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Emilie Smith inside one of two display apartments she decorated at the East Brunswick Village (EBV) project by Banco Group. Photo: Armelle Habib

You might think pulling together a beautiful home requires a big budget.

But interior designer Emilie Smith says having limited cash to spend on decor can be a bonus.

“A smaller budget can actually result in an outcome that is more interesting, unique and satisfying than if you’d walked into a store and bought everything in one go,” she said.

“It just takes a bit more time, resourcefulness, and maybe even learning some new skills to create a gorgeous interior without a hefty price tag.”

Ms Smith recently furnished two display apartments at Banco Group’s new East Brunswick Village (EBV).

Here are some of the clever ideas she used.

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Saffron Newey’s cloud mural drifting above dreams. Photo: Armelle Habib

1. Cloud mural

Ms Smith commissioned Melbourne artist Saffron Newey to paint a striking mural on a bedroom wall.

“At EBV, there’s a lot of art in the communal spaces, including a large mural by Saffron,” Ms Smith explained.

“I knew she’d painted clouds in the past. So I asked her to paint a cloud above one of the beds, which she did in a gorgeous teal, inspired by a lamp I’d also put in the room.”

She said the mural added a “dreamy and ethereal” quality to the space, which she didn’t think would be achieved with a framed artwork.

Banquette seating by the dining table. Photo: Armelle Habib

2. Banquette-style seating

If space is tight around a dining table, a practical solution is to use banquette-style seating that can also double as storage.

Ms Smith asked local furniture designer Nick Pearce to make a banquette seat for one of the apartments.

“There’s a perception bespoke is super expensive, but that’s not always the case,” she said.

“And I love the idea of using local makers to design a piece of furniture that fits perfectly into a space.

“The banquette would also work well in an entrance way, as a place to put on and store your shoes.”

An antique table surrounded by modern chairs. Photo: Armelle Habib

3. Antique table

Ms Smith is a fan of buying second-hand furniture to add texture and character to an interior — and because it can be cheaper than buying new.

She sourced a Victorian cedar dining table, which, as it’s on porcelain castors, also has the space-saving ability to be pushed into a corner when not in use.

She teamed the antique piece with minimalist steel-framed dining chairs to provide contrast.

“I don’t feel there are any rules about mixing different styles,” Ms Smith said. “Trust your gut and just have fun.”

Pendant lighting in a bedroom. Photo: Armelle Habib

4. Pendant lighting

When it came to lighting, Ms Smith turned to pendants to create ambience in the apartments.

“Newly built properties (usually) come illuminated with downlights, which are functional yet lacking in atmosphere,” she said.

“To avoid expensive hardwiring, I created pendant lights by combining beautiful electrical cords from Creative Cables with pendants from the likes of Mr Kitly and Rodwell and Astor.”

Ms Smith had an electrician rewire the pendants. She then plugged the extended cables into wall sockets and hung the pendants in the desired spots with the help of ceiling hooks.

Clever use of a small space. Photo: Armelle Habib

5. Framed scarf

Getting creative with art can help you avoid having blank walls, according to Ms Smith.

She created a beautiful pop of colour by framing a pink and red Edith Rewa silk scarf and hanging it above a bookcase.

“(Framing is one way) of displaying treasures and mementos you’ve collected over the years, and can now have pride of place in an interior scheme,” she said.

Visiting art fairs was a cost-effective way of sourcing pieces, she said, as you could often purchase directly from up-and-coming artists at reasonable prices.

But she recommended also saving up for a special piece you would treasure forever — such as the striking black-and-white artwork, 100 Years (After Guo Jian) by Melbourne artist Robert Hague, which creates a focal point in one of the apartments.

Greenery, always. Photo: Armelle Habib

6. Greenery

Pot plants add visual and health benefits to a space. Ms Smith accordingly considers them a key part of her interior-decorating toolkit.

“In interiors, you want to play with things being at varying heights so the eye can move to different places,” she explained. “One way to do that is with plants.

“If a plant is still on the small side, I like to pop them up on to a stool or side table to help vary the heights.”

eastbrunswickvillage.com.au

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No. 1/40 Smith St, Surry Hills, has a price guide of $1.2m.

