Custom-designed Downer home sets new suburb record with $1.5m sale

Downer’s suburb record has been beaten by $87,000, after the sale of a luxurious custom designed home this week.

Number 70 Melba Street sold at auction on Tuesday for $1.5 million.

The five-bedroom residence was a knockdown rebuild, completed just under a year ago.

The home is intricately designed, with the seller painstakingly overseeing all elements of the build, from the initial design to the use of materials and three different joiners to create a delineated look across the living areas.

“It wasn’t your average knockdown rebuild, you could tell it was custom designed and that’s what a lot of people liked about it,” said Peter Blackshaw Gungahlin agent Michael Braddon.

“The previous owner is an upholsterer by trade and has a very keen eye for design.”

Braddon said a studio at the back of the home was one of its main selling points.

“The studio has multiple uses and changed the type of buyers interested in the property,” he said.

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There were three registers bidders at the auction, with bidding starting at $1.3 million. The home was sold to a young family.

“The buyers are in their mid-30s and have two young children. They came to every single open home,” said Braddon.

Braddon added the suburb is very attractive for young families.

“Downer is a younger growing suburb compared to some of the other properties in the inner north,” he said.

“I found a lot of buyers that came through the property were originally looking in other areas such as Ainslie and Hackett.

“It was amazing to see how many young families were looking at the property because a lot of them could see themselves growing into the home.”

Downer only had its first sale above $1 million in March 2017. It was the last inner north suburb to break the million mark.

Downer’s median price currently sits at $858,000.