The solar-heated pool and tiered decks anchor the home’s resort-style outdoor living zone.
A whisper-only campaign has delivered one of Berwick’s biggest off-market sales of the year, with a Hamptons-style acreage estate changing hands for about $4.5m after attracting prestige buyers searching for lifestyle homes in Melbourne’s outer south east.
The 2.5 acre retreat at Farm Lane, with $4.5m, features designer gardens, two spring-fed dams and more than 40 squares of refined country living.
It was snapped up without a public campaign after drawing strong interest from families seeking privacy, space and a high-calibre finish close to key schools and services.
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First National Neilson Partners agent Hayden Stanton said demand in Berwick’s blue-chip acreage pocket remained fierce.
“Berwick is one of those suburbs that just keeps pulling people in,” Mr Stanton said.
“You have the school infrastructure, the amenity, the proximity back to the city.
“It is incredibly desirable, and buyers around that four and a half million mark know exactly what they want.”
Mature trees and lush borders deliver year-round greenery across the estate’s 2.5 acres.
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame serene garden views from the spacious family dining zone.
The estate’s meticulously landscaped grounds, created by award-winning designer Jhodie Goy, were a major drawcard.
Mature plantings, ambient lighting and two spring-fed dams give the property a private-resort feel, while a solar-heated pool and spa, wide verandas and an all-season alfresco with strip heating and automated blinds complete the outdoor lifestyle offering.
Mr Stanton said buyers were paying significant premiums for turnkey prestige homes as the rising cost of trades pushed renovators out of contention.
A refined living area with built-in joinery and soft neutral tones offers a calm family retreat.
“Properties that need a lot of work are sitting longer. Trades are expensive and people do not want to take on major projects. They are willing to pay a premium for something that is ready to go,” he said.
“The moment buyers arrived here they felt it. It lives like a residential park.
“The sense of space, the quality of the finishes, the gardens, the setting. It just all came together.”
Inside, the home features blackbutt flooring, two gas fireplaces, hydronic heating and zoned refrigerated cooling, along with granite benchtops, premium appliances and stone finishes throughout the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry.
A grand double-height foyer with blackbutt flooring creates an elegant introduction to the home.
A home office pairs deep navy joinery with a feature fireplace for a luxe workspace.
A ground-floor primary suite with dressing room and ensuite anchors the floorplan, with multiple living zones and an upstairs retreat designed for family separation.
The property also includes a fully automated irrigation system, 140,000 litres of tank water, a septic treatment plant, attic storage, two double garages, surveillance cameras and automated gates to a circular driveway.
Mr Stanton said the buyers, a young family with three children, had been searching for a lifestyle estate that balanced country feel with metropolitan convenience.
The granite kitchen features dual islands, premium appliances and custom cabinetry throughout.
“They wanted space for the kids to breathe while still being connected to everything that matters for work, school and sport,” he said.
“We did not run a big open-home campaign. We produced a polished lifestyle video, used our buyer networks and let the property speak for itself.
“When a home sits at this level, the right buyers find it quickly.”
He added that Berwick’s prestige market was accelerating despite softer conditions in other brackets.
The ground-floor primary suite opens to garden views and includes a spacious dressing area.
“I am not seeing a slowdown in this part of the market,” he said.
“If anything buyers are doubling down on quality. Presentation, location and a sharp pricing strategy are everything.”
Mr Stanton warned that younger buyers trying to break into the market needed to arrive prepared.
“If you are a young buyer, you have to have your ducks in a row,” he said.
“Finances sorted, pre-approvals locked, first-home buyers are getting knocked over by people who are more prepared. The competition is real.”
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