Not so cheap Launceston actually - potential homes for the AFL Hawks if they fly the Waverley eyrie
Former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett yesterday suggested the Hawks AFL team ought consider relocating to Launceston in Tasmania.
It came after ongoing reports that Hawthorn had been considering selling their Waverley Park complex and moving elsewhere.
Speaking with 3AW broadcaster Neil Mitchell, Jeff Kennett said it would be in the best interest of the club to pack up and move across Bass Strait given their existing links to the island state.
"I think that would be the cheapest and most exciting option. I'm not sure that the board would agree with me [but] when you think it through clearly it could be the opportunity of a lifetime."
“The Aurora Stadium is the best surface in Australia,” he said before adding his property insights.
“The (players) could rent out their houses here (Melbourne) and buy new properties in Launceston, so financially they would do well."
Many of the listings have enough bedrooms for at least half the team to bunk down with their footballer landlord.
The outspoken former Victorian premier and former club president's latest radical proposal comes as the future of AFL matches at both ends of the Tasmania island are under increasing scrutiny - and at a time when the Tasmanian residential market remains problematic. Indeed RP Data puts the Launceston median house price at $360,000 down from its $390,000 peak in 2010.
Nonetheless, Property Observer has come up with the pick of the slow selling crop from the 55 listings on realestateVIEW.com.au starting with an historic house that goes to auction this weekend.
It is an 1863 Victorian mansion set in a walled-English Country Garden setting at 15 Maitland Street (pictured above).
Its been marketed by agent Stuart Ferrall at Harrison Humphreys as having the comfort of the integrated hydronic heating in the home which comes with double brick interior walls. The basement cellar is special. Around $500,000 is tipped.
Many of the listings have enough bedrooms for at least half the team to bunk down with their footballer landlord.
There is a $1.1 million asking price on the 11 bedroom, 11 bathroom Kilmarnock House built in 1905 as a townhouse for John Ingles, a well-known Launceston merchant.
The completed cost, as charged was a moderate £1,588 pounds, 15 shillings and threepence for the house at 66 Elphin Road (pictured below).
Last offered for sale 33 years ago, it is for sale through Harcourts agent Jeremy Wilkinson.
Elsewhere on Elphin is a $760,000 offering (pictured below) which as been billed by Harcourts as a blue-chip investment - with a consistent rent return of $1,125 per week split amongst five units within the home.
At West Launceston, there is a $920,000 asking price on Edenholme Grange, just minutes from the city centre and Cataract Gorge, through Harcourts agent Courtney Hogan.
The 14 St Andrews Street property (pictured below) - currently a 12 room bed and breakfast - is a magnificent eight bedroom house on over one acre of private grounds. It was built in 1881 by a sea captain.
The oldest on offer is on the so-called Quality Row, a heritage listed four storey Georgian residence built by James Bennell in 1843/44 at 165 St John Street (pictured below) with 12 pane sash windows with original shutters.
No doubt the Hawk players would prefer something a little more contemporary akin to their Melbourne surrounds.
So 5B Eastbourne Street at South Launceston (pictured below) would be the go at $465,000.
It's a new double story home with three good sized bedrooms, two bathrooms, double remote access garage and a sleek, stylish kitchen.The property that boasts 27 squares of quality contemporary living including that must-have private alfresco BBQ area is listed through Ray White agent Steve McCann.
Apartment wise it would be hard to go past the newly completed complex, The Charles at 287 Charles Street (pictured below). Not cheap as with nine sold the remaining prices through Harcourts range between apartment 4 at $1,190,000 and apartment 13 at $1,650,000.
Designed by the eventual penthouse owner, Josef Chromy, the multi storied luxury former hospital-turned hotel-apartment block with kitchens featuring top quality stainless appliances including inbuilt coffee machines, is situated in the Paris end of Charles Street.
The cheapest apartment in the town is $108,000 in the Best Western complex. The 610/3 Earl Street offering (pictured below) through Ray White agent Veronica West is being marketed as a single bedroom strata unit on the top floor with a 10 year lease in place, showing an approximate return of 5-6%.
Oh and for the coach or club president? No doubt that's the $3 million Old Marchington five hectare estate (pictured below) 10 minutes out of town at Relbia - recently voted the most popular residential property currently on the market in a Mercury newspaper feature.
Vendor Robert Knott went strong on the the Greek symbology in Mediterranean themed artistry which includes the Sistine Chapel inspired ceiling artwork. It all sort of begins on the driveway turning circle with Tasmania's largest private fountain forming a centre piece.
The marketing of Old Marchington says its overlooks vineyards and rolling pastures that could easily mirror a glimpse of Tuscany.
The Hawks currently fly in, fly out for four AFL games annually.
They aren't alone. The North Melbourne Kangaroos will play two games at the Blundstone Arena at Bellerive oval in Hobart late in the 2014 season.
And the former Collingwood and Fremantle star Chris Tarrant does it five times a year signing up to play in the local league for North Launceston Bombers.
The 33-year-old, 268-game AFL veteran played one match for the Northern Bombers last season. Tarrant is set to play his first match for the season on Good Friday against Launceston, followed by the Anzac Day clash against Clarence, Lauderdale on 24 May, Burnie on 19 June and the Western Storm on 22 August.
The Hawks currently fly in, fly out for four AFL games annually.
Tarrant lives on the mainland and keeps busy with business commitments in the health and fitness industry, about to release his own organic protein powder called Inta Organics.
Tarrant and his wife, model Lauren Strauss, live in a $3.15 million 1880s South Yarra house bought in 2012 after they sold their Adelaide Street, Armadale French Provincial style home for $3.85 million also in 2012, having listed it initially in 2010.
In 2005 Tarrant sold his three-level townhouse in Clifton Hill, just a drop punt from Victoria Park, where Collingwood trained for 112 years until they moved to the $17 million Lexus Centre in 2004.
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