Melbourne’s history in new hands, including 158-year-old house – realestate.com.au

A dedicated dog owner is ready to build a new home after parting ways with his $1.29 million mansion in Malvern on Saturday.

The Agency’s Georgia Ackroyd said her seller was keen to purchase a larger property for their multiple pets.

“Now that their house has been sold we will try to find them something with a bit more space in the back garden,” Mrs Ackroyd said.

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Of the four bidders who registered for the auction, three competed for the keys.

Although the three-bedroom home received an offer slightly under the $1.275 million reserve, it was sold to the highest bidder following negotiations after the hammer blow.

“The new owner is an investor who will put the property on the rental market,” Ms Ackroyd said.

“And the seller is delighted and very happy with the result.”

20 Norfolk Place, Malvern, sold to a Melbourne-based investor.

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Features of the three-storey townhouse at 20 Norfolk Place include two bathrooms, a powder room and double doors opening onto a balcony and courtyard.

The residence was built on land that was previously part of the grounds of Stonington Mansion, which sold for $52.5 million in 2018.

The circa 1890 mansion was originally built for Cobb and Co-coaches partner John Wagner, and later served as Victoria’s Government House until 1931.

After the last sale of the manor, some of the surrounding land was subdivided for the construction of new houses.

The Malvern townhouse is close to Menzies Reserve, public transport, schools and the shops and eateries of Glenferrie Rd.

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Another piece of Victoria history changed hands on Saturday with the sale of a circa 1868 house at 17 Chapman St, North Melbourne.

Gianni Fazzari of Belle Property said the four-bedroom house, called Glengariff, had been in one family for three decades.

Former owners include George Evans, who served as town clerk in North Melbourne before 1887 when it was known as Hotham.

The house at 17 Chapman St, North Melbourne, is zoned for North Melbourne Primary School and University High School.

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Mr Fazzari said the sale was very emotional for the owners whose adult children attended the auction.

The bidding between two groups of buyers was fairly uneventful until it went “ballistic” after a bid of $1.92 million, near the top of the range of $1.8 million to $1.95 million.

The house was eventually sold for $2.1 million to a family with young children.

“North Melbourne has a notoriously low property volume,” Fazzari said.

“And to find something like this with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a backyard is almost the equivalent of buying a piece of land elsewhere.”

The house in North Melbourne, called Glengariff, offers a green view.

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In the east of the city, four bidders contested the auction for a house at 33 Kings College Drive, Bayswater.

Sam Sassoon of Ray White Ferntree Gully said the owners were downsizing after building their family home 29 years ago.

It was marketed for $1.1 million and sold for $1.128 million.

“The successful buyers are coming from the inner city and are increasing their size,” Mr Sassoon said.

The owners cried tears of joy when the gavel came down, he added.

He said the Reserve Bank’s rate hike in February has not yet had a major impact on the local market.

“If there are one or two more rate hikes, we can deal with it then,” he said.

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