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00:13This season, as we celebrate our 200th episode, the house has literally soiled itself.
00:21You're really very rude.
00:23It takes years of practice, Lynn.
00:24Even the agent has given up.
00:26Look, these homeowners really need our help.
00:30We're a bit lost.
00:33Can we just stop this?
00:35This is pretty exciting.
00:37We will tackle our toughest challenges yet.
00:39It is crazy.
00:42I need more.
00:43You always want more.
00:44And with them.
00:45This is amazing.
00:46Will come our greatest rewards.
00:49Oh, my.
00:52Stunning.
00:53Just incredible.
00:54This is insane.
00:57To see all this kindness and generosity, we're just really grateful.
01:13Making the perfect family home is a bit like baking a cake.
01:17You start with a classic recipe.
01:19Simple, honest, hard to mess up.
01:22Over time, you start tweaking things.
01:25Updating the mix to suit your changing tastes.
01:30A pinch of this, some of that.
01:32Throw in a surprise ingredient halfway through.
01:36Why not?
01:38Not sure about you, but I'm hungry already.
01:43However, if you stray too far from a classic recipe, things can go awry.
01:51And should you need to sell, buyers might not have any appetite for your concoction.
01:57That's what I prepared earlier.
02:02Meet homeowners Kathy and Eugene.
02:05They met when just 22, after friends gave Eugene a bit of a helping hand.
02:12Eugene was really shy.
02:13And they just said, Eugene, Kathy, Kathy, she's not bad, she's not bad.
02:20The rest is history.
02:22This house in Loftus on the far southern edge of Sydney has been their home for 33 years.
02:29They first set their eyes on what was a two-bedroom cottage when flicking through the property app of the
02:35day.
02:35I used to have those thick realty books back in the day.
02:39I saw this little ad and it showed the front of the house.
02:42It was all very basic, but yeah, I fell in love with it.
02:46Over the last three decades, they've worked hard raising a happy family,
02:50with four boys making for some fun times.
02:54With a big family, you always have big family gatherings.
02:57Lots of sports, whole soccer teams running around the backyard.
03:02As the family grew, so they added more and more rooms.
03:07Each time we had another baby, we kind of did another extension to the house.
03:12Now the kids have all flown the nest.
03:14And after decades of Eugene doing physically demanding work as a spray painter,
03:19it's time to ease up a bit.
03:21I would really love to see me retire.
03:24But there's one rather large speed bump blocking their path.
03:29Money.
03:32Because of the extensions, we went and got obviously more loans as the years grew by.
03:38Just in the last 12 months, it went from 2% to 6%.
03:41It went bang, bang.
03:43Without clearing those loans, their quieter life is on hold.
03:48Hello!
03:49So they decided to sell their now five-bedroom house to pay off the debt
03:54and downsize to a smaller place in the area.
03:56We can then be prepared to plan for the future a little bit more and have more options.
04:03Only thing is, after a year of listing, they've had not one bite.
04:09Leaving Eugene working full-time for who knows how many more years to come.
04:20I'm in Loftus, about 25 kilometres south of Sydney CBD.
04:26Leafy, big blocks, established.
04:29There's a very safe, quiet feel to it.
04:33Looking around, it looks like the kind of area that people don't move much.
04:38Real estate agents hate that.
04:40I think it's coming up here on the left.
04:45Oh!
04:46Looks like it's a big block.
04:50I think there's a house somewhere behind the tree.
04:55Ah!
04:56Hurt me coming, did you?
04:57Good morning.
04:58Nice to meet you, babe.
04:59Good morning.
05:00So, this is Home Sweet Home.
05:02It is.
05:02Leafy, Loftus.
05:04Okay, lead the way.
05:07Here it is.
05:10Question.
05:11Is that chunk and add-on?
05:13That one is the original.
05:15But the addition was the room on the left over there.
05:18Okay, so there has been a change to the original facade.
05:22Is that security in the window?
05:23Yeah, it is.
05:24That's our guard, though.
05:25Oh, looks like a killer.
05:27She might lick you to death.
05:31Now, I'll let you go first,
05:32because I want you to see a little feature that we have.
05:35I'm going to hold on to that handrail.
05:39Oh, yes.
05:41Security steps.
05:42Yes.
05:43Tells us that someone's at the front door.
05:45I love a bit of assurance that the house is well built.
05:48Welcome.
05:49Oh, right.
05:51So, there's no foyer, no entrance hall.
05:55No.
05:55Is this house always been like that?
05:57It has.
05:57It's always been like that.
05:59Being designed like this?
06:00Okay.
06:01What started off as a cookie-cutter two-bedroom cottage has grown over the years.
06:07Apart from the lounge that doubles up as an entrance foyer,
06:10there's a kitchen diner at the rear that was extended many moons ago,
06:14as well as a laundry.
06:15There's the original bedrooms one and two,
06:19as well as newcomers, bedroom three, bedroom four,
06:22and another part-time bedroom lurking behind these frankly ridiculous concertina doors.
06:31Right.
06:33This bedroom at number five, actually.
06:35Right.
06:36Yeah.
06:36So, it was turned into a study.
06:37So, you sectioned this off at some point?
06:40Yes, we did.
06:41Yeah.
06:42Sound insulation wouldn't have been ideal.
06:46Ah, okay.
06:47Yeah.
