Private treaty sales signals new lease of life for Musk Farm near Daylesford
The much-admired central Victorian cottage, Musk Farm, near Daylesford, has new owners following its private treaty sale last week.
The much-admired central Victorian cottage, Musk Farm, near Daylesford, has new owners following its private treaty sale last week by tree-changers Mike Wagner and psychologist wife Cathy.
No details have yet emerged on what next for one of Victoria’s most renowned weekenders.
The Wagners were seeking between $3.4m and $3.5m for the 9600sq m retreat, which was a former state school redesigned in the late 1990s by interior designer Stuart Rattle.
Rattle had paid $93,000 in 1998 for the 1880s schoolhouse, which came with a derelict garden overrun with blackberries. He’d been reluctant to buy when he and his good mate, landscape gardener Paul Bangay, undertook their inspection. He thought it looked like a municipal park, with too much asphalt, but returning at twilight he sensed the opportunity, and later arrived at the conclusion the home was at its best in the late afternoon.
Taking inspiration from the English arts and crafts movement of Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll, Rattle set about a restoration that started with the planting of hydrangeas outside the old schoolhouse.
Rattle’s executors sold the 9600sq m retreat for $1.59m in 2014, after Rattle was murdered in 2013 in his city apartment by his partner of 16 years, Michael O’Neill, who was jailed in 2015 for a minimum of 13 years.
It last resold in 2017 for $2.41m.
Belle Property Daylesford agent Annette Leary advised it was a reluctant listing by the Wagners, who were novice gardeners when they took over four years ago.
The gardens feature 15 garden rooms based on a cross axis organisation.
They were the work of Rattle, with Bangay, who owns a weekender 15 minutes away, closely watching on.
Cheap and cheerful
Melbourne had the nation’s cheapest weekend auction sale when $295,000 was paid for a one-bedroom Carnegie apartment marketed with a $270,000 to $295,000 price guide.
The sale highlighted the forceful new buyer demographic when it was bought by a couple as their city bolthole for a few days a week when they work in Melbourne.
The tightly held first floor Moonya Road apartment had last sold in 1999 at $84,000, but had since been stylishly updated.
The Gary Peer selling agent Graeme Callen had marketed it as “the ultimate package for a first-home buyer or astute investor”. It was among the 1420 weekend Melbourne auctions, with CoreLogic advising an 76 per cent preliminary success rate, slightly lower than the 78 per cent national clearance rate, led by Canberra at 85 per cent.
Melbourne’s best
Melbourne’s top sale was a $6.3m pre-auction result in Albert Park, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.
The Kerferd Road home, designed by Matyas Architecture, was unsuccessfully listed in April last year when it was marketed with $6.8m to $7.4m expectations.
It comes with rooftop spa overlooking the city atop four expansive levels, complete with a cinema, exercise studio, wine storage for 500 bottles and an Italian-made lift.
The interiors were by Zunica, with natural materials that included stone and timber, blending with expanses of glass at the house known as Valor, which was built by the Filipovic family from Fili Property.
It was marketed this time as suitable for “everyone from families, professional couples, people working from home, and empty nesters looking for the perfect lock and leave”.
The price guide had been adjusted by the new listing agents from $5.25m to $5.75m.
Simon Gowling,at Greg Hocking Holdsworth, emphasised it came with a home office, which he suggested easily added 5 per cent or 10 per cent to a home’s value.
It had sold prior to its rebuild at $2.15m in 2017.
Top Mosman sale
The nation’s top weekend auction listing was also sold ahead of schedule when 28 Lower Boyle Street, Mosman, fetched $8.25m in pre-auction negotiations.
The waterfront reserve Federation brick home had last sold at $140,000 in 1978.
It was listed through Angela Evans and Kirsty Freyer, of Richardson & Wrench Mosman, who noted the 870sq m holding, zoned R3, had views down Mosman Bay to the harbour and across to the eastern suburbs.
Mosman ranked as one the busiest auction suburbs, according to SQM, with another big listing at 10 Bradleys Head Road failing to sell.
Boasting a 74sq m covered entertaining terrace with a Lynx barbecue, the home had been listed with a guide of $9m through The Agency.
There was a $5.65m sale of a five-bedroom house on a 1328sq m Parriwi Road parcel of land with water views which the agent said was “land value” with all five of the registered bidders wanting to replace it with a modern home. The price was $550,000 over reserve.
Setting the record
A seven-bedroom house in Queens Park described as a “park side oasis” fetched $8m at auction after attracting six registered bidders. It was offered by bookie Nick O’Connell who bought it in 2018 for $5.1m from INXS rock legend Jon Farriss and wife Kerry, who’d listed it as a $3200-a-week rental after they made the move to the Byron Bay hinterland.
It had previously traded in 2007 for $3,225,000 when sold by Newspoll founder Sol Lebovic and wife Linda.
There were minor $121,000 renovation approvals during O’Connell’s ownership.
Bidding opened at $6.5m but only two of the registered parties were seen making offers.
The York Road home sold at about $500,000 over the reserve and $1.5m higher than the suburb’s $6.5m record price last year for the house next door.
Recent data from realestate.com.au revealed 151 suburbs across Sydney — make that 152 now — and a further 148 in regional NSW have set new price records since the start of the year, and in some locations multiple times.
Records were set in 139 suburbs in Victoria and Queensland has seen 158 fresh record prices.
Brisbane bungalow
Not quite a suburb record, but Brisbane saw a Californian bungalow in Clayfield rank as its top weekend sale when $5.075m was secured through Drew Daviesof Place Ascot.
Set on 1215sq m on Enderley Road, it was last traded at $4,625,000 in August 2018 when bought by Jennifer Strachan, the wife of Thomas Strachan, managing director at the investment vehicle Packhorse.
The home had just had an extension done by architect Tim Stewart before its last sale. Its master suite offers his and hers wardrobes, spacious ensuite and a bay window to capture the morning sun.
Bitcoin bid
Craig Allen, the chairman and founder of Offis, the cloud solution provider, has listed his four-bedroom family home in Lane Cove.
It goes to auction on May 29 after 12 years ownership.
There is a $2.75m price guide through Pearl Todd, of Standen Estate Agents Lower North Shore, for the Osborne Road offering.
Bordering Greenwich and Lane Cove, it has been marketed as “an urban haven graced with contemporary, flowing interiors set amid lush tropical gardens with extensive decking, lagoon-style pool and Balinese thatched pavilion”.
Its palm-fringed solar-heated pool comes with an eight-seater spa and cabana.
Allen was thinking of accepting buyers with bitcoin, but it seems his solicitors suggested sticking to cash.
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