Melbourne interior designer David Hicks has sold his Melbourne apartment that he designed from scratch.

The St Kilda Road apartment is in the Elenberg Fraser designed, Morry Schwartz development. 

Hicks designed the lock and leave three bedroom apartment after paying $2,975,000 in 2007.

The apartment displayed the style of an interior designer with Hicks showcasing his collection of vintage, antique and modern furniture and art.

Terraces lead off every room of the apartment.

Hick previously said he loved apartment living, and from a design perspective he suggested the contained spaces meant owners can often go a little more glamorous than they would with a house.

Kay & Burton South Yarra agent Damon Krongold sold the home after 90 days. They had sought $3.5 million.

This article first appeared in the Weekend Australian Mansion Australia section.

Construction boss Richard Crookes and wife Lynn have expanded their Palm Beach weekender holding.

They've paid $6 million for a four bedroom home on a 880 square metre Ocean Road dress circle corner, neighbouring their 1000 square metre Palm Beach Road holding that cost $4.4 million in 2007.

The couple have just listed the new acquisition in the holiday resort suburb's rental pool, asking $1,500 a week through LJ Hooker Palm Beach, which would reflect a 1.5% yield, so they appear likely to have redevelopment in mind, along with view preservation.

LJ Hooker Palm Beach agent David Edwards had the listing of the single storey brick offering.

Richard founded Richard Crookes Constructions in 1976, one of Australia's largest and most successful private construction companies.

This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph.

The Parkville apartment of the late world-renowned conductor Professor Richard Divall failed to sell at weekend auction.

It now comes with a $1.75 million asking price having been passed in at $1.56 million.

Affectionately known as Radio Parkville due to its buzzing music scene, the apartment has hosted an array of musicians over the years.

The three bedroom apartment in the Fender Katsalidis designed Arcadia building cost Divall $491,800 in 1999.

Two of the bedrooms offer private balconies while a wrap-around entertainers terrace overlooks the Royal Park.

Nelson Alexander agent Nicholas Westare has the offering.

Divall was the longtime music director of the Victoria State Opera in Melbourne.

This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian.

The fearless NSW Origin debutant Nathan Peats is selling his Sydney investment pad. 

The Gold Coast Titan has decided to list redundant Rosebery investment unit.

Amassing 53 tackles in a memorable performance, Peats, who covered 8.1 kilometres in the mid-week game, the most ground ever recorded in Origin, paid $595,000 in 2012 for the two bedroom, two bathroom apartment.

It was during his two year stint with South Sydney where he started his career.

The apartment near Green Square has been listed by new NG Farah real estate recruit agent Beau Champion, who is a former Rabbitohs team mate.

The pair both played at the Bunnies together for a brief period before Peats moved to the Eels.

Peats initially put the apartment as a $670 a week rental once he signed with the Titans in 2014.

Its 2015 tenancy was sought at around $650 a week for the apartment with an open plan living area that opens to a large tiled private courtyard.

Peats left the Eels for the Gold Coast in 2014 following the much publicised salary cap breach.

His property portfolio's most recent addition was when he paid $518,000 for a three bedroom timber home in Lota (pictured below) outside of Brisbane last year.

It was advertised as having potential for developers due to its 800 square metre parcel.

Peats retains a three bedroom Central Coast home in Wyoming (pictured below) that cost $420,000 in 2015.

Last month the Daily Telegraph reported that Parramatta chief executive Bernie Gurr said he will consider luring Peats back to the club.

His former teammates Beau Champion recently joined the N G Farah sales team having played over 100 first-grade games for South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Even as an accomplished professional footballer, Beau was always passionate about property especially around the south eastern suburbs of Sydney which Beau considered his backyard.  

This article first appeared in The Sunday Telegraph.

As he gears up for a bumper day at Rosehill Gardens which could see him all but crowned Sydney's premiership jockey, Brenton Avdulla has bought a townhouse in Pagewood.

The Melbourne-born jockey has paid $1,788,000 for an off the plan offering in the new S Pagewood development by Silkari.

