Trophy Home: Andrew Grech’s successful sale case

Andrew Grech, former chief executive of Slater & Gordon, and wife Daniela have sold their Surfers Paradise holiday home.

Andrew Grech, former chief executive of law firm Slater & Gordon, and wife Daniela have sold their Surfers Paradise holiday home. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom sub-penthouse apartment in the Carmel by the Sea block at Broadbeach fetched $2.6 million. Daniela paid $1.95m in 2006. Set on the 26th level, the apartment spans 370sq m of indoor and outdoor living with two living areas and several alfresco terraces overlooking the beach. It was the last sale by the late Ray White agent Rob Astbury.

Tidy profit for ex-Roos skipper

The renovated Albert Park home of Andrew Swallow, the former AFL North Melbourne skipper, and wife Elise, has been sold post auction for $2.425m. A $550,000 renovation followed his $920,000 purchase of the Victorian in 2013, so a tidy profit for the veteran. There had been suggestions the couple would be off to the Gold Coast so Swallow could link up with his brother David, who plays for the Suns. But the Swallows and their two young children are moving to Byron Bay, where he will instead play for NEAFL Queensland club Aspley in 2018.

The rear of the Swallows’ home at Albert Park.

Swallow joins a number of ex-AFL players at Aspley, including former teammate Ben Warren, Melbourne ruckman Jake Spencer and former Brisbane forward Jono Freeman. Greg Hocking Holdsworth agents John Holdsworth and Shane Siemers sold the home, which had three bedrooms, three bathrooms plus a slick open-plan kitchen. Swallow, who was North Melbourne’s third-round draft selection in 2005 when plucked from East Fremantle, played 224 games for the club.

Kitchen key in MasterChef deal

The summer crowd on the Mornington Peninsula sees the arrival of MasterChef Australia judge Gary Mehigan and wife Mandy, who have settled on a luxury weekender from their Malvern home base. They have paid $1.75m for a contemporary Main Ridge estate. Set in 4425sq m of landscaped grounds, it comes with views over neighbouring farmland. The striking home has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, several entertaining areas and a 25m lap pool. Of course, any house purchase from Mehigan will have the kitchen as the focal point. The stone kitchen was marketed as being at the heart of the home, overlooking the living zone with wood fire. Michael Parker and Samantha Moffatt at RT Edgar Flinders secured the sale. Mehigan, born in Britain, trained at The Connaught and Le Souffle in London before moving to Melbourne in 1991.

Move brewing for coffee boss

Coffee mogul Phillip Di Bella and wife Gianna have listed their whole-floor Allure luxury apartment in Surfers Paradise. Ray White Surfers Paradise Group agent Robert Graham has the beachfront offering scheduled for the group’s big annual auction, The Event, on January 28. Di Bella calculated the family had spent only 20 nights at the Northcliffe Terrace apartment in the past 2½ years. They plan to spend more time in New Zealand, where they have built a four-level house on Queenstown Hill.

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