Julian Babarczy has swapped his Vaucluse trophy home for the Toorak pile of National Tiles’ Frank Walker, while AirTree’s Craig Blair sells in Clovelly.
Investor and company director Julian Babarczy and his wife and interior designer Olivia, have paid $23.5 million for the Toorak mansion of National Tiles founder Frank Walker and his wife, Rhonda.
The Toorak trophy purchase comes three months after Babarczy sold his Mediterranean style mansion in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, before its scheduled auction for an undisclosed price, understood to be between $25 million and $27 million.
Julian and Olivia Babarczy have purchased this Toorak home for $23.5 million.
The Babarczys’ Melbourne move comes three years after the veteran investor resigned from Regal Funds Management following 14 years with the hedge fund.
According to his LinkedIn, Babarczy is currently CIO at Jigsaw Investments and executive chairman at Perpetual Resources.
Julian Babarczy has swapped his Vaucluse harbour view home for a Toorak mansion with pool and tennis court. Louise Kennerley
A caveat placed on the Toorak property has revealed the Babarczys have selected the decade-long home of the Walkers as their Melbourne landing pad.
The home sits on a 1350-square-metre landholding on one of Toorak’s best streets – Clendon Road – and was designed by architect Nicholas Day about 33 years ago.
Interior designer Amy Spargo recently revamped her parents’ home on Toorak’s Clendon Road.
The property recently underwent an interior revamp helmed by the Walker’s daughter and interior designer, Amy Spargo, founder of Maine House Interiors.
Spargo, who discussed the project in an interview with AFR Weekend, styled her parents’ home using her signature heavily decorated style, including hand-painted wallpapers and embroidered fabrics.
The home comes with a pool, tennis court, manicured gardens, lift and conservatory complete with black-and-white chequered floors.
Known for his “Hello, Frank Walker from National Tiles” radio ads, Walker plans to downsize after more than a decade at the blue-chip address. Walker founded National Tiles in 1979, which now has more than 30 stores around the country.
Selling agent Forbes’ Michael Gibson confirmed the sale, but declined to comment further.
Buyer’s advocate David Morrell, of Morrell & Koren, said the sale signalled some rare movement in Melbourne’s top end, which is choked by tight supply.
The Clendon Road property has been home to Frank and Rhonda Walker for the past decade.
“It’s like a blocked drain, everything has stopped,” Morrell said. “The buyers are there, but the vendors won’t come and play. I don’t need any more clients, but I need quality properties.”
AirTree’s Craig Blair and wife Melanie Caffrey have sold their Clovelly home.
AirTree co-founder Craig Blair and his wife, marketing consultant Melanie Caffrey, have sold their Clovelly home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs for about $14.5 million, according to local sources.
The couple are heading to neighbouring Bronte, where they recently paid a suburb record of $30 million for the resort-style home of Cygnet Capital’s Darien Jagger and wife Katie.
Blair and Caffrey purchased their six-bedroom Dods and Zuccon architect-designed home on Battery Street for $5.7 million in 2013.
AirTree Ventures’ Craig Blair is swapping Clovelly for Bronte.
The sale follows another high-profile Gordon’s Bay sale with radio personality Jackie O Henderson recently paying $13.25 million for a nearby knockdown from JPMorgan Chase managing director Kierin Deeming.
The Clovelly home was sold by Sotheby’s James Ball, who would not be drawn on the identity of buyer or sale price.
Williams Crossing offers “Sound of Music” like views across the Illawarra escarpment.
In NSW’s Southern Highlands, a New England-style country estate known as Williams Crossing has sold after arriving on the market with $20 million price hopes in January.
Built in 2015 by Edward Studdy (chairman of girls’ school Frensham and son of the late Network Ten and Goodman Fielder chairman John Studdy) and his wife, Jodi, the luxury escape is set on 40 hectares in Glenquarry, outside Bowral.
While the sale price remains undisclosed, the property’s asking price had been discounted to $17 million before the recent deal.
The main homestead features a soaring two-storey dry stone fireplace, double-height ceilings as well as a four-bedroom guesthouse and the capacity and facilities to run 100 head of cattle.
Selling agent Samuel Lindsay, of Drew Lindsay Real Estate, declined to discuss the sale specifics citing a non-disclosure agreement. However, the prestige agent did say the Southern Highlands’ top end was on the up.
“There’s been a series of good sales,” Mr Linsday said. “While the market still seems a little patchy, there are signs it’s bottomed out and there’s a resurgence following on from Sydney’s price growth.”
Lindsay cited a string of recent double-digit sale, including the $13 million sale of luxury escape Arabel in Mittagong, purchased by Sydney-based businessman Guirong Zhang.
Gil Griffiths in her recently listed Mornington Peninsula home.
Returning to Victoria where the luxury home of Studio Griffiths’ architect and interior designer Gil Griffiths and her husband, chairman of Insignia Financial, Allan, has hit the Mornington Peninsula market, guiding $11.5 million to $12.5 million.
The Main Ridge rural escape has been the home – and passion project – of Griffiths, who also practises out of the 11-hectare property located about an hour’s drive from Melbourne.
The Main Ridge property features a hotel-style pool with separate pavillion.
Featuring a hotel-style pool, gym and vineyard, the four-bedroom property comprises a main homestead along with a separate pool pavilion – complete with wine cellar.
The property is listed through Forbes prestige agents Tracey Atkins and Robert Fletcher.
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