Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

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"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

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After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

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Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

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The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

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Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

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Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

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ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

Joel Robinson

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Virgate Property Group is preparing to commence construction of Verdé, its new apartment development in Melbourne's Arts Precinct at Southbank, following a strong run of sales that has seen more than half of the project's 173 apartments secured.

Verdé has attracted a broad mix of first home buyers, owner-occupiers upgrading from nearby inner-city suburbs and investors, with younger owner-occupier couples aged between 28 and 45 accounting for the strongest enquiry. Many are already living in Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and the CBD.

"Verdé is located in one of the most desirable pockets of southern Melbourne," Blair Property Group Director Darren Blair, who is managing sales at Verdé, said.

"It's within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake, and Southbank's restaurants and retail. It's a great lifestyle location with strong amenity and liveability, which made it a very attractive choice for the project."

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Virgate was already familiar with the precinct, having previously delivered the successful Domain House development in neighbouring South Melbourne. That experience gave the developer confidence to acquire the Coventry Street site and continue expanding its presence in Melbourne's inner south.

"We had been keeping an eye on the site and the broader precinct for a few months before deciding to move forward with the acquisition," Virgate said.

The project was ultimately secured in 2020 following feasibility studies, planning assessments and due diligence, with the brief centred on delivering "a high-quality, considered design that feels both refined and fit for purpose."

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, Verdé comprises 173 one, two and three-bedroom apartments priced from $599,000. The architecture is distinguished by a faceted glass façade that responds to both the site's outlook and Melbourne's changing light conditions.

According to Bruce Henderson Architects, the coloured glazing gives the building a distinctive identity while also providing privacy and solar shading, with residences oriented to capture views across the bay, city skyline and surrounding parklands.

Inside, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/designoffice">DesignOffice</a> has created interiors focused on natural light, efficient planning and enduring materials. Apartments feature engineered oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling glazing and SMEG appliances, while a restrained material palette aims to complement the expansive outlooks rather than compete with them.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372550]

Resident amenity has also been designed around everyday functionality rather than occasional use. Facilities include a concierge-serviced lobby, residents' lounge with fireplace, library and co-working space, gym, terrace garden with barbecue facilities, ground-floor café, and package delivery management.

The project's location continues to be one of its strongest drawcards. Positioned on Coventry Street, Verdé sits within walking distance of the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens and Albert Park Lake, while Southbank's dining precinct, Sturt Street trams and the new ANZAC Station are all nearby. The surrounding education catchment also includes Melbourne Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and several major university campuses.

The sales team says buyers have responded particularly well to the combination of location, design quality and long-term liveability.

"They're responding really positively to the quality of the design, premium resident amenities and the uninterrupted views. Many also appreciate the location and how connected it is to everything they need."

The ability to secure stamp duty savings before completion has also been a key factor for purchasers, alongside the opportunity to personalise finishes ahead of settlement.

With construction set to commence soon and more than half the apartments already sold, Verdé enters its next phase as one of the Arts Precinct's more established apartment developments, offering remaining buyers an opportunity to secure a residence before construction advances further. Expected completion is scheduled for late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=4661]

Virgate's Verdé Southbank moves toward construction as sales fly past halfway stage

Downsizer-focused apartment development Kooyongkoot in Hawthorn has been recognised at the 2026 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards, taking home Gold and Silver awards in two categories.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a>, currently being delivered by developer PQD and designed by Cera Stribley, received Gold in the Interior Design – Proposed category and Silver in the Architecture – Proposed category.

The dual recognition reflects the design approach behind the boutique development on prestigious Kooyongkoot Road, where the focus has been on creating homes for downsizers seeking the space, quality and functionality of a detached house within a low-rise apartment building.

Rather than maximising apartment numbers, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pqd">PQD</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a> limited the development to just 18 residences, allowing for larger floorplans, greater privacy, generous landscaping and expansive communal spaces.&nbsp;The majority of the apartments also benefit from corner aspects, allowing for dual sources of natural light.

Now around 70 per cent complete and on track for completion in November 2026, Kooyongkoot will comprise a mix of garden residences, ter​race apartments, sub-penthouses, and is crowned by two half-floor penthouses with direct lift access and private rooftop terraces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355297]

The Silver Award for Architecture recognised the way the building responds to its prominent corner position at the ent​rance to Hawthorn's Scotch Hill precinct, one of Melbourne's most established residential neighbourhoods.