It's further away from the track than his other Sydney property, a one bedroom Kensington unit just a stroll from Royal Randwick.

Avdulla sits at the top of the Sydney jockey's premiership with an 11.5-win lead over the Winx riding Hugh Bowman in second.

Today the 26 year old has a full book of rides at Rosehill including four early favourites Intrinsic, New Universe, Dagny and So Willie.

Avdulla has earned over $46 million in prize money, with his greatest triumph coming last year when he rode rank outsider Lasqueiti Spirit to the Crown Oaks at Flemington.

It was priced at $100 to win.

The 26 year old, who is riding without the backing of a major stable, has led the title race for most of the season with 18 city meetings remaining.

He's secured a three storey townhouse which sold through NG Farah agents Joe Recep and Martin Farah.

Its on the 19,000 square metre site that property investor Robert Magid sold for $41 million to Chinese-backed Visionary Investment Group last year for $41 million.

Once home to the Electrolux manufacturing plant, it had approval for 209 apartments and 35 townhouses.

The four bedroom home designed by architects Turner Studio will be nestled in private gardens.

It offers 126 square metre space, a 46 square metre garden and a 24 square metre car space.

Should Avdulla rent the home, its estimated return of $1,000 to $1,100 would give him a rental yield of around 3%.

Its set to settle in 2018.

Early last month Avdulla chalked up his 100th winner for the season in New South Wales, the third consecutive year he's racked up. 

This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph.

Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne has sold her St Kilda investment apartment for $450,000.

Payne, who famously rode Prince of Penzance to success in the 2015 Melbourne Cup despite being a $100 outsider, has made a loss on the apartment she bought off the plan for $463,000 in 2014.

Set in the STK development on St Kilda Road, the apartment has one bedroom and an undercover balcony with views to the Dandenong Ranges.

The recent sale through McGrath St Kilda agents Michael Townsend and Cristina Wills came when its price was dropped from $479,000 on its initial February listing to $460,00.

Last month Payne was honoured with the Longines Ladies Award in Washington DC for her achievements in equestrian sports.

Her historic Melbourne Cup win, which made her the first female to win the iconic race, is set to be adapted into a film.

The $15 million film, titled Ride Like A Girl, will be directed by acclaimed Australian actor Rachel Griffiths.

Payne has decided she will stop riding at the end of next year.

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Despite spending more time back in Italy, veteran magazine publisher Marcello Grand has bought back into the Sydney market, settling on a redesigned Victorian terrace in Paddington.

It's a investment rental for Grand however, who paid $2,215,000 for the home revamped by interior designer Thomas Hamel.

There are whispers Grand is already planning a renovation.

It has three bedrooms, one bathroom, a dressing room and a rear courtyard that flows from the stainless steel kitchen and dining area.

Two of the bedrooms have balconies while the third acts as an attic retreat.

Ray White Double Bay agent Peter Leipnik sold the home which is now up for rent at $1,350 a week, which would reflect a three percent yield.

It was 1983 when Grand established Studio Magazines. 

His first magazine was Studio Collections was a womens' fashion magazine with the Black + White magazine its most known after launched in 1992 and published until 2007. 

Having studied at Turin University, Marcello had previously worked as an architect and advertising consultant.  

Grand sold his renovated Darling Point penthouse for $3,525,000 late last year. He paid $1.4 million for the unit in 2012 from former Double Bay Art Gallery director Alan Winters.

Former assistant Fiji Rugby coach Greg Mumm and his wife Lisa sold in Denistone East on the weekend at $2.05 million.

Their recently renovated home had been listed with a price guide of $1.6 million to $1.8 million.

There were some 10 contracts issued before the auction with around 100 through the open for inspections.

They paid $1.04 million in 2013 for the Hollis Avenue home.

Mumm, the son of former All Black John Mumm, heads The Final Whistle, a career guidance business which helps retired sports people find their purpose and create fulfilling career paths.

His brother, Wallabies lock Dean Mumm is set to hang up the boots this year, and so has been assisted one day a week this year in preparation for his retirement.

This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.

