Architect-developer pays $16.25m to buy his neighbour’s house – again

Architect-turned-developer Garry Rothwell has set a new Greenwich record at $16.25 million after purchasing his neighbour’s property in an over the fence deal.

It takes the Rothwells’ landholding to one of the largest in the lower north shore peninsula suburb as they are tipped to consolidate their two neighbouring properties into a more than 2500-square-metre waterfront compound.

Rothwell is no stranger to such an undertaking as he and his architect wife Susan were crowned Palm Beach land barons in 2020 when they paid almost $15 million for the Palm Beach retreat The Hideaway next door, making them the largest private landowners in Palm Beach.

The Rothwells, who are both University of Sydney architecture alumni, were awarded honorary doctorates by their alma mater in 2022 in recognition of their contribution to the architectural landscape of Sydney and Australia and for their exceptional commitment to promoting the academic purposes of the University’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning.

Garry also founded his development company the Winten Property Group in 1972 and it is in its fifth decade of operation with more than $2.2 billion of projects under way, according to their website. It is now run by Garry and Susan’s three sons.

There are no pictures available of their latest purchase of this tightly held home as no agent was coming forward to claim the sale, and it was owned by the Grozier family for almost 80 years since they purchased it for a mere £1043.

What the Rothwells do with their latest addition to their mega landholding is yet to be seen, but neighbours wouldn’t be surprised to see the architect-developer family give the property a new lease on life.

In the meantime, their neighbour and seller William Grozier, director of Green Run and a former director of Aspire Training and Consulting, has used the opportunity to move closer to the harbour in a newly constructed luxury waterfront.

A caveat lodged by the 76-year-old has revealed him as the buyer of an $11.5 million beautiful light-filled four-level house in the prestigious harbourside neighbourhood of McMahons Point.

It was sold through Michael Coombs and Adrian Bridges of Atlas Lower North Shore.

Highest Hunters Hill sale in 2025

Meanwhile, in the neighbouring peninsula suburb of Hunters Hill, Jamie Hosking, of Green Pasture Meats, and Joana Ray-Hosking have sold their north-facing waterfront for $16.515 million under the hammer in a mid-week auction.

The five-bedroom, five-bathroom home, which comes with a newly finished chef’s kitchen and a private mooring on Burns Bay, has fetched the highest price for the suburb for the year so far thanks to the five of the six registered bidders who pushed the price up on Wednesday night.

It was a decent show of strength for waterfronts and the prestige market, which has been caught up in the volatility of the broader economy.

The more than 1000 square metre block last traded for $2.9 million in 1999.

It sold through Darren Curtis of Christie’s International Real Estate and Tracey Dixon of McGrath Hunters Hill who declined to comment.

Bellevue Hill fashionista bids adieu

In Bellevue Hill, fashion stylist, personal shopper and influencer Natalie Jacobson and her husband Warren, have sold their stunning trophy home for circa $43 million, local sources say.

While it is about $3 million short of their initial expectations when it hit the market in March, the price is almost $20 million above the highest sale recorded on the street set by former director of Afterpay and Junkee Media Cliff Rosenberg at $25.2 million last year.

That’s about a $34 million capital gain for the Jacobsons in less than a decade, increasing more than $4 million a year since they purchased it in 2017.

Much of that is because the five-bedroom, six-bathroom, four-car-space house was newly built to a plan by Tobias Partners with landscaped gardens by Myles Baldwin Design as well as the eastern suburbs prestige market’s bullish run in recent years.

Private equity executive Nick Speer and his wife Camilla, of Melbourne’s property-developing Deague family are said to be the buyers, local sources say.

It sold through Ashley Bierman of Ray White Double Bay who declined to comment.

Paddington’s power and passion

In Paddington, the former home of Midnight Oil frontman turned politician Peter Garrett has also set a new street record of $10.2 million, given it was sold prior to auction.

The four-bedroom, three-bathroom freestanding grand Victorian terrace with rear access and coveted double garaging had a guide of $8.75 million and was only on the market for two weeks.

Garrett and his wife Doris purchased the home for $2.7 million in 2015 before selling it for $5.25 million just three years later.

It sold through Maclay Longhurst of Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty who declined to comment and was guided at $8.75 million.