Blog

The Auburn property at 5397 Balaklava Road offers a country cottage and Shiraz vineyard. Pic: realestate.com.au

A ‘grape’ opportunity has cropped up for those in search of either a country escape where they can ‘wine’ down or a chance to pursue a career as a vintner.

The ‘sip-erb’ Auburn property at 5397 Balaklava Road that is home to a quaint stone cottage and vineyard has hit the market for the first time in 24 years.

The 16.34ha estate, which includes 2.02ha of established shiraz vineyard and another 1.42ha ready to be planted, is listed with a call for best offers, starting at the high $700,000 mark.

Selling agent Julie Gabe, of Elders Real Estate Clare Valley-Burra, said the owner bought the property in 1996 as a place to retire, then poured his heart and soul into building the three-bedroom Cape Cod-style home.

The owner hand picked stones from the local quarry to build the home. Pic: realestate.com.au

It has a warm character inside. Pic: realestate.com.au

It has an open kitchen, living and dining area. Pic: realestate.com.au

“He went out and hand picked the stone for the property to be built from the local quarry,” she said.

“The home has got a real country feel – it has got a real warmth and character to it.”

Cathedral ceilings, exposed wooden beams and lattice windows characterise the two-storey home.

MORE NEWS

Where prices have surged in the past three months

Pick the best family home design and you could win and $500 travel voucher

Character home that starred on House Rules snapped up

Half of the ground floor is dedicated to an open kitchen, living and dining area, while two bedrooms, a shared bathroom and laundry occupy the other half.

The main bedroom, a family room and small bathroom are on the top floor.

There are three bedrooms, two of which are downstairs and the other upstairs. Pic: realestate.com.au

The house is on a sprawling 16.34ha block. Pic: realestate.com.au

Ms Gabe said sprawling views of the Clare Valley on offer upstairs were a highlight of the property.

“The views are to die for,” she said.

The property also has two sheds, one of which was designed to be used for winemaking and the other a workshop.

The cropped land is currently tended to by a Balaklava farmer and the vineyard is looked after by Kilikanoon Wines.

Ms Gabe said the property’s new owner could continue with the existing arrangement to make a little bit of money or pursue their own venture if they wanted.

The post Auburn acreage estate comes with country cottage and shiraz vineyard appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Tumbling new home sales are expected to drive Melbourne tradies interstate.

Melbourne’s stage four lockdown has cut the state’s new house sales by more than 14 per cent in the past month.

The Housing Industry Association has warned the figures will prompt a construction slowdown and that interstate builders are already advertising to poach tradies, with many expected to leave by the end of the year.

HIA’s New Home Sales report released on Wednesday shows a 14.4 per cent decline in Victorian new home sales last month.

RELATED: Tradies will abandon Victoria as building economy plunges

HomeBuilder grants: 1100 Victorians apply in a week

COVID-19 to make it cheaper and faster to build new, but tradies face decade of pain

HIA chief economist Tim Reardon warned they expected worse figures in September, with their report surveying key building groups responsible for one in four of the state’s new homes.

Of the five states covered, Victoria was the only one to record a decline in August.

Sales in Queensland surged 19.1 per cent, New South Wales was up 11.7 per cent, Western Australia added 11.4 per cent to its July tally and South Australian sales rose 7.4 per cent.

Victoria’s new home builds will fall substantially as a result of stage four restrictions.

Mr Reardon said the nationwide figures showed the impact the federal government’s $25,000 HomeBuilder grants would have on the building economy and employment.

Builders in other states would begin poaching Victorian tradies before the end of 2020, and he said he had seen jobs advertised in other states offering six months guaranteed work and accommodation including pay during quarantine periods.

“But Victoria has missed that surge in August and we are expecting that they will miss further sales in September, which means there is a very small window for Victorians to access HomeBuilder,” Mr Reardon said.

“Victorian home building has been a driver of national economic growth over much of the past decade, and it’s certainly a concern that its outlook in the short term is poor.”

A sharp rebound in October and November could get things back on track, but this would depend on many variables, he added.

HIA Victorian executive director Fiona Nield said the first step to rebuilding the lost sales and Victoria’s building economy was to allow safe access to display homes.

Under the government’s current road map to recovery, this could not happen until at least October 26.

“We would hope the government could see their way clear to safely reopening display homes before October 26,” Ms Nield said.

Volume builder Porter Davis is still notching sales online, but believes more stimulus is needed for the industry in Victoria.

Volume home builder Porter Davis’ general manager of sales and marketing Shaun Patterson said while hundreds of buyers had proceeded to contracts without physical contact with the firm, an extension to HomeBuilder may need to be a part of the state’s recovery.

“We are having lots of people buying the house all through the digital world,” Mr Patterson said.

“But Porter Davis would agree with an extension (to HomeBuilder).”

MORE: Melbourne lockdown real estate restrictions leave homeowners in limbo

Stage four: Billions wiped from Victorian economy as spring market ban extends

Melbourne lockdown: Major sales in Toorak, Sunbury and Seddon

The post Stage four lockdown cuts Victoria’s new home sales by 14.4 per cent appeared first on realestate.com.au.

A Townsville house on 13 acres has hit the market, complete with its own professional motocross track.

That same track has been given a test-run by one of the world’s top MotoGP champions. Located at 28 Granitevale Road in Alice River, the sprawling property is being marketed as the “Australian dream with enough space for children to be children”.

And while the motocross track would be enough to get any red-blooded kids heart (and motor) racing, that is not the only fun feature that this property boasts.

MORE NEWS: Buyer demand explodes in Townsville’s 2019 flood suburbs

Cattle station sold for $35m via online auction

Hog’s Breath founder sells Whitsundays mansion

The motocross track has been professionally built. realestate.com.au

Inside the four bedroom, AP Williams & Co designed house is an activity room and a large theatre room – perfect escapes for those stinking hot and muggy days that are on their way.

And the house has some awesome features as well.

The theatre room

But it is outside this property truly shines as the ultimate playground.

In addition to the motocross track is a large in-ground swimming pool, a huge deck, a large outdoor entertaining area complete with an outdoor kitchen and built-in gas barbecue, a dam and a gym (equipment included) inside a Colorbond shed with power and lighting.

With the heat dialling up, the pool will be a top spot to cool off.

The gym

As for the residence, it is 400sqm under roof and has four bedrooms, three bathrooms,

spacious open-plan living areas including 3.1m high ceilings in the main living area, a study and airconditioning.

The master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe, a large ensuite with a spa, a double vanity and a double shower.

Swish!

How’s that for an ensuite?

One of the three bathrooms has a gas instantaneous unit to guarantee hot water, even when the power goes out.

The kitchen has an integrated fridge and dish drawer, V-Zug appliances, a large butler’s pantry with sink and room for a dishwasher.

Other outdoor features include a solar system, a bore with a new submersible pump, automated irrigation with pop-up sprinklers to over 50 per cent of the 13 acre property and two 30,000 litre water tanks.

The property is owned by Steve Hannah of Hannahbull Hydro Excavations and wife Sharni (nee Williams), the granddaughter of Alexander Park (AP) Williams, who founded AP Williams & Co in 1932.

Mrs Hannah, who designed the house, said Townsville-born world Moto-GP champion Jack Miller had taken a few spins around the track, as had her nephew, Kayden Downing, who is now racing in the US.

Jack Millerheads down a straight during the MotoGP Of Tests In Misano at Misano World Circuit on September 15, 2020 in Misano Adriatico, Italy. (Photo by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)

The property is listed for $1.35 million

It is listed with husband and wife duo and Open Property Townsville agents Michael Gilbertson and Carrie Hubert.

“Open Property have had the opportunity to sell some fantastic acreage properties however this one is something very special, this might be North Queensland’s best back yard,” Ms Hubert said.

“It isn’t often you find a home built of this size and quality that features a professionally built moto cross track, in-ground swimming pool and purpose built dam.

“The residence has been live on line for 24 hours and we are already receiving a number of inquiries.”

The post The Townsville designer home and acreage complete with its own motocross track appeared first on realestate.com.au.