One of Australia’s most respected art consultants, Mark Hughes, has listed his Surry Hills warehouse apartment in the renowned Spice Traders building.

Hughes, who spent more than a decade in New York including nine years as the Director of Galerie Lelong, established Mark Hughes Art Advisory in 2011 and works with individual collectors and corporate clients.

He bought the 90 sqm two-bedroom apartment with garage parking at 1/40 Smith Street for $800,000 in 2013.

It’s now listed with BresicWhitney’s Shannan Whitney with a $1.2m guide ahead of an August 29 auction.

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Mark Hughes at his home in Surry Hills home. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

The apartments offers 90sq m of internal space.

The apartment offers separate living and dining areas beyond its entrance hall, a stainless-steel kitchen, timber floors and high ceilings.

Spice Traders was one of Surry Hills’s earliest “authentic” warehouse conversions, and Whitney recalls Platino Properties outbidding Kerry Packer to redevelop the building in the mid-1990s.

The nine apartments there are very tightly held. Optus Chairman Paul O’Sullivan has hung on to apartment 7 since paying $930,000 in 2000 according to CoreLogic. He’d bought it from Robert Rigby for $465,000 in 1996 when the conversion occurred.

And the apartment 9 two-level penthouse, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment over 215 sqm with terrace, cost $1.35m in 2008 when Glen McGillvray and Nicole Solomon snapped it up.

Hughes and his partner, Mike, are planning to upgrade in Surry Hills.

Lend Lease chief sells

No. 17 Beresford Rd, Rose Bay sold in the mid-$9m range.

Every buyer’s agent in town has been through the Rose Bay home of the director of Urban Regeneration at Lend Lease, John Burton, and wife MaryLouise.

The couple purchased the home for $8.75m in October 2018, via Raine and Horne Double Bay principal Ric Serrao.

But sources have revealed the five-bedroom, three-bathroom Smyth & Smyth architects-designed home with pool at 17 Beresford Rd had sold again off-market — and in the mid-$9m range.

The agents this time were Knight Frank duo William Laing and Adam Ross.

Neither would comment.

The rumour mill has Simon Cohen as representing the buyer.

The Burtons are believed to be moving to the Southern Highlands.

Another big sale

No. 25 Kambala Rd, Bellevue Hill, sold for $8.5m.

There was another hush-hush sale in Bellevue Hill this week, with the Kambala Road home in the one family for 80 years trading at the mid-$8 million mark.

The four-bedroom home on an 897 sqm block, which records show is in the name of Bettena Henty, sold through Ray White Woollahra’s Randall Kemp, though Ray White TRG’s Cae Thomas is understood to have introduced the buyer.

Thomas was tight-lipped when contacted. Two sources falsely claimed the Kambala Road buyer was dentist Angelo Sklavos and his wife, Fiona — whose family own Peters of Kensington. They recently sold their Bundarra Rd home in the high-$6 millions through Ray White Double Bay’s Ashley Bierman and Cae Thomas. But the Sklavos’s are still apparently on the home hunt.

Mosman-based Henty had been renting the family Kambala Rd home at $2,850 a week, CoreLogic records show.

Mum’s the word

No. 28 Blake Street, Rose Bay, sold for $2.5m.

The Blake Street, Rose Bay home of Tina Luciano — mother of Hedge Fund manager Rob Luciano — sold for $2.5m via Ray White TRG principal Gavin Rubinstein and Cae Thomas.

Thomas also sold a Beaumont Street home around the corner for above $3.8m in five days.

Then he sold the house next door for above $3m.

And Rubinstein sold a Dover Heights home for $4.85 that could only get $4.5m a year ago.

“Stock levels are at an all-time low for houses,” said Rubinstein.

Streets ahead

No. 1/41 Francis Street, Bondi Beach set a street record.

Decent apartments in good locations are being snapped up quickly at big prices.

A two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at 1/41 Francis Street, Bondi Beach with rare garage sold for $1.58m — $80k above reserve and a street record — after just two weeks on the market.

Ray White Double Bay’s Adam Reichman had 100-email inquiries and 50 groups through.

In end, he had three groups fighting over it, hence the premium price. The buyer was an investor who will no doubt find tenants easily given its proximity to Bondi Beach.

