Sisters pool resources to buy renovated Geelong West house
Sisters Hannah and Briana Duxbury bought their dream Geelong West home at auction on Saturday. Picture: Mike Dugdale
A slick renovation has added $750,000 to the value of a Geelong West house after it sold for the second time in just over two years.
Two sisters relocating from Warragul joined forces to buy the three-bedroom bungalow for $1.29m at auction at Saturday.
Bidding for 9 Elizabeth Street opened at $1.18m as two buyers’ advocates contested the once rundown character home, which last sold for $540,000 in November 2018.
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A new extension creates an sleek open-plan living zone.
The north-facing deck is ready for entertaining.
The quality of the renovation, that included adding a pavilion-style extension to create a modern living zone, struck a chord with Geelong West buyers in the million-dollar price bracket.
But it was the suburb’s cool inner city vibe that won the hearts of new owners Briana and Hannah Duxbury.
The pair had been travelling from Warragul every second or third weekend for a year to house hunt in the area.
Whitford, Newtown director John Moran calls the auction. Picture: Mike Dugdale
The crowd lined every corner of the intersection. Picture: Mike Dugdale
“It just was the perfect spot with the amenities and the public transport,” Briana Duxbury said.
“We both work in Melbourne so it was a really good spot with the train station.
“It feels like Collingwood or Fitzroy.”
Whitford, Newtown director John Moran said the vendors took on the house as a project to renovate when the amount of work put a lot of buyers off.
He said the finished product was a beautiful mix of old and new in a great location opposite Sparrow Park.
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Before: The house sold in 2018 for $540,000.
The bedrooms retain period features.
The highlight of the reworked floor plan is the open-plan living zone with polished concrete floors, raked ceilings, clerestory windows and a high-end kitchen decked out with a galley-style butler’s pantry and top of the range appliances.
A north-facing courtyard expands living options and there’s also a formal loungeroom at the front of the house where the vendors have created a dressing room and ensuite off the main bedroom.
“Everything is done to the highest of quality,” Mr Moran said.
Buyers’ advocate, Eclipse Property Advisory director Ying Chan, makes a bid. Picture: Mike Dugdale
Melbourne-based buyers’ advocate, Eclipse Property Advisory director Ying Chan, who bid on the sisters’ behalf, said Geelong West’s train station was a big drawcard for buyers relocating down the highway.