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NORTHERN DISTRICT TIMES, Wednesday, July 30, 2008 3 Secluded oasis offered REVOLVING DOORS ADAM ZUCHETTI property writer Above: Yolanda Lockyer and Ben McLeod are upsizing from their North Ryde villa. Picture: DAVE SWIFT LeftL Diana Sarelius sold her Marsfield townhouse twice. HAVING purchased off the plan six years ago, Yolanda Lockyer and Ben Mcleod are moving on to greener pastures in St Ives. ‘‘I had moved to Sydney from Brisbane for work and had rented for a couple of years out at West Pennant Hills and decided to finally take the plunge into the Sydney property market,’’ Ms Lockyer recalled. ‘‘I was actually looking at an older home that was for sale in the same street and stumbled upon this new development.’’ She said the three-bedroom villa has just been repainted in- ternally, new carpet was laid 12 months ago and there is also a brand new paved entertaining area. ‘‘There are so many things I like about our place and it is such a shame that we have to sell.’’ ‘‘It feels like a house, not a villa – due to there being no common walls. You feel very secluded in this quiet, peaceful environment that you would never know you had neighbours.’’ With easy ac- cess to the M2 and Lane Cove Tunnel, shops, buses and the soon-to-be-opened Epping-to- Chatswood rail line, 3/35 Gilda St, North Ryde, is listed for offers over $650,000 through McGrath Estate Agents. Details: Megan Bruton on 0414 515 394 or Kathleen Synnott on 0414 818 081. ❏❏❏ ‘‘WE SOLD it twice!’’ It’s not often that you hear such a statement, but Diana Sarelius and her husband Dean have been telling people just that. Their two-bedroom Marsfield townhouse sold after the first open house for the full asking price of $459,000. However two weeks later the sale fell through and, with just a few hours’ notice, the couple were forced to ready the property for another inspection. ‘‘It was an emotional rollercoaster,’’ Ms Sarelius said. ‘‘I was a little bit flustered, but we felt confident of selling the place.’’ And rightfully so, for it was sold for the second time after the second open house, this time for $5000 more than the asking price. The couple are moving their young son Adam to a bigger home in Normanhurst. The home at 25/17 Busaco Rd, Marsfield, sold for $464,000 through John Priddy of L.J. Hooker Epping. ROOM FOR THOUGHT During his 40 year career, Michael Caton has performed in television, theatre and film. His television credits include roles in Stingers and A Country Practice, while in theatre, he has performed in Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair and Cowardly Custard. One of the highlights of his film career was playing Darryl Kerrigan in The Castle. Michael has been presented with many awards, including Australian Film Institute and Logie Awards. He recently concluded his run of sell-out performances in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – The Musical and has been shooting Packed to the Rafters and Hot Property. He is the face of RP Data’s MyRP. Describe your current home: A little 1920’s two-bedroom flat in Bondi. Where’s the worst place you’ve ever lived? Probably a shop on Main St, Kanga- roo Point (in) Brisbane. It was a six lane highway, right next to the shipyard. I was lucky to survive it. Quite a few kids didn’t. Where’s the best? A house in Walsh St, South Yarra [where I lived] in the early 80s. It had all the bells and whistles that I’d never experienced before. It really took the sting out of those hot Melbourne summers. A pool and air con. Luxury! Everyone has had a home which played a defining role in their life. What’s yours? No single house really. We moved a lot as children, so there were a lot of imputs from different houses. Some good, some bad, but all character forming. If you had an unlimited budget, where would you live? Not far from where I live now. Mind you, I might also go for the country retreat. Finish this sentence. Home is... where you can be yourself.
