The Block buyer's agent Frank Valentic lists Elwood home

Buying quality homes at the right price is Frank Valentic’s job. Fans of The Block will know him from his yearly bidding wars with prolific Block house buyers Danny Wallis and Adrian Portelli.

So, what does the seasoned Melbourne buyer’s advocate and self-professed sports nut look for in his own home?

“It had to have a pool and it had to be an entertainer,” he says. “And I wanted it to be in one of Elwood’s best streets.”

After going through a separation in 2020, Valentic sold the family home in Normandy Road and settled on an elegant Edwardian on Addison Street.

“I love the light and the sun. It’s north-west orientation, so it’s so sunny and bright in the house, I joke you need sunglasses on.”

Renovated and extended by local architect Michael Ellis back in the early 2000s, the home’s open plan kitchen and living seamlessly spills into an outdoor area via floor-to-ceiling bifold doors.

“The renovation was a pretty amazing one,” Valentic says.  “He did that about 21 years ago and it has stood the test of time.”

“All the bones were there, I just added cosmetic touches.” 

The chocolate-brown kitchen made way for white cabinetry, stone benchtops and high-end Miele appliances. Marble-topped vanities went into the bathrooms, the bedrooms were carpeted and Valentic prioritised adding storage.

“It didn’t have any built-in robes. How can you live without built-in robes?” he asks incredulously.

Finally, he proudly “made it into an entertainer’s house”. He added a spa to the outdoor area and installed four televisions – including one in the so-called “man cave”, a multipurpose double auto garage at the rear of the property.

Sometimes, he’d park a car here, but mostly, it was a space for gym equipment, sports memorabilia and old trophies from Valentic’s days as an elite soccer player. “I’m pretty sports mad,” he admits. In fact, he studied to become a physical education teacher before moving into a career in real estate.

A passionate Collingwood supporter, his fondest memory of entertaining at home was a lively AFL grand final after-party.

“When we won the Grand Final, we were at the game. My whole family are all Collingwood fans as well, and everyone came back to the house and we celebrated here, and partied like it was 1999.”

He comfortably hosted 50 family and friends for a summer birthday soiree, with guests enjoying the pool and spa.

Even in the middle of winter, Valentic has a spa and a swim every evening after dinner.

“I love it,” he professes. “At the moment, it’s like an ice bath. I jump in the 40-degree spa and then the 12-degree pool, alternate between the two and get out feeling like I’m on on cloud nine.”

The Addison Street purchase was his third in the suburb, having moved here in 2000.

“I work in Elwood, play in Elwood and live in Elwood. I was never going to go anywhere else.”

With his two sons now in their final years of high school and Valentic spending more time at his Dromana residence, it’s time to downsize into a lower-maintenance home.

“I’m already negotiating on one that’s about 300 metres away from this house, so I’m not going very far. The next one will be my forever one.”

SOLD - $3,150,000

86 Addison Street, Elwood VIC 3184

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