06:48Wow.
06:49So, you're standing at the back of the house at the moment?
06:53Oh, here?
06:53Where the back used to be.
06:54Ah, right.
06:55So, this is the back of the...
06:57The original?
06:57Sorry.
06:58Where are you?
06:59Yes.
07:00So, this is the new part.
07:01Okay.
07:02This is a bigger space.
07:03Yep.
07:04Quite a big table.
07:05How many people live here?
07:07Two.
07:07Yep.
07:08Say no more.
07:10Right, let's head down this way.
07:12Yep.
07:13So, it's a separate toilet.
07:16Yep.
07:16So, this is the family bathroom.
07:18Yes.
07:19What's that on the tiles?
07:21Possums.
07:22It's possums.
07:23Who doesn't need a bathroom with possums on the tiles?
07:27And then, a little bedroom in there.
07:31Yep.
07:31Quite small.
07:33And that looks corridor-like.
07:34So, another quite small bedroom there.
07:37Bedroom, yep.
07:39Ah, space.
07:41Yeah, a little bit of room in here.
07:43This was our main bedroom.
07:46This was the main bedroom?
07:47This is the actual room that you saw from the front of the street, which was the first extension.
07:51Oh, the infill of the veranda?
07:53Yes.
07:53It was the main until we did the back extension and that became the main because that's got the en
07:57-suite.
07:57Right.
08:00So, this is now the main?
08:01The main bedroom.
08:02Yep.
08:02Ooh.
08:04It's quite small.
08:05That feels like a bigger room in there.
08:07It is.
08:07It is.
08:08It is.
08:09So, en-suite.
08:11Look at those tiles.
08:13Gosh.
08:14No possums there, just big shells.
08:16Just lots of shells.
08:17Yeah.
08:18Oh, I say.
08:20Is that a spa bath out there?
08:21It is.
08:22Yes, it is.
08:23A romantic night.
08:24Yeah.
08:25Loftous evenings.
08:28I don't think it's quite like that.
08:33Gosh.
08:34Your block size is nearly the classic Aussie quarter acre block.
08:38Yes.
08:38Wow.
08:39I love these rocks.
08:40They're beautiful.
08:41But buyers didn't.
08:42They didn't like the rocks.
08:43Really?
08:44Yeah.
08:45I think young kids would just think that was fun.
08:47Well, our kids did.
08:48Yeah.
08:49Oh, my goodness.
08:50You've got so much more space here.
08:52You forget how big a virtually quarter acre block is.
08:55Yes.
08:56Surprising.
08:57Yeah.
08:57Big yard.
08:58You don't see it from the house.
09:00You know, compared to all the new housing estates and things that you'd be up against in other
09:03areas, you know, this is a real asset.
09:07Okay.
09:07You're ready to downsize?
09:09Have you ever sold a house?
09:11Never.
09:11No.
09:11This was the first house that we ever bought.
09:14So, this is the first house you ever bought and this will be the first house you've ever
09:17sold.
09:18When did you put the property up for sale?
09:20We listed it on an off-market campaign about this time last year.
09:24Much interest?
09:26Not really.
09:27We love it so much we thought everyone else would think it's the same.
09:30Oh, you see, another typical thing of people that have lived at home for decades.
09:33We love it so everybody else will.
09:34Everyone will love it as well.
09:36Okay.
09:36What's the target price you'd like to achieve for this house?
09:391.7 million to 1.8 million.
09:42All right.
09:42Okay.
09:43I'll come back to you on that.
09:44Come on, let's go.
09:50Despite Loftus having the air of a suburb where you are either newlywed or nearly dead,
09:56it does have some redeeming factors.
10:01For amenities, you've got nearby Sutherland and Engadine.
10:05And if you want to venture further afield, it's just a 40-minute public transport ride into
10:11central Sydney.
10:13But who needs the big city when you've got thrills and spills right here in Loftus?
10:21Oh, yes, there's endless fun for all the family at the legendary Sydney Tramway Museum.
10:31First-time sellers Eugene and Cathy are hoping for $1.7 million to $1.8 million for their house.
10:38But I suspect they are naively making the mistake of going after what they need as opposed to what the
10:45market will pay.
10:46With no offers, we need to find out what's going on.
10:50Agent David should hopefully have the intel.
10:53David, Loftus is a really interesting market to me at the moment.
10:57Looking online, right now, you've only got two houses for sale in the whole suburb.
11:02What's going on with the market?
11:04It's very tightly held.
11:05Yeah.
11:05People that move here tend to stay here.
11:08So little stock is great, though, for a seller.
11:13Meanwhile, Eugene and Cathy have been trying to sell and not got anywhere.
11:18From your perspective, what are the major issues with Cathy and Eugene's place?
11:22It lacks street appeal.
11:23Yep.
11:23Oh, definitely.
11:24There's a lack of natural light coming through the home.
11:26The backyard needs tidying up.
11:28Just the sheer amount of work that needs to go into the whole thing, you know, replacing the flooring, repainting,
11:34doing the lighting.
11:35A lot of buyers want something more move-in ready.
11:39They're just not prepared to take that amount of work on.
11:41And that's holding it right back.
11:42Yeah.
11:44So what are buyers snapping up and what are they prepared to pay?
11:49Well, just a few streets away is a place that has the answer.
11:56This one.
11:56This one.
