Sydney's prestige property listings drought hits Southern Highlands ahead of Easter

Easter is coming, and traditionally that prompts a rollout of some of the choicest weekenders for sale to tempt Sydney shoppers with nowhere to go next weekend.

But lo, the shortfall in stock levels that has afflicted much of Sydney’s prestige market in recent years has also hit some of our well-heeled holiday spots.

Take the Southern Highlands, where strong buyer demand has no doubt followed the arrival of high-profile Sydney talents like Michelle Bridges (who paid $2.7 million in Kangaloon in December) and shock jock Kyle Sandilands (who a week after Bridges paid $2,982,500 to own in Robertson).

Not helping listing numbers was the no-fuss withdrawal from the market of the Exeter trophy property Mittabah, along with its $9 million hopes.

The 117-hectare property was being shopped around last year by Drew Lindsay, of his eponymous agency, with hopes of recouping the $9 million it last traded for in 2011 when sold by the Vertzayias family.

It was last bought by a syndicate of buyers of which the largest shareholder is Inenco director Karl Martin-Weber  and, at the time, included former Liberal Party leader John Hewson, who opted out of the syndicate later that year.

The 117-hectare property was being shopped with a price guide of $9 million. Photo: Supplied

The property remains the registered address of property developers Eugenie and James Vertzayias, the latter of whom has taken to competitive body building since he declared himself bankrupt in 2012.

It previously traded for $8.65 million in 2005 when sold by the late founder of Citadel, Sir Arthur Weller, and his widow Lady Marea Weller.

Drew Lindsay was coy on why it was withdrawn from the market, saying only that it had not sold.

The home is registered to property developers Eugenie and James Vertzayias. Photo: Supplied

• Related: TV entrepreneur buys $5m Point Piper digs
• Related: INXS rocker sells Queens Park home
• Related: Matt Damon’s Byron Bay rental to sell

Heritage lovers seize Brookville

Warwick White has bought a heritage home in Wildes Meadow. Photo: Ben Rushton

In Wildes Meadow, new owners have been found for the historic property Brookville, thanks to Karen and Warwick White, the former Coca-Cola boss who runs coffee capsule maker Keurig Green Mountain’s international operations.

The Whites are well known to Title Deeds readers given their appreciation of heritage real estate. They sold Wahroonga’s Berith Park in late 2016 for $11 million and bought a grand Victorian residence to restore and renovate in Millers Point in 2012 on a 99-year leasehold.

Built in 1862, Brookville sold for $3.5 million. Photo: Supplied

The Whites paid $3.5 million for their 1862-built weekender, the purchase of which coincides with White’s appointment as inaugural chief of Stone Advisory, a representative body for IGA licensees and other independent grocers.

Records show that local medico Hugh Seaton and his wife Catherine listed the 12-hectare property with Michael Maloney, of Richardson & Wrench Bowral, last year.

Leylandagreen’s verdant appeal

Leylandagreen has found a buyer after almost three years on the market. Photo: Supplied

The Southern Highlands’ garden estate Leylandagreen isn’t an option for shoppers any more, either. Almost three years after it was listed with hopes of more than $5.5 million, it has been slipped off Domain amid talk it found a buyer at circa $4.2 million.

The Glenquarry property last traded in 2006 for $3.75 million when bought by Bellevue Hill banker-turn-corporate adviser Peter Wade and wife Sally, who commissioned the English-style garden from landscape architect Michael Bligh.

The residence last traded in 2006 for $3.75 million. Photo: Supplied

And the buyer? That would be Savills’ recently appointed director Alistair Carpenter and his wife Sarah.

The Carpenters have previously been Burradoo locals, where they acquired their 1.77 hectare parcel of land with ornamental lake in 2012 for $485,000 and built a family home with swimming pool and landscaped grounds two years later. It’s up for $3.5 million to $3.75 million through dad Bill Carpenter, of WM Carpenter.

The former Burradoo home of Alistair and Sarah Carpenter. Photo: Supplied

High shine on Burradoo trophy

The Burradoo trophy home, Burradoo House, has found an interesting $5.38 million in Rose Deo. 

