The Simonds family estate sets a new Malvern East record with pre-auction sale worth $12 million
A Malvern East home built for Rhett Simonds, executive chairman of the Simonds Group, and his wife Samantha, has broken the suburb’s record after selling for around $12 million before auction.
The single-storey estate at 43 Grant St was due to go to private auction on December 3, but was sold four days earlier after a wealthy buyer made a knockout bid.
The deal came in at $700,000 above Malvern East’s previous benchmark of $11.3 million, set at 17 Manning Rd in October 2025 according to RP Data.
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The 1,944 sqm property was designed by FGR Architects and completed about a year ago after the Simonds family bought the block for $6.4 million in 2022.
The renovation delivered a full resort layout with a swimming pool, tennis court, basketball court, landscaped gardens and multiple indoor and outdoor living areas.
Whitefox Northside director Dylan Francis said the home faced strong competition from several buyers before the pre-auction bid was accepted.
“We are very excited about the outcome,” said Mr Francis.
The rebuild of Grant St provided a rare single storey estate on a 1,944m² block
Full height glazing opens the main living area to the swimming pool and landscaped rear garden
“We had a buyer’s attorney representing a high-net-worth client who stood above all others.
“It was a younger couple who wanted to start a family in the area and the single-storey layout was very appealing.”
Mr Francis said buyers were particularly attracted by the scale of the backyard.
“They loved the pool and the tennis court and they are big basketball people, so the court was a huge hit,” he said.
Round skylights run through the center of the house, bringing natural light into every zone
A skylight hallway leads to the bedroom wing and connects the home’s main living areas
“The north-facing rear provides incredible morning light and it was a house that ticked all the boxes.
“That led to the enormous supply before the auction.”
The Whitefox Northside director said negotiations were aimed at sending one clear message to the lead buyer.
“When you are talking about a ready-to-live home of this caliber and there are multiple parties registered for the auction, the guide becomes irrelevant,” Mr Francis said.
The laundry room features extensive storage and family-oriented functionality with direct access to the outdoors
The kitchen is equipped with high-quality built-in appliances, stone finishes and a seamless connection with the outdoor area
“If someone wants to buy before the auction, the bid must be a knockout.
“The dialogue was simple: put forward the song that really secures it.”
The sale is expected to be one of the biggest residential results in Stonnington this year.
Whitefox founder and Block judge Marty Fox said the outcome had “incredible momentum” and highlighted the rising demand for high-quality, move-in ready homes across Melbourne.
“It was about understanding how to talk to buyers at different price points,” Fox said.
“It is now tuned to that frequency and it shows.”
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