From Darling Point dump to P&O style delight
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20A Thornton St, Darling Point needed a reno when the owners bought it four years ago. Take a look at it now.
When retired financial planner Jeannie McKenzie and her husband John bought a circa 1940 garden duplex four years ago, it needed some love.
They paid $5.13m, having been won over by the P&O or Ocean Liner style of the three-bedroom, two-bathroom residence with double parking at 20A Thornton St, Darling Point.
Intending to live in it during their retirement, they undertook a lavish million-dollar reno, completely gutting the 179sqm property and fittted it out in all the best finishes.
But they’ve now listed it with Ray White’s No.1 agent, Oliver Lavers, with a $5.75m auction guide.
“They’ve had a change of plan, deciding to spend more time at their Avoca property,” Lavers says.
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The reno extended outside as well as inside.
The residence has 179sqm of internal space.
“It’s a beautiful downsizer property — when you think of Darling Point, you think big skyscrapers with a large number of residents.
“But here there are only two, so you have control of the strata.
“The property across the road has been valued at $60m, so they’re your neighbours, but here you’re getting into the Darling Point market at around $5.75m, you’ve got your own piece of land, and this is an extremely high quality reno.”
The residence comes with an 82 sqm garden on title and a tandem garage with room for two cars.
The design features a geometric shape, curved windows, ship-railing balustrades, a parapet roof (in part) and glass brick window features.
The building has stunning external and internal features, with the reno both inside and out.
The internal renovation continues the art deco theme, including the kitchen and bathrooms. The contemporary gardens also reflect the art deco theme.
The vendors have done a reno that cost close to $1m.
There’s 82sqm of garden on title.
The property is on a level ground floor with stunning inclusions, and an attractive garden with city glimpses.
The kitchen comprises Calacatta Viola marble benchtops, and a beautiful white onyx cocktail bar.
There’s a butlers’ pantry and open-plan dining and lounge rooms.
The timber floors feature Tasmanian Oak parquetry in the large entrance and the lounge room.
It’s a 10-minute walk to Darling Point ferry, which gets you to Circular Quay in 15 minutes.
Ascham school is a 10-minute walk and it’s 15 minutes to Edgecliff station.
Only the best finishes were used as the vendors had intended to continue living there.
There are three bedrooms, two bathrooms and double parking.
Lavers says it’s been a slow start to spring in terms of listings.
“But buyer demand is extremely strong … anything coming to market has been achieving strong prices,” he said.
He’s just sold a four-bedroom home on a 458sqm block at 15 Courtenay Rd, Rose Bay for $10.1m, which had previously traded for $4.1m six years ago.
And another home at 97 Dover Rd, Dover Heights had fetched just under $9m.
“Four Courtenay Rd, we had 36 groups through the first inspection in the middle of a thunderstorm, so buyer demand is strong,” Lavers said.
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