Bizarre way family found dream home
A CURIOUS twist of fate landed one Gold Coast family their dream home after a year of searching and several contracts falling over.
Violetta Zotti had resorted to doorknocking with her husband in a desperate bid to find a new house for their family.
She was close to giving up when Harcourts Coastal agent Mitchell Lambert had a “light-bulb moment”.
“I’d been working with them for 12 months and they had some contracts go bad for various reasons,” he said.
“I thought, ‘there’s probably only one house on the Gold Coast that’s going to tick all the boxes you’re after – the house I grew up in’.
“I called the owner and long story short, she was thinking about downsizing in nine months and said if it’s sooner that’s OK.”
The Zottis agreed to go have a look at the Isle of Capri property at 3-5 The Promenade, which Mr Lambert said they fell in love with instantly.
He held fond memories of the property, which he left in 2007, and knew it would be perfect for the family.
“I was able to explain to them the fish I had caught fishing off the pontoon, where to stand and watch the lighting strike the Q1, I told the kids where I used to sneak in and out of the house,” Mr Lambert said.
The house sold in a $4.4 million off-market deal, which went unconditional recently.
Mrs Zotti said it was a relief to find the perfect family home after months of searching.
“It was so good because he painted a picture of the house the way he grew up in it so it really helped having him there,” she said.
“It was meant to be. We had several contracts and disappointments, which didn’t work out for various reasons, but in retrospect all the heartache lead us to this house that was perfect for our family and lifestyle.
“From the moment we stepped on to the pool deck and saw the magnificent skyline from Surfers Paradise to Broadbeach we knew we had to get it.”
The waterfront property is on a 780sqm double northeast-facing block and has five bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Property records show it last sold in August 2011 for $1.8 million.
The seller had updated the property in the past few years, giving it a modern Hamptons-inspired makeover.
The seller said agents had approached her before about selling the property.
While it came a year too early, she said it felt like the right time.
“Dealing with Mitchell, he made it so easy,” she said.
“He’s a very good real estate agent to be able to match people to property.
“(Violetta) walked in here and fell in love with our place.”