Melbourne buyers are paying a premium for homes that break the rules, with a converted Wesleyan church in Moonee Ponds showing how far buyers will stretch beyond traditional pricing.
A converted 1890s Wesleyan church at 3/23A Gladstone St, Moonee Ponds is testing Melbourne’s property norms, with buyers paying up to $1.45m for design over bedroom count.
The 3/23A Gladstone St, Moonee Ponds townhouse, carved from an 1890s Wesleyan church, has hit the market with a $1.35m-$1.45m price guide.
That puts it just below the suburb’s roughly $1.6m median house price, despite offering a completely non-traditional layout that agents say buyers are increasingly choosing over standard homes.
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Jellis Craig Kensington director John Morello said on Monday the property showed a clear shift away from “bedroom counting” toward design-driven living.
“This is one of the most distinctive offerings in the inner northwest right now,” Mr Morello said.
“It’s not something you can replicate. You’ve got that 1890s Wesleyan character combined with a completely different way of living.
“What we’re seeing is buyers stepping away from the traditional checklist. It’s no longer just about how many bedrooms or the land size. It’s about how the home feels.”
That shift is also changing how homes are valued.
“You can price bedrooms and land, that part is straightforward,” Mr Morello said.
“But when you’re dealing with something like this, with design, volume and those views, it becomes subjective.
Original church proportions remain intact, with soaring timber-lined ceilings and dramatic volume redefining how space is used in this Moonee Ponds conversion.
A built-in study nook highlights the shift toward flexible living, as buyers prioritise lifestyle and work-from-home functionality over traditional room counts.
“That’s where emotion comes into it. Buyers are paying for a lifestyle and a point of difference.”
The Gladstone St home leans into that difference.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouse features polished concrete floors, timber-lined ceilings and an open-plan living zone centred around a Snaidero kitchen with granite benchtops and Miele appliances.
But it is the top-floor living space that is driving attention.
Complete with its own kitchen and sweeping views back toward the CBD, the upper-level lounge has become the defining feature during inspections.
The Snaidero kitchen, finished with granite benchtops and Miele appliances, anchors the open-plan living zone at the heart of the former church.
Once a Wesleyan church built in the 1890s, the Gladstone Street site has been transformed into high-end townhouses while retaining its heritage presence in the streetscape.
“It’s the space that stops people,” Mr Morello said.
“You walk through the home and then you get upstairs and it completely changes the experience.
“That’s the moment buyers connect with.”
The listing comes as competition builds for standout homes in Moonee Ponds, where limited high-quality stock is pushing buyers to act quickly.
Mr Morello said the suburb’s proximity to the CBD, strong transport links and established amenity continued to draw interest from both local buyers and those moving into the area.
The top-floor loft reworks the church’s original height into a flexible second living zone, showing why buyers are prioritising design over traditional layouts.
Sweeping CBD views from the upper-level lounge have become the home’s “hero” feature, driving buyer emotion and pushing value beyond standard pricing metrics.
“It’s incredibly well-positioned, and there’s a strong lifestyle offering here,” he said.
“But what’s really driving competition is the lack of standout homes.
“When something genuinely different comes up, buyers recognise it quickly and move.”
He said that demand was expected to continue through 2026, particularly for homes that offered something beyond standard layouts.
“The days of simply counting bedrooms are fading,” Mr Morello said.
“For buyers, the key is being decisive. If something stands out, you need to act quickly because competition isn’t easing.”
The home will go to auction on Saturday, April 18.
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