Sisters pool resources to buy renovated Geelong West house
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.
RELATED: Buyers out in force as Geelong auctions return
Buyers swoop on old Barwon Heads home
Retro beach house beats reserve by $1.45m
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.
“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.
More from news
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.
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.