Former St Kilda star Joey Montagna sells Malvern reno
Retired St Kilda AFL star Leigh Montagna and wife Erin secured $1.82 million their smartly renovated Malvern investment.
"I was happy with that," he said, adding that he was starting to think about a bigger family home.
"We've got 12 to 18 months before that," he told the 3MMM Hot Breakfast adding he caught his wife scrolling through the property websites on the phone when he woke one night.
He confessed he'd put on 10 kgs since he retired, having played with 77 kg playing weight.
The 34 year old two time All-Australian paid $560,000 for the 1905 Edwardian in 2005.
It was a project for the couple who renovated around four years ago.
Set on 400 sqm, the single level home comprises three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a wrap-around deck opening from the living room.
In 2016 after its renovation it became an $800 a week rental.
Kay & Burton South Yarra agents Darren Lewenberg and Grant Samuel were marketing the Johnstone Street home with a guide of $1.6 million to $1.76 million.
Montagna told the Herald Sun he bought the home after getting his second contract at St Kilda.
"You get your second contract and think, ‘it’s time to start being sensible’."
“It was an old, rundown Edwardian-style house, but I just wanted to get into a blue-chip suburb. It was the worst home in the best street.”
The street record came two doors down when a renovated 1920s home fetched $3.4 million in 2016.
The Albert Park-based Montagna is now in the media working with Fox Footy and Triple M.
He said the family are going to need to upsize in Albert Park at some point, suggesting it will be too hard to leave the area.
