Young couple reveal plans for historic Newtown home

The four-bedroom house at 18 Virginia St, Newtown, sold for $85,000 above price expectations.

A young couple who jumped at the chance to snap up a home in reputedly Newtown’s most prestigious street is set to renovate the character home.

The buyers landed the four-bedroom residence at 18 Virginia St for $1.405m, after going up against another local bidder at Saturday’s auction.

Gartland Geelong agent Will Ainsworth said both hopeful were living close by when the 516sq m property was listed for sale with price hopes from $1.2m to $1.32m.

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“We had two bidders. They’re both young couples and the buyers currently reside in Geelong West and wanted to get into this location, so have purchased it to really secure the spot, and then will renovate and move in.”

The underbidder was also looking to adding value through renovating the home, which hit the market after more than 40 years, Mr Ainsworth said.

“Both were locals and were probably were within a kilometres of where Virginia St is.

“I don’t think either buyer was quite ready to buy but when an opportunity like that comes along, you just can’t sit around and go ‘that’s OK I’ll wait for the next home’, because you just don’t know when that’ll be.”

Character features include fireplaces and high ceilings.

An extension provides open plan living space.

Mr Ainsworth said several other potential buyers watched as the bidders took the price beyond their budgets.

“I thought it was a really good outcome. It was a great campaign. We had over 60 groups come through.”

Mr Ainsworth said the owners had been at the address for 42 years.

“There were lots of neighbours there and friends and family who were really there as support for them, because they just have either spent lots of time at the property, or have known them from street Christmas parties,” he said.

So far 2025 has proved a busy year in Virginia St, with four homes trading.

There are two other houses listed for sale, including a three-bedroom Edwardian house set to be auctioned this weekend with price hopes between $1.15m and $1.25m.

Last year just two houses changed hands, including a historic five-bedroom Californian bungalow that sold for just short of $6m.

The kitchen has stone benches and a Bosch oven and dishwasher.

There is green space behind the house on the 516sq m block.

It’s the most expensive home to ever sell on the street, though several other renovated or rebuilt five and six-bedroom homes have sold for more than $3m since 2023.

Newtown’s median house price its at $1.085m, according to PropTrack data.

The house at 18 Virginia St featured high ceilings, beautiful leadlight windows and elegant archways with an extension adding open-plan living spaces at the rear.

The kitchen has stone benchtops, a Bosch oven and dishwasher and Westinghouse gas cooktop and a walk-in pantry.

Virginia St is an exclusive tree-lined Newtown hill street between Latrobe Tce and Pakington St that’s within walking distance of Chilwell Primary School and the suburb’s schools precinct featuring The Geelong College and Sacred Heart College.

While home is set on a north rear facing block, the southern side of the street is renowned for its deep blocks of around 1000sq m.

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