Despite being in an older-style block, it had a lot going for it, including the covered terrace that opened to a garden with a huge Banksia tree that gave it privacy from the street; the modern kitchen with Smeg appliances, along with the timber floors and high ceilings.

Flying high

No. 32 Greville Street, Clovelly, has a $3.7m guide.

The five-bedroom, three-bedroom home of retired pilot Christopher Holt and wife Suzanne, at 32 Greville Street, Clovelly, has a $3.7m price guide ahead of an August 13 auction.

Property records show the couple, who are downsizing to the central coast, bought the 241 sqm property for the grand sum of $47,000 in 1978.

And 20 years ago they knocked down the existing home and did a total rebuild. Ray White Double Bay principal Elliott Placks said the home is attracting interest from local families.

My pick

No. 28 Park Parade, Bondi has a $2.5m guide for an August 29 auction.

Young families can’t get enough of the four-bedroom doer-upper with park views at 28 Park Parade, Bondi.

It’s owned by schoolteacher Catherine Prichard, the daughter of real estate mogul Barry Prichard.

With a $2.5m price guide ahead of an August 29 auction, Angus Gorrie of McGrath had 21 groups through Saturday’s first open home.

“There was a really good vibe,” Gorrie said. Character charms include high ornate ceilings and picture rails.

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The Yankalilla estate at 34 Main Street is offering househunters the ultimate country retreat. Pic: realestate.com.au

Looking for a quiet home in the countryside to escape the hustle and bustle of city life?

A historic Yankalilla estate at 34 Main Street is offering househunters the ultimate refuge, with all the bells and whistles expected of a dream home within easy reach.

With a pool, stables, home office, guest cottage, cellar, underground larder and wedding pavilion, you’ll rarely need to leave the property.

Owners Jo and Gary Brown bought the home, known as Bungala House, six years ago with the intention of renovating it and spending their weekends there.

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It has been lovingly renovated to retain its historic character charm over the years. Pic: realestate.com.au

The owners spent years renovating it. Pic: realestate.com.au

They say it has been a labour of love. Pic: realestate.com.au

“We were only looking for a little weekender but when we saw this place and it’s potential, we just couldn’t believe it,” Mr Brown said.

“For the first two-and-a-half years we only came down on weekends from Adelaide.

“I sold our business and sold the other house and we’ve been down here now for three years. We basically changed our lives for it.”

The sprawling 1.79ha estate, which is on the market without a price tag, includes the main six-bedroom house, a guest cottage that used to be the original home’s kitchen and store room, a separate office building, an orchard, wedding pavilion, stables and pool.

Mr Brown said there was also another outbuilding that “needed work” but was “very adaptable”.

“We had plans of turning it into more accommodation,” he said.

The Browns spent years renovating the house, which started as a cottage with two rooms in 1856.

The house started as a two-room cottage in 1856. Pic: realestate.com.au

Established gardens surround the property. Pic: realestate.com.au

“They’re in the middle of the house now, you can pick it but it’s difficult,” Mr Brown said.

The renovation has given the property a new lease on life without destroying its historic character charm.

“Over the past six years, it’s been an absolute labour of love,” Mr Brown said.

“It’s actually exceeded our expectations.”

While reluctant, the couple have decided to sell the property to pursue a business opportunity overseas.

They listed it in November but took it off the market for a few months earlier this year.

“Because of COVID-19, like a lot of people our plans have all been tossed up in the air,” Mr Brown said.

“We feel that we now need to start making some plans and changes again.”

South Australia Sotheby’s International Realty principal Grant Giordano and director Anthony Hurl are selling the property.

The guesthouse used to be the original cottage’s kitchen and store room. Pic: realestate.com.au

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Cladding is appearing around the base of several silos at Cremorne’s $1 billion The Malt District redevelopment by Caydon.

Seven silos connected to those beneath Melbourne’s iconic Nylex Clock are being prepared for “a pretty careful bit of demolition” — by a robot named The Punisher.

Built in the 1960s, after the site’s heritage protected main silos, the towering cylinders will be dismantled in 1m sections by the affectionately named demolition bot and its twin.

The works were planned to commence mid this month, but are likely to be delayed as a result of Melbourne’s stage four lockdown.

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How the project will look once completed.

