Hamilton South’s Kemp Street is where houses sell for double the price of the suburb average

One of Hamilton South’s classic heritage homes has hit the market after a striking transformation.

The four-bedroom, two-bathroom house on 558 square metres at 117 Kemp Street is listed with Tom Lemke and Jesse Wilton at Wilton Lemke Stewart.

The property will be auctioned on April 11 with a guide of $3.6 million.

Mr Lemke described the property as one of the finest homes offered to market in the suburb.

“It is one of the best in the suburb in terms of quality and everything it offers,” Mr Lemke said.

In November, Kemp Street was named among the top streets in Newcastle.

Data supplied by Ray White revealed Kemp Street as the only street outside of Merewether to make the top five list of Newcastle’s most expensive streets, with a median price of $3.15 million.

The owner purchased the house in 2023 and undertook an extensive “end-to-end” renovation and restoration of the house in Hamilton South’s Garden Suburb Heritage Conservation Area.

The property was vacant for several years and held by one owner since 1978.

The project required extensive restoration work including repointing the brickwork and replacing the aluminium windows with timber windows, including two bay windows at the front.

Inside, the floorplan was extended and reconfigured to create additional living spaces, an ensuite, a spacious open-plan kitchen, living and dining area at the rear.

The owner, who worked with Den-Ad Design to design the house, chose all of the interiors and styled the property with a vision to create an elegant home with luxury finishes.

The house’s front facade is fully restored, including a tessellated tiled veranda, and a new roof has been installed.

Details such as new cornices, high skirting boards and ceiling roses are a nod to the home’s roots.

The entry opens to a 16-metre hallway with an archway and Manhattan-style doors.

“I wanted a hallway reminiscent of the old California bungalow-style,” the owner said.

“We wanted to put in place features that were distinctive of homes in Hamilton South.

“I didn’t want everything rounded or loads of archways; I wanted it to be elegant with a modern feel but in a classic way.”

A formal living room is at the front of the house, and all four bedrooms include built-in robes.

Premium finishes include marble door handles, bathroom underfloor heating, and Havwoods herringbone flooring.

The kitchen has Taj Mahal Quartzite benchtops, Smeg and Bosch appliances, a butler’s pantry with a wine fridge and a cocktail cabinet.

A wall with an illuminated 63-bottle wine hold is a feature in the kitchen.

The open-plan space leads to a deck with an openable roof and overlooks the in-ground mineral plunge pool.

Skylights above the freestanding bathