A region for all seasons: buyers flock to Southern Highlands
Property sales in the NSW Southern Highlands are still strong in the run-up to Christmas with Sydneysiders continuing to buy in, particularly at the upper end of the market.
Sydneysiders, as well as local upsizers and downsizers, continue to be the bedrock buyers in the NSW Southern Highlands, with the property market still ticking along in the week prior to Christmas.
One of the region’s leading agents – Ben Olofsen of The Agency – says there are plenty of properties on offer, particularly at the lower end of the market, meaning houses priced at less than $1.5m.
At the upper end of the market – those properties priced at more than $3m – there is presently a lot of value to be had in the region, which is popular with city dwellers due to its four distinct seasons.
The Southern Highlands, which takes in Moss Vale, Bowral, Mittagong and the upmarket Kangaloon, is home to a number of celebrities including media, entertainment and sporting personalities, such as former tennis ace and ex federal politician John Alexander.
Alexander recently listed his long-held property Iona Park with $10m to $11m hopes.
He is intent on selling the 40ha estate, which presently carries 20 head of cattle and 15 horses, through Bradley Cocks and Kate McCullagh of Di Jones, and is looking to downsize within the area he really likes because of its community spirit.
Marketing agent Cocks says there have been six groups through so far.
“They have been mainly larger families from 1000 acres or so moving into the area, as well as two locals who are thinking about selling. So basically we have had interest from four out-of-towners and two locals.”
Cocks says there have been some big sales in the Southern Highlands of late.
“I feel more confidence coming into the market. I hope to sell two or three more properties before Christmas,” he says.
Veteran agent Samuel Lindsay, who helms the newly merged Drew Lindsay Sothebys operation based in Bowral, has just sold several major estates in the Southern Highlands region, which is located about 90 minutes south of Sydney.
Lindsay has just sold the five-bedroom, three-bathroom Lakeside Pavilion House, fronting 16 Elliot Little Lane at Wildes Meadow, to a couple of Sydney buyers.
The 11 acre (4.5ha) property had been on the market for eight weeks, and the guide was around $5.25m.
He has also just sold the four-bedroom, two-bathroom 9 Bradman Ave property in Bowral, which attracted 86 inspections and had a guide of $3.7m.
The buyer of the property in the heart of Bowral was also a Sydneysider. Lindsay says the agency has been operating in the rural retreat market for 40 to 50 years.
He reckons there’s always a buying spike around October and November – and sometimes even in the weeks just prior to Christmas.
He is presently marketing 77 Kia-Ora Lane, Kangaloon, a 25 acre property that he says is competitively priced at $4.95m.
The owner has purchased a larger property elsewhere in the Southern Highlands.
The 77 Kia-Ora Lane property features five bedrooms and three bathrooms and has an elevated location amid the rolling hills of Kangaloon. The house was built around 1980.
He is also marketing 29 Boronia St, Bowral on five acres and is predicting $10m.
Lindsay has just reduced the price on Marlowe, fronting 183 Ringwood Rd, Exeter, from an original asking price of up to $5.5m down to $4.9m. For their money buyers can snare a six-bedroom income-generating horse farm on 26 acres with views over rolling hills. The homestead is newly completed and there’s an original three-bedroom cottage. The property also includes an 11m solar heated pool, vegetable garden and chook run, as well as an orchard spread over 5 acres.
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