Paddington property market warming, but too soon to tell if the sizzle is back
Cheaper Paddington property keeps turning over, but it’s too early to suggest any sizzle is returning to the market.
Two kitchen queens and an artist have recently sold their Paddington properties for at or above expectations.
Food writer Loukie Werle settled the $2,235,000 sale of the Bent Street house that cost her $202,500 in 1985. The hopes were around $2.2 million through GoodyerDonnelley.
Artist Michael Johnson’s Duxford Street terrace settled for $1.95 million, which was $50,000 more than the earmarked reserve but a tad less than the $2.01 million he paid for it in 2009.
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Kitchenista Donna Hay and husband Bill Wilson pulled $2.3 million for their Windsor Street terrace (pictured above), which had cost them $1.42 million in 2003.
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A little earlier this year thespian Robyn Nevin sold her Windsor Street house (pictured above) for $1,315,000, having paid $145,000 for it in 1983.
McGrath Partners agent Ben Collier says the $1 million to $2 million market is the most steady in Paddington and a buzz is returning.
“Paddington is a real barometer for all of Sydney, so these recent sales are encouraging,” says Collier.
After a virtual drought of big-ticket buyers, several impressive sales have emerged, with a Flinton Street terrace fetching $3.81 million and a freestanding house on Goodhope Street trading for $5.6 million.
Figures released by Australian Property Monitors (APM) show that just 39 Paddington terraces changed hands in March this year with a median price of $1.35 million, which is down 3.2% on the previous March. However, sales are down on 2010, when 63 terraces traded with a median price of $1.38 million.
“There has been a market correction, but it is less significant in Paddington than in others areas. However, some vendors are not acting on the activity,” says Collier.
The owners of a five-bedroom, six-bathroom Paddington Street terrace rejected $9 million offer late last year, and nothing close to that has reappeared on the table since then.
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Another listing that involved actress Toni Collette and husband David Gallafassi, who allegedly agreed to pay about $6.35 million on Stewart Street terrace, highlighted the top-end difficulties given it resold last week at about $5.5 million.
Last month Toni Collette’s theatrical agent and friend Ann Churchill-Brown listed her Elizabeth Street property (pictured above) for June 2 auction. Its still available through Ben Collier with $3 million plus expectations.
