‘Over the top' house sells for $18.5m
It was described as capturing 'the romance and timeless beauty of a Mediterranean villa', and the house known as 'Formentera' certainly does that.
You won't find too many grand Australian homes with internal finishes quite like this. Even its latest vendors, sources say, considered them a bit 'over the top'.
The grand six-bedroom home at 86 Lang Rd, Centennial Park, has just sold for $18.5m after 27 days on the market via Ray White Double Bay's Ashley Bierman and Thomas Popple, in conjunction with Ben Collier and Daniel Acocks at The Agency.
But it had been on the market since last September with Collier, initially with hopes of $23m.
The result fell at the lower end of its latest $18.5m-$20m guide, with the buyers known to be banker Andrew Cox and his partner, Pru, moving from 22 Attunga St, Woollahra that's listed with Collier.
They no doubt factored in a reno for the Lang Rd mansion, to bring it more in line with Australian contemporary tastes.
The recent Wentworth Courier House of the Week property, which gets its name from the smallest of the Spanish Balearic Islands, is currently owned by Rob Speedie, Novotech CFO, and Annabelle Mooney, the former JPMorgan managing director.
The pair bought the four-storey house in 2021 for $12.5 million from car dealers Paul and Elizabeth Warren, of the Peter Warren Automotives clan.
Perhaps it was these previous owners who were behind the 'exquisite hand-painted ceilings, architectural detailing, and a warm Mediterranean palette'.
The marble kitchen, with its island bench, Ilve cooker and integrated Sub-Zero fridges, has all the mod cons, but is probably set for a makeover.
What would have sold the place, though, was the 854sqm landholding in a prime location on millionaire's row in Centennial Park, with the buyers looking beyond the current design of the 650sq m of internal living space.
As Kirsten Craze wrote in her recent feature: 'Outdoors, the landscaped grounds include a European parterre front yard with a pond and manicured hedges, as well as a rear yard with a huge pool, a paved terrace and lawn.
'The first floor is home to a family bathroom plus four bedrooms including the palatial primary and secondary suite, both with large dressing rooms, balconies and deluxe ensuites.
'One more level includes a fifth bedroom or teenager retreat with adjoining sitting room, a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite.
Above the double lock up garage and utility room, a convenient one-bedroom au pair or guest apartment comes complete with a kitchen and bathroom, as well as its own private entrance.
'Across from Centennial Park, Formentera is within easy access of Woollahra shops, Oxford St, the Allianz Stadium precinct, Entertainment Quarter, horse riding and the Sporting Club of Sydney.'
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