11:58Currently for sale, not sold.
12:00Yeah.
12:00What do you think of this one?
12:01It's beautiful.
12:02Steak driveway.
12:03I think the biggest difference here is the street aesthetic.
12:07Okay.
12:08Yeah, there is a bit of a difference.
12:13Come on in.
12:15While the block is around 20% smaller than theirs, the home itself has many similarities.
12:22Wow.
12:23Just a bit, isn't it?
12:25Yeah.
12:25Oh, it's beautiful.
12:26Like theirs, it has a lounge at the front.
12:29I like the floorboards.
12:30Yeah.
12:31Nice.
12:32Although there's more stairs.
12:34And kitchen diner to the rear.
12:37It's been done out really nicely.
12:39But unlike theirs, this place needs no work doing.
12:43Oh, wow.
12:44Look at that bath.
12:45Oh, nice.
12:46Yeah, it's beautiful.
12:47There's three bedrooms.
12:49That's a nice size.
12:50Probably about the size of that.
12:51Yeah.
12:52It's nice.
12:53With a small fourth that doubles up as a study.
12:57Oh, tiny bedroom.
12:59I think that's supposed to be the study, isn't it?
13:01Is it?
13:03And outside, the recently landscaped yard benefits from manicured terraced lawns.
13:09This is a nice area.
13:11And views across the district.
13:14Oh, hello.
13:15Come and join me.
13:16Waterside.
13:17Looked everywhere?
13:18Yes.
13:19Okay.
13:19What are your thoughts on the house?
13:21I think it's beautiful.
13:22Yeah.
13:22Okay.
13:23They've done it up very nicely.
13:24Yeah, they really have.
13:25Is your house, as it is currently, worth more than this, less than this, or about the same?
13:31I would say about the same.
13:34What do you think the price guide is for this?
13:381.65 to maybe 1.7 mil.
13:40Okay.
13:40I think it would probably go for 1.750.
13:44Okay.
13:45The guide is 1.5 to 1.6.
13:50Now, what scares me about that is this has got a two-car garage.
13:53Yeah.
13:53It's got this level of landscaping and this turnkey finish.
13:56It's quite depressing, really, isn't it?
13:58Yeah.
13:59But I also think, compared to these ones, we have bigger bedrooms as well.
14:02And we've got an extra one, don't we?
14:04And we've got an extra one.
14:04Right.
14:04Yeah.
14:05You've definitely got an extra bedroom.
14:07That's no argument.
14:08I think our challenge with yours is that there's everything to do.
14:12Right?
14:13I see that.
14:13And whilst it's been an amazing home for you and your family, you're not the buyers.
14:21Kathy and Eugene really need to let this sink in because the high-quality finish of this
14:27place is the bare minimum they need to get their house to if they're to stand any chance
14:33of achieving their high target price and clear their mountainous debt.
14:37If only I knew a couple of designers who might be able to help.
14:54Kathy and Eugene's plan for taking the foot off the pedal after 45 years of physically demanding
15:00work are on hold until they can sell their house.
15:04But their slow-cooked recipe for a family home is far from hitting the sweet spot with
15:10a modern family market.
15:13So, can Wendy and Dennis cook up a storm and tantalise these buyers' taste buds?
15:20It's a quiet little sleepy, leafy summer.
15:24Very big front lawns.
15:26Mm.
15:27Yeah.
15:29You might have your work cut out for you here.
15:32Thank you, Captain Obvious.
15:36Here we are.
15:38Oh.
15:40Not just a big front yard, but a sloped front yard.
15:45Oh.
15:46You ready for it?
15:47No, not really.
15:49Let's go and find Andrew.
15:56And where is Mr. Winter?
15:59Oh, here he is, hiding in the bushes.
16:02Welcome to Leafy Loftus.
16:05Big yards?
16:06Yeah.
16:08Yeah.
16:10Come and join me, Dennis.
16:11Just soak it all up.
16:15Initial thoughts, Dennis?
16:16Mm.
16:17Mm.
16:18Mm.
16:20It just feels cluttered and messy.
16:22There's stuff everywhere.
16:24Maybe a thousand square metres.
16:27And there's the icing on the cake.
16:29Meanwhile, Wendy, you've got layers.
16:32Layers?
16:33Layer upon layer.
16:34So as the family has evolved, what was probably a very funky and cool little two bed is now
16:39a sort of weird, strangely sprawling four to five bed.
16:44Okay, I probably shouldn't have laughed so much at you.
16:47Yes.
16:47So do you want to go and have a look inside, Wendy?
16:50I'd love to.
16:50You're not coming with me, are you?
16:52No.
16:52No, that's bad.
16:53No.
16:53It's bad.
16:55Oh, it's not.
16:55Well.
16:56It's bad.
16:57Yeah.
16:58Actually, Dennis, in all fairness, I will go join Wendy in a minute, but this worries
17:02me because there is...
17:04Worrys you?
17:05Well, zero street appeal.
17:07Yeah.
17:07Zero.
17:08You see the mailbox has even given up.
17:11I don't know how to start.
17:13There's nothing that's got any real pizzazz about it.
17:16And young families say, imagine trying to get the shopping or the stroller up and down.
17:20The functionality of it is not great.
17:22That's something that we're going to have to really tend to.
17:24This needs to be a more direct access.
17:28I think the house is really quite cool.