Media personality Angela Catterns and music composer partner, Charlie Chan, have sold their 1915 Balmain warehouse space.

It sold quietly off market for $2.5 million after the couple paid $1.93 million in 2015.

The purchase followed the sale of their Balmain terrace, Glendarra, an 1897 freestanding Victorian terrace with water views for $3.1 million.

The 278 sq m warehouse bought from Brendan McAssey's childcare company has now been bought by companies associated with cosmetic physician Peter Bakaric and Richard Abrahams.

Cattern's plans for the vacant shell was to convert the warehouse into a residence with a music and recording studio.

This article first appeared in the Daily Telegraph.

The former Collingwood ruckman Josh Fraser has sold his Hawthorn home after it failed to sell at its late May auction.

Despite competition between two bidders, the three-bedroom house was passed in at $1.87 million.

The reserve was $1.975 million.

Auctioneer Anton Zhouk said Fraser was looking to upsize in the local area with wife Kylie Sutcliffe and their two children.

Fraser, currently the development coach at Carlton Football Club, spent $610,000 on the classic Victorian home in 2002 when it was bought from then team mate, Nathan Buckley who had paid $390,500 three years earlier.

Fraser enjoyed a 200-game career with the Magpies between 2000 and 2010, before joining the Gold Coast Suns for his last three years on the field. 

Despite spending more time back in Italy, veteran magazine publisher Marcello Grand has bought back into the Sydney market, settling on a redesigned Victorian terrace in Paddington.

It's an investment rental for Grand however, who paid $2,215,000 for the home revamped by interior designer Thomas Hamel.

It has three bedrooms, one bathroom, a dressing room and a rear courtyard that flows from the stainless steel kitchen and dining area.

Two of the bedrooms have balconies while the third acts as an attic retreat.

Ray White Double Bay agent Peter Leipnik sold the home which is now up for rent at $1,350 a week, which would reflect a three percent yield.

It was 1983 when Grand established Studio Magazines. 

His first magazine was Studio Collections was a womens' fashion magazine with the Black + White magazine its most known after launched in 1992 and published until 2007. 

Having studied at Turin University, Marcello had previously worked as an architect and advertising consultant.  

Grand sold his renovated Darling Point penthouse for $3,525,000 late last year. He paid $1.4 million for the unit in 2012 from former Double Bay Art Gallery director Alan Winters.

Entrepreneur Sean Satha, founder of sunglasses company Local Supply, has sold his contemporary Paddington terrace for $3.135 million.

The architecturally designed three level home at 66 Sutherland Street overlooks Trumper Park and has four bedrooms and two bathrooms 

Satha paid $1.83 million in 2014 for the home.

Before Local Supply, Sean had been an engineer and investment banker.

The idea for the sunglasses, designed to be worn to any event, came when Sean broke a pair of his sunglasses at a Sunday session at his local pub. The sunglasses had cost Sean a week's rent.

Model Kate Peck who broke the glasses went on to become a brand ambassador for Local Supply.

It was passed in at recent auction.

The Australian cricket captain Steve Smith has secured his third acquisition on the Balmain peninsula.

It is a dilapidated three-bedroom Birchgrove cottage that cost $1.95 million when bought from architect David Gole through Danny Cobden, of Cobden & Hayson.

The free-standing Victorian house was marketed as a, “vintage treasure ripe for reinvention”  set on its 200 square metre Birchgrove Road holding.

Last year he bought a $2 million Balmain East knockdown then added a $1,345,000 investment townhouse in the Tin Sheds, Beattie Street, Balmain conversion.

He retains his abode as apartment with ocean views in Coogee, which he bought in 2011 for $1.75 million.

He purchased a one bedroom plus study apartment with courtyard in the recently complete Jameson complex in Sans Souci late last year.

Entrepreneur Ron Bakir, the founder and CEO of HomeCorp Group, is offering six weeks rent free for a tenant for his investment property near Rockhampton in Queensland.

The Zilzie four bedroom home cost Bakir $290,000 in 2010.

It is priced at $290 a week for a 12 month lease, considerably less than its peak $410 a week rental in 2012.