Rather than competing with the grand homes that line Kooyongkoot Road, the architectural approach focused on restraint and longevity, using curved brickwork, generous landscaping and carefully considered proportions to integrate with the existing streetscape.

"The form feels fluid and timeless, as though shaped by the landscape itself – architecture that belongs, rather than competes," said Chris Stribley, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Cera Stribley.

The judging submission also highlighted practical innovations throughout the building, including lift cores servicing only nine homes each, a central landscaped lightcourt designed to bring daylight and ventilation into the building, and fully enclosed private storage rooms with lighting, power and shelving to better accommodate residents transitioning from larger family homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355293]

The Gold Award for Interior Design recognised the project's focus on long-term liveability rather than display-home aesthetics.

According to the awards submission, the interiors were designed from the inside out, prioritising how homes would function over decades of daily use through generous proportions, practical storage, durable natural materials and flexible layouts.

The specification includes natural stone throughout, upgraded acoustic glazing, V-ZUG appliances and fully enclosed storage rooms, alongside an amenity offering focused on wellness, entertainment and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Residents will have access to a gym and yoga studio, a wellness centre featuring traditional and infrared saunas, a cold therapy shower and treatment room, as well as a residents' lounge and golf simulator/cinema room for entertainment.&nbsp;Kooyongkoot has also considered the everyday convenience of its residents by offering a private carwash and pet wash facilities on site as well as dedicated parcel lockers and oversized fully enclosed storage rooms.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355303]

The project's attention to detail has already resonated with buyers. Earlier this year, Kooyongkoot recorded one of Boroondara's highest apartment sales when an $8 million penthouse was purchased by a Melbourne CEO downsizing from a nearby family home.

"Every detail feels deliberate, from the overall design down to the smallest touches," the purchaser said.

"The level of quality and refinement is exceptional, but what really sold it was how liveable it felt... It felt like a place where everything had been considered, not just a luxury building."

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Sustainability also formed a key part of both award submissions. Kooyongkoot is targeting a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating across all residences, supported by passive design principles, high-performance glazing, EV charging infrastructure, water reuse systems and a wellness model focused on lower-energy dry facilities rather than pools and large wet areas.

Located within walking distance of Scotch College, Methodist Ladies' College, Koo​yong Lawn Tennis Club, Aubur​n Village and Camberwell Junction, Kooyongkoot continues to target owner-occupiers looking to remain in Melbourne's inner east without compromising on space or quality. A limited selection of two, three and four-bedroom residences remains available, with prices starting from $1.9 million.

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Kooyongkoot wins Gold and Silver at Better Future Melbourne Design Awards

New apartment supply has become increasingly constrained across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a> in recent years, with fewer projects progressing through to completion as development conditions have become more challenging.

It makes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/novm">NOVM</a>'s 2021-completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> one of the most recently completed residential towers on the Parramatta River, and among the newest apartment developments in Sydney's second CBD.

With the project largely completed before the sharp escalation in construction costs and inflation following the pandemic, The Lennox is now offering pricing that would be difficult to replicate in a comparable new development in Parramatta today, or across much of Western Sydney.

The majority of the 413 apartments at The Lennox sold before and shortly after completion. A limited release of the remaining apartments has recently been brought to market by capital partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a>, with entry-level pricing from $700,000 and two-bedroom apartments available from under $1 million.

Rising above the Parramatta River at 12 Phillip Street, The Lennox comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, appealing to first home buyers, young professionals, families, downsizers and interstate investors seeking a completed apartment in one of Australia's fastest-growing economic centres.

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Rather than positioning Parramatta as an alternative to Sydney's CBD, Equitifund believes the city has reached a point where it stands on its own merits.

"Parramatta is no longer simply an alternative to Sydney CBD, it's becoming a destination in its own right," Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said.

"The Lennox captures that evolution with a level of quality and amenity that's difficult to match at its price point."

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, the tower responds directly to its riverfront setting through expansive glazing and open-plan layouts that maximise views across the Parramatta River and city skyline. Interiors feature engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and floor-to-ceiling glazing, while generous balconies extend the living spaces outdoors.

Marchese Partners says the project was conceived to balance high-quality apartment living with practical, long-term functionality, pairing larger, efficient floorplans with amenities more commonly associated with five-star hotels.

