it as the “standout market in the state” from “all perspectives”.

It is not to say the southern district does not have its moments, Howrah was dubbed one of Australia’s most consistent markets, but the spotlight mostly remained on the north.

Kings Meadows in Launceston has rising sales activity, per Hotspotting.

Terry’s research revealed six Launceston suburbs that — despite COVID-19 — have a trend of rising sales activity: Kings Meadows, Mowbray, Newstead, South Launceston, Waverley and Youngtown.

He said most of this group had median house prices below $350,000.

“Launceston and neighbouring areas also comprise a standout precinct for annual price growth,” he said.

“Waverley rose by 17 per cent and Youngtown by 18 per cent alongside Riverside, Invermay, Kings Meadow, Newnham and Trevallyn that each recorded double-digit annual growth in their median prices.”

Talk to Launceston agents and the property buzz in the city becomes clear. A trend to keep an eye on, the impending influx of interstate buyers.

In Situ Property owner Kristi Seymour said her business had experienced a large amount of inquiry from interstate people wanting to get to Tassie.

“We have been conducting FaceTime inspections and using 3D walk-through tours to assist those wanting to buy, but are unable to travel,” Kristi said.

“The general feeling is people are seeing Tasmania as a safe haven.”

She said there had been renewed interest in properties above the $1m mark, the majority from people relocating.

“Many properties we have available are selling within a week or so, often under multiple offer conditions,” she said.

One Agency Launceston director Josh Hart said if Tassie was to open its borders tomorrow, the effect on the market would be significant.

Josh said Victorian, NSW and Queensland buyers wanted to relocate and were busy making those plans for when the time was right.

“And it is not just retirees, people want to move there families here,” he said.

“They want to come and live in a more community orientated location.”

However, Josh said Greater Launceston currently had the lowest stock level that it had in 20 years.

“Rental prices have gone up significantly in the past 18 months, too,” he said.

“A lot of people now are thinking that rentals are strong, money is cheap and vacancy rates are low, so instead of selling our first home lets rent it and use the equity that we have built up to buy home No.2.”

The post There is a lot to love in Launceston appeared first on realestate.com.au.

A sunken lounge offers a sense of arrival. Picture: Katherine Lu

Church Point on the Northern Beaches is renowned for its picturesque views, and this steep block down to a deep water frontage was certainly in a prized location.

The old timber cottage that stood on the site may have been purposeful as an occasional holiday home, but one savvy couple saw its potential for so much more.

Engaging architectural firm CHROFI (the name is taken from partners John Choi, Tai Ropiha and Steven Figherato) to design their new home, the purpose was two-fold. The owners could use a section of the property as their residence on the ground floor, while the floor above could serve as a bed and breakfast.

The house at Church Point slowly reveals itself. Picture: Katherine Lu

Either way, the empty nesters would have plenty of room to welcome family and friends.

CHROFI associate architect Fraser Mudge says the steep 800sq m site’s views were extraordinary.

“Obviously it’s a beautiful part of the world with amazing views, and the first thought is, ‘How do we make the most of those views?’,” says Fraser.

Fraser and his team designed a dwelling which is split in two, connected by a sunken lounge dug into the earth.

The living space enjoys breathtaking water views. The owners have plans for a bed and breakfast. Picture: Katherine Lu

The owners had spent some time in New Zealand and South Africa and wanted their new home to reflect that.

“It’s a very difficult thing to articulate, but it’s a sense of who they are and the design should reflect that,” says Fraser.

“They also had a strong desire to work with off-form concrete, so materialistically we used that as a starting point.”

Concrete and timber have been used extensively in this project. Picture: Katherine Lu

The land, which slopes dramatically to the shore, would make the build challenging. But the design process was also hampered by mature spotted gum trees with deep roots.

Council allowed some of the trees to be removed, but others required a workaround.

“We did remove a couple of larger ones but one of them that had to stay was not located in the most appropriate position,” says Fraser. “Nevertheless, it made for an interesting design — the suspended driveway curves around the tree.”

The carport has also been left open from the street, allowing passers-by to sneak a look down to the water’s edge.

The bathrooms offer access to natural light as well as privacy. Picture: Katherine Lu

While off-form concrete plays an integral part in this build, the design has been softened visually with joinery in spotted gum.

“The joinery is very detailed and reduced, but beautifully finished,” says Fraser. “It’s juxtaposed perfectly against the off-form concrete. The owners were heavily involved, but open to ideas. The best work is done on projects where there is healthy collaboration.”

Photos: Katherine Lu

THE PROJECT

Owners: A couple of empty nesters

Architect: Fraser Mudge, associate architect, CHROFI, chrofi.com

The brief: To build a property that could work as a stand-alone home at ground level and/or a bed and breakfast above

The site: A steep 800sq m site

Design solution: Two pavilions joined by sunken lounge

How long did it take: 15 months

THE SOURCE

Builder Graybuilt, graybuilt.com.au

Interior Design Triibe, wearetriibe.com

Joinery Fine Earth Joinery, fineearthjoinery.com.au

Structural engineer TTW (Taylor Thomson Whitting), ttw.com.au

The post Northern beaches timber cottage transformed into modern home appeared first on realestate.com.au.

IT’S got a commercial pizza oven, firepit, gym and pontoon but it’s the wine cellar that really stands out in this Gold Coast house.

Home to the Atkins family for 18 years, the luxury compound in Sorrento is deceptively discreet from the street.

39 Campbell St, Sorrento is on the market through an expressions of interest campaign.

“It was very deceptive from the front but the water reach instantly appealed,” vendor Michael Atkins said.

“You’ve got privacy, because you’re not looking across into neighbours. Instead you have unimpeded views of trees, the water and a north orientation.”

The wine cellar at 39 Campbell St, Sorrento is something else!

The entertainer features an alfresco terrace with a commercial pizza oven, pool, waterside firepit plus a pontoon, sandy beach, boat ramp and boat shed.

And don’t forget the 1500 bottle temperature-controlled wine cellar with double glazing, insulation, a pressed metal ceiling and LED lighting.

“It’s been fantastic for entertaining,” Mr Atkins said.

“We’ve hosted big parties here of over 100 people.”

“This house copes beautifully for that, especially the wine cellar – that will be hard to leave.”

Style at every turn.

Anchored 50m from the river, the property offers the best of both worlds, according to Mr Atkins.

“We can soak up rivers views without wake damage or boat noise,” he said.

The house, which has been renovated twice during their tenure, is on the market through an expressions of interest campaign.

Eoghan Murphy and Michael Kollosche are the listings agents.

The post Gold Coast house with epic wine cellar on the market appeared first on realestate.com.au.