Bakir, who established the mobile phone chain Crazy Ron, hit national headlines when he bankrolled Schapelle Corby's defence when she was imprisoned in 2005.

He has just found a tenant for a Surfers Paradise investment where he is based.

Bakir's lavish Chevron Renassaince penthouse remains on the market.

The sprawling two level penthouse spanning over 1000 sqm of space has four bedrooms, a wine tasting area, gym and sauna and took two years to create.

This article first appeared in the Weekend Australian Mansions Australia section.

Radio personality Ben Fordham has sold his redundant industrial Redfern residential terrace before this weekend's scheduled auction.

There's been no price disclosure, but one interested party was told they would need to offer $3.2 million plus ahead of its mid-week sale.

It initially hit the market with $2.8 million hopes through Cobden & Hayson selling agents Matthew Cobden and Brigitte Blackman.

The 2GB drive time broadcaster paid $1.7 million for the three level home in 2010.  

He called the 175 sqm contemporary terrace home for five years with TV presenter wife Jodie Speers before buying on Sydney's lower north shore.

Ben and Jodie took to suburbia around the time of their first daughter Pearl, the sister of Freddie.

Designed by BKA with oversight by the developer, Paramount Property Group's Steve Fadel, the minimalist home references the work of Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

It was completed in 2011, the year it received an MBA housing award for design and construction.

The home was built from concrete and recycled materials including timber floors from a bowling alley and hand rails from a local hospital.

The whole upper floor main bedroom retreat opens to a north facing terrace with leafy outlook and city views.

The designer kitchen, living and dining space on the ground floor open to a courtyard while a built-in home office and two further bedrooms with balconies sit on the middle floor.

All very bespoke across the 175 square metre internal space, the Wells Street minimalist design apparently references the work of Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

Fordham began his career on Sydney's 2UE radio station, for which he won a Walkley Award for his coverage of the tragic 1997 Thredbo snow landslide.

A year later Fordham moved to television with Sky News Australia before soon joining the Nine Network, working on programs including 60 Minutes, A Current Affair, Nine News and Today.

In 2011, the year he married Seven News presenter Jodie Speers, he joined 2GB replacing Jason Morrison to present Sydney Live.

This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.

Mike Sneesby, chief executive of the Australian streaming site Stan, has bought a weekender in Palm Beach.

The media executive, who likens his role as being engaged in "a war of content acquisition", spent $1,875,000.

The 1998-built three-storey, three bedroom house was listed through LJ Hooker agent Peter Robinson.

It is on an 805 square metre battleaxe block on the hilltop overlooking McKay Reserve.

Palm Beach's current median price for three bedroom homes is $2.55 million, according to CoreLogic.

This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.

Hi tech billionaire business partner Scott Farquhar has quickly settled on his $71 million Elaine, Double Bay purchase with the paperwork showing it came without any mortgage.

Now the Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes and wife, Annie have a clear run in their search for their Sydney castle.

They have discretely looked at everything on offer starting with Boomerang at Elizabeth Bay which was listed in May last year.

They were then spotted inspecting the Queen Street, Woollahra listing, Clyde Cottage, the restored one-time childhood home of Dame Joan Sutherland.

No doubt the Centennial Park couple have also looked at Rona and Hordern House at Bellevue Hill. 

With video-taking drones starting to appear above prospective luxury spring listings, there will soon be a fresh batch of other iconic Sydney homes for sale.

Barford at Bellevue Hill (above) will likely headline the battle among upmarket buyers.

The seven-bedroom mansion sits on 6000 square metres, one of Sydney's record setting inland trophy homes.

The Georgian-style house on Victoria Road last sold in late 1986 for $9,875,000 is the grand dame of Bellevue Hill, owned by businessman Ian Joye and wife Maggie who spend most of their time in Hawaii.

Built in 1931 by newspaper proprietor Sir Warwick Fairfax, it first sold in the late 1960s when bought by the former Melbourne car salesman, Emmanuel Margolin.

