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This home at 11 Emerald St, Kedron is for sale for offers over $895,000 after a $350,000 renovation.

LESSONS learned from years working as paramedics has informed the renovation of Kym Mander and Gavin Farry’s Kedron home.

AFTER This Kedron property can be accessed from Emerald Street and Leckie Road.

“Being paramedics, we wanted toilet doors that open outward,” Ms Mander said.

BEFORE The toilet is getting ready for its makeover.

AFTER The finished work with an outward opening door and its Japanese-style toilet sink.

“Our builder wasn’t happy with that, but that wasn’t negotiable. Imagine if you collapse in the toilet how hard it is to get the door open when it opens inward.”

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Bars on the original windows of the Queenslander at 11 Emerald St, Kedron were also removed to allow for an easy escape in an emergency.

BEFORE The windows used to have fixed bars across them.

AFTER The bars are gone and a fresh coat of paint lightens the room.

And the couple had all the smoke alarms hardwired into the main power supply before it became compulsory on all new builds and renovations in 2017.

With a young daughter at the time, the inground pool was also adapted to include a ledge around two sides.

“Probably the paramedic hat came out,” she said. “We wanted the ledge so the children can stand there and still have their heads out of the water.”

Other design features were insisted upon for personal reasons, like the Japanese toilet sink which has a wash basin built above the cistern so you can wash your hands with the water that then goes down to fill the cistern for the next flush.

A Japanese-style toilet with a sink above the cistern.

The front door and the front french doors downstairs were recycled from a local house.

“The builder wasn’t happy, it’s harder to use misshaped doors.”

AFTER The new downstairs living area with its recycled front door.

And where the couple couldn’t decide on a design feature, a compromise of sorts was made, and the master bedroom ensuite is a case in point.

AFTER The master bedroom ensuite.

“My husband wanted the rain shower and I wanted a hand shower,” Ms Mander said of the shower that now has twin rain showerheads and a separate handheld shower.

“It’s a bit of overkill but we wanted it to be our house.”

The couple moved from Cairns to Brisbane to look after family and bought a two-bedroom cottage with two-street access on 384sq m in 2014.

BEFORE 11 Emerald St, Kedron from the front which faces Leckie Rd.

They had plans drawn up to turn the property into a four-bedroom house with bedrooms and a living area in the original upstairs Queenslander and the main living area with a master bedroom on the new ground floor.

AFTER 11 Emerald St, Kedron as it looks today from Leckie Rd.

“We got three building quotes and there was probably $60,000-$70,000 between the quotes and we went with one in the middle range,” Ms Mander said.

BEFORE The renovations also included building a tandem carport and garage which faces Emerald St.

“The things that were frustrating were all the hidden costs, like the design fees, permits, soil testing, the disconnection of electricity. All these things add up.”

The project, which began in March 2015, ran over budget after an initial estimate of $250,000 for the building work and $24,000 for the pool.

“We had an overrun, the electrical work ended up being twice as much as what we thought, then there was landscaping, tree cutting. It probably hit around $350,000, but we wanted it to be as good as we could get. We were planning on living there forever.”

AFTER The outdoor entertaining area at 11 Emerald St, Kedron.

But four years ago, the couple transferred to Longreach in central Queensland and have been renting out their renovated Kedron home ahead of putting it on the market this year.

The property is for sale through Robbie Lofaro of Harcourts Connections, with offers over $895,000 invited.

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The post Paramedics renovate their Kedron home with an eye for safety appeared first on realestate.com.au.

1/31 Gardenia Grove, Sandy Bay. Picture: SUPPLIED

NESTLED at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac and surrounded by eucalypts and nature, this sophisticated townhouse – with enviable water views – provides low-maintenance luxury living.

In a peaceful and private location sitting atop Gardenia Grove, this contemporary and eco-friendly townhouse boasts sophistication, style and sweeping water views across the River Derwent.

Significant renovations and improvements have been made over the past three years, reducing its environmental impact and creating a warm and inviting living space, illuminated by LED lighting throughout.

Perched on high.

Family living.

Central and ducted heating across each level, coupled with Earthwool insulation, Asthma Foundation-approved carpet and new Honeycomb insulated blinds ensure year-round comfortable conditions.

Throughout, Pilkington e-glass windows designed to reduce glare and fading further add to the home’s energy efficiency.