17:30Like, I actually really like the architecture of it.
17:33But it's quite meh as far as the colour goes.
17:37It's going to need something.
17:38It's going to make it stand out from the crowd.
17:41I think it could actually be a real shining star in the street.
17:45My mind is ticking.
17:46It's like there's...
17:47I can hear it.
17:49I'm going to go in and see Wendy.
17:52Hmm.
18:12Where's Wendy?
18:15Oh, hello.
18:17What timing.
18:18Come into the country-style kitchen.
18:22I feel like I'm not going to fit in here, which is...
18:25Very unusual.
18:26I'm not sure where you are.
18:30Yes.
18:31Have you noticed the tiles?
18:32There's a theme running right through the house.
18:34Yes, a theme of decorative tiles.
18:37I mean, it's even 3D.
18:39This is a decent-sized space.
18:41You know, it actually is, but it doesn't feel like it.
18:46It's crammed full of furniture that are all slightly wrong in scale.
18:50You know, this table is too big for the space.
18:54The island is too small for the space.
18:57This is too low for the space.
18:59These are too little for the space.
19:02But what do you think of the house overall?
19:03How about that weird sort of extra room that was created as bedroom number five?
19:07The designer in me looked at the room and thought,
19:10this really doesn't need to be here.
19:12The rest of the house does feel a bit dark and quite...
19:16Even the front room, there's a real dullness to it.
19:19Yeah.
19:20Talk about dullness.
19:22Should we go and see him outside?
19:23Come on.
19:42There we are.
19:43Oh, hello.
19:44Hello, Dennis.
19:45Hello.
19:46You see my problem?
19:47Oh, yeah, I know.
19:48Look at that.
19:49You seem to have a whole heap of backyard behind what looks like the end of the backyard.
19:54Yeah.
19:55Well, I mean, look, problems start from the very front, really, don't they?
19:58I mean, there's no sense of direction to where that front door is.
20:02And then you come out the back and, like, it's nearly a thousand square metres of mess.
20:07You can't really see anything because it's layered over and covered over.
20:12And to put it right, it's going to be so cheap.
20:15Yeah, there's 931 square metres.
20:19Don't start.
20:20I haven't started talking about what's wrong with my space yet.
20:23I've got some problems inside.
20:24My initial problem is the layout just doesn't work.
20:28You walk straight into a living room and then there's this random room right in the middle
20:34of what could be a beautiful open plan living space.
20:38The kitchen is really dated.
20:40You know where she's going with this, don't you?
20:42He knows exactly where I'm going, which is...
20:44You need a new kitchen.
20:45I need a new kitchen.
20:47And then I think it's just the decor, the colour scheme.
20:50It's really dull.
20:52I just need $100 a square minute.
20:54No.
20:55No!
20:56Yeah, right.
20:57On that note, are you ready to meet Cathy and Eugene?
21:00Yeah.
21:00Hope you two have got your bus pass.
21:02Buzz pass.
21:03Well, maybe not bus tram.
21:04Get a pensioner card?
21:05I don't think I'm way too young for that.
21:07You don't have to laugh, Dennis.
21:10Time to find out what budget Cathy and Eugene have.
21:14Over the years, we've held these chats with homeowners at upmarket locales, including ritzy
21:20restaurants and even wonderful wineries.
21:23But not today.
21:24Oh, no.
21:25We're off to where else but Loftus' number one attraction.
21:31Guys, we're in here.
21:32It's about to leave.
21:34About to leave.
21:35I hope it's not about to leave.
21:36It's stationary.
21:37We've just made it in time.
21:39Let's all grab a seat.
21:40Here we go.
21:41Oh, there we go.
21:42You put that on your...
21:43Yeah, so...
21:44Oh, thanks.
21:45We are at Sydney's tram museum, which is iconic part of Loftus' history.
21:50Just like Cathy and Eugene's houses a bit.
21:53Wow.
21:55On that note, I would like to introduce everybody.
21:57So, Eugene, Cathy, please meet Dennis and Wendy.
22:00Nice to meet you.
22:00And David is their real estate agent.
22:02Hello.
22:02How are you?
22:03I'm just thinking maybe we start with what the great Australian buying public think first.
22:07Yes, before we give you our wish list.
22:10Welcome to Loftus.
22:12Coming through.
22:13It needs a bit of landscaping work at the front.
22:17I just feel uneven.
22:18It feels very messy.
22:21Yeah, it's a bit rocky.
22:23Like I'm going to fall through.
22:24Yeah.
22:25Then straight into the lounge room.
22:28Yeah, I definitely don't like the floors.
22:29I think it just feels a bit cold in the room.
22:32A little study.
22:34A bit dark.
22:35Would you use this as a study?
22:36In the middle of the house?
22:38Oh, the tiles.
22:40What is this?
22:42Oh, yeah.
22:42Love those tiles.
22:44Definitely not my cup of tea.
22:45Oh, yeah.
22:46That's cruel.
22:48There's not very much bench space.
22:50I feel a bit boxed in here if I was prepping food.
22:55Corrugated irons.
22:57It looks terrible.
22:59I really don't like the raw zinc.
23:02Too Outback Australian for me.
23:05It's got potential, but it's also got a lot of work that he's doing.
23:10I think I'd be willing to pay maybe 1.5.
23:14With the work that needs to be done, I'd be around the 1.4 mark.