It has been a rental property for celebrities seeking a luxury mansion with exceptional privacy over the past two decades. It was rented to actor Will Smith during the time he was here to support his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, who was in Sydney to work on the movie The Matrix Reloaded.

The co-founder of Atlassian, and his fashion-design industry wife, Annie were quickly not content at their Centennial Park Californian bungalow which cost $12 million in 2015 after selling for $10.5 million in Paddington.

They have added a rural 390 hectare weekender Joadja Creek Farm, that cost $3.3 million earlier this year.

There's also a $8.7 million Palm Beach holiday home.

There's another billionaires family on the lookout too. 

Ginia Rinehart, daughter and heiress of Australia's richest woman Gina Rinehart, is still eyeing a home on Sydney's eastern seaboard.

Ginia and her husband Simon Robinson, who have been renting in Bondi, reputedly expressed limited interest on the suburb record breaking $10.35 million North Bondi home of philanthropist Tanya Carnegie that sold last month.

The couple's eastern suburbs home search dates back to 2015 when they reputedly missed out on the $15.65 million Bronte trophy home Wave House.

This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph. 

Philanthropist Tanya Nelson Carnegie has spent $10.8 million on the penthouse atop Toga's Boheme development in Bondi.

The Hall Street apartment purchase comes a month after she sold her Ben Buckler home for $10.3 million, a North Bondi record.

The luxury three bedroom, three bathroom TOGA-built penthouse has never been lived in, with the block having been completed five years ago.

It was furnished but empty until Carnegie's recent buy through Raine & Horne agent Ric Serrao.

Set on the seventh floor, the 406 sqm, Bates Smart designed apartment with interiors by Ann Ronay comes with a large entertaining terrace that looks out over the water.

It has 220 sqm internal space and its own swimming pool.

Carnegie sold her Lippman Associates-designed North Bondi home last month.

Built as two residences, the Bay Street designer home spans three levels and has six bedrooms, six bathrooms and two infinity-edge swimming pools.

Carnegie paid $7.2 million for the home from property developer David Wilkenfeld.

The sale bettered the $9 million high set in February when a duplex on the Ben Buckler headland was bought by Hong Kong-based OCP Asia partner Dan Simmons and his wife Mandy.

Fashion stylist Jane Jasper has upgraded homes in Woollahra.

Having sold her renovated, freestanding home for $2.25 million (pictured above), the former Lands End Boutique owner has settled on a $3,532,000 home at the tip of the suburb.

Jasper paid $1.3 million for her old two bedroom, two bathroom home in 2012 which sold after having a buyers' guide of $2.1 million with BresicWhitney agents Catherine Dixon and Shannan Whitney.

Her new purchase is a Burley Katon Halliday designed contemporary home with three bedrooms, a separate study and a swimming pool.

She bought it from restaurateur Basil Daniell and Cherie Bolitho who owned the one-time hatted Darlinghurst restaurant Oh! Calcutta!

Bradfieldcleary Double Bay agent Georgia Cleary sold the home.

Jasper studied at the prestigious London College of Fashion before returning to work at Australian Vogue.

She owned and operated culy boutique Lands End for six years, representing international top-end brands such as Céline, Proenza Schouler and Balmain.

Jasper has been regularly featured in Harper's Bazaar and Vogue and was named one of the best dressed women in Australia by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Childcare magnate Martyn Downs and wife Helena are selling their redundant luxury Southern Highlands retreat, La Belle Vie at Bundanoon.

It has been listed for auction this Sunday through Harcourts agents Paul Masefield and Robert Henderson.

The couple, who spent $5.2 million on Bowral's Royal Hotel two years ago, paid a savvy $1.4 million for the home in 2011 which was the same price paid eight years earlier.

Designed as an interpretation of a French colonial manor house, the grand home sits amid two hectares of gardens.

It comes with meandering driveway flanked by Manchurian Pear trees, past the dam with feature fountain to a circular drive at the entrance of the four bedroom home.

The couple have recently finished rebuilding their nearby weekender, Trungley Stud.

Downs has been an operator and developer of childcare centres since the early 1990s.

This article first appeared in The Sunday Telegraph.