Altona reigns in Title Tattle's top 20 house sales in the 2012-2013 financial year

 Altona, the Point Piper harbourfront mansion, crowns this financial year’s list of Sydney’s top 20 highest price house sales.

Sold by Deke Miskin, a former teenage magazine publishing industry entreprenuer, and his wife Eve on March 28, the landmark property was listed on and off the market over the past six years with $50 million-plus hopes.

With settlement yet to take place on the deal, the sale price is not confirmed - but $52.5 million is Title Tattle’s tip for the Wunulla Road property which comes with a tennis court block included in the sale.

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A half dozen or so estate agents had the listing over the years. While no estate agents have yet claimed credit for the prestige sale, pundits predict Double Bay agent, Alison Coopes, in conjunction with a city agent, orchestrated the sale to Chaimovitch Investments Pty Ltd, a company whose sole director and shareholder is Xiuzhen Ding, a 75 year old Shandong, China-born resident of Ormond Esplanade in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Elwood.  

Although the buyer technically looks like a Melbourne Chinese family, it’s possible the company is merely fronting for another Chinese buying party.

The sale documentation indicates the purchase was overseen by Clayton Utz lawyers Rory Moriarty (a corporate partner with experience across a broad range of transactions, including Australian and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, capital raisings and corporate structuring often involving the Foreign Investment Review Board) and Deborah Bailey, whose expertise is in property development law, particularly joint ventures, leasing, acquisitions and disposals, project development, structuring, restructuring and financing.

Last September, the prominent Point Piper harbourfront home was for the first time advertised with an asking price at a record-setting $US56.9 million (A$54.5 million) last September.

It was subsequently featured as the Wall Street Journal (Asia) edition house of the day when listed through Ballard Property.

Title Tattle will keep readers advised as to when the removalists are on Wunulla Road. And also keep a watch on Woollahra mayor Andrew Petrie's decision to consider the property's possible heritage listing. "Altona is the best known house in Australia and, while it might not be the oldest, it is part of a process of recognising some of the places in our municipality that are of value to the community," Cr Petrie was reported in The Wentworth Courier.

 The Point Piper pensinsula has the next priciest sale: around $33.5 million for a harbourfront mansion nicknamed the Bang & Olufsen house. Sold in April by the McWilliam family, the three-level residence built in the mid-1980s by Brian Johnson of Pennant Properties.

Singer Elton John nicknamed it the Bang and Olufsen house due to its distinctive tinted glass stereo speaker design spotted while sailing Sydney Harbour with his publicist Patti Mostyn. A buyer from mainland China - associated with the Cubbie Station cotton acquisition - is understood to have purchased the Wolseley Crescent property in an off-market deal negotiated through Ballard Property.

 The veteran technology investor Neill Miller secured the third highest price with the sale of his Rose Bay harbourfront mansion for about $30 million.

There was no public marketing of the contemporary residence set on a harbourfront reserve block in Bayview Hill Road, a steep cul-de-sac sandwiched between the Kambala and Kincoppal-Rose Bay schools.

The land was bought for $7.75 million in 2002 along with a $3 million acquisition in 2005 of a portion hived off from Sacred Heart convent land holdings.

The dress circle virtual property is close to the $15 million sale recorded last year when the Anne Lewis harbourfront house sold for $15 million through Ken Jacobs of Christie's International in conjunction with Andrew Livingston of McGrath.  

The deal is reputed to have been notched up through Michael Pallier, the principal of Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty.

Miller moved to Sydney in the early 1980s, having started an IT database system in a garden shed in South Africa with his first cousin Derek Miller.

Since November 2010 Miller has been involved in Energy & Carbon Intelligence System, an enterprise software solution that streamlines for businesses the capture, reporting and management of environmental data such as energy, fuel, water and carbon emissions.

 The fourth highest-priced Sydney sale for this financial year was notched up in May when the Kelly fashionista family upgraded homes on exclusive Kutti Beach in Vaucluse.

Nick and Susie Kelly, founders of Industrie clothing, reputedly paid close to $20 million for the Goymour family’s home - one of just the seven beachfront houses in the scenic location with postcard perfect images across Sydney Harbour.

The Kellys were in the news as they successfully sought redress against entertainment industry couple Toni Collette and David Galafassi over their failure to proceed with their $6.35 million purchase of the Kellys' Stewart Street, Paddington double terrace.

The Kutti Beach house (pictured below) was listed with $20 million expectations through Savills agent Adam Ross inconjunction with Ben Collier of McGrath Estate Agents. It had been listed in 2011 with $25 million hopes.

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Designed in 2004 by architect Graham Jahn, it has summer and winter living spaces linked by a bridge crossing pools and courtyards which forms a "transition zone" that "captures sunlight and provides one of many private relaxing getaways".