However scaffolding has already begun to be installed around the concrete towers as Caydon Property Group prepares the second phase of demolition at the former Richmond Maltings.

The prominent Cremorne property, set between the Monash Freeway and Hoddle Street, is undergoing a $1 billion transformation into a new lifestyle hub called The Malt District.

The robot affectionately known as The Punisher.

The robot will be installed on a descending platform inside the silos.

Caydon boss Joe Russo had the popular Nylex Clock switched on briefly earlier this year for the first time in a decade, with plans to refurbish it and make it even more prominent when the redevelopment is completed. It is not expected to be illuminated again until 2022, when a restaurant and bar are intended to join the sign at the top of the silos.

Mr Russo said the seven less-significant silos being removed would be approached with caution and not impact the clock.

The silos beneath the Victoria Bitter sign will be turned into the Silos Studios office space.

“Given their height, demolishing the silos requires a sophisticated methodology and Caydon has adopted cutting edge, remote controlled technology that will slowly break down the concrete of each structure and let it fall to ground level within the silos,” he said.

Multi-award-winning architectural firm Lovell Chen is overseeing the site’s heritage works to ensure the iconic silos beneath the clock and a nearby group supporting a popular VB sign are not damaged.

Founding principal Peter Lovell said the hi-tech approach would expose the western end of the silos for the first time in half a century — though it was not known what condition the long concealed section would be in.

About 100,000 bricks will be recycled at the project.

“The critical issue is obviously stability and a lot of engineering work has gone into making sure the ones to remain are fairly stable and protected from debris,” Mr Lovell said.

“It’s a pretty careful bit of demolition.”

The demolition paves the way for a new wave of construction at the site set to create 2400 jobs.

The Coppins Corner apartment complex was recently topped out.

It follows the developer recently topping out the 14-storey Coppins Corner residential tower built at the future lifestyle precinct, with residents to begin moving in early next year. Office space, a 206-room 25Hours hotel, a microbrewery, plus a restaurant and retail precinct will also feature when the project is complete.

It will feature 200 apartments when completed, though initial plans called for 1000.

Caydon bought the mostly derelict site for $38 million 2014.

The Husqvarna DXR 300 robot tasked with the heavy lifting in the demolition is about 1m in size, but has a 4m-long arm that can be fitted with a claw hand, and will be controlled by an operator outside the silo.

Restaurant and retail space is also being developed at the landmark Cremorne project.

This will be used to break the silos down in 1m sections, then fold them back into the silo where they will be dropped to the base and removed without damaging heritage aspects neighbouring the demolition work.

The use of robots on construction sites is becoming increasingly common in dangerous or difficult to reach locations, and in the past a human with a jackhammer would have had to do the work from inside the silos.

About 100,000 bricks at the site will be reused, and industrial machinery from the Richmond Maltings heyday will be on display.

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While sustainability features might seem a luxury add-on when it comes to new apartments, the reality is that consumers now have a level of expectation – which isn’t always to do with saving the planet. 

New home buyers around the country have a long wish list when it comes to what they want in an apartment or new build. From air-conditioning to outdoor areas, ensuites to built-in-robes, expectations are high with developers sometimes stretched to fit all these requirements in at a consumer-friendly price point.

New home buyers are increasingly savvy when it comes to the features they’re expecting when looking to purchase. Picture: HIP V. HYPE

But with sustainability increasingly a key focus across broader society, where does that leave the new home industry? You might be surprised.

New home buyers want cost-effective homes

Sustainable features like solar power, double-glazed windows and energy-smart design might sound like nice-to-have items in a home, but the reality for consumers is that they know these items will save them money over the long term.

According to a recent realestate.com.au survey of 1,001 Australian new apartment buyers, more than 42% were searching for developments with green features such as solar power, green common areas, water harvesting features and communal vegetable gardens.

When surveyed, 78% of responders thought housing developers should incorporate sustainable features and 59% thought solar power is primarily a cost-saving benefit.

“Sustainability is important to buyers,” explained Stacey Lewis, market research and insight manager at realestate.com.au, “but it’s an expectation for most, rather than a value-add.”

“When buyers think about sustainability, it’s largely a cost-based or cost-saving decision,” Ms Lewis said.

