MANSION GLOBAL

French castle

This magnificent limestone castle, built in the 15th century, offers nearly 100 acres of wooded land and 2km of frontage on the River Aven in southern Brittany, and is on the market for €31.5 million ($45 million). “The current owner acquired the chateau in 2000, when he fell in love with the place,” says listing agent David Bilder. “It was entirely in ruins, partly in the open air, without a roof.” The owner spent nearly 20 years rebuilding and restoring the castle, Bilder says. It took about seven years to dismantle and rebuild the structure, stone by stone, with a crew of seven stonemasons permanently on site. They even created a granite quarry on the property to acquire new stone. Original parts of the property include a chapel, a monk’s tower, a polygonal tower known as the belfry, and a monumental granite staircase, the agent says. He praises the restoration’s “successful blend of old and contemporary comfort”. Modern touches include geothermal underfloor heating, home automation and video surveillance. There is also a new open-air glass roof that illuminates the entry foyer in the main tower of the castle, which links the 15th-century element to the 18th-century structure by a glass and wrought-iron canopy. The main level of the castle features several reception rooms with fireplaces and large windows overlooking the river and the private parkland. The 1100sq m castle has eight bedrooms, eight full bathrooms and two partial bathrooms. Amenities include eight fireplaces, a natural granite swimming pool and several themed gardens, including a Zen-like Japanese garden.

Mayfair mansion

A historic London mansion that’s about half the size of Westminster Abbey has hit the market for £35 million ($63 million). Located in Mayfair, it is the largest mansion on the market in the city’s upmarket neighbourhood. The Georgian property, completed in 1749, has a Grade II historical listing and has been home to the Naval Club, an exclusive members-only venue, since 1946, according to the listing agencies Wetherell and Gerald Eve. It is also one of few freehold properties in Mayfair, according to Peter Wetherell, founder and chairman of Wetherell. “It is extremely rare in Mayfair to have the opportunity to purchase the freehold of an entire mansion building of this size which is still configured as a vast single property,” he says. “If remodelled into a super-prime mansion, 38 Hill Street would be one of the most valuable, largest and prestigious private homes in Mayfair.” There’s space for 16 bedrooms and two floors of reception rooms. There are six floors in total. The property is located on a wide and deep plot, and also “lends itself to a range of potential commercial or hospitality uses”, says Lloyd Davies, a partner at Gerald Eve. Designed by architect Benjamin Timbrell, the mansion was originally built for wealthy landowner Lord Berkeley. John Pitt, the second Earl of Chatham, and brother of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, was an early resident. In 1905 a Portland stone porch was added, as well as an entrance hall with a circular staircase and Louis XVI-style drawing room.

VL HENDRICKSON

Scottish estate

A 7.3ha estate on Scotland’s west coast that was a former training ground for the British army was listed last week for £2.25 million ($4 million), according to Savills. The main house dates from 1864, and is the only building in Scotland designed by Philip Webb, the father of the Arts and Crafts Movement. It was designed as a hunting lodge and rebuilt in the 1930s after a fire. In 1941, the British army requisitioned the estate to train an elite group of officers, the secret Special Operations Executive, before World War II. The property features expansive lawns that extend to the sea, a private jetty, outbuildings, tennis court, woodlands and gardens. There are 38 bedrooms. “One of the most significant and handsome Highland country houses to come onto the market in recent years … the house and estate would lend themselves perfectly to exclusive weekend/vacation use or as an events venue,” says listing agent Cameron Ewer of Savills. The main home, known as Arisaig House, was run as a boutique hotel until early 2019, and the outbuildings have been vacation rentals. The updated Orchard House has five bedrooms and water views. The main house has 12 bedroom suites and four separate apartments. It has a carved oak staircase, billiard room, and Art Deco- and Art Nouveaudetails, including plaster and woodwork, William Morris wallpaper and an Italian vaulted ceiling in the drawing room. Both the house and grounds are listed by Historic Environment Scotland. There is a walled garden, a rose garden, and mature trees. The property last sold for just under £2 million in 2010.