23:19I wouldn't be paying over 1.3 for this.
23:23Wow.
23:24Okay.
23:24Ouch.
23:26You've heard those figures now.
23:28Let's say that you got offered 1.55 tomorrow.
23:32Would you take it?
23:33No.
23:33We can't afford to.
23:35Right.
23:35Like a lot of people around Australia at the moment,
23:38the whole point of this is to downsize and release some money.
23:41Can you share the target figure with Wendy and Dennis?
23:44Okay.
23:451.7 mil to 1.8 mil is our objective.
23:49So it's considerable gap to bridge.
23:53So why don't you share what you'd like to do to the property,
23:56and then we'll see what budget these guys have got.
23:59The first issue is the room that you've built in the middle.
24:04What that's done is kind of squeezed the living space either side of that
24:08and taken away the flexibility of how you use that space.
24:11The kitchen itself is really quite out of date.
24:16And then there's the colour scheme.
24:17I think that that makes the space feel less comfortable than it should.
24:22So they're probably the three things that I really would tackle first.
24:25I could add more.
24:26Me more, Dennis.
24:28Immediately, as you drive up to the house, you can't see the house.
24:31And then knowing family with a young kid will walk around that little path.
24:36It's all uneven and broken.
24:38That whole entry into the front of your house is not working at all.
24:43At the back, there's no real outdoor-indoor connection,
24:46which is what people are crying for at the moment.
24:50How much money do you need?
24:52Why don't you tell us what we can have and then we'll work with that?
24:57We've managed to sell a kidney each and we'll go to $70,000.
25:01$70,000.
25:07There's silence.
25:10Yeah, I've just been re-editing all my dreams.
25:14Look, at the very minimum, we've got to do a new entry.
25:17Then we get out the back.
25:18We definitely have to soften that tin facade.
25:23I need to focus on the basics first.
25:25So that's general colour scheme.
25:26But then I really want to have a look at the layout,
25:29get rid of that temporary room.
25:30Yep.
25:31And a new kitchen that utilises that space and gives you flexibility.
25:34They have got four suns.
25:36And, I mean, Eugene is a little bit practical.
25:39I'm a spray painter by trade.
25:40The more the merrier.
25:41Yep.
25:41OK.
25:42There's a lot of painting.
25:43Well, we've got our budget.
25:45You guys know what to do.
25:46Your life is about to change.
25:48Good.
25:49For the better, obviously.
25:50It's time.
26:04We're in Loftus, southern Sydney, with a budget of just $70,000 to get real estate novices Kathy and Eugene's
26:11house from the bottom to the top of the market.
26:14So they can ease up after years of hard yakka.
26:19Random extensions and modifications mean buyers just can't stomach the idea of signing on the dotted line.
26:27Land on just going.
26:29Back tabernet over there is going.
26:30So we need to move everything out and unleash our recipe to get their mouths watering.
26:39Underneath the confused ingredients from across three decades, this place actually has some great 1950s charm.
26:46And I'm going to make it my mission to reveal that to buyers.
26:51Out the back, we have such a fantastic garden.
26:54Unfortunately, at the moment, it feels as if it's had no love in a long period of time.
26:59Honestly, it's a simple fix.
27:01If we streamline this back entertainment area and really smarten it up, this is going to become a garden that
27:08a new family is going to adore.
27:11But it's the front where most of my effort will go.
27:15My plan is to play on this amazing little 50s facade.
27:20This is one of the biggest jobs I have undertaken, especially at the front of a house.
27:25The old stone walls going, along with a mountain of soil, and the vegetation blocking the view from the street
27:31will be history.
27:33I'll ditch the old, narrow, rickety stairs to the front door and instead create some wide concrete ones that'll lead
27:39down to a series of mid-century-inspired large steppers.
27:42I'll soften everything with a carpet of lush green lawn and plant Australian natives around the sandstone boulders plucked straight
27:50from the 1950s.
27:51And the weatherboard will receive a bold new colour choice with echoes of the era.
28:02While it was right for Cathy and Eugene's family, the interior layout is fragmented and not fit for young modern
28:10families.
28:11So I'm going to open up the space, bringing light in and reconnecting the entire living zone of the home.
28:20All of these walls are going to go, this room completely removed.
28:26Then I'll lighten up the floorings and window furnishings and use colour in a purposeful way to make it feel
28:32lighter, brighter and bigger.
28:35But my big-ticket item is replacing the dated kitchen.
28:40That faux cottage style is just, it's really just not doing it for me.
28:44So the whole lot has got to go.
28:47With the far wall removed, the kitchen will open up to the lounge, letting light flood in.
28:53We'll lose the dated shaker units, the fake country-look wall tiles and impractical island and dining table.
29:00I'll swap the old floor tiles for a far more luminous laminate and install modern profile cupboards in a deep
29:08blue colour that'll reflect the mid-century vibe of Dennis's exterior.
29:13Then an island with stone benchtop and retro pendant lighting will offer a glimpse of vintage glamour and create a
29:20new warm hub for the home.
29:24I do like Eugene for not making this walk more luminous.
29:36The 1950s was the golden age of concrete and I'm going to celebrate that and make it a key element
29:42of my recipe for this reno with this formwork that'll create the front steppers.
29:49Some people pour concrete and some of us curate it.