That emphasis continues through the resident facilities, which include a 20-metre rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped gym and wellness spaces, full-time concierge, a residents' lounge, function room, private lifts, secure basement parking and rooftop communal areas overlooking the Parramatta River. Ground-floor boardwalk retail and dining further activate the riverfront and integrate the building into the surrounding public realm.

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Australian housing and finance group Equitifund has secured the remaining apartments, believing there are few completed apartment opportunities in Parramatta that offer the same combination of location, amenity and pricing.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett says buyers are increasingly recognising that premium apartment living no longer needs to come with Sydney CBD pricing.

"The Lennox is where aspirational living becomes attainable," Hamblett said.

"Wake to river and mountain views, step into Sydney's Second CBD, and arrive home to resort-calibre amenities, all without the harbour price tag."

Hamblett says owner-occupiers are also attracted by the convenience of having Westfield Parramatta, Church Street's dining precinct, Parramatta Park, Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney University and major transport connections all within walking distance.

"At The Lennox, lifestyle is not an afterthought, it is the foundation."

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The Lennox places residents within walking distance of Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta, Church Street Eat Street, Parramatta Station, the ferry wharf, Light Rail, the future Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Park and CommBank Stadium, reinforcing Parramatta's position as one of Australia's most connected metropolitan centres outside Sydney's CBD.

Equitifund says buyers visiting the display suite consistently comment on the quality of the finishes, generous floorplans, river and skyline views, and the walkability of the location. The project has attracted a broad mix of local professionals, upsizers, downsizers, buyers relocating from Sydney's inner suburbs and interstate investors seeking long-term growth opportunities.

That demand aligns with Parramatta's continued evolution as an economic powerhouse. Equitifund Research and Market Insights specialist John Bekiaris says sustained population growth, infrastructure investment and expanding employment opportunities continue to support long-term housing demand across the city.

"Parramatta has evolved from a satellite city into one of Australia's most important economic centres. Population growth, infrastructure investment and employment are all supporting sustained long-term housing demand."

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The apartment price gap drawing Sydney buyers west

A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.

The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.

The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.

The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.

Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.

"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.

"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."

<img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" />

Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.

Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.

Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.

"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.

"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."

Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.

Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.

Rainbow Bay apartment doubles in price since off the plan sale during pandemic

Trophy Sale

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A Hamilton Hill home sold for $5,385,000 at its recent auction, $1,265,000 over its reserve.
Built in 2011, the imposing five bedroom, five bathroom home on 607 sqm is set against a backdrop of panoramic river views and the city skyline.
The <a href="https://www.raywhite.com/qld/hamilton/1556823/?lang=en" target="_blank">four level home </a>with lift access to all levels features a number of private terraces, a self-contained guest wing, home theatre, swimming pool and rooftop terrace.
The home came with a reserve price of $4.1 million through Ray White Ascot agent Damon Warat.
It last traded for $2 million in 2008, before the house was built.
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Hamilton Hill home smashes reserve by $1.2 million

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A three bedroom home at North Manly is for auction with its $1.6 million hopes now adjusted to $1.5 million.
Located at <a href="https://stonerealestate.agentboxcrm.com.au/100P4695" target="_blank">2 Ankali Place</a> the Opdetjerp, with its name etched onto a sign, has an open plan central living/dining that is handsomely divided by an atomic-style fireplace.
It also has a lock up garage with internal access, plus gated off-street parking for two cars.
It has separate lounge plus a rumpus/retreat downstairs and two glass enclosed sunrooms.
The kitchen is spacious and highly functional with walk-in pantry and breakfast bar.
The master bedroom is generously spacious with a walk-in robe, ensuite and north facing balcony.
The leafy terraced gardens has a covered BBQ area along with fruit trees and fish pond.
The auction is December 10 through Stone Real Estate agents James Hawley and John Hall.
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North Manly home, the Opdetjerp, for auction

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Rotha, a 1910 home at Camberwell was among the handful across Melbourne that sold for more than $4 million at weekend auction. 
The <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/95-broadway-camberwell-vic-3124-2013164195" target="_blank">Camberwell</a> home sold at weekend auction for more than $700,000 over reserve. It was last sold in the 1920s.
Three bidders competed for the four bedroom home on 1070 sq m after the Jellis Craig auctioneer Richard Earle kicked the auction off with a $2.8 million vendor bid. 
The house at 95 Broadway with Art Nouveau leadlight entry was announced on the market at $3.3 million.
It sold for $4,020,000. 
The other sales around Melbourne last weekend included:
<table class="table table-striped"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>14 Kingsley St ELWOOD</td>
<td>$4,750,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>23 Irving Av BOX HILL</td>
<td>$4,500,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12 Patterson St MIDDLE PARK</td>
<td>$4,175,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>17 Bell St FITZROY</td>
<td>$4,011,000</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Rotha on Broadway, Camberwell home sells at $4.02 million