Split across two generous levels, the upstairs living area is open and spacious with large, north-facing windows that capture the all-day sunshine.

The sumptuous master bedroom suite features two sizeable built-in wardrobes and a fully renovated dual-access ensuite with a skylight, shower, granite-topped vanity, a toilet and heated towel racks.

Stunning views will greet you upon waking, and the river can be seen from almost all rooms within the home.

Sleek and stylish.

Leafy surrounds.

The kitchen offers ample storage, Caesarstone benchtops, Tasmanian oak flooring and quality Gaggenau appliances, including a large oven, dishwasher and induction cooktop. Ideal for entertaining, the culinary space opens to a sun-drenched paved patio, and a separate balcony, both wonderful vantage points to take in the incredible water vista.

The laundry on this level contains a large sink, plenty of benchspace and room for necessary appliances, and opens directly to the rear courtyard.

Downstairs, there are two light-filled bedrooms with built-ins.

The contemporary bathroom on this level contains a toilet, vanity and shower.

Also on this level, there is a double-glazed mezzanine study with a custom-built Tasmanian oak desk and day bed, ample storage and a heat pump.

Clean up, look sharp.

One last look at the impressive kitchen.

For the folks who work from home, this might be the most impressive room in this impressive house.

The large garage with an electric roller door provides secure housing for one vehicle, plus space for storage and a workshop.

Minimal maintenance is required for the established gardens that surround the home.

No.1/31 Gardenia Grove in Sandy Bay is listed with Charlotte Peterswald for Property and priced at $825,000+.

The post Pristine and private, this home has got it all appeared first on realestate.com.au.

182 White Hill Road, Forcett. Picture: SUPPLIED

EVER wanted to live off the land, map a dirt bike track, tackle your own herd or chook pen?

Maybe it’s more about giving the family room to grow and explore in the convenience of their own 60ha back yard?

Nestled on this huge parcel of land at gorgeous Forcett, this property offers the privacy and rural escape people long for.

This property offers the chance to secure this well positioned, countryside family retreat.

The main residence was built with style, functionality, and convenience in mind.

It provides separate wings for the adults and children to relax or entertain at their leisure.

Spacious breakfast bar.

Toasty warmth.

The kitchen, dining and lounge area is spacious, open-plan and flows seamlessly outside via sliding doors.

The kitchen has a modern country feel with its charming cupboards and
all-white sophistication. It has stainless appliances, hotplate, sinks and plenty of preparation space for a family lifestyle. This area is tiled for easy cleaning.

From this zone, parents can comfortably keep an eye on the children as they delve into their outdoor activities.

With the wood heater roaring, where else would you rather be?

On a warm summer’s day, the owner has the choice of entertaining family and friends on the full-length front veranda or sitting back with a cuppa and enjoy scenic view of rolling hills from this idyllic setting.

Entertain indoors or out.

The gigantic shed.

Central to the “children’s wing” is the second living room, which is surrounded by three bedrooms, all with built-in wardrobes.

The main bathroom is elegant and modern with tiles, a bath for relaxing in and a toilet that is separate for added convenience.

The master bedroom is complemented by a spacious walk-in wardrobe and a sparkling ensuite.

There is a double garage and a shed that has to be seen to be believed. At 165sq m this shed has a larger floorplan than the residence – that is not a feature that people can include in their home listing very often.

The shed lends itself to various uses for the aspiring handyman, tradesman, hobbyist, or as it currently stands, it could be the perfect adult or teen space.

A bonus of having over 60ha of land is there is space enough for anything and everything – a boat, a caravan, a swag of cars or motorbikes.

Tranquil setting.

Grab the bubble bath.

It is big enough to feel like a private slice of paradise while never being too far from anything.

The property is situated 10 minutes from the Sorell township, about 20 minutes from the airport or 30 minutes from Hobart’s CBD.

No.182 White Hill Road, Forcett is priced at $640,000+ and listed with Harcourts Signature Rosny Park.

The post The bang for your buck goes a long way in Forcett appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Now could be the perfect time to buy your first home.

As lending rates for housing remain at historic lows, there is one sound reason for first homebuyers to consider buying.

The key reason for making the transition from renting to owning is not the increased government incentives but rather that owning will be cheaper than renting.

It is important the first timers critically appraise their job security before diving into ownership, as the obligations are more onerous that being a tenant.

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Just before the pandemic CoreLogic data suggested that more than a third of properties across Australia (34 per cent) had estimated mortgage repayments that were less than weekly rental repayments.

In Sydney, it occurred mainly in areas like Parramatta, Auburn and the CBD. Source: iStock

It was suggested the prospect occurred for just seven per cent of all Sydney properties. These properties were concentrated in suburbs where high levels of unit supply suppressed price growth, but there was still plenty of rental demand. These areas included Parramatta, Auburn and the Sydney CBD.

About 10 per cent of Melbourne properties were cheaper to own than rent and about 20 per cent were in this category in regional Queensland, namely the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. In Darwin, 77 per cent of properties had lower estimated mortgage repayments than rents.

The varied dynamics across theses cities has to do with how property values responded to interest rate reductions as the more property values increased in response to lower mortgage rates, the more the benefits of a low interest rate were eroded.

CoreLogic analyst Eliza Owen noted the data did not take into account the cost of a deposit when saving for a home. It will be interesting when CoreLogic run the data again after taking into account the impact of falling rentals arising from the pandemic amid the mild reduction in prices.

There has been a dip in prices. Photo by Gaye Gerard

There are also more government incentives including the decision by the NSW state government under a targeted boost, which will eliminate stamp duty on newly-built homes below $800,000 and reduce it for properties up to $1 million.

ING released a home ownership report last month that reveals almost half of millennials think COVID-19 has made homeownership more achievable.

It seems to get on top of property goals millennials are redirecting travel budgets to a home savings account (59 per cent), taking on a side hustle (37 per cent), and moving back in with their parents (36 per cent).

Almost half of Millennials (48 per cent) say they will limit their personal shopping, reduce dining out (42 per cent) and drinking (28 per cent), give up their gym (21 per cent), and date less (24 per cent) to save for their future home.

More government incentives will also help. Picture: iStock.

Zaki Ameer, founder of buyer’s agency DDP Property, said millennials recognise it’s actually much cheaper to buy property right now than rent in Sydney.

Mr Ameer calculated that current lending interest rates of around 2.19 per cent put homebuyers in a far better financial position than if they continued to rent. “To rent a one-bedroom unit in Sydney’s inner west costs around $580 a week. You could buy an identical place for $650,000 and lock-in weekly interest only loan-repayments of $260 a week. That’s a saving of over $14,000 each year, excluding the added benefits of capital appreciation on your property”, Mr Ameer said.

The post More than a third of Australian properties have mortgage repayments that are less than rent appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Hayley Granato cheers after winning the auction of 34 Killawarra Rd, Ashgrove. Photo: Debra Bela

AN ORIGINAL condition Ashgrove Queenslander that cost two years’ salary in 1972, has sold at auction for $1.31m, more than 13 times the average annual salary in Brisbane today.

It has been 48 years since this house last went to auction.

Real estate agents lost count of bidders who rushed to register for the auction of 34 Killawarra Road, Ashgrove in Brisbane’s inner west.

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“I can’t give you exact numbers, we had some late arrivals, you could say 12 to 14 bidders,” Ray White Lutwyche agent David Lazzarini said.

Yellow bidder paddles could be seen scattered through the crowd in the front yard of the 911sq m property.

“This is the strongest interest I’ve had in a property for quite some time due to the location and the land size and the prestige properties around it. It’s a grand Queenslander in good condition for it’s age. It’s 90 years old.”

The house as it looked when it was first built in circa-1930.

David and Alan Mooney’s mum and dad bought the three bedroom house at auction in 1972 for $16,000.

Alan and David Mooney with a framed copy of The Courier-Mail newspaper clipping that advertised the auction in 1972.

With their mother now settled in a nursing home, the brothers had tidied the house on its 911sq m elevated block before putting it on the market.

Inside the home at Killawarra Rd, Ashgrove.

In the auction crowd of more than 80 was Peter and Hayley Granato, whose own 1930s family home in Bardon had just gone under contract after an extensive renovation.

Hayley and Peter Granato after the auction.

“We’ve been looking for years really,” Mrs Granato said. “We renovated our last place and then had three babies and now the youngest is three so we thought maybe it’s time to renovate again.

“Pete’s cousin lives around the corner and it’s a great pocket for us, plus we needed something to move the kids into because we’ve just sold our house.”

