The 12 trophy homes overlooked during the past year that are still available for buyers
“There’s a whole lot of nothing happening in the prestige markets,” one market observer noted. Luxury home shoppers have been mostly dormant, just cherry picking the listings where sizable price adjustments had finally been made. Property Observer has compiled a special anniversary list of 12 trophy homes that buyers can still snap up.
1.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/June6sentinel]}
The Raby Bay, Queensland mansion built for Savage Garden musician Daniel Jones was Property Observer’s first trophy home. The five-bedroom, six-bathroom house on the outskirts of Brisbane remains listed with an $8.5 million asking price. It is still listed with LJ Hooker Cleveland agent Tom Banjanin. Jones sold the property in 2006 for $5.8 million, having paid $810,000 for the 2,327-square-metre holding in 1999.
2.
Anuket at Mosman Park in Perth remains listed for sale in a partially gutted state. It last sold in 2008, when property developer Luke Saraceni bought it from mining speculator David Rigoll, the former early-1990s Colonial Resources managing director, through agent William Porteous for $16 million. It had previously also traded at $16 million in 2007 when offloaded by Firepower director Tim Johnston, who had bought it from property developer Warren Anderson. The house was built for the Burswood Casino developer Dallas Dempster to a design by architect Louise St John Kennedy. Its listing agent, William Porteous from William Porteous Properties International, is understandably marketing it as "one of Perth's most iconic properties". The house is gutted and ready to be finished to one's own standard, Porteous has advised potential inspectees. Set on a 1,425-square-metre block, it comes with five bedrooms, six bathrooms and four living areas. The Chidley Way property comes with a huge lap pool overlooking the Swan River. It was listed last December and not a rushed marketing campaign, as expressions of interest fell due in March this year. Porteous advised the vendors will meet the market.
3.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/June7hopeisland]}
Sails, on Hope Island, Queensland remains for sale. The vendors will take $16.5 million now, compared with the $19 million desired last June. Set on 5,371 square metres of land, this Hope Island stunner has seven bedrooms, 176 metres of shoreline and a jaw-dropping décor. From the elegant stone lions on either side of the doorway through to the striking black marble bathroom and high-celinged purple lounge room with 180-degree views of the canal, every aspect of the property can only be described as opulent. There’s a 10-seat theatre and beach hut by the pool. The 2,700-square-metre Gracemere Circuit house is still being sold by Ruth Fea of Hum&Fea.
4.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/feb22woodlands]}
Woodlands, the 6,130-square-metre Brighton estate with a striking European inspired residence, remains on the market, having returned to the web listings in early 2012. Ian Jackson at Kay & Burton has the South Road listing, which hit the market in both 2009 and 2010. The six-bedroom residence was designed by local architect Jon Friedrich within Paul Bangay-designed gardens. Its foyer has a sweeping wrought-iron staircase with marble flooring. The estate comes with a guest house, flood-lit mod-grass tennis court and glassed indoor pool and spa. Buyers must ask Jackson for price guidance for Woodlands, which was initially listed with $10 million-plus hopes. It reputedly sits on the suburb's largest private landholding, the block costing $1 million in 2002.
5.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/september6schofield]}
Arts guru Leo Schofield is still seeking buyers for his early colonial Tasmanian sandstone residence, Dysart House, marketed since late 2010 through Charlotte Peterswald agent Brian Watchorn. The 1842 residence comes with a music room, billiard room, commercial kitchen and 10 bedrooms and has been Schofield's base since he departed Bronte House. Dysart House’s past owners include Sydneysiders Paul and Yvonne Maule, along with actor Reg Livermore. Dysart House has been marketed as suited for adaption to boutique accommodation, restaurant, or even as cooking school, the state’s current big thing. Its stables could be also be used as an antique centre. Located about 40 minutes from Hobart, it represents the best of listings in Tasmania. The former coaching inn stands on six hectares in the historic village of Kempton, where its first occupant, ex-convict embezzler-turned-innkeeper William Ellis, is buried in the nearby cemetery. Designed in the Greek Revival (Georgian) style, its main facade is breakfront with five bays. The portico has square and round Tuscan columns, framing the central entrance with four-panel door, fanlight and half sidelights. Built in 1842, it was originally named 'The Green Ponds Hotel' and served as an inn, public house and residence until the 1860s. Schofield undertook an extensive restoration over in the past six years. More than $1.2 million is being sought.