Executive manager of economic research at realestate.com.au Cameron Kusher agreed, saying he thought sustainability features will move, over the coming years, from a nice inclusion to a necessity.

“Remember that once upon a time features like air conditioning, for example, were not standard; now you wouldn’t buy a new apartment without them. Moving forward, sustainability features that can save the owner money on an ongoing basis will become the norm rather than the exception.”

Melbourne developer paving the way for sustainable living

Sustainable housing developers have realised that their customers aren’t always solely concerned with saving the earth when it comes to buying their next home, but the cost-saving benefits of sustainable homes are making it easier for consumers to make a greener choice.

“The biggest driver for many of our purchasers is location and value,” said Katya Crema, director of projects and head of sales at HIP V. HYPE, a sustainability-focused housing developer in Melbourne.

In planning for their most recent project, the completely carbon-neutral Ferrars & York, they benchmarked prices against single-fronted terraces in the area so that their terrace-style penthouse homes are priced in a similar range to the cost of a renovated terrace. The other apartments compare price-wise to the un-renovated terraces in the area.

So when it comes to purchasing-time, customers have a clear choice between buying an existing terrace or a brand-new, high-performing, carbon-neutral apartment, Ms Crema explained.

Location and amenities are key for new home buyers. Picture: Hip V. Hype

Add to this the lower lifetime operational costs, lower maintenance bills, smarter design and added lifestyle factors of a newer home and the sums are pretty clear. Consumers are making a choice that not only makes sense for the hip pocket but for the planet, too.

Launched online in May, Ferrars & York sold 60% of the project within 10 weeks with construction set to commence in late August. Ms Crema said the very positive result demonstrates that people see value in well-designed, high sustainability performance homes regardless of the uncertainty in the broader property market amid COVID-19.

One purchaser, Lincoln Brown, said he and his partner, Tanja Spolander, were drawn to Ferrars & York for its location next to the South Melbourne Market, as well as the high sustainability performance of the apartments and its community focus.

A focus on sustainability is changing the new housing market

Liam Wallis, founder of HIP V. HYPE, told realestate.com.au that the Australian new home market is changing slowly but surely when it comes to sustainability.

“The minimum energy efficiency standards are still quite low compared to global leaders and a lack of focus on post-completion testing means that there’s a high likelihood that many new buildings do not perform as designed,” Mr Wallis said. 

“For us at HIP V. HYPE, a deeply integrated approach to sustainability is non-negotiable. We believe that the built environment should not expand at the expense of our natural environment and we have a responsibility to ensure that the projects we are delivering contribute to the sustainable growth of our cities.

Sustainability is becoming more of an expectation than something buyers are willing to pay more for. Picture: Hip V. Hype

“Our purchasers see long-term value in low impact, durable homes that will not only be cost-efficient to operate over their lifespan but will also provide liveable spaces that support the physical and mental wellbeing of the residents.”

The South Melbourne project is powered by 100% renewable energy and, using very high energy-efficiency design and passive design principles, including natural light, cross-flow ventilation and external blinds that minimise energy use for heating and cooling, significantly reduces energy costs.

“This approach also provides for more consistent internal temperatures to enhance healthy living and, importantly, comfort,” Wallis explained.

“We don’t believe that living more sustainably is about significantly changing our way of life, we believe that it’s simply about living smarter, a little less wasteful and, importantly, being more aware of our decisions. Design and technology also play a huge role in helping us to live more sustainably, more simply.”

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A life of luxury.

A Richmond house with a luxurious interior compared to “cashmere” has achieved a massive sale on the brink of Melbourne’s stage four business shutdown.

The renovated Victorian at 10 Erin Street fetched $4.66m — $260,000 above the top end of its quoted $4-$4.4m range — in a deal done an hour before curfew on Wednesday night and a week before an expressions of interest campaign was due to close.

It was one of several sales rushed through before the Melbourne property market was required to move entirely online from 11.59pm Wednesday, as the Victorian Government tightened its COVID-19 restrictions.

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The main living area before its “cashmere”-like renovation.

And as it appears now.

New listings in the city are expected to essentially dry up due to a six-week ban on physical property inspections.

RT Edgar Toorak selling agent Max Ruttner said a lack of stock on the market had helped the standout Erin Street house achieve a premium price.

