Eastern Beach’s prime position

GEELONG’S Eastern Beach Rd has made the case to take the prime spot of Mayfair on a local version of the boardgame Monopoly, recent property sales figures show.

The strip holds the city’s most expensive homes, according to recent sales figures reported by property analysts CoreLogic.

A $4 million sale was Geelong’s most expensive sale in the past two years.

Eastern Beach already holds the most expensive spot on a limited edition Geelong version of Monopoly created for local agents, Buxton.

But makers of the board game have opened a suggestions box to the public for an official Geelong version of Monopoly to be released in November.

Buxton director Tony Moorfoot said Eastern Beach was the rightful holder of the dark blue spot next to Go.

“Being right on the waterfront is the attraction, with all your million-dollar homes with million-dollar aspects right in the city centre,” Mr Moorfoot said.

The agents selected what they saw as the best and mostpopular streets in suburbs including Newtown, Geelong West, Highton, East Geelong and Belmont.

Vines Rd, Hamlyn Heights, holds the first spot on the board in place of Old Kent Rd.

“In Newtown, you’ve got Virginia St and Retreat Rd, which are really popular locations, great period homes and quality schooling and being in blue chip Newtown,” Mr Moorfoot said.

The most recent sale on Virginia St was close to $1.9 million, but a lavish home at No.39 is on the market with price hopes of $3.2 million to $3.5 million.

A Greg Natale-directed renovation sold for $2.4 million in nearby Retreat Rd in 2018.

The agent chose Lawton Ave in Geelong West where two recent sales have topped $1 million.

“Pakington St is the key Geelong West component, but Lawton Ave is a really popular street. It’s a wide street right on Pako with some brilliant homes,” Mr Moorfoot said.

Barwon Blvd and Montrose Place overlooking the river were easy choices in Highton, while Riverview Tce was the centre of a golden triangle in Belmont’s river precinct.

But he said buyers usually didn’t go by street when searching for property.

“People are looking for the right house. The street adds an element to it, but if they get the right house in a similar location, they’re pretty happy,” he said.

Buyers advocate Tony Slack said Virginia St, Newtown demanded a place on the board because homes on the strip held so much value.

But he said there were other contenders, like Candover St, Geelong West, where the street record is $1.38 million.

Mr Slack said architecture and aesthetics, like tree-lined streets, played a key part in how buyers chose properties.

Reputation played a role, but he said buyers also looked for intrinsic value in properties that can’t be replicated.

Underrated suburbs like Hamlyn Heights offered great views from places like Kirriemuir St, where a row of mid-century Modernist houses offer dress circle bay views. The most expensive house there sold for $760,500 in 2017.

Anyone can nominate locations they wish to see featured on the board of the Geelong version of Monopoly via the Geelong Monopoly Facebook page.