Ray White New Farm principal and auctioneer Haesley Cush reminded everyone to social distance before starting the auction.

Bidding in the front yard started at $900,000 and rose in $50,000 lots with the Granatos joining the auction with a bid of $1.15 million. At $1.2m the property was announced on the market and bidding slowed with the Granatos bidding against a couple who currently live in Ashgrove but wanted an elevated position.

The property sits in the Avenues of Ashgrove and is only the second house to sell on Killawarra Rd in five years.

At $1.310m Ray White auctioneer Haesley Cush’s hammer fell and Mrs Granato fist-pumped the auction win.

Peter and Hayley Granato at the moment they won the auction of 34 Killawarra Rd, Ashgrove.

Property activity in Ashgrove has remained steady in the first half of 2020 compared to last year, with 115 houses selling in both periods, CoreLogic property data shows.

However the sales volume was 10 per cent higher in the first six months of 2018 when 129 houses sold.

The median sale price for houses in Ashgrove broke the $1 million mark in March and sustained that through the COVID-19 lockdown period during April, the latest property data shows.

October 2018 was the last time Ashgrove recorded a median sales price of $1 million.

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The post Mum power: The moment mum bought a house for the kids appeared first on realestate.com.au.

No. 27 Sturt St in Campbelltown is offering buyers excellent value.

Sydneysiders after value for money should look no further than this house on the doorstep of one of the city’s busiest train stations.

No. 29 Sturt St is on 784sqm near the Campbelltown city centre and is listed with a crazy $499,950 price guide.

This is $160,000 less than the median sale price in Campbelltown and a whopping $510,050 less than greater Sydney’s median house price.

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The house needs a bit of work.

A buyer paying the standard 10 per cent deposit for 29 Sturt St would only require $49,950 upfront, while a first homebuyer would also be eligible for the First Home Buyers Deposit Scheme and would be exempt from paying $17,835 in stamp duty.

The property has been a hit with buyers since it came up for sale on Wednesday, with more than 5183 people viewing the listing ad on realestate.com.au. The level of interest saw the house rank as the fourth most viewed in NSW this past week on the website.

The huge 784sqm parcel of land is ripe for opportunity.

The bathroom still retains original fixtures such as a pink shower.

Ray White — Macarthur’s Julie Latham and Michael Tan are marketing the property to buyers via private treaty and have described it as a savvy opportunity to acquire an “incredible blank canvas” near Campbelltown CBD and train station.

The three-bedroom house is in liveable condition and has retro interiors such as a pink shower. Two of the bedrooms feature built-in wardrobes, while the third has space for an exterior wardrobe.

There are three bedrooms and a garage.

There is ducted airconditioning in one of the bedrooms.

There is also a combined kitchen and dining area that has electric cooking and a few cupboards are in need of repair.

While it may have old interiors, the home still features modern elements like ducted airconditioning.

CoreLogic reveals it last traded in 1992 for $120,000, which after inflation is $230,000 in today’s money.

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The post Campbelltown home near train station is on the market for less than $500,000 appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Auctioneer Oliver Burton at a Mosman home that sold $875,000 over reserve.

A Mosman family selling a home they’d owned for more than 50 years got a welcome surprise after the hammer fell at $875,000 above their reserve at auction.

The seller had set a $3.7 million reserve for their four-bedroom house on Mandalong Rd but sold under the hammer for $4.575 million.

“We wouldn’t have dreamt we’d get that price,” said selling agent Adam Vernon of Vernon Partners.

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“We knew there would be a lot of interest but this was way beyond what we expected … the vendors are absolutely delighted.”

Auctioneer Oliver Burton of Cooley Auctions received an opening bid of $3.6 million.

Four of the 14 registered bidders submitted offers and a total 17 bids were made. “The offers went up very quickly,” Mr Burton said.

The Mandalong Rd house attracted 14 registered bidders.

“It was a very realistic reserve but it is hard to predict what will happen in this market. The vendors would have been very happy to accept ($3.7 million).”

Mr Vernon said the registered bidders were a mix of families with children and downsizing couples. The main appeal of the property was its location close to Balmoral Beach.

“It was a reasonable parcel of land but it’s only a few minutes’ walk from the beach so we had a lot of families coming through to look at the home.”

Mr Burton said the result made him “excited for spring”. “It just shows what happens when there are multiple buyers who see value,” he said.