“There are still a lot of buyers out there, and a bit of a flight to premium property,” he said.

A quality renovation by the four-bedroom home’s “high-profile architect and designer” owners was also a major drawcard for the Camberwell-based purchaser.

Mr Ruttner said the vendors described being in their “comfortable, light and luxurious” home of seven years as “like wearing cashmere”.

The property was clearly a bit dated when it previously last sold in 2013.

Sophisticated and elegant.

He and co-listing agent Jeremy Fox conducted 60 private inspections of the house and received five offers ranging from $4m up to the eventual sale price.

The buyer — a downsizing family — outbid a solicitor, doctor, buyer’s agent and another downsizer to win the keys.

“They own an amazing house in Camberwell, so it was always going to be hard to find something that replicated that — they’d been searching for two years,” Mr Ruttner said.

“On (the buyer’s) first phone call to me she said, ‘Max, we’re pretty particular’. I said, ‘I promise if you come and have a look, you’ll love it’.”

“We signed the (sales) contracts at 7pm last night and were home by curfew.”

The property’s last sale was worth $2.67m in 2013, CoreLogic records show.

The smart, elegant kitchen.

A stately facade.

The owners had since revamped the interior, preserving period character while adding “welcoming” tones and colours, a sleek new kitchen with Travertine benchtops and Miele and Smeg appliances, Carrara marble bathrooms, and Rick Eckersley-designed gardens.

Mr Ruttner said his agency planned to use the six-week lockdown to “stay in touch with our clients and keep relationships going”.

“In real estate, momentum’s important,” he said.

“You’ve just got to keep going and try to do a few deals via 3D (online) inspections.”

An old-fashioned study …

… turned formal lounge room.

Floor-to-ceiling luxury.

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samantha.landy@news.com.au

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YOU could own one of the Gold Coast Hinterland’s most “iconic wedding venues” with a rare Tamborine Mountain property on the market.

The three titles on the corner of Curtis and Long roads include a chapel, restaurant and original Queenslander house.

The chapel at 216 to 226 Cnr Curtis & Long Rd, Tamborine Mountain.

Inside the chapel.

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“Currently family owned and operated, this property offers endless potential for future growth and is a must see opportunity,” the listing states.

“Offering three titles of land spread out over two acres of established gardens, a central location that ensures high exposure and the ideal mix of work and lifestyle opportunity.”

The house features an open plan design, six bedrooms and a separate art studio and shed.

The house on offer at 216 to 226 Cnr Curtis & Long Rd, Tamborine Mountain.

The restaurant.

The restaurant can accommodate between 80 and 110 people and has a licensed bar, cold room and commercial kitchen while the chapel has seating for up 60.

The property is on the market with a listing price of $2.45 million through Blake and Fleur Willis of First National Tamborine Mountain – North Tamborine.

“It’s been on the market for a little while but all of a sudden we’ve had a huge amount of inquiry,” Mr Wallis said

“The interest we are getting from people is to continue the business the way it is.”

216 to 226 Cnr Curtis & Long Rd, Tamborine Mountain.

Mr Wallis said the lifestyle the mountain offered as well as the local school had been huge drawcards for potential buyers.

“Across the board we are getting a lot of activity (on Tamborine Mountain),” he said.

“It seems to be younger families from the Gold Coast and Brisbane.”

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Textural brick walls, exposed timber beams and slate floors at the home.

Mid-century modern styling takes centre stage at this tranquil Eaglemont home.

Vendors Joceline and Jake Davies completed “very sympathetic renovations” at 24 Castle Street to restore the property to its former glory.

The six-bedroom 1969-built house on a 737sq m block is on the market with price hopes of $2.35-$2.499m.

“We wanted to maintain the original beauty of the house,” Ms Davies said. “All the choices we made are in keeping with the original flavour.”

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The six-bedroom house at 24 Castle Street, Eaglemont.

Renovations on the property have been in keeping with its mid-century origins.

Included among the updates were treatments of the original timber floorboards, an exposed brick wall, new paint throughout and restoration works on the staircase.

“Of all the homes we’ve renovated, this one we’ve been really attached to,” Ms Davies said. “I think what particularly stands out is the location: I’ve never lived anywhere so enchanting.”

The home is on the market for $2.35-$2.499m.

The staircase was restored, with the cedar baluster maintained.

Japanese-inspired gardens surround the home, which has green outlooks from every room.

Mr Davies added that beautiful outlooks from each room combined with the house’s architectural features, including the textural exposed wall, clean lines, Oregon beams and slate floors, to make for a beloved family home.

An entry gallery provides privacy for the house’s multiple downstairs living spaces, warmed by an open fireplace and with bi-fold doors extending to a vine-covered outdoor pergola.

The lower level also features two bedrooms, including the main, and a stylish kitchen with timber cabinetry and hand-glazed splashback tiles, each with outlook to Japan-inspired landscaped gardens.

Seamless indoor-outdoor integration with bi-fold doors.

Timber cabinetry in the kitchen.

Hand-glazed tiles are also present in the kitchen.

The vendors said it was their first mid-century modern project.

Upstairs is an accommodation wing, with three bedrooms, a family bathroom and a study.

Nelson Alexander Ivanhoe agent Liz Walker said it was the type of home that buyers would move suburbs for.

“We reckon it’s going to be an inner-city family that’s going to buy it,” Ms Walker said.

An upstairs bedroom was converted into a light-filled study.

Timber features prominently in the home.

There are six bedrooms in the large family home.

The bathrooms were left untouched by the vendors.

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jack.boronovskis@news.com.au

@jackboronovskis

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Sydney Roosters star Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has sold in Mosman. Picture: Brett Costello

Sydney Roosters star Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and wife Chelsea haven’t wasted any time in snapping up a buyer for their renovated Mosman home.

It took just five days for the property at 55 Countess St to sell, through Michael Coombs and Anthony Godson, of LJ Hooker Avnu.

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Mr Coombs was tight-lipped about the sale result, however it is understood the property sold for about $5 million.

The property was due to go to auction on August 29, and had a guide of $4.85 million.

Mr Coombs said 35 groups inspected the property, and six contracts were issued in the five days after it came to market.

The gorgeous backyard.

Classic style.

Negotiations began in earnest on Sunday and the property was officially sold on Tuesday.

“There were a couple of buyers who were very disappointed, but they just couldn’t move quickly enough,” he said.

He wasn’t surprised by the speed of the sale or the level of interest.

“It’s probably one of the best properties in the area,” he said.

“These are the deals where I love my job – an amazing house, lovely vendors and lovely buyers.”

Waerea-Hargreaves and wife Chelsea.

The Waerea-Hargreaves family. Source: Instagram

The Roosters star in action.

The buyer is a local family, Mr Coombs said. He said the sale showed the strength in the lower north shore market, which is still struggling due to a shortage of stock.

“The market is ticking along strongly, and I think come spring there’s going to be a lot more buyers around,” he said.

“COVID’s really made people focus more on their family and their house.”

The Waerea-Hargreaves family had bought their Countess St property as their forever family home, but the renovation bug has hit hard and they want to do another project.

Mrs Waerea-Hargreaves said they hoped to stay in the Mosman area, as they loved the family vibe and the eldest of their two daughters is due to start school next year.

“It is such a great area for families,” she said.

The couple did a stunning renovation.

The outdoor living and dining space overlooks the pool.

Indoor living.

The home is a clever mix of classic architectural styles that make the most of the light-filled interiors and extensive outdoor spaces.

The skylit all-seasons deck has an outdoor kitchen that is perfect for the family and the living areas are kept cosy in winter with a dual sided fireplace,

Other features include a stone kitchen with Miele appliances, impressive main bedroom with

deck, ensuite, walk-through wardrobes, zoned ducted reverse cycle airconditioning, and state-of-the-art home security system including video intercom.

There are multiple living spaces.

Formal dining.

Prime location.

The manicured rear garden and lawns are low-maintenance thanks to an integrated irrigation system, and there is a gas-heated pool.

Mrs Waerea-Hargreaves said she and her husband had thought carefully about listing their home in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We did question it, but this seems like a long-term thing and I don’t think it’s going to go away overnight,” she said.

Mr Coombs said the couple was now on the hunt for their next home, and are making Mosman their priority.

“They love Mosman,” he said.

