Prestige property prices drop in these Aussie capitals

Buyers in the market for a prestige property may do well to monitor auction results in coming weeks with modest falls recorded in Australia’s two largest capital cities at the top end of the price range.

Chief economist for Ray White, Nerida Conisbee says both Sydney and Melbourne have seen downward pressure at the higher end of the market in the 12 months to June, according to Ray White Research.

Sydney experienced a 2.8 percent drop for properties more than $3 million, while in Melbourne, it’s 12.5 per cent in the same price range. However, this was tempered by steady prices in other sectors of the market, with Sydney and Melbourne seeing a total decline in property prices of 1.2 percent and 2.5 percent respectively.

The top end capital Darwin, experienced the greatest overall drop across all price points, recording a 5.3 percent fall.

For investors looking for properties less than $1 million, Ms Conisbee said there has been a modest 1.5 per cent fall in Sydney, perhaps reflecting the consecutive interest rate hikes of recent months. Prices for mid range properties (between $1 million and $3 million) have remained steady.

Ms Conisbee said price increases are set to continue to slow over the remainder of the year, making for a calmer market.

A Sydney waterfront mansion that has just hit the market could set a countrywide price record as the first home to sell for A$200 million (US$129.77 million).

Located in the affluent suburb of Point Piper, the sprawling home sits on a lot that’s equivalent to “four normal housing blocks” and features 98 meters (321.5 feet) of water frontage along the harbor, according to an announcement on Wednesday from Ken Jacobs, director of Australia Pacific of Forbes Global Properties, who has the listing in association with real estate agent Brad Pillinger.

“The estate is Australia’s most iconic residence and ranks amongst the best in the world, combining both privacy and space, exuding elegance and comfort, while featuring gun-barrel views of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge,” Jacobs said in a statement.

The residence is expected to sell for A$200 million or more, Pillinger added. “There is no comparable property in Australia.”

The home, named Wingadal, as it’s located on Wingadal Place, was built for Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond, who purchased the property in 1999. It took eight years to complete the mansion, which was designed by architect Alec Tzannes, according to the listing agency.

“Wingadal is a highlight of my career in residential design and architecture,” Tzannes said. “The timeless design on the Point Piper peninsula offers a unique appreciation of Sydney Harbour from a variety of angles, rotating around an axis that lines up perfectly with the Sydney Harbour Bridge.”

The colossal home has enough internal space to entertain up to 500 people, and underground parking provides space for 20 cars, plus eight more can fit inside the garage.

The four-level home has four bedrooms as well as a two-bedroom apartment. There’s also a 2,500-bottle wine cellar, a home theater that seats 22, two commercial kitchens and a swimming pool.

“Wingadal has been a special home for my family over the past two decades, and now I’m looking forward to spending more time traveling overseas,” Symond said in a statement. “While being an exceptional family home, we have also enjoyed hosting many important events for charities and other worthwhile causes.”

This is not the first time Symond has tried to sell his waterfront estate. In 2016, he listed the home in hopes of selling it for at least A$100 million, which would’ve been a price record for the country at that time Mansion Global reported . The current benchmark was set in 2022, when a baronial-style estate, also in Point Piper, sold for A$130 million, according to The Sydney Morning Herald .

Prestige property prices drop in these Aussie capitals

The harbourfront estate has views of the Sydney Opera House and can entertain up to 500 guests