29:53We're not just laying the foundation, we are making a statement.
29:59This specialised mix not only gives us the strength we need, but it gives us a smooth architectural feel which
30:06will elevate the front of this property.
30:10It actually looks like icing a cake.
30:12It looks so incredible.
30:22I'm lightening the flooring to make this home feel more welcoming to buyers.
30:27And here's something to look out for if you're thinking of doing the same.
30:31It's not often that we talk about the importance of floor levelling.
30:36But this house is a really great example of why it's important.
30:39Because it's not just the floor, but what's under the floor that really matters.
30:43And this floor has got layers and layers and layers.
30:47We've got Eugene and Cathy's tiles over the original timber that can create underlying problems.
30:54You need to know if you've got dampness, if you've got damage, if you've got uneven flooring, that's all going
31:00to affect the final product.
31:02So getting the floor stable and really level is important.
31:07Removing the redundant layers and instead applying self-levelling compound is your best bet for a new start.
31:15Once you've got the new floor on top, it feels good underfoot.
31:19There's no bounciness, it feels sturdy and it's really going to last.
31:25This floor is hiding all sorts of secrets, including a very cute time capsule from these two lovebirds.
31:33Oh, there it is.
31:35Cathy and Eugene.
31:37What's the date?
31:38Ninety-four.
31:40Ninety-four.
31:41Thirty-one years ago.
31:43Yep.
31:43We were pregnant with Declan.
31:44More than.
31:45That's amazing.
31:46It is.
31:51Now I've taken a lot of poor quality, rocky soil away.
31:55It's time to bring in some of the good stuff.
32:11How good is that?
32:12If that's not the best way to get soil in, I don't even know a thing.
32:16And the turf is going to love it.
32:20But just because we're under the pump out here doesn't mean I've lost sight of what we need to achieve
32:25out back.
32:26A good view of the rear garden from inside is essential to hook buyers, but this ugly shed's too much
32:32of a feature.
32:33So I want to hide it from view and here's a hack that pays dividends big time.
32:39When you're doing a renovation, always have a look around because you can always find something that you can reuse,
32:44recycle and repurpose.
32:46I have literally found three of these down the side of the house, just laying there, doing nothing.
32:51And guess what?
32:54This is going to make the perfect privacy screen.
32:57Hiding off the shed and your laundry.
32:59Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
33:02Loving your work, Mr Scott.
33:06But two can play at that game.
33:08I see your shed screen and raise you an absolute no-brainer when it comes to saving money while focusing
33:15on giving buyers what they want.
33:18Flatpak cabinetry is a really cost-effective and simple way to get your kitchen update done at a fraction of
33:26the cost of a custom-made.
33:28And you've also got lots of options to just dress it up and make it feel like it's a hell
33:34of a lot more expensive than it was.
33:36New handles, really beautiful finishes like this beautiful colour that we've chosen here and the oat finish that I've got
33:44on other parts of the kitchen.
33:45And it feels like a custom-made kitchen, but it's actually a really simple, almost DIY job.
33:54Now, when I say DIY job...
33:57I am the wrong person to be doing this.
33:59I'm not sure Cathy and son Declan would see it quite that way.
34:04Is this the blind leading the blind?
34:06Yep.
34:08And the free labour continues outside with son Keenan helping out with the planting and mulching.
34:15And professional spray painter Eugene taking to the tools with son Hewitt.
34:20With all this effort, we're cooking with gas.
34:25Bold Colour was a hallmark of 1950s design.
34:28And this is going to tie the whole exterior together.
34:32The fences and...
34:33Wait for it...
34:34The actual facade of the house, too.
34:40Wow.
34:41Yeah.
34:42You know what they say.
34:43Go bold.
34:44I love it.
34:45Now it really...
34:46It earns your eye.
34:48It does.
34:49Feeling the pressure.
34:51I don't want people to be disappointed when they get inside.
34:53A few more surprises to come, Liz Moore.
34:57It's those glasses.
34:58They make you so smart.
34:59Yes, they do.
35:00That's why I keep wearing them.
35:14Hello.
35:15Hello.
35:16How are you feeling?
35:17Feeling really good.
35:18It'll be good.
35:18It's a lot of memories.
35:19Yeah.
35:20You know, it was really funny.
35:21I didn't want our great big table to go to landfill.
35:24Yeah.
35:25And so I found someone who wanted it.
35:28I was really sad when they carried it out.
35:30Because that's where we sat every night.
35:32And see, that was a bit of a tearjerker.
35:34I really hope that this will sell quickly for you.
35:37Oh, how could it not?
35:38It looks beautiful.
35:39Oh, it does do.
35:43It doesn't fit.
35:43You can blame my son because he put them together.
35:46That was quick.
35:47Put them under the bus.
35:54Nice work.
36:17The effort of getting these vintage-style family-friendly concrete steppers made is
36:22already looking worth it, and I know buyers will find the front less confusing when they
36:27come to view, and I want to protect this amazing new asset.
36:33So I'm actually adding a sealant.
36:36It sinks down to the pores of the concrete, then preventing oil, grease and water from
36:41penetrating into that, making sure that my concrete is stain-free for years to come.
36:57The colour scheme in this kitchen is key to the entire home.
37:02It's all about these beautiful, tonal, warm colours, so the caramels in the benchtop and
37:08then those beautiful buff colours in those natural tiles.
