Best in Show: Byron Bay-meets-Newcastle in Instagram-renovator's Hamilton South 5-bedder offering

It speaks volumes about the renovation prowess of Lauren and Michael Charge that when the couple completed their largest and most demanding house redesign at Port Stephen’s Shoal Bay, it scored close to 50,000 Instagram followers within 18 months.

Two years later those followers have risen to almost 70,000 – not bad for a house even if it does double as a luxury holiday retreat.

Crisp white walls with timber finishes set against the beachy Port Stephens backdrop have become their signature style in a handful of houses built, designed and renovated by the couple. And their Newcastle home is no exception.

What was a 1920s bungalow was purchased in early 2012 for $695,000 and with DA plans soon underway to extend the house upstairs to include a parents’ retreat and nursery, with three bedrooms downstairs and the original living and dining area opening to a back verandah overlooking the north-facing garden.

The Byron Bay-meets-Newcastle look lured more than 100 groups to the first open inspection last weekend, and of those a good 20 per cent were coming from either Sydney, Melbourne or overseas.

“A lot of our buyer interest this year is from either expats coming home or the capital cities, even if in the case of Melbourne they can’t get here and have to ask a friend to check it out for them,” says Tammy Hawkins, of McGrath Newcastle.

Hawkins says the COVID-19-related lockdowns that saw Australians start to work from home in unprecedented numbers had opened up the more relaxed Newcastle market to Sydneysiders.

And if that house offers a level of glamour and proximity to the beach for a fraction of the price that it would cost in Sydney, then it makes sense.

Hawkins has set an October 10 auction.

SOLD - $2,225,000

18 Smith Street, Hamilton South NSW 2303

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