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House hunters have swamped Western Australia’s south west since the state’s COVID-19 regional borders were reopened, local property agents say.

Real estate agents have reported a large spike in buyer enquiries in the popular holiday towns of Busselton, Dunsborough, Yallingup and Margaret River since 29 May, when the WA government reopened intrastate borders that had been shut during the health pandemic response.

Agents say buyers are rushing to snap up properties in WA’s south west after intrastate borders reopened. Picture: Getty

Agents said after years of WA’s lacklustre property market and eroding prices, a lack of stock and keen demand has fostered a market resurgence that could prompt price rises across the region.

The HomeBuilder scheme is pushing up demand

Managing director of Stocker Preston, Louis De Chiera, said renewed interest in the south west had largely been driven by land sales, thanks to government incentives to boost the construction sector, but there had also been steady enquiries about established properties.

“We’ve definitely seen a huge increase in activity in both enquiries and in sales,” Mr De Chiera said. “The level of sales has been unprecedented in the last 15 years, I’d say.

“People are potentially looking for holiday homes or to relocate permanently, but a lot of the sales have been in vacant land.

“The offering from the government in terms of incentives is encouraging people to buy, so while the volume is up, the majority of those sales have been vacant land.”

In June, the WA government announced $20,000 grants on the back of the $25,000 HomeBuilder grant from the Federal Government for owner-occupiers who build or substantially renovate their homes.

Mr De Chiera said Stocker Preston offices in Dunsborough, Busselton, Margaret River and Augusta had all experienced increases in enquiries and sales over the past four to eight weeks. There had also been a steady turnover of established properties, he said.

This four-bedroom home in West Busselton sold for $855,000 at the end of July. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

“Lack of stock has been an issue,” he said. “We’re seeing a bit more stock come to market now. People who are thinking of selling are realising that now might be a good time to sell, but the number of buyers looking far outweighs the stock available, so we’re seeing multiple offers occur.”

“Perth people just don’t want to be in the city anymore”

First National Margaret River sales agent, Megan Booth, said there had been a flood of buyer enquiries and an increase in sales since the regional border closures were lifted in late May.

Ms Booth said the area was suffering a shortage of stock and pre-pandemic uncertainty had translated to significant sales successes in some towns.

In July, the quaint timber A-frame home at 15 Timor Place, Margaret River received a cash offer of $740,000, just two weeks after it was listed.

This tranquil Margaret River home received a cash offer of $740,000 after just two weeks on the market. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

“The market is not suffering at all,” Ms Booth said.

“We’re finding it [similar to] pre-GFC, that’s how busy we are. We’re doing a sale a day, on average. I’m hearing it’s the same in Dunsborough, Augusta, Busselton. I think there’s a lot of Perth people who just don’t want to be in the city anymore and they want a bit of acreage.

“When the borders opened and most of the restrictions were lifted, we just got inundated with enquiries and inspections, and then sales. Pretty much every property that we show, we get at least one offer.

“It’s pretty crazy. We weren’t expecting this.”

Agents “run off their feet” with interest from around Australia, and the world

Realmark Dunsborough sales representative Julie Fairclough said she was “run off her feet”.

Ms Fairclough said there was a cohort of people who were keen to capitalise on the region with a holiday home. Others were interested in purchasing properties now ahead of their retirement in a few years’ time and rent them out.

“There’s no shortage of buyers. There’s cash offers left, right and centre. We’re absolutely run off our feet. It’s insane,” she said.

“Everyone wants to get out of the city. I’m getting calls from around Australia and around the world, particularly from West Aussies, expats, who want to come home.”

The vendors for this Dunsborough home accepted an offer within three days of it being listed. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

Ms Fairclough said she listed a Dunsborough property online on a Friday night in early July. By Sunday morning there had been three viewings and the vendor accepted an offer that afternoon.

“We had three offers from the three viewings well over $2 million and another offer written sight unseen,” she said.

“It’s just what’s happening. People are buying immediately. We did a FaceTime walk over of a block in Yallingup and a couple from Dubai bought it. Yallingup and Dunsborough are just going crazy.

Would-be buyers are eager to snap up beachfront properties like this limestone beauty in Quindalup. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

“In Yallingup and on beachfront properties, there is a massive upwards trend of prices. People are paying top dollar.”

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