The Block’s Elyse Knowles and Josh Barker sell their South Melbourne investment property for more than $1.6million after neighbours shot down their renovation plans
Model Elyse Knowles and her fiancé Josh Barker have sold the South Melbourne investment property they planed to turn into their dream home.
The two-bedroom terrace, purchased by The Block season 13 winners in 2018 for $1.42million, sold prior to auction for more than the $1.6million asking price.
The buyers, a local family, are hoping to proceed with the renovations Elyse and Josh had planned to undertake prior to the sale, reports Realestate.com.au.
Going, going, gone! Model Elyse Knowles (right) and her fiancé Josh Barker (left) have sold the South Melbourne investment property they planed to turn into their dream home
‘They’re planning to do the renovation, but not immediately. They really liked the renovation [plans],’ Belle Property Albert Park director David Wood said.
In March, Else and Josh submitted plans for the partial demolition of the home, as well as the addition of a basement, rooftop terrace and garden.
But angry neighbours allegedly filed 18 objections, with one resident claiming the couple were trying to build a ‘ridiculously oversized’ home in a ‘working-class’ area.
Making a tidy profit: The two-bedroom terrace, purchased by The Block season 13 winners in 2018 for $1.42million, sold prior to auction for more than the $1.6million asking price
‘They really liked it’: The buyers, a local family, are hoping to proceed with the renovations Elyse and Josh had planned to undertake prior to the sale, reports Realestate.com.au
At the time, an anonymous neighbour told The Herald Sun: ‘This is our home, but they just want to develop and leave us with the deluge.
‘These are modest homes in what was traditionally a modest working-class area, with working-class cottages.’
They added: ‘Now they are trying to make it into some ridiculously oversized thing. Who needs three toilets on one floor? It’s excessive.’
The resident alleged Josh had even knocked on his neighbours’ doors to persuade them to withdraw their objections.
Fixer-upper? In March, Else and Josh submitted plans for the partial demolition of the home, as well as the addition of a basement, rooftop terrace and garden
‘It’s excessive’: Angry neighbours allegedly filed 18 objections, with one resident claiming the couple were trying to build a ‘ridiculously oversized’ home in a ‘working-class’ area
Neighbourhood dispute: One resident alleged Josh had even knocked on his neighbours’ doors to persuade them to withdraw their objections
The couple relocated from Melbourne to Byron Bay in 2019, and in May last year purchased a $2.3million beach house in the idyllic New South Wales town.
Elyse previously told Daily Mail Australia they’d moved to the coast to pursue a more sustainable lifestyle.
They welcomed their first child, son Sunny, in February.
Change of pace: The couple relocated from Melbourne to Byron Bay in 2019, and in May last year purchased a $2.3million beach house in the idyllic New South Wales town
Baby joy: The couple, who won the 2017 season of The Block, welcomed their first child, a son named Sunny, in February