Ex-police station with a backyard jail cell sells for $1m+

The former jail cell in the Highett home’s rear yard.

A former cop shop in Melbourne’s south east featuring a backyard jail cell locked in a seven-figure sale yesterday.

The ex-police station at 1082 Nepean Highway, Highett, now a five-bedroom home, proved to be hot property when it sold for $1.115m under the hammer.

Ray White Carnegie director Tom Grieve declined to comment on the sales price but the Herald Sun attended the auction.

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Mr Grieve said police enthusiasts and history buffs were among the auction crowd.

“Somebody who came to watch the auction actually wanted to buy the door of the jail cell which is quite cool, it’s quite heavy with all the bolts and latches,” Mr Grieve said.

The house’s buyers, Jess and her partner, said they were hoping to renovate the abode and potentially rent it out down the track.

“At the moment we are keen to get in and get the carpet up,” Jess said.

“Who knows what we will find, I am excited to see what it’s going to bring.”

She said they would likely retain the old jail cell as a storage space.

The couple have previously renovated their first home, finding 1940s-era newspapers and milk bottle slips in the process.

The Highett residence was listed with $1.2m-$1.3m asking range.

1082 Nepean Highway, Highett, served as a police station before being transformed into a five-bedroom house.

The home is in a residential growth zone.

A concrete toilet inside the ex-jail cell that’s now used for storage purposes.

In the city’s east, one of Saturday’s priciest sales was a circa-1892 house at 37 Mayston St, Hawthorn East, which changed hands for $3.831m.

Jellis Craig Boroondara’s Mark Salvati said the “firecracker” auction kicked off with a $3.5m bid.

“There were two bidders and it was like ping pong between the two of them,” Mr Salvati said.

He noted this his agency’s Melbourne branches had been seeing high clearance rates in recent weeks.

According to PropTrack, Victoria recorded a preliminary 66.6 per cent clearance rate from 410 early auction results this week.

A total 795 homes across the state are slated to go under the hammer next week.

37 Mayston St, Hawthorn East, is named Easington. The three-bedroom house was renovated and extended by architect David Neil of Neil Architecture, about 17 years ago.

High ceilings and marble open fireplaces feature in the house that is close to Camberwell Junction.

Ray White Victoria’s chief auctioneer Jeremy Tyrell with the Reserve Bank set to meet on Monday and Tuesday, a potential rate cut “could really see the dam walls of supply burst open”.

“Buyer confidence during the week was very strong as competition ramped up with buyers keen to get in ahead of the market before any further rate drops,” Mr Tyrell added.

“As the real estate market begins to see positive growth across the state and in the capital, the stage is set for a big spring selling season.”

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