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A $3.75 million sale of a Victorian home in need of renovation was secured earlier this month at 22 Chrystobel Crescent, Hawthorn.
The 1888 house, on a substantial 830 square metre block, fecthed around $450,000 over reserve.
The Marshall White auction attracted interest from five bidders.
One buyers agent advised the property, located in the coveted Grace Park Estate, got the big price despite having the downsides of being south-facing and being on a slope.
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No downside as Hawthorn home on a slope sells for $3.75m

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Chinese businessman and keen yachtie Wilson Lee and his wife Baoyu Wu have emerged as the buyers of the Bellevue Hill trophy Leura home.
Located on <a href="https://www.raywhite.com/nsw/bellevue-hill/1345342/?lang=en">Victoria Road</a>, it sold for $30.8 million a year ago on delayed settlement terms through Ray White Double Bay’s Michael Finger.
The property was built for the Knox family in the 1890s.
It was last traded in 1986 to Ken and Christine Allen for $7.3 million after its restoration by property developer Bill Shipton.
Lee is chief of Noah Group, a Chinese wealth manager, however locally he is well known for his super yacth Ark 323.
It came from Shanghai’s Noah Sailing Club last year as the first all-Chinese crew to compete in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
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Leura, Bellevue Hill trophy home sold for $30.8 million

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The buyer of The Edge, the award winning Port Douglas trophy home designed by Charles Wright, has emerged as Professor Charles Mackay.
The chief scientific officer at Pfizer in Massachusetts paid $4.85 million for the home after its price was adjusted to $5 million through Barbara Wolveridge at Raine &amp; Horne Port Douglas Mossman.
Mackay retains a home in Sydney's Vaucluse.
It initially came with $7.4 million hopes upon its May 2015 listing.
Floating off the side of Flagstaff Hill, the 555 square metre home with wet edge pool is designed like an outdoor shell with a cantilevered roof.
The two bedroom home won the far North Queensland Eddie Oribin Award for building of the year at the 2015 AIA Architecture Awards.
It was built for the late Sydney industrialist Peter Graham and wife Claire.
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian.
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The Edge, Port Douglas mystery buyer revealed

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A charming Victorian home in Brunswick sold at weekend auction.
The double storey <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-brunswick-123942114">222 Barkly Street property </a>fetched $2.5 million under the hammer.
It last sold at $83,500 in 1981.
Jellis Craig selling agent Lisa Roberts said the five bedroom house drew just the two bidders, both young families.
A local Brunswick family secured the house, with 266 square metres living space, according to the Herald Sun.
Roberts said they were keen on its position in the Princes Hill High School zone, where the home’s previous owners of 35 years had also sent their children.
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Brunswick trophy home sold at $2.5 million

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A Yarralumla mansion - with pool and tennis court on a 2286 sqm block - sold for $5,475,000 at auction on Sunday.
The initial price guidance had <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-yarralumla-123949462" target="_blank">been $3.8 million plus</a>. Property Observer gathers the block had cost $750,000 in 2001 with the 580 sqm home built around 2005.
Peter Blackshaw Real Estate agent Mario Sanfrancesco secured the sale of the five-bedroom, four-bathroom residence near Lake Burley Griffin which was bought by a Canberra family.
The sale of 12 Hunter Street is the territory’s third-highest house sale, behind two properties on the exclusive Mugga Way in Red Hill.
But the sale is the highest under the auction hammer exceeding a sale set in June at $3.95 million at 16 Brown Street, Yarralumla. There was an earlier auction record in 2014 when a home at Mugga Way in Red Hill sold for $3.4 million.
Canberra’s highest residential sale was when at 27 Mugga Way in Red Hill sold for $7.3 million in 2010, which was closely challenged by 20 Mugga Way which sold for $7.2 million in 2014.
Hunter Street's most recent sale was when the former ACT Brumbies captain Stephen Moore sold his Canberra family home.
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Yarralumla's record auction sale on Hunter Street

