Ashley and Jarrad Swanborough spent seven years renovating their Hampton Park home, which sold for $788,000 after standout buyer interest.
A Hampton Park home with a dual-tap bar and deck rules sign has poured out a $788,000 result.
Sellers Jarrad and Ashley Swanborough spent the past seven years transforming 38 Meredith Cres into a home packed with personality — complete with a custom alfresco, LED-lit bar, and a garage that doubles as a man cave and workshop.
The property was listed with a $760,000-$836,000 price guide, and despite a slow start and some lowball offers at $680,000, the home ultimately sold for just under the top end of the range.
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“We were really hoping to see an eight in front,” Jarrad said.
“But we’re stoked with the outcome, especially considering how it started.”
Ashley said the final result felt like recognition for the work, love and care they’d poured into the home.
The custom-built “Raine’s Law Bar” features dual beer taps, LED lighting and glassware storage — a quirky Covid-era reno that became a buyer favourite.
The undercover alfresco area includes a fireplace, bar shelf and TV, designed as a second living space that could open up or close off seasonally.
“We saw the potential and wanted to make it feel like a real home, not just a house, especially once we found out we were expecting.”
The buyers who ultimately secured the keys weren’t even on the couple’s radar at the beginning, but emerged victorious after a few weeks of solid interest.
The pair created standout features on a savvy budget — including a nursery with a sage panelled feature wall, and a complete kitchen installed for just $500.
The light-filled lounge blends with the open-plan dining and bar zone, creating a seamless space for entertaining in the heart of Hampton Park.
The nursery’s sage green feature wall was part of the couple’s family-focused redesign, made with their toddler son in mind.
One of the biggest crowd-pleasers?
A full bar tucked beside the kitchen, complete with dual beer taps, glassware racks, and a cheeky LED sign reading “Raine’s Law Bar”.
“It all came about during Covid,” Jarrad said.
“It was just this weird little spot off the kitchen and I thought, ‘Why not turn it into a bar?’ It became the pre-drinks zone before heading out to the deck.”
The couple installed the kitchen for just $500 after sourcing a near-new demolition listing, a savvy move that added instant appeal.
The garage was converted into a fitted workshop and man cave, with surround sound, steel cabinetry and enough space to run a small business.
Outside, the covered alfresco includes a fireplace, mounted TV, ceiling blinds and a stone bar shelf, a space Ashley described as their “second living room”.
“You can close it all up in winter, or open it up in summer, it’s the spot we’ll miss the most,” she said.
Buxton Mount Waverley’s Peter Serafino said with a possible interest rate cut on the horizon
“This one wouldn’t have achieved the same outcome even a few months ago,” Mr Serafino said.
“There’s a shift happening, and this sale is a good sign of what’s to come.”
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