87 Weller St, Geelong West sold for $1.425m, the top of the asking range.
A Geelong West property has been snapped up for $1.425m after a luxurious makeover turned a tired cottage into a quintessential inner city residence, adding more than $800,000 to the value after just two years.
The completed three-bedroom renovation at 87 Weller St achieved top dollar in a whirlwind two-week campaign.
Vendor and young builder Clint Sacco had plenty of doubters when he purchased the Victorian-era home for $617,000 at auction in 2024.
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Porcelain benchtops provide a luxury look in the kitchen.
But he said the risk of taking on his first heritage project had paid off, with the quality of the project impressing prospective buyers.
Almost 50 groups inspected the house, with one local downsizer putting in an offer after the first open home.
Mr Sacco, of West Melbourne Group, worked with building designer Projekt Evolve to put a modern twist on the then partly renovated cottage.
The house hinges on a central courtyard that maximises natural light in a new main bedroom suite and open-plan living zone featuring raked ceilings, exposed brickwork and a premium kitchen.
He also carved out space for a single garage on the 290sq m block, with the original cottage section converted into two bedrooms, a bathroom and powder room.
The private outdoor entertainment area is central to the design.
Extensive built-in wardrobes provide great storage in the main bedroom.
The main bathroom features a freestanding bath tub and shower.
“I thought I would just take a bit of a punt on this and I do recall some comments after the auction like ‘the kid has got no idea’,” Mr Sacco said.
“It was a challenging project, that’s for sure. The front was the original Victorian cottage. It had an extension at some time but it was pretty shabby and it was very unliveable.
“Because of the size of the block, making the house feel bigger than it actually was was an important one so allowing the high ceilings, the natural light, the courtyard – all those things really helped lift the size of the overall size of the house itself.”
He said the neighbourhood became invested in the project, checking in with his dad, a partner in the build, who did most of the work during the week.
The old miner’s cottage needed some TLC when it last sold for $617,000 in 2024.
It had been partially renovated but was missing a functional kitchen.
“I think a lot of people really appreciated the fact that you turned something derelict into a new home,” he said.
McGrath, Geelong agent Carl Hammond said it was a case of the worst house in the street becoming the best house.
“We had a lot of interest from people looking to downsize, that new product is hard to find in Geelong West specifically and obviously the location there, close to Pako is great,” he said.
“It was just the right product at the right time.”
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