44 Knightsbridge Parade West, Sovereign Islands sold in an $8.5m deal.

A waterfront mansion with a floor plan that’s bigger than an average suburban block has sold in an $8.5m deal.

The four-level residence at 44 Knightsbridge Pde West, Sovereign Islands hit the market two months ago via Ivy Realty’s Ivy Wu and Isaac Kim before selling to a Gold Coast couple.

It is the highest price paid for a property on the exclusive island enclave this year.

“It is an exceptional sale for the area,” Mr Kim said.

The property from the street,

Make a splash in the pool.

Property records reveal the vendor paid $1.92m in 2019 for the 704 sqm block of land before building their dream home.

“The property is owned by an overseas-based Chinese family,” Mr Kim said.

“We ended up selling it to a local buyer — a husband and wife.

“They walked in and said it’s perfect and it ticked every single box for them.

“They made an offer straight away and we closed the deal within the next 24 hours.

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The kitchen.

Entertain all year round.

The huge 1164sq m floorplan comes with a string of luxury features including a lift, cinema, office and seven-car basement.

“It is only three years old,” Mr Kim said.

“You can really appreciate the scale of the home.”

The property is on the exclusive Sovereign Islands.

The cinema.

Built in 2021, the vendors meticulous attention to detail is evident from the street.

Inside, and there are multiple living zones from expansive living and dining with a dramatic ceiling void, second floor retreat with built-in coffee station, and top floor living area with balcony and kitchenette.

There are seven bedrooms including the main with an executive office, dressing room, ensuite and waterfront balcony.

Inside the luxury digs.

That pool!

An enclosed terrace for all-weather entertaining has an outdoor kitchen with a built-in barbecue that overlooks the resort-style pool.

A pontoon and basement garage completes the residence, accommodating an impressive seven cars.

The highest sale price on the Sovereign Islands is $20m for 7-13 King Arthurs Court — billionaire Clive Palmer bought the property in 2020. Mr Palmer is also behind the highest residential sale on the Gold Coast after splashing $28m last year on a beachfront property in Mermaid Beach.

The post Gold Coast mansion sells in $8.5m deal appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Zara Abu Bakar and Sid Abdullah have bought their first property, a two bedroom townhouse in Edge Hill. Picture: Brendan Radke

When this Queensland couple decided it was time to buy their first home, they couldn’t go past Cairns for lifestyle, community and affordability.

Stocktake co-ordinator Sid Abdullah and educator Zara Abu Bakar bought a townhouse in the Cairns suburb of Edge Hill this month after falling in love with the Far North Queensland region.

Mr Abdullah said he and his wife had lived in Perth and Arnhem Land previously, but after being in Cairns for more than a year, they knew they’d found home.

“The time was right for us to find somewhere to settle down,” he said.

“Cairns is affordable compared to other places.

“To find a place like ours in the (capital cities) is quite difficult.”

Zara Abu Bakar and Sid Abdullah are now proud Cairns homeowners. Picture: Brendan Radke

PRD data showed Cairns had a median house price of $650,000, while the average cost of a house in Brisbane had soared to $910,000.

Mr Abdullah said with property prices being more reasonable in Cairns than in Australia’s capital cities, the buying process was easy.

“We had saved up enough of a deposit, so I approached a broker and then the bank,” he said.

“I got good advice from them and they were very helpful.

“We had no issues getting a home loan approved.”

But the couple didn’t just decide on Cairns for its property prices.

“We like the scenery and the weather is good, especially from June to September” Mr Abdullah said.

“You can drive to Palm Cove or go up to the Tablelands and Mareeba – it’s all very beautiful.”

The home at 28 Enmore St, Manoora, is one of 40 properties going to auction on May 19. Picture: realestate.com.au

Mr Abdullah said they settled on the suburb of Edge Hill for its community feel and central location.

“It’s an older suburb that is beautiful and safe, and the community is quite open,” he said.

“They have a lot of ongoing activities and the Esplanade is within walking distance.

“We don’t have to drive into the city because the supermarket is just around the corner and if we want to go to the cafe we can walk there.”

Ray White Cairns principal Ray Murphy, who sold the couple their home, said there had been an increase in out-of-towners and new residents buying in Cairns to get more bang for their buck.

“We can see this in the response we’ve had to our auction event on May 19,” he said.

“There has been magnitude of interest.

“We had 50 properties ranging from commercial through to high end and first homebuyer stock going under the hammer, but 10 have already sold prior to auction.

“It’s a sign of the times, the Cairns market is very affordable but it is strong and there is a lot of buyer demand.”

The post Heart is where the affordable home is appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Actor Melina Vidler with her parents Kaylene and Wayne Vidler. Picture: David Clark

Aussie actor Melina Vidler moved a dozen-odd times growing up as her property developer parents traded in Brisbane’s rising market.

For the past five years, the Logie winner has returned to the family’s Fortitude Valley cottage between shoots — but now Wayne and Kaylene Vidler are on the move again.

Their 1880s-era cottage, which they bought for $925,000 in 2019, is on the market through an expressions of interest campaign with Place Bulimba agents Tom Kralikas and Georgia Glen.

Melina Vidler’s latest film with or without you has launched in cinemas. Picture: Adam Head

Brisbane house prices have surged 68 per cent since the pandemic, reaching a median of $915,000 across all suburbs, according to PropTrack.

If that blistering pace continues, the typical house in the city could cost $1.54m by 2030.

The Vidlers have built equity by extensively renovating the property at 8 Hynes Street,

which was being used as office space when they bought it.

The couple, who raised their three children while trading in real estate from city apartments to sprawling Samford Valley estates, now plan to downsize.

“But there’ll always be a place for Melina,” Kaylene said.

“That’s a requirement.”

Melina moves back between roles. Picture: David Clark

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Melina was home ahead of the launch of her latest film, With or Without You.

“Mum and Dad are home, at the end of the day. They always have been,” the 32-year-old said.

“I’ve definitely built a connection to this house, and Brisbane is always a place I want to come back to.”

Vidler’s breakout role in 800 Words earned her the 2016 Logie for Most Outstanding Newcomer. Her credits include Kidnapped, Love in Bloom, and Elvis.

The family has owned the cottage for five years

Character features inside

The three-bedroom home has a spacious kitchen with a breakfast bar and standout al fresco entertaining zone.

“There was nothing out the back – just some gravel and a few palm trees,” Kaylene said.

“We spent a lot of time and effort renovating to create a space where all the family could spend time together.”

Sons Beau and Brent live in Melbourne but return for Christmas.

Melinda, meanwhile, splits her time between Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast.

Heart of the home

The house has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, with a commercial upside

“I’ve been nomadic for far too long,” said the former Ferny Grove State High School student.

“I’m happily single and independent — but I’m looking to dive back into the dating world again.

“I’d definitely like some stability down the track.”

The post Actor Melina Vidler’s family home hits the market appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Iconic ‘Spite House’ hits market for $1.2m. Picture: Realtor; Google Maps

An iconic “Spite House” in the US has hit the market again for $US799,000 ($A1.2 million), exactly 100 years after it was built.

Best known as the “Montlake Spite House”, the wedge-shaped home was constructed in the Seattle neighbourhood in 1925.

The two-bedroom residence, which measures just 55 inches across at its slimmest point, has become a local legend.

According to multiple reports, the property was allegedly built by its original owner in an act of vengeance against a neighbour amid a furious land dispute

Legend has it, a woman created the home seeking revenge against her ex-husband, Realtor reports.

After she and her spouse split, she was awarded a tiny 3,090 square foot parcel of their shared property in the divorce settlement — on which she decided to build a petite home in a bid to “block his view in the front yard,” according to the home’s owner, Emily Cangie.

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Seattle’s infamous “Montlake Spite House” has been put back on the market for $US799,000, exactly 100 years after it was built. Picture: Realtor

As the legend goes, the home — which is shaped like a wedge and measures just 55 inches across at its slimmest point — was constructed as a petty act of revenge. Picture: Realtor

The property looks much like a traditional home from the front and side. Picture: Realtor

The dwelling is understood to have been built on a tiny parcel of land by a woman seeking revenge on her former husband, who owned the home next-door. Picture: Realtor

Ms Cangie, who bought the home in 2019, according to records, opened up its doors in 2023 for a video tour with YouTuber Kirsten Dirksen, while sharing details about the property’s history.

“The story goes that she decided to build a house to block his view in the front yard,” Ms Cangie said, explaining that, at the time of her divorce, the woman was unable to “get her own loan in the U.S.”

So, having been left unable to buy her own property, she constructed the dwelling — which has since cemented its place in Seattle’s history books.

However, another version of the story suggests that the dwelling was actually built by a landowner who wanted to get revenge on a neighbour who made an “insultingly low” offer on the land where the home is located.

According to the home’s most recent owner, the property’s unique layout does not cause too many difficulties in day-to-day life. Picture: Realtor

The widest points have been used as the main living spaces. Picture: Realtor

Regardless, the property has earned quite the reputation over the years, having first been sold back in 1983 for $US50,000.

Today, the home is registered to an LLC under the name “Montlake Spite House;” however, records indicate that it has not been sold since Ms Cangie and her husband purchased it.

The dwelling has, however, undergone a serious makeover in recent years — one that saw its once-yellow exterior transformed to an elegant blue-grey hue.

Its listing description makes no attempt to hide the unique layout of the dwelling, joking that the property is “wedged” into the local neighbourhood — and noting its somewhat odd proportions.

“Wedged into Seattle’s historic Montlake neighbourhood, the Spanish Revival style Montlake Spite House is 15 feet wide on one side and just 55 inches on the other,” it reads.

The description then goes on to call attention to the many upgrades that have been made to the two-storey abode, including a “new roof, new paint, a new water heater, and an updated kitchen.”

“Bright main floor offers a living room, bedroom, bath, and kitchen,” it goes on. “The lower level has a family room, bedroom, laundry, bath, and separate entrance, ideal for guests, Airbnb, or an ADU.”

One of the two bedrooms in the property is open and airy — albeit with a pint-sized bathroom. Picture: Realtor

The lower level features a small space that has been converted into the second bedroom. Picture: Realtor

During her YouTube tour of the home, Ms Cangie insisted that the home’s peculiar shape did not cause too many difficulties, although she conceded that the areas in which the property narrows almost to a perfect point could be a bit harder to navigate.

“The bathroom is where the angles get weird … makes me think of bathrooms in New York,” she joked.

“I mean, compared to New York, [we’re] just grateful that there is not a toilet in [the] bedroom.”

Referring to the dwelling as her “little wedge of cheese,” Ms Cangie admitted that she was initially concerned living in the home would feel like she was residing in a “fishbowl,” but that the more intimate spaces are actually more cozy than claustrophobic.

She went on to compare the home to New York’s iconic Flatiron building, explaining that, despite having numerous owners over the years, the property’s structure has never been changed or expanded.

“Everybody’s kind of left it intact,” she noted. “As far as we know, this is the original footprint and it’s in great shape.”

Parts of this story first appeared in Realtor and was republished with permission.

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The post Iconic ‘Spite House’ hits market for $1.2m appeared first on realestate.com.au.

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