MAY 24, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
Main: Janna Feeney and Stuart Innes with their children Willem and Alfie outside the renovated house. (Joe Mastroianni) Above: The original house front and rear. (Supplied)
Pay day for brave buyers A house described as the worst house in the best street just two years ago is expected to more than double in price when it goes to auction. No. 7 Alfred Place in Williamstown was sold in May 2015 for $581,000, making it the cheapest free-standing house in Williamstown at the time. Its new owners, Janna Feeney and her builder husband Stuart Innes, have completely renovated the property, keeping its heritage facade and adding a level at the rear.
Originally a one-bedroom house with the back falling down, it now has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Ms Feeney said the asking price was $1.25-$1.35 million. Sitting on a block of about 159 square metres, the Victorian cottage is listed in the Victorian heritage database as being of local historic and aesthetic significance as a rare example of a pre-1870 house, but it is not heritage protected and was nearly demolished some years ago. Historian Brian Haynes said the house dated back to the mid-1850s.
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“It was a bit of a risk because we didn’t know what we’d be able to achieve through the council.” Selling agent Leigh Melbourne of Greg Hocking Elly Partners said the house presented a “fabulous opportunity” for downsizers who wanted to stay in the area but didn’t want a unit or townhouse. Mr Melbourne said everything was right on the doorstep. “Really, you don’t need a vehicle – you’re basically walking to everything.” The house is being auctioned on July 8 at 1.30pm.
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He said Customs boatman Charles Hernan was living in the house in 1858 but may not have been the original owner/occupier. Ms Feeney said the house had been put in the too-hard basket by previous owners. “The owner before us tried to restore the front two rooms but then kind of got stuck,” she said. “We got it for a good price because I think a lot of people didn’t want to take it on. A lot of builders didn’t want to take it on because it wasn’t easy … it’s a really odd-shaped plot. “It had a lot of different angles and everything had to be made bespoke.
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