A first home buyer is reportedly planning an extensive renovation after snapping up a home located in a heritage area near Dapto.
The home at 13 Hore Street, Brownsville recently sold for $455,000.
The home had been owned by the same family for about 70 years, but it's also believed they had rented the property for at least a couple of decades prior to buying it.
According to CoreLogic, the home was listed for sale with a guide of $390,000 to $430,000, and sold after 35 days on the market.
Sitting on 386 square metres, the home currently features three bedrooms, a lounge room, eat-in kitchen, internal laundry, and bathroom.
The home was reportedly built prior to 1900, and is located in the Brownsville Heritage Conservation Area.
According to Wollongong City Council documents, Brownsville Heritage Conservation Area is believed to be the only remaining remnant of the first settlement at Dapto prior to the opening of the railway.
"Located on George Brown's Mullet Creek Farm, his 'Ship Inn' (later Illawarra Lake Hotel) and Brown's flour mill became the centre of the community and demonstrates an agricultural focus of farming and later, dairying on the South Coast," the documents say.
"Hore Street with its late Victorian timber cottages and narrow roadway sets the context for the hotel (circa 1840) and is the only remaining evidence of 'Brown's' township, demonstrating historic and social significance."
Selling agent, Kelly Owen from Ray White Dapto & Horsley said due to being located in this area, the home couldn't be knocked down.
However, Ms Owen said there were some interested buyers who mistakenly believed they could knock it down and rebuild.
Ms Owen said the home required a lot of work and was in "need of some TLC".
"It's not heritage-listed as such, it's the area, but if anything is done to the exterior it has to be in keeping with the era it was built, although inside you can do as you please," she said.
"One of the neighbouring home owners has done an amazing job renovating their property."
Ms Owen said there had been strong levels of inquiry on the home due to its price-point, including one offer sight unseen, but it ultimately sold to a first home buyer from Sydney.
"The new owner is a carpenter by trade, so is keen to get in and do a lot of the work himself," she said.
Development controls for the area include the maintaining of original cottages and rural like setting within the Heritage Conservation Area.
Any extensions are to be sympathetic in form, materials, setback and design "to the dominant character of the conservation area".
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Brendan Crabb
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