This is the grand 1930s-era residence that was until recently owned by Michael and Marlene O’Reilly, who bought it in 2014 for $3,825,000 from Skins Compression Clothing chairman Jaimie Fuller and his wife Amanda Hackett-Fuller. 

Rose Deo has paid $5.38 million for a Burradoo trophy home. Photo: Jamila Toderas

Deo has been a serial buyer and seller of fine real estate in recent years. In 2016, in a bid to be closer to the Bowral school network, she paid $4.8 million for Rosehill Farm, in Kangaloon, from fund manager Will Liley and his wife Janice.

She followed up by listing her historic Braidwood property, Mona Farm, pocketing $4.15 million last year from a company owned by former Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver and his wife Belinda.

Michael and Marlene O’Reilly are the previous owners of Burradoo House. Photo: Supplied

And as she settles into Burradoo House, Knight Frank’s Deb Cullen has sold Rosehill Farm for $5.35 million under the hammer amid reports it was bought by billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes. We’ll leave it to the paper trail to confirm the young techie’s purchase.

Vaucluse move ends at Wandana

Fuelling Burradoo’s 24 per cent rise in median values of last year is Leonie Simart, who has paid $3.65 million for Wandana on Patchway Place through Drew Lindsay Real Estate.

Wandana on Patchway Place has sold through Drew Lindsay Real Estate. Photo: Supplied

Simart, according to Britain’s peerage, is the wife of former banker and wine aficionado Jean-Marie Simart, founder of Vintec Australia.

The couple sold their Vaucluse home late last year for $4.5 million to take up residence in the colder clime and also sold their former Burradoo digs on Sullivan Road for $1.8 million.

Leonie Simart is the new owner, having forked out $3.65 million. Photo: Supplied

Glenquarry cheer for hotelier

Hotelier Justin Malouf and his wife Sasha have swooped on their piece of Glenquarry, paying $3.75 million to investment banker Mark Maloney for his property Sittingborne.

Investment banker Mark Maloney has sold his Glenquarry property. Photo: Supplied

Maloney, the son of rich-lister Kevin Maloney and founder and chief of investment company Intrepic, bought the 37-hectare property in 2012 for $2.1 million.

He then rebuilt the homestead into a luxurious six-bedroom residence.

It was listed last year with Richardson & Wrench Bowral’s Michael Maloney and in February the keys handed to Malouf, who co-owns landmark watering hole Royal Oak Hotel in Double Bay, as well as the Gregory Hills Hotel and Cave Beach Resort at Lake Macquarie.

Weekender gains happy camper

Richard Hugo-Hamman beat two other buyers to snare this beachfront weekender. Photo: Supplied

Lawyer Richard Hugo-Hamman, executive chairman of LEAP Legal Software, has taken the keys to his new beachfront weekender south of Sydney.

Hugo-Hamman beat two other buyers at the auction by Ray White Helensburgh’s Simon Beaufils late last year with his $3.35 million offer on the property of Melbourne-based retail chief Mark McInnes, on delayed settlement terms.

Legal eagles lured to bountiful Berry

This Berry weekender is the new holiday home of Annabelle and David Bennett. Photo: Supplied

Legal luminaries Annabelle Bennett AO, SC, and her husband David Bennett AC, QC have bought a Berry weekender for $4.75 million.

The couple’s career achievements makes their need for a holiday self explanatory: she is the former Federal Court judge who was appointed chancellor of Bond University two years ago, and he is a barrister, former Solicitor-General of Australia, and former president of the Australian and NSW Bar Association.

The legal luminaries paid $4.75 million for the 20-hectare residence. Photo: Supplied

The 20-hectare property was sold by Sotheby’s Michael Pallier and Belle Property Berry’s Gary Dale on behalf of Macquarie’s infrastructure boss David Roseman and his wife Sue.

The London-based Rosemans had only recently completed building the luxury two-storey property with separate guest house and pool when it was listed last year for $4.75 million.