The terrace was one of more than 600 properties to go under the hammer across Sydney this week – a mild increase on the number of auctions held last week.

On the Central Coast, the family behind the world-famous and known royal hotspot The Goring Hotel in London sold their stunning Central Coast hideaway for $3.225 million at auction.

The price was $325,000 over the reserve and six bidders registered for the auction. The buyers were a family from the north shore.

The Endeavour Dr home in Avoca Beach.

The home with stunning views was used as a holiday home.

The Goring family bought the Endeavour Drive property in 2012 from London without inspecting it. Then it was a “two-bedroom shed”.

They renovated it to use as their holiday home before putting it on the market this year. The home was listed with McGrath-Avoca Beach agents Chris Andrews and Ashlea Borland.

The Goring Hotel is the favourite hotel of the Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge who, with the Middleton family, spent the days leading up to the 2011 Royal Wedding there.

The post Sydney real estate: Mosman house sells for $875,000 over reserve at heated auction appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Two dilapidated inner-city homes fetched big bucks in Sydney today, while ‘powerful’ virtual auctions scored solid results for Melbourne vendors.

Latest realestate.com.au auction data shows New South Wales has a clearance rate of 72% for the week to date, while Victoria’s preliminary clearance rate currently stands at 71%.

Here’s what happened in the auction capitals today.

This house at 8 Raleigh St in Thornbury sold above reserve at auction today. Picture: realestate.com.au

Melbourne

A semi-detached Edwardian, in the thriving inner-north suburb of Thornbury, sold for $1.275 million at an online auction this morning, well above the reserve of $1.15m.

Three bidders vied for the renovated three-bedroom home at 8 Raleigh St, which garnered attention for its location and elegant blend of period and contemporary style.

Robert Enes, of Nelson Alexander Northcote, said the return to virtual auctions has been no deterrent to buyers, who are in fact “really embracing the concept”.

8 Raleigh St was well renovated and presented for auction. Picture: realestate.com.au

“It’s an extremely transparent process and they appreciate there’s not a large crowd of peering eyes watching them, so it’s actually been really powerful,” Mr Enes said.

“At an onsite auction, the crowd usually expects a halftime break but [online] we’re just getting down to it. It’s over and done with quickly and vendors are getting a good result.”

Remarkable bidding from six groups pushed a 1990-built Canterbury house to sell $420,000 above the reserve price today.

The Canterbury property sold an eye-watering $420,000 beyond vendor expectations.

While in Ascot Vale, four groups placed more than 100 bids on 159 Kent Street, which eventually sold to a young couple for $1,332,500 – securing the seller a premium of $82,500.

About 50 bids were placed before the four-bedroom house at 53 Alexandra Avenue fetched $3.17 million for its vendors.

Read here for more of today’s Melbourne auction coverage.

Sydney

A historic but derelict Waterloo terrace, listed as “not for the faint hearted”, sold at auction today for an $1.01 million.

The two-bedroom house on Morehead St had gone to market with an $850,000 guide and $900,000 reserve but sold for $110,000 over expectations after 15 buyers registered to bid.

The derelict terrace in Waterloo sold for $110k above reserve. Picture: realestate.com.au

The terrace was built in the 1880s and held by the same family for close to 80 years.

Another rundown property had a successful auction today – a burnt inner west home and alleged former drug lab sold for nearly $500,000 over the reserve price.

The fire-damaged house on The Parade in Enfield had no roof and went under the hammer with a $920,000 reserve. It was secured for $1.38 million in front of a crowd of about 70 people.

5 Manchester St, Dulwich Hill sold for $1.43m under the hammer. Picture: realestate.com.au

Elsewhere in the inner west, a beautifully presented three-bedroom home sold under the hammer for $1.43 million, above the $1.35m reserve.

David Diamantopoulos, from Devine Real Estate Marrickville, said it was a “steady” auction of three bidders, which reflected the current climate of keen and organised buyers.

“There was no waiting for an opening bid, but not fast and furious, just reasonable, steady bids. Strangely enough, despite everything that’s going on, we’re finding it’s just business as usual,” he said.

“Whoever is out there looking, they’re proper, deadset buyers and are ready to go.”

The post Saturday auctions: ‘Powerful’ virtual auctions score solid results for vendors appeared first on realestate.com.au.