The Block’s Elyse Knowles and Josh Barker sell their South Melbourne investment property for more than $1.6million after neighbours shot down their renovation plans
Model Elyse Knowles and her fiancé Josh Barker have sold the South Melbourne investment property they planed to turn into their dream home.
The two-bedroom terrace, purchased by The Block 2017 winners in 2018 for $1.42million, sold prior to auction for a sum higher than the $1.6m asking price, realestate.com.au reports.
The buyers, a local family, are reportedly hoping to proceed with the renovations Elyse and Josh had planned to undertake prior to sale.
Sold! Model Elyse Knowles (right) and her fiancé Josh Barker (left) have sold the South Melbourne investment property they planed to turn into their dream home
‘They’re planning to do the renovation, but not immediately, they really liked the renovation,’ Belle Property Albert Park director David Wood told realestate.com.au.
In March, Else and Josh submitted submitted plans for the partial demolition of the pad, as well as the addition of a basement, rooftop terrace and garden.
However, angry neighbours allegedly filed 18 objections to the couple’s ideas, with one resident angrily claiming they were trying to build a ‘ridiculously oversized’ home in a ‘working-class’ area.
Making a tidy profit: The two-bedroom terrace, purchased by The Block 2017 winners in 2018 for $1.42million, sold prior to auction for a sum higher than the $1.6m asking price, realestate.com.au reports
‘They really liked the renovation’: The buyers, a local family, are reportedly hoping to proceed with the renovations Elyse and Josh had planned to undertake prior to sale
At the time, an anonymous neighbour told The Herald Sun’s Page 13: ‘This is our home, but they just want to develop and leave us with the deluge.’
‘These are modest homes in what was traditionally a modest working-class area, with working-class cottages.’
They added: ‘Now they are trying to make it into some ridiculously oversized thing. Who needs three toilets on one floor? It’s excessive.’
Do-upper: In March, Else and Josh submitted submitted plans for the partial demolition of the pad, as well as the addition of a basement, rooftop terrace and garden
‘Who needs three toilets on one floor? It’s excessive’: At the time, an anonymous neighbour told The Herald Sun ‘s Page 13: ‘This is our home, but they just want to develop and leave us with the deluge.’ Pictured: Elyse and Josh’s renovation plan mockup
Claims: The resident alleged that Josh had knocked on his neighbours’ doors to persuade them to withdraw their objections and believes one local may have decided to withdraw their opposition
The resident alleged that Josh had knocked on his neighbours’ doors to persuade them to withdraw their objections and believes one local may have decided to withdraw their opposition.
Port Phillip Council mayor Dick Gross told Page 13 an amended application was going to be lodged after the 18 objections were filed.
Elyse and Josh relocated from Melbourne to Byron Bay in 2019, and in May last year purchased a $2.3million beach house in the New South Wales coastal town.
Elyse previously told Daily Mail Australia that the couple had moved to Byron Bay from Melbourne while chasing a more sustainable lifestyle for themselves.
They welcomed their first child, son Sunny, in February this year.
Change of pace: Elyse and Josh relocated from Melbourne to Byron Bay in 2019, and in May last year purchased a $2.3million beach house in the New South Wales coastal town
Baby joy: The couple, who won the 2017 season of The Block, welcomed their first child, son Sunny, in February this year