The house has 650 square metres of living space and has a northerly aspect but is sheltered from prevailing winds.

With a sandy beach on the title, the 1,200 sqm property has lawns, landscaped gardens and garage space for two cars. There's a restored cedar boat-house providing entertaining space on the waterfront.

"Of the thousands of properties I've inspected through the years, this place is an absolute standout," the then SMH Domain property writer Margie Blok wrote on its 2011 listing.

Title Tattle seems to recall it was the 2004 Belle magazine House of the Year award winner.

Philip and Tanya Goymour built the house after the block was bought from Warwick Negus for $4.175 million in 1999. It had been with the Joris diamond family previously.

Philip and Tanya Goymour are semi-retired from their innovative nautical engineering technology company with plans to spend more time at their Church Point property.

The neighbour in between the two sold houses is investment banker Ben Brazil and his partner, Diana Saw, who spent $16,126,000 to buy Mirridong from David Mickler, the former Yahoo! Asia director of sales in 2007. 

The Kellys sold their redundant Kutti Beach, Vaucluse house last month for about $15 million, and fine wine industry specialist Henry Dawson-Damerhas emerged as the likely mystery buyer.

The Kellys had bought the Vaucluse property in March 2011 from Michael and Julianne Maxwell paying $15.5 million for the matrimonial home of the former property chief of the Babcock & Brown group. The Maxwells snared the harbourfront residence from Multiplex executive Andrew Roberts and wife Andrea, who were off to Gladswood Gardens, Double Bay.

Henry Dawson-Damer currently lives in Vaucluse as do other clan members.

The Dawson-Damer biography says he is currently studying for the London-based Institute of Masters of Wine program.

It was at the age of 15 when Henry had an "explosive" start to his career trying to barrel ferment his first vintage in his mother’s linen cupboard. The family are all in Debrett's Peerage.

The businessman Jay Kendall and his wife Sally secured $16.5 million - a suburb record price – for their Bronte residence in October.

On the prestigious beachside strip known as The Cutting, the Kendalls’s long held home was purchased by their neighbours, Seumas Dawes, a funds manager, and his wife Rosemary Seaton, who bought their large three-level residence in 2006 for $12.3 million, a suburb record at the time.

In 1981 the Kendalls paid $225,000 for the house set on a 778 sqm block (with ocean views) from Kenneth Howe, a Coffs Harbour motor dealer.

The $16.5 million purchase by Dawes and Seaton blitzes the previous suburb record of $13.05 million set in 2010 with the sale of Ellsmore, a historic mansion set on a 2,711 square metre block in Evans Street.

Dawes worked in the public sector, including three years as a senior advisor to the then treasurer Paul Keating, before commencing his career in financial markets in 1989.

Property developer Eduard Litver and his wife, Adriana, sold their Darling Point harboufront house for about $16.35 million.

Sold in March through Steven Chen at McGrath Estate Agents, the Litver's five-bedroom waterfront reserve house comes with a swimming pool.

The Eastbourne Road property had been listed on and off since late 2011. Set at the end of the cul-de-sac end, it initially came with overly ambitious $20 million-plus hopes.

Accessed by a glass-covered inclinator, the house stands at the bottom of a steep site that once was part of the Babworth Estate.

The property was bought by the Litvers for $5 million in 2008 when it was only partially built.

With views across Double Bay, the house comes with 750 square metres internal space.

Darling Point's highest house sale remains the Sutton's $18.25 million purchase in 2007 from tourism entrprenuer Barry Wain.

The next priciest was back in 2001 when the Davey family bought Craigend for $16 million.

The former Bellevue Hill matrimonial home of the late transport tycoon Sir Peter Abeles sold to Cranbrook School for $15,501,000 in May when offered at an invitation only onsite auction.

Named Sundorne, the well-hidden Tudor style six-bedroom Victoria Road mansion (pictured below) stands on a 2549 square metre block that was originally part of the Cranbrook estate -- now home to the private school for boys -- which was subdivided in 1917.

Listed with $11 million-plus hopes, the property presented a rare opportunity as it last sold 45 years ago.

The Cranbrook school council president Dr Helen Nugent and treasurer Geoff Kimpton were in attendance at the very damp invitation only auction, accompanied by Sydney lawyer, Bruce McWilliam, as spotted by Title Tattle who was the only media in attendance. They seemed to adopt the school motto, Esse Quam Videri which translates from Latin to "to be rather than to seem to be". There was only competition from a North Shore family after the 2A zoned property was announced on the market at around $11.5 million.

The 6.30 pm auction was a drawn out affair as attendees departed the home at 7.01 pm. "Champion effort," the auctioneer was told by a colleague after the timewarp auction.

