Fashion designer Sarah-Jane Clarke selling her Vaucluse home

Fashion designer Sarah-Jane Clarke and her landscape architect husband Dan Baffsky are kicking off what is widely anticipated to be a busy start to the year with the sale of their Vaucluse home.

Clarke, who with Heidi Middleton left the Sass & bide brand they co-founded last July, is hoping to trade up closer to the waterfront once she sells the 718-square-metre property.

An early-stage price guide of more than $6 million has been offered by Elliott Placks and Ashley Bierman, of Ray White Double Bay, ahead of the February 26 auction.

Formerly a duplex, it last traded a decade ago for $3.5 million but has been transformed since then into a five-bedroom sanctuary with a spacious parents’ retreat, swimming pool and level lawn that manages both privacy and panoramic views to the city with all the style you’d expect from the creative couple.

There are always a few notable sales just before Christmas, and December was no different. The most impressive deal was the the non-waterfront residence of AsheMorgan head Michael Rothner and Lisa Rothner in Darling Point.

Alison Coopes, of Agency by Alison Coopes, confirmed the property had sold in conjunction with Michael Pallier, of Sotheby’s International, although declined to confirm a rumoured $25 million result. Even if it only comes in at the $23 million suggested by other sources it would make it last year’s 10th most expensive sale.

Actor Toni Collette and her muso husband Dave Galafassi surprised everyone when a December settlement revealed they had sold their Bronte home off-market for $5.75 million. Word is the star of Muriel’s Wedding and more recent film Miss You Already was keen to keep the sale secret following her unhappy foray into the Sydney real estate market in recent years.

In 2011, Collette and Galafassi agreed to purchase a Paddington terrace for $6.35 million, but later reneged on the sale when they couldn’t sell their former Bronte home on Bronte Road. The vendors, fashion moguls Nick and Susie Kelly then successfully sued the high-profile couple in the Supreme Court last year.

Collette and Galafassi did much better on the sale of their Yanko Avenue property, recouping the $5.5 million they paid for it three years earlier with change. The girl from Blacktown still has a toehold in the NSW market having owned her Pearl Beach weekender since 2004 when she bought it for $1.4 million.

Meanwhile, Collette’s former rental down the hill owned by media tycoon Lachlan Murdoch and his model wife Sarah also settled, revealing the $10 million buyer to be furniture retailers Amiram and Helen Weinstock, with a share in the name of their son Simon.

Set on The Cutting overlooking the ocean, the property last traded in 2005 for $7.75 million before it was largely rebuilt by the Murdochs, and sold by Ken Jacobs, of Christie’s International. The Weinstocks have long been Vaucluse locals since they bought part of the St Neot’s waterfront estate on Wentworth Road in 1991 for $4.1 million.

Another pre-Christmas settlement confirms internet entrepreneur Tony Surtees and his wife Anne were the lucky $4,025,000 buyers of publicist queen Patti Mostyn’s Watsons Bay home through Agency by Alison Coopes. The couple are downsizing from their classic F. Glynn Gilling-designed, 1920s residence in Bellevue Hill which they sold in September for $4.4 million.

In Warrawee, the Howard Joseland-designed residence Roseburn sold under the hammer at its December auction for about $5 million. Ray White Clarke & Griffiths’ Mark Clarke was keeping schtum on details, but local word and indeed the contract of sale reveals the Pibrac Avenue property was actually sold by the bank. Previously, the property was listed in 2012 with initial hopes of $6 million by Vicki Londish, wife of lawyer Ian Londish.

Property developer Roy Medich, brother of accused murderer Ron Medich, finally sold his Denham Court mansion. After five and a half years and some $1 million off the initial $4 million asking price, the 1.02 hectare estate sold for about $3 million.

Former ALP powerbroker Laurie Brereton and his wife, retired judge Tricia Kavanagh, settled on their Palm Beach getaway, revealing the $3.8 million buyer to be Singapore-based Assetz Property Group founder Ben Salmon and his wife Sarah. LJ Hooker’s Peter Robinson sold the  waterfront property in September, 30 years after it had last traded for $200,000.

SSHHH: Guess who the cashed-up IT company founders are who are continuing their buying spree at the pointy end of the eastern suburbs?

Who is the latest Australian cricketer set to hit the market? It’s not in the Shire, either.