There was keen interest from the local community when the ‘for sale’ signboard was placed out the front of iconic Tudor-style manor, on Wanganella Street in Balgowlah. “There was a lot of excitement and talk when the home came to market. Everyone wanted to know what was going to be next for it,” said BresicWhitney’s Guido Scatizzi.

The six-bedroom, circa 1927 master-built home – known as ‘Magnolia Manor’ – had been occupied by the Blake family for over 10 years. During that time, it had been upgraded and tended to with care, and utmost attention to contemporary living.

Think: a new kitchen and dining space (in a converted conservatory), an extensive wine cellar, a butlers area, and a number of flexible, family friendly spaces.

So when the home beaconed its next custodian – the community responded. “A resident shared with me that he had walked past the house every day for years. Many were fascinated to see inside. It is a very well-known and much-loved home,” says Guido, reflecting on the $8,500,000+ sale of the home earlier this month.

“Even from very first impressions it was clear that the home was in its own calibre. 30-metre street frontage, a horseshoe driveway and manicured gardens – these are not the ‘typical’ home features you expect in this part of Sydney.”

The response from the BresicWhitney team was much like that of the community: grounded in awe and appreciation for this local landmark, and a clear vision to showcase just how unique it was.

From day one, the focus was on presentation and delivering a compelling visual narrative. “We spent days perfecting the photoshoot and the video, capturing dusk and daylight hours, making sure the weather was ideal, trialling different drone shot angles. We had people sharing with us that once they watched the video, they wanted to watch it again,” shares Guido.

He points to editorial exposure, creative copywriting and social media presence playing a role in the campaign’s success. “We were able to work with the BresicWhitney team to not only create a written and visual narrative but to amplify it across print and digital channels. This delivered an uplift in buyer awareness and engagement.”

These elements combined would be the vehicle through which buyers could connect emotionally with the home. “We had people coming from across Sydney to see the home after viewing it online or through the BresicWhitney network,” Guido shares.

That included those who had not previously spent any time in Balgowlah or the surrounding suburbs. He believes this demonstrates how buyers in the current climate are keeping an open mind with respect to their buying criteria. “Many of the people who visited the home had not been to Balgowlah before but could see the opportunity and the value that was being presented.”

Yet – like always – buyer qualification was key. “We had over 70 groups through but we were careful not to take those as vanity metrics. Buyer qualification and clear consistent communication was key. I don’t believe we would have had the result that we did, if it weren’t for our focus on this during the campaign. Essentially, the sale came down to just a few parties who were prepared to compete for the home.”

The eventual buyer – a local family with three young children – knew that if they didn’t buy this, there would simply not be anything comparable for the foreseeable future. “They wanted the chance to be the next custodian of the home, just as the Blakes were when their children were at that age.”

All in all? A home, a sale, and a result, that demonstrates the power of community and just how treasured our local landmarks are.

Contact Guido Scatizzi.
Contact Scott Thornton.