"Beyond our expectations," was the post-auction comment from the only attendees of Chinese descent. It had been home to Sir Peter and his first wife, the arts patron Claire Dan during the period when Sir Peter was cementing his place in Australia’s corporate life.

The two-storey home has interior furniture and fittings installed by Peter and Claire (pictured below). With ashtrays on every table, and wood-panelled walls it solicited comparisons with the 1960s-styled series Mad Men. One can almost image Sir Peter playing poker with his regular guests who included the Premier, Sir Robert Askin.

The inspectees can even spot a lamp stand fashioned in the likeness of former ACTU boss and Prime Minister Bob Hawke that stands close to the large leather writing desk in the library that overlooks the water.

Sir Peter bought Sundorne from the well-connected establishment Simpson lawyer family in 1958 through his company P.A. Holdings Pty Ltd for about £60,000.

The couple had emigrated from Hungary in 1949 with little money in the post-war exodus from Europe.

The couple divorced a decade after purchasing Sundorne with Ms Dan retaining a life tenancy of the home set along the property’s very long and very private tree-lined drive. Ms Dan divorced Peter in 1968 after learning that his frequent absences from the marital home were because he was living with the then Katalin Frank, also known as Fischer, at the Wentworth Hotel. Sir Peter was knighted in 1972.

The 2550sq m site has a full-size flood-lit tennis court and in-ground pool with district and harbour views reaching from the city skyline and bridge to Manly in the north. After a long battle with cancer Sir Peter, who relocated to Vaucluse in 1970 paying $450,000 for Villa Igiea, died in June 1999 aged 75. As Sir Peter lay unconscious just hours before his death, Bob Hawke paid a visit to the Vaucluse home to bid his friend of 30 years a final farewell.

Ms Dan passed away last October.

The property is across the road from the Cranbrook School on the corner of Victoria Road and Rose Bay Avenue, which was known as Gallipoli Avenue until 1926.

Sundorne, at 23 Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill, was auctioned through Daniel Baran and Reece Coleman at BHR Estate Agents in conjunction with Sydney Sotheby's International.

Two of seven Vaucluse properties on the Top 20 list include the Andrews family’s Vaucluse Road estate sold for $15 million in March, and the the Grant family’s waterfront estate in Wentworth Road sold for $14 million in January.

Near historic Strickland House, and across the road from James and Erica Packer’s new mansion, the Andrews residence was designed by architect F. Glynn Gilling and built during the 1920s for the Arnott family.

The 1920s Spanish mission residence stands on a 1,711 square metre block with Annie Wilkes-designed gardens and panoramic views of the Harbour Bridge Opera House and city skyline.

It was sold by John Andrews, of the Haverick Meat family, and his wife Mary, who bought it for $280,000 in 1976.

A buyer from mainland China is understood to have bought the property through Sydney Sothebys International agent Andrew Hennessy.

Point Piper, which secured first and second places, has two other properties on the list.

In April, the low-key investment banker Greg Woolley sold his Wentworth Street residence for $13.65 million to the McWilliam family who sold the nearby Bang and Olufsen house.

And in February, the Hamilton family sold their unrenovated six-bedroom house (on a 670 square metre block in Wentworth Place) for $11.4 million to Stephen and Heidi Dunn from Randwick.

With spectacular views across the harbour to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the the circa 1960s house was listed last October with price hopes of more than $12 million through Michael Dunn of Richardson & Wrench Double Bay and Bill Malouf of LJ Hooker Double Bay.

In May, Anthony Bell, the accountant to Sydney's celebrities, and his wife, Kelly Landry, who made her name as a presenter on Channel Nine's Getaway, bought a Watsons Bay harbourfront. 

It's the five-bedroom former abode (pictured below) of transport operator Stephen Brown and his wife, Corrine.

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Initially listed in late 2010, no price has been revealed although market watchers suggest $13 million-plus.

The house's two-year renovation was completed in 2008 to a design by Lesiuk Architects with interior decor by Fiona Goss.

Occupying a substantial 1060-square-metre double block it comes with a private jetty from where the family could jump aboard his yacht, Ghost.

The Bells married in 2011 and have a daughter, Charlize. Kelly is a former Geelong model who joined the Nine Network in 2008 as co-host of the popular game show, Wheel of Fortune after departing Coxy's Big Break on Channel Seven.

Title Tattle still doesn't know what the Bells plan to do with their Bondi Beach rooftop penthouses.

In November, the Vaucluse harbourfront reserve home of Prudence MacLeod, the oldest child of Rupert Murdoch, and her husband, Alasdair, sold for $13.25 million in an off-market deal to the Coombes family through Ben Collier of McGrath Estate Agents.

