Shock sale price for James Packer’s ex in Watsons Bay

After two failed campaigns and a sexy makeover, swimwear model-turned-fashion designer Jodhi Meares finally has reason to celebrate.

After two failed campaigns and a sexy makeover, swimwear model-turned-fashion designer Jodhi Meares finally has reason to celebrate.

After two failed campaigns and a sexy makeover, swimwear model-turned-fashion designer Jodhi Meares has finally sold her Watsons Bay hideaway with no parking.

And it was a great result for the one-time wife of billionaire James Packer — the two-bedder at 13 Cove St fetched $5.2m.

The highest offer she had previously was $4.25m last year.

The sale, via Raine and Horne Double Bay’s Christophe Serrao last night, is believed to be a record for a property without parking in Cove St.

The heritage-listed 1880s cottage was first listed last September with other agents, but promptly withdrawn when another home in the street was listed.

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New paint job.

New landscaping.

It was back on the market after the nearby rival sold, but by then it was too late in the year — the Meares property failed to attract an acceptable offer in the lead up to Christmas.

But the “new energy” of the new year has brought results and Serrao says the spruce up “definitely made a difference”.

They did a lot of work to the property — a paint job, new landscaping, new photos and a video.

The new auction date was set for February 11 — next Tuesday — with a guide of $4.8m — the same guide as last September.

“It came down to creating the right buzz … we had 120 inquiries and 60 to 70 people came to see it,” Serrao says.

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Fresh energy.

Two buyers were fighting over it.

“This week we had a couple of groups making offers, one from Bondi and another from the fringe of the city, with two offers of $4.8m.

“And we ended up at $5.2m.”

It was the Bondi buyers who were successful. Looking for a lifestyle change, they’re set to move in.

Meares has also now moved on.

The founder of Tigerlily swimwear has now bought a four-bedroom, three-bathroom property for $4.1m, 15 minutes from the beach at Brooklet, inland from Byron.

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James Packer and Jodhi Meares. Picture: Christian Gilles

The modernist-style designer home comes with an avocado, citrus, banana and papaw orchard.

It also has an arts studio.

She’d bought the Watsons Bay property for $2.75m in 2017 as her local bolthole as she split her time between Sydney and the US.

She’d split with Packer in 2002.

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Originally published as Shock sale price for James Packer’s ex in Watsons Bay