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Altona, the quietened former Sydney harbourfront party home in Point Piper, has new owners. 
No price disclosure but <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/54-wunulla-rd-point-piper-nsw-2027" target="_blank">Altona</a> was offered as likely to fetch $60 million plus, so the sale fell short of the Sydney record set when the casino tycoon James Packer secured $70 million at Vaucluse last year.
The low-key vendors, the Wang family had bought the prized harbourfront home for $52 million in 2013, so with few only minor renovations have made a handy profit.
Late this week the Huang family placed a caveat on the property's title following their purchase. It is understood they live in Hunters Hill.
Its sale negotiations concluded quickly as there was no requirement for Foreign Investment Review Board approval by the resident Australians.
The iconic Victorian Italianate home sits on a 2400 sq m holding after a proposed subdivision sale of the vacant $18 million tennis court block did not proceed after neighbourhood objections. 
The previous owners include Deke Miskin, a former teenage magazine publishing industry entreprenuer, and his wife Eve who hosted many social events as did the Handbury family during their tenure.
A who's who have thought about owning it including actor Russell Crowe who looked at buying it too in 2007 as did the Lowy shopping centre family. 
The harbourside home is on Wunulla Road, just a few doors along from the home of the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and wife, Lucy.
Altona was listed with it limited web marketing in June this year through Rosaline Ho of Goldfield &amp; Co with more than 10 potential buyers eventually shown through the iconic home with Dods &amp; Zuccon Architects re-design.
Sydney's priciest trophy home sale remains the $70 million secured last year by James and Erica Packer through Christie's International agent Ken Jacobs when it was sold to longtime Hunters Hill owner and Chinese billionaire Dr Chau Chak Wing. 
The whisper quiet Altona sale reduces the options to buy impressive eastern suburb waterfronts by one.
As spring listings turn into summer offerings, agents still have Berthong and Boomerang at Elizabeth Bay and Elaine at Double Bay for sale.
The prestige inland offerings include Rona at Bellevue Hill.
There's a raft of houses sitting in equal third place.
The magnificent European-style Villa Igiea was sold for a confirmed $52 million by entrepreneurial expat Dr Wayne Burt in the final hours of 2015 across international time zones. 
The hillside mansion, inspired by a villa in Palermo, Sicily, dates back to the 1920s when built for the Grace retailing family. It has become one of Sydney’s leading short-term luxury rentals, currently occupied by Texan billionaire Jim Clark and his model wife Kristy Hinze-Clark as their Sydney to Hobart race-winning bolthole.
The sale was $47 million for the house and $5 million for the adjoining property.
The bullish Villa Igiea price was secured by Ken Jacobs at Christie’s International and Brad Pillinger at Pillinger Properties, who has had a hand in the 2200sqm property’s sale three times. 
Altona had previously sold at $52 million three years ago, through Alison Coopes, who was back as a listing agent this time.
Also at $52 million, Andrew and Andrea Banks sold Villa Veneto for a reported $52 million, in 2010 to dental entrepreneur David Penn and his wife Linda Mueller, a Lowes Manhattan heiress, who had made their initial inspection two years earlier.
Sold through Bill Malouf, the five-storey Italianate villa was designed by Michael Suttor, with interiors by Michael Love, and was completed in 2004 having cost about $15 million to build. 
In fifth place, the 2008 expatriate foreign exchange dealer Ivan Ritossa paid $45 million for his beachfront  Vaucluse residence via agent Bill Bridges.
Actor Russell Crowe had inspected the house twice but passed when it was listed by late Allco boss David Coe. 
He had bought it in 1998 for $14.63 million after the death of Sir Alexis Albert, of the Boomerang music songbook family, who built it in 1936.
The Queen popped in for afternoon tea on her 1954 visit.
This article first appeared in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Point Piper's Altona sails into second place with $60 million sale to Huang family

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Contemporary artistic couple Marc and Gillie Schattner have secured a quick flip on their Bellevue Hill home.
They paid $3.9 million for the three level home just 11 months ago. It sold short of its initial $6.5 million price guidance, but higher than its $5.69 million rejected offer.
The recently refurbished Mediteranean-style family home on 956 sqm on Suttie Road has five bedrooms.
Gillie and Marc are famous for their contemporary art which is scattered through the home. 
They often enter work into Sculptures by the Sea with 'Shandu the buried Rhino' a popular choice for onlookers this year. 
This article first appeared in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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