Buyers splash out on former pool house in Newtown

Fierce competition for the original 1970s dwelling at 28 Retreat Rd pushed the result $140,000 above expectation.

The building, crafted from recycled Geelong red bricks, once served as the pool house for the neighbouring property but had since been converted into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom home.

RELATED: Perfect timing for buyers of riverside Highton home

‘Supercharged’ Geelong suburbs set to spearhead growth

Custom family home raises the bar for comfort

Buxton agent Tom Butters said the 612sq m property “went nuts” during the short campaign, blowing $1.33m to $1.395m price hopes out of the water.

“I had 27 through the open for inspections and a few private appointments and five bidders that just went back and forth and it sold for $1.535m. It was huge,” Mr Butters said.

“I sold next door, on the corner, for the estate and this was actually originally their pool house so they had an indoor pool and a couple of rooms and then the kids left home so they filled in the pool, put a fence up and rented it the house, just a little two-bedder.”

He said the blue chip Retreat Rd address was a big drawcard for buyers, including the young Geelong family that secured the home.

“It’s a pretty blank canvas, you could work with the house, you could easily start again, knock it over,” he said.

“Everyone had a different agenda with it so people could see a lot of promise in it and it was really well built so it would be an easy extension to put on the house if you wanted to – it just offered a lot.”

A central kitchen and dining area and separate lounge are the heart of the home and wrap around a north-facing deck and garden.

Built-in 1970s timber cabinetry features in both bedrooms, one of which has an ensuite, while the sauna (not currently operational) is another throwback to the pool house days.

The neighbouring four-bedroom red brick home at 26 Retreat Rd, Newtown sold in May for $1.81m, CoreLogic records show.

The untouched 1974 gem was architect designed and features an internal lightwell garden, exposed brick walls and floors, solid timber cabinetry and exposed wooden beams.

Originally published as Former pool house in Newtown beats price hopes by $140k