The three-storey residence, which sits on a 1,060 square metre holding in Carrara Road, last traded in 2002 for $7.5 million. Its price growth over the decade reflected a mild 5.6% annual growth rate. Its growth in the immediately prior five-year sales period had reflected 10.6% annual growth.

Prudence MacLeod's mother, Patricia, was Rupert Murdoch's first wife, whose marriage to him ran from 1956 to 1966.

Two Mosman properties are on the list – and both sold through Richard Simeon and Mark Manners of Richardson & Wrench Mosman.

A modern waterfront residence in Shellbank Avenue was bought for $13.15 million last August by Macquarie Bank boss Nicholas Moore and wife Helen, who last month sold their redundant Mosman home that cost just over $1 million in 1991.

The Moores’s new home had been on the market for three years. The seller was Shane Smyth, CEO of Cover More Insurance, who renovated after paying $9.2 million in 2007, and then listed it with $14 million-plus hopes.

The other Mosman property is a vast new non-waterfront residence sold for $12.8 million by commercial property developer Peter Papas (who formerly was an investment banker and software entrepreneur), and his wife Tami, to a buyer from mainland China.

Sold late last year in an off-market deal, the Bay Street residence is set high above the street on a 1400 square metre block with a floodlit north-south tennis court and a 13-metre infinity edge swimming pool

Designed by MacCormick & Associates Architects and built by Pacific Plus Constructions, the five-bedroom six-bathroom residence stands on a rock escarpment to take full advantage of magnificent views across Middle Harbour.

It has formal and casual living areas, a commercial grade kitchen, a 1500-bottle wine cellar, an outdoor entertainment area (with a pizza oven and barbecue) and a secure basement garage with parking for 12 cars.

At Whale Beach, Geoff Cousins, the adman-turned-environmental activist and author, sold his six-bedroom beachfront house after two weeks on the market in October last year.

The billionaire John Grill, recently retired from the mining services company WorleyParsons, paid $13.1 million for the Whale Beach Road property through Raine & Horne Palm Beach listing agent Glenn Lee, who was billing it as arguably one of the best beach houses in Australia.

Cousins paid $1.45 million for the Whale Beach Road property (pictured below) in 1987 and commissioned architect John Crawford to design the home, which on completion in 1991 with quintessential Australian beach elements was featured in Vogue Living.

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Designed as three pavilions with living spaces adjoining vast timber decking, the weekend retreat suited the large family and stream of international guests who would visit over the summer.

Lee bettered the existing Whale Beach record of $13 million achieved for 245 Whale Beach Road in May 2007. Coincidentally that had been Cousins' previous northern beaches weekender, having sold to the late international photographer Richard Bailey for $1.5 million in 1994.

Cousins is the former head of Optus. As an environmental activist he helped mastermind the campaign against the Gunns pulp-mill in Tasmania.

He also authored The Butcherbird, a thriller novel.

Bomera, the landmark Potts Point Italianate sandstone mansion, has been sold in March for $12.5 million to Leanne Catelan, daughter of Ray Catelan, the late entrepreneur behind real estate data company, RP Data.

Set on a 2150-square-metre holding overlooking Woolloomooloo Bay, the five-bedroom sandstone mansion (pictured below) was sold by former St Ives manufacturer-turned-expatriate property developer Jorge Fernandez and his wife, Monica.

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On its initial listing two years ago, Bomera was listed with $25 million hopes following a meticulous 2003 restoration of the estate overseen by heritage architects Graham Brooks & Associates. Last April it was relisted with vastly reduced price expectations.

It was 2001 when the historic Potts Point villas Bomera and Tarana were sold for about $6.55 million by the Australian defence department, which acquired the 3,700-square-metre holding as fleet headquarters for the Royal Australian Navy in 1941.

Bomera, built for the colonial merchant William McQuade, was originally on land that stretched from Wylde Street to Victoria Street along the harbour foreshore.

Built for McQuade in 1858, it was designed by J.F. Hilly. McQuade helped establish Randwick racecourse. For many years it was owned by the Australian defence department, given its proximity to Garden Island.

Two other Vaucluse properties made the Top 20 list:

The businessman Greg Jones (who featured in the Obeid ICAC inquiry) and his wife, Kim, sold a Wentworth Road mansion for $12 million last August to the Hasson Lederer family.

The mansion on a 1448-square-metre Wentworth Road block traded at $12.5 million in late 2008.

And last month, the Boboff family sold their waterfront residence on Fitzwilliam Road for about $11 million through Christies agent, Ken Jacobs.

While details surround the sale are shrouded in secrecy, it is understood the buyer is from mainland China. Title Tattle will await the registration details.