37:13And then the warmth of this oak detail going around the corner, which is a nod to the wonderful
37:18interiors of the 1950s.
37:21And what that does is just make that deep blue just pop.
37:25That's the feature colour, it's about letting it sing.
37:40As a kid I used to chase the ice cream truck down the road, but today I'm chasing the turf
37:45truck.
37:48As concrete became super popular in the 1950s, gardeners soon realised it needed to be softened
37:54with the right choice of green stuff.
37:56My turf will help massively.
37:59As will my selection of plants inspired by suburban gardens of the era.
38:05I've chosen this beautiful Metricitis excelsa or the New Zealand Christmas tree because of
38:11its beautiful grey-green foliage which will give me a lovely contrast of the colour of the
38:15house.
38:15Not to mention this beautiful red flower, it hops off the fence.
38:22And my top tips to keep these plants happy, keep your soil moist but not waterlogged.
38:28And prune well after flowering.
38:31This is going to be an actual sea of red in three to four weeks.
38:35As you can see these beautiful flower buds, it is going to look amazing.
38:45Can we go short?
38:47No.
38:48We can go longer.
38:48I think we need to go longer.
38:55Like in the kitchen, elsewhere I'm marrying warm neutrals with accents of navy blue to make
39:01this place feel warm and welcoming to buyers.
39:05And using shears at the windows will also be a catalyst in bringing that feeling of warmth.
39:11I love them because unlike heavy curtains which tend to make a room feel a little bit more
39:17claustrophobic and smaller, sheer curtains let natural light come in so they actually make
39:22a room feel softer and bigger.
39:24All the natural light filters through but you still have the privacy that curtains can provide.
39:30And along with carpets in the bedroom, this place will feel far more inviting.
39:55Simple heart contravves can give your house a bit of presence and polish and we are about
40:00to add some glass to this place.
40:06Now, time to make this house a home.
40:21How about I get the high parts?
40:23Yeah.
40:26Actually really lovely.
40:44Wow, look how you've done.
40:47Yeah.
40:48You have turned an eyesore into an icon.
40:51For Cathy and Eugene, this has been this really happy family home for so long.
40:57And I really love the idea someone else is going to work in and make it the same for them.
41:02And hopefully they fall in love with what you produce inside.
41:05Yep.
41:05I mean, I'd buy it.
41:07I'd buy it.
41:08Yeah.
41:09Yeah.
41:10See you at the auction then.
41:12Ah.
41:13Game on.
41:29Before, Cathy and Eugene's property was almost like layers of their life and it's the only property they've ever actually
41:37owned.
41:38It was a very modest budget, I have to say, but they have got a big family, so hopefully lots
41:43of free labour.
41:45We'll see what's been achieved.
41:52It's rare I don't know what to say, but I don't know what to say.
41:57This house was hidden beneath a tangle of layers, confusing pathways, old stone walls and no obvious route to the
42:06front door, leaving buyers scratching their heads.
42:10But hats off to Dennis.
42:13His clever design enhancing the 1950s architecture takes this home to a whole new level.
42:22Good morning.
42:24Did you think it could look this good?
42:26Honestly, no.
42:28Did you think you had the right address?
42:31No.
42:32It's amazing.
42:35Design god, Dennis Scott, has literally moved mountains.
42:40Yeah, he has.
42:42These incredible steps, defining the entrance to the house.
42:47Wow.
42:48Stunning.
42:48And now it looks majestic as well.
42:51Do it with the words.
42:52You're going to have to write the real estate blurb.
42:54The bar is set very high.
42:56I'm telling you, bars will see this online, pull up here and we'll be desperate to get inside.
43:01We'll wait till you see it.
43:02OK, let's go and see.
43:05I think you should go first, Andrew.
43:07I'll go first then.
43:08Oh, look at these solid stairs.
43:12After you.
43:15Oh.
43:16Oh, my goodness.
43:18I'm stuck for words again.
43:21Stunning, isn't it?
43:22It is.
43:23Our whole room has disappeared.
43:27This is a big change.
43:30Before Wendy took out her sledgehammer, the living space of this home was chopped up into smaller rooms with no
43:37natural connection.
43:38But with the office room gone, the layout offers open plan living at its best, just what modern families want.
43:50Look at this lovely living area.
43:53Some lovely staging, some new shears.
43:57Yeah.
43:57I can already see a new floor.
43:59Yes.
44:00Has made it a really beautiful space to come into.
44:04Yeah.
44:04I think it's stunning and it's so inviting.
44:07Yeah, it is.
44:07It's lovely.
44:08That sight line now from the front is all the way to the very back of your backyard.
44:15But, the hero, your new kitchen.
44:18The kitchen.
44:20Kathy and Eugene's old kitchen was a relic of the 1990s.
44:25Drab, dated and out of kilter with the contemporary space families now aspire to.
44:32In contrast, Wendy's economic yet elegant solution is an absolute showstopper.
44:42Now, I happen to know this actually was a budget kitchen with some nice little trim added to it to
44:48make it look high-end, which is what it does.
44:50Yeah, it's beautiful.
44:51It looks absolutely brilliant.
44:54We've got living areas either end and the new window dressings and these amazing lights everywhere.
44:59Oh, the lights are amazing.
45:01We don't feel we need a meals area now because we've got the island and we've got that back.
45:06Yep.
45:08Beautiful space.
45:11While not her focus, the bedrooms have benefited from Wendy's styling prowess, too.
45:19This is lovely.
45:21A little bit of colour, again, a bit of styling, the new flooring.
45:24It just ties the whole thing together.
45:28So, the spa stayed.
45:29I don't mind that.
45:32But, immediately, there's so much more space out here.
45:37The backyard was unloved, untidy, with a corrugated facade that screamed red-back-infested outback dunny.
45:45And, critically, it left buyers cold and confused.
45:50Yet, with a tidy-up, some gurneying and a paint job.
45:55It now exudes Sydney-side suburban sophistication.
46:01Absolutely brilliant.
46:03There's a new panel gone up there.
46:05That looks nice.
46:05Yeah.
46:06That was actually recycled.
46:07I love the fact that I can now see the back boundary more clearly with the fence being painted.
46:13Yeah.
46:13Exactly.
46:14Yeah, it gives it scope, doesn't it?
46:15It gives it distance.
46:16This is just lovely.
46:17Yeah.
46:19I bet we can't wait to show the agent.
46:21Yeah.
46:22That's the next stage.
46:23Let's go.
46:28David.
46:29Come on.
46:30You must have pulled up outside this place and thought you had the wrong house.
46:33Unbelievable.
46:34Didn't recognise it.
46:35You can see all the way through.
46:37You've got that nice north aspect just shining through the home.
46:39It's just grand.
46:40It's welcoming.
46:41When we discussed before, the value is sitting around 1.5.
46:45Yeah.
46:46David, where are we in your opinion now?
46:49Buyers really gravitate to finished products.
46:51Yeah.
46:51So, I personally think with the Street Appeal now, the value is currently sitting between that 1.7 and 1
46:57.8.
46:58All right.
46:59Perfect.
46:59That's exciting, isn't it?
47:01Yeah.
47:02Wish you all a lot of luck.
47:04And hope to see a big old sold sticker outside there and you on to your next venture.
47:14So, we all love it.
47:16But does the great Australian buying public agree?
47:20And crucially, what are they willing to pay?
47:24Welcome back.
47:26It's looking pretty amazing.
47:27It's a lot different, isn't it?
47:28What a difference.
47:29I just love the colour of the wall.
47:31This looks fantastic.
47:33Yeah.
47:34The biggest change is the entry out the front.
47:37It's almost unrecognisable.
47:40Thank God.
47:42Yeah, wow.
47:42This is our...
47:43Is this the same house?
47:46Yeah.
47:46That looks a lot better.
47:48A lot more open.
47:49And the kitchen.
47:50And the kitchen.
47:50It just looks fantastic.
47:53And this is a kitchen.
47:54And, like, it's just so much more open.
47:58Much more inviting, that's for sure.
48:01I remember the old rusty-looking sheet there.
48:04They've done all that up.
48:05It's much nicer.
48:06Looks a lot more neater now, doesn't it?
48:08Blended in the shed as well with all the new paint.
48:11That's a really nice one.
48:13The decor is just incredible.
48:15I think this house is worth about 1.8 million.
48:18I'd say the house is going to be around the 1.8 mark.
48:23Well, that was a great open.
48:26And three months later...
48:29Well, I'm back in Leafy Loftus.
48:32Normally, after a few months, I'm visiting people in their new home.
48:35I wonder what's going on here.
48:41Ah!
48:42Look who's here.
48:43Hello.
48:44Hello, you too.
48:45How are you?
48:46Good.
48:47Hey, it's smoothing day.
48:48You come to help?
48:49No.
48:50Oh, and good luck.
48:51It's all virtually empty here.
48:52It is.
48:53You are literally moving out now, are you?
48:55Am I safe giving this over?
48:58Oh, of course.
48:59Yeah, but it's something to celebrate.
49:01Because I'm usually visiting in your new home.
49:04So, what's going on?
49:05We ended up selling at auction.
49:07So, you sold?
49:07We sold.
49:08Oh, you can definitely have that there.
49:09Okay.
49:10So, come on, give me the figures.
49:12There was five bidders.
49:13Yeah.
49:13And I ended up selling for 1.75.
49:18Wow.
49:19Yes.
49:19I think that's fantastic.
49:21And the fact that you had five registered bidders,
49:23you can sit back knowing that you gave this its best shot.
49:27Yep.
49:27This still doesn't explain why we've been a while.
49:29Well, we took a three-month settlement,
49:31only because we had to buy something.
49:33Because you were looking for a nice down-size.
49:36You bought a...
49:37Apartment.
49:38Perfect.
49:39Yeah, it is perfect.
49:40Isn't it?
49:40And it lets us be debt-free,
49:41which was the main thing about starting this in the first place.
49:44Yes.
49:44So, now you're not only experienced sellers,
49:47you're experienced buyers of the 2020s.
49:51I'm not doing it again.
49:54On that note, then, Rob,
49:55then you definitely need to have this.
49:57Because that sounds like good news all round.
49:59So, come on then.
50:01Moving into an apartment when?
50:03Today.
50:04Today.
50:04Oh, congratulations.
50:06Jeez, you've got a lot to do.
50:07Yeah, we have.
50:08Sure you don't help?
50:09No, I really don't.
50:10Yeah.
50:31Ha, ha, ha, ha.
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