A buyer has emerged for the former Portarlington post office.
Portarlington’s converted 1888 post office is likely to become a permanent private home after selling to history buffs for $1.91m.
The immaculate condition of the heritage-listed landmark impressed the Melbourne buyers who emerged after a lengthy campaign.
Previous owners had converted the polychrome brick Victorian-Tudor style building at 1 Harding St into a four-bedroom home overlooking Portarlington’s foreshore.
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Barry Plant, Geelong agent Stan Buzza said a building inspector found the floors were almost level despite its age.
“That is how well it had been maintained over the past 100 years and it was testament to the people who owned it,” he said.
“The current seller spent about a quarter of a million dollars on the tuck pointing in the building. There’s been a lot of money invested in that building.”
The 434sq m property’s commercial zoning paves the way for multiple uses, but Mr Buzza said the history was what the new owners fell in love with.
The well-appointed modern kitchen has a leafy outlook.
There has been a significant investment in maintaining the building’s original features over the years.
“They have toyed with the idea of converting the front of the original building into a bed and breakfast or something like that but I think they’ll look at permanent migration in to that building in the next 12 to 24 months,” he said.
“The utilisation of the ferry service and all the amenities being a hop, skip and jump away was a real driving force for them.”
The original four-room post office now comprises a lounge and three bedrooms featuring Baltic pine floors and marble fireplaces.
A two-storey weatherboard extension adds another open-plan living zone and a first-floor main bedroom suite with a balcony and bay views.
Bay views are a highlight of the first floor main bedroom suite.
The ensuite has dual vanities and a stone countertop.
Mr Buzza said the buyer pool was primarily retired and semi-retired people, so the stairs were an issue for some.
He said the property had gone under contract four months ago for a higher value but that sale fell through when the couple were unable to secure finance.
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