6.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/september19mereworth]}
Historic Berrima farm Mereworth remains listed for sale by the Oxley family. The 500-hectare property ranks among the most intact Southern Highlands farms, but it is possible to be subdivided before or after sale. It had initial $11 million hopes. It has been held by the pioneering tea-merchant family since it was bought in 1963 after almost 100 years of ownership by the Cowley family. The nine-bedroom 1964 sandstone house was designed by architect John Amory, with a French provincial feel. Its formal lounge room comes with a baronial fireplace and raked ceilings. Shuttered windows and french doors frame the views of the mature garden, once described by Elwyn Swane as one of the finest by landscaper Paul Sorenson. It is listed through Chris Meares from Meares & Associates, who describes it as the best listing since Reg and Joy Grundy paid $15 million for Comfort Hill, the 200-hectare Sutton Forest property from adman-turned-farmer Michael Ball and his wife, Daria, in 2007. The property, with two creeks, 12 dams and seven bores, suits grazing cattle, sheep and horses. Mereworth's occupancy dates back to John Atkinson's 1820 settlement. His brother, James, owned Oldbury at Sutton Forest.
7.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/november18cunana]}
Cunana, the iconic property situated on the Mornington Peninsula in Merricks, was listed with $12 million-plus hopes last November and remains for sale. It was completed in 2007, after four years of planning and construction, to a design by architect Alfred de Bruyne of SJB Architects, with SJB Interiors completing the interior design. Its deluxe design was no doubt influenced by the vendor, who held a senior position at a leading luxury hotel and resort group for many years. Tom Ormerod from Knight Frank has the listing. Glass walls has created an intimate relationship between the house and its surroundings – the three glass sides offer different views of the ocean, vineyards and rolling hills. The property sleeps 14 people, including a master suite with dressing room and two self-contained apartments, which would be suitable for families, long-term guests or live-in staff. Five kitchens and two large terraces offer entertaining opportunities. There’s an indoor pool, gym, and games room complete with arcade machines and a private cinema. The house sits in 11 hectares of land on one of the highest points of the peninsula and includes two hectares of landscaped gardens, orchards and a vegetable garden. There is also croquet lawn and a boule court.
8.
Innisfallen Castle, the Castle Cove trophy home billed as an irreplaceable piece of history, hasn’t yet found its buying knight. Ranked among Sydney and Australia’s most romantic residential castellated mansions, it's still listed through Ken Jacobs of Christies International with approved architects plans for substantial transformation of both the house and grounds. It's listed in the $10 million-plus category. The turreted Innisfallen, last sold in 1988 for $5.25 million, was only built in 1903 on the Castle Cove waterfront. It’s listed by Peter Montgomery, who also owns Fernleigh Castle in Rose Bay. The landmark Gothic sandstone castle occupies 8,353 square metres of waterfront reserve land overlooking Middle Harbour. It’s only had the two owners since it was held by the Willis family since construction until 1988.
9.
The downsizing executive headhunter Julia Ross has yet to sell her Point Piper non-waterfront Villa del Mare. The vast limestone hilltop palazzo sits on 1,508 square metres. Villa del Mare's $21.5 million non-waterfront price when sold to Ross in 2005 was a Sydney non-harbourfront record. The Wolseley Road offering was discreetly put on the market late last year. The trophy residence came with $40 million-plus hopes through Ken Jacobs of Christie's Great Estates and LJ Hooker Double Bay's Bill Malouf. The limestone palazzowas designed by Chris Norris when built in the late 1990s by developer Nati Stoliar. It’s almost certain to sell to Chinese buyers.
10.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/march9minkara]}
Former freight tycoon Gregory Poche and Kay van Norton have lessened high hopes for their lavishly imposing Bayview residence La Joie de Vivre. The five-bedroom, seven-bathroom house sits on a 4,091-square-metre Minkara Road hillside holding with Pittwater views. The residence was built for Beirut industrialist Agob Dellalian, replete with fine finishes such as 24-carat gold filigree balustrades. Billed as the ultimate entertainment venue for glamorous gala occasions, its entrance is via the semicircular drive and grand foyer. It has a commercial-grade kitchen and, on its sandstone terrace, a commercial-style wet bar. The grounds come with a heated pool and spa, sauna, gymnasium and tennis court with pavilion. It last sold for $10 million in 2003. When initially listed in 2010 it came with suggestions it was likely to fall short of a double-digit sale price. Poche and van Norton spent $11 million in 2009 buying a vacant Manly harbourfront site on which they are building their own dream home. The philanthropic Poche sold his freight logistics company, Star Track Express, to Qantas for $750 million in 2003. Poche left school at 14 and, after various jobs, joined TNT as the company's national marketing manager in 1970.
11.
12.