Gold Coast

JONATHAN CHANCELLOR

Hinterland worth its weight in gold

Big houses and acreage properties are in demand on the Queensland tourist strip

Top: 327 Chesterfield Drive, Bonogin Below: 14 Maryland Avenue, Carrara

The Gold Coast property boom is as evident in luxury home sales as it is in apartments, says veteran agent Andrew Bell.

“In fact, houses have been more hotly sought after,” says Bell, who heads the Ray White Surfers Paradise network. He adds that while the apartment market is strong, with local downsizers and interstate migration, the housing market is driven by the same buyers. “It is in the housing market that we see the greatest shortage of stock,” Bell says. “There is huge demand from young local couples looking to either get into their first home or to move from an apartment to a house.”

It comes against the background of realestate.com.au calculating locations where there has been an 80 per cent increase in buyer activity versus a 32 per cent decrease in listings.

The market didn’t kick into gear until the fourth quarter 2020, with negligible growth, like the rest of Australia, in the first nine months of the year. “The market came alive in Q4 2020, and started booming in Q1 2021,” Bell says. He says the first quarter (Q1) also saw interstate sea-changers from Sydney and Melbourne drop off, with the boom driven by locals.

New suburb price records have been set across the Gold Coast, from Tallebudgera Valley in the hinterland to Burleigh Waters. At the top end, Mermaid Beach has been strong and the median house price in Main Beach is tipped to hit $3 million in 2021 if the current rate of price growth continues.

Shooting for the suburb record in the hinterland is a brand new home in Bonogin, next to Tallebudgera Valley. Queensland Sotheby’s Main Beach agent Scott Keatley is marketing the 17ha property. The four-bedroom house, with views to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta, spans 760sq m of living space. Glass sliders from the open plan kitchen, living and dining area – which features a fuel fireplace and Otago stacked stone feature wall – open to a wraparound terrace, infinity pool, spa, bar and alfresco area.

Queensland Sotheby’s founder Paul Arthur says he’s seeing strong demand at all price points, with calls from local, interstate and some Australians returning from overseas.

“Those who have money like to spend – and we’re seeing this in all luxury items, from cars to boats, and property,” Arthur says. He expects workplace changes from the pandemic “will only increase the usual migration from the southern capitals”.

“COVID has had a positive impact on acreage properties, so we are seeing a split preference for sea and tree change equally in demand,” he says.

Kollosche Broadbeach agent Michael Kollosche says demand is especially high across the central and southern beachside suburb,s and big gains have been achieved for acreage suburbs close to the beach such as Carrara, Mudgeeraba, Tallebudgera Valley, Bonogin, Currumbin Valley and Tallai. He says those areas have been particularly popular with the Sydney and Melbourne exodus.

“Southern buyers have been very active in the Gold Coast market since the second half of last year. Inquiry levels really ramped up during and off the back of those lockdown periods and interest remains high, for those relocating or looking for a holiday home,” he says, adding that New Zealand buyers are now coming back on the radar now the travel bubble is in place.

“Those groups are either looking with a view to relocate to the Gold Coast or to purchase a second home.”

Kollosche’s agency is marketing a European-style Paradise Waters waterfront house for a May 23 auction. Set on 770sq m near the river, the five-bedroom home on Buccaneer Court features a pool, spa and pavilion with an outdoor kitchen.

“Families are chasing larger houses with plenty of space to entertain outdoors, with amenities including pools, gyms and tennis courts high on the wishlist,” he says.

The emerging boom has given hopes for the Carrara home of racing driver Paul Weel, listed by Amir Mian Prestige agent Matthew Biviano for $11.95 million. The 4245sq m estate is one of just 15 exclusive north-facing sites to front the river. Designed by Bayden Goddard, the grand residence has six bedrooms, a theatre, a Monaco Grand Prix-inspired bar, 10-car basement garage and gym, plus an 18m infinity pool, riverside pavilion, teppanyaki grill, tennis court and 15m pontoon.