Melbourne family unknowingly sells beloved home to a close friend

A Melbourne family experienced a rollercoaster of emotions yesterday after unknowingly selling their beloved home to a close friend for more than $2 million.

The property at 4 Park Lane in Mount Waverley had been in the same family for 71 years.

It was built by Colin, the seller, and his late father.

Colin, now 94, bought the land the house stands on for £250 in the 1950s. In today’s money that’s almost $16,000. 

“He and my grandpa built the home together. My sisters and I grew up watching them working so hard to build it with their own hands,” Colin’s son, Andy, said in a statement.

Yesterday, Andy stood alongside his sisters as their family home went under the hammer.

With Colin now in care, his children were entrusted with the home’s sale.

It proved a memorable day, with the winning bidder a close friend of the family.

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4 PARK Lane, Mount Waverley VIC 3149

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Yet, to keep emotions out of the sale and ensure that she paid full market price, the bidder only revealed her identity at the end of the auction.

“It was a big surprise when I had the phone passed to me and it was our friend Susie on the other end,” Andy said.

“We were actually in touch only a few weeks ago, just casually chatting about what we were doing with the house.”

Ray White Judd White Group agent Sue-Kelly Brown said Susie, who lives in Western Australia, visited the home as a child and had fond memories of the place.

“She’s planning to move back to Melbourne, cosmetically renovate the house, and live in it herself.” Brown said. 

“She didn’t want the sellers to know she was bidding, because she wanted to give them the best result. It was such a beautiful gesture.”

As for the family’s reaction to Susie being the new owner?

“We love her and we’re so happy for her,” Andy said.

“We’ve always stayed in touch. Our families go way back, her parents and ours were very dear friends, even if they hadn’t seen each other in years. They’re absolutely over the moon for her too.”

What made the outcome even more special was Susie’s intention to honour the home’s legacy. 

“She said she’s not going to pull the house down, she wants to keep it. That means the world to us.”

The final auction price was $2.49 million.

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