'Peace and quiet' homes a big driver for many Canberra buyers

There’s no place like home, that special space where we can be ourselves, where we can relax and unwind.

Agents say a sense of peace and quiet is a big driver for many buyers.

Dan McAlpine, of Belle Property Kingston, says gardens play a big role in creating private sanctuaries.

“Home owners like a sense of space and separation from neighbours,” he says.

“Gardens create this feeling through landscaping with trees, hedges and other plantings. Inside the home, double glazing and insulation also reduce noise.”

McAlpine says locations close to recreational areas like ovals and golf courses provide extra levels of separation that further enhance privacy.

“Within suburbs, cul-de-sac homes enjoy reduced through traffic that minimises noise and distractions,” he says.

“Buyers who put a premium on a sanctuary-like home might like to steer away from arterial roads and sites of future development.”

Agent Bree Currall, also of Belle Property Kingston, says the best locations for tranquillity are those suburbs or properties that have a close relationship with nature.

“If you have a nature reserve as your backdrop then you are probably already enjoying a healthy dose of peace and quiet,” she says.

“Southside, think of Narrabundah, Red Hill, Deakin and Garran. And, [in the] Inner North, Watson and Hackett enjoy their proximity to Mount Majura.”

Currall says if a restful home environment is a top priority, then buyers might want to avoid inner-city living with its early morning commercial rubbish collections and plenty of construction activity, packed with continual noise and dust.

• Location. Canberra is blessed with a network of nature reserves that offer the option of close connections with nature for many residents. Properties that back onto natural bush are highly sought-after.
• Family friendly. Many older, established suburbs are blessed with thick tree canopies that seem to foster a “quiet, leafy” appeal. Families are drawn by this settled sense of place and fellow dwellers.
• Choice. Inner-city living is fantastic for those who want to enjoy a lifestyle filled with entertainment options, but medium-high density living brings with it the need to accept the sounds of the city.

Allhomes’ top pick of tranquil homes on the market:

THE RIDGEWAY

148 Ridgeway Road 

Price guide: $1.35 million-$1.45 million

4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 6 car spaces

A home among the trees has to be the ultimate sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of modern living and this generous estate in The Ridgeway (just outside Queanbeyan) certainly enjoys an idyllic bush setting.

Sited at the end of a 300-metre private driveway is a rustic masterpiece, designed by renowned mid-century architect Bill Douglas.

The residence is set on more than five hectares and enjoys sweeping views over the Molonglo Gorge and the Kowen Pine Forest.

Size matters in this home and the interior space is enhanced by a grand entry that introduces a split-level staircase and a palette of glass, timber and stone.

Upper-level living includes a large country kitchen with timber benchtops, walk-in pantry and a Lacanche six-burner gas cooktop and double oven. There’s also an over-sized living area with a wood-burning fireplace.

Bedrooms downstairs include a segregated master suite with walk-in wardrobe, renovated en suite and a private balcony with breathtaking bush views.

The undoubted highlight of indoor living, however, is a solar-heated pool and sauna enhanced by a spectacular private viewing deck.

There’s a second living area ideal for large-scale entertaining, complete with a bar and access to an outdoor entertaining terrace.

Other features include an office, workshop, garage, carport and newly surfaced full-sized clay tennis court.

Despite the welcome seclusion, The Ridgeway is just five minutes from Queanbeyan and 20 minutes from Canberra.

Auction: 4pm, March 16

Agent: Belle Property Kingston, Dan McAlpine 0401 005 282