A five-bedroom terrace at 83 George Street, Redfern changed hands for $3.4 million in late February — but what made the sale stand out wasn’t just the price. It was the speed at which a family already living on the same street managed to sell their own home and secure the property before it even went to auction.
The buyers, who had been living at number 48 George Street for around 15 years, first set eyes on the property on 21 January — before it had officially hit the market. They were among the neighbours that selling agent Michael Kirk of BresicWhitney East had personally contacted to let know the property was coming up. The family wasn’t actively looking to buy at the time, but curiosity brought them through the door during the photo shoot.
From that point, things moved quickly. In order to purchase 83 George Street, they first needed to sell their own home. Within weeks, their property at number 48 was listed, photographed, and sold — for $2.3 million. Contracts on the George Street purchase were exchanged on 24 February, just over a month after the buyers first walked through.
Kirk described the turnaround as remarkable. Buyers who have their finances in order and complete their due diligence promptly, he said, are the ones best placed to secure a property — and that proved true here, with other interested parties, including builders and buyers requiring finance approval, unable to move at the same pace.
The 210-square-metre block — notable for its land size, width, and parking — had been in the vendor’s family since 1978. It was a deceased estate, sold by the five adult children of the original owner following their mother’s passing. Properties of this scale are rare in Redfern, and Kirk said that scarcity was central to the result.
Adding to the appeal for this particular family was the fact that one partner is an architect. The generous block presented a genuine opportunity to design and build something tailored to their needs — a consideration Kirk said played a significant role in their decision to move so decisively.
Interest in the property was not limited to locals. Kirk noted that buyers from the eastern suburbs were also among those inspecting, drawn in part by Redfern’s improving connectivity — including the Waterloo Metro station at the southern end of George Street and pedestrian access to the CBD through Prince Alfred Park. The recent Toga Eve Hotel development at the corner of Baptist and Cleveland Streets was also cited as a marker of the suburb’s continued evolution.
For a family that had spent a decade and a half building their life on George Street, the chance to stay in the neighbourhood — in a bigger home, on a bigger block — was too good to pass up.
Published 2-March-2026
