MAFS experts Alessandra Rampolla, Mel Schilling and John Aiken. Picture: Channel 9
John Aiken, the psychologist on Channel 9’s Married At First Sight Australia, and his interior designer wife, Kelly Swanson-Roe, have sold their Willoughby home ahead of Thursday night’s auction.
Billy Gleeson, the founder and director of Webb & Gleeson Buyers Agency, snapped up the grand sandstone residence with pool at 143 High St on Wednesday night for “slightly above” its latest $5.7m guide for his client.
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Psychologist John Aiken with his wife, the interior designer Kelly Swanson-Roe.
There was “fierce competition” for the home.
Buyer’s agent Billy Gleeson says there’s “definitely been a shift” since the latest interest hike and the war.
“The buyers fell in love with the character and the history, there’s no other house like it in Willoughby or the North Shore,” Gleeson said.
He said there’d been “fierce competition” for the updated five-bedroom residence, on the market for a month with Rose Farina and Denise Woo of McGrath, with a “handful” of other buyers keen.
The initial guide had been $5.8m, but like many homes on the market now it had been adjusted down.
Gleeson said there’s “definitely been a shift” since the latest interest rate hike, with more rises expected, and the war.
“But unique properties like this one are still performing,” Gleeson said.
He couldn’t name his clients, though they were a couple “downsizing” from the upper north shore who had been looking for about six weeks.
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But unique properties like this one are “still performing”.
The couple had bought ‘Tyneside’, which dates back to 1882, for $2.93m in 2019.
Curated interiors include a marble kitchen and bespoke joinery.
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Aiken and Swanson-Roe have been keen to promote the home, coincidentally put to market at the same time as the current MAFS series, personally introducing buyers to the property in “open home” walk-through videos.
The two-level home on 779 sqm has four fireplaces and an attic.
MAFS 2025 experts Alessandra Rampolla, Mel Schilling and John Aiken. Picture: Channel 9
Curated interiors include a marble kitchen, bespoke joinery, imported chandeliers and multiple indoor-outdoor living zones.
The garden comes with barbecue and alfresco area, plus a pool, spa with cabana and outdoor shower.
They’d bought ‘Tyneside’, which dates back to 1882, for $2.93m in 2019 after selling their earlier Willoughby East home for $2.85m.
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