DREAM LIVES ON FOR CUSTOM-BUILT BEAUTY

Designed as a builder’s retirement forever home, this Gordonvale three-bedder on acreage, full of tech inside and stunning views outside, is changing hands. The original owners are saying goodbye with a plan to travel, but the buyers are keeping their ori

A FUTURISTIC Gordonvale dream home is set to exchange hands but the original owners’ dream will live on after a surprise sale.

The three-bedroom acreage property at 6 Pyramid Close, Gordonvale, was custom built seven years ago as a builder’s dream retirement home. However as he and his wife sought a change of lifestyle including more travel, it meant their thoroughly designed home had to be sold as they looked to downsize.

After the property was listed with Cairns Property Office’s Robyn Hawley-Whitton in late May, the buyer’s offer was made after just the first open home on June 6 and it went under contract later that month.

“He was planning on retiring in the house. It was his dream retirement home and I’m sure he built lots of dream homes for other people and this was his forever home for he and his wife in their twilight years,” Ms Hawley-Whitton said.

“But something I’ve learned in real estate is that rarely is a home a forever home and life changes. Now they’ve decided they would like to get something a bit more manageable so they can travel.”

With 30 groups visiting the house during the first open home, Ms Hawley-Whitton said the sale came as a surprise to the owners who were caught off guard with the speed of the process.

Ms Hawley-Whitton said the buyers were a perfect match for the property that generated a lot of interest.

“So we attracted a lot of people from north of Cairns and from the Tablelands who wanted to get closer to Cairns.

“But we also had intrastate interest and the buyer came from Weipa. They made their offer based on a walk-through video call. That offer came in on the first open home.

“They’re working professionals at the moment and they plan to retire there. So it will continue as a dream retirement home.”

She said the location and affordability were key drivers of the interest that was generated.

“It was popular because of the flat, usable land. It was advertised in the $700,000s. It attracted a lot of people who were looking for something like this in different parts of Cairns.

“While the $700,000s is quite a high price tag, for people looking to buy at the northern beaches, in comparison it was quite an affordable home.”

Ms Hawley-Whitton said the 4013sq m property was built ahead of its time and included “hidden features”.

“He built it as a smart home. He was a bit ahead of his time in that every single thing that opens and shuts was built into the house.

“All the systems are connected up to be able to play music throughout the house, to have the airconditioners turned on and off individually.

“You can also plug into laptops and share data from every room. You could isolate in each room and watch different TV programs or share them. All the lights and security are hooked into the integrated system.”

And apart from the tech, the home makes the most of the picturesque surroundings.

“He built a three-car garage with Crimsafe style folding panel doors on either end to allow the breeze to go through. In fact the whole house is like that, specially designed louvres to actually capture the breezes and take in the beautiful views of the Walshs Pyramid.

“It’s got two large 30,000L underground water tanks. I think apart from pressing a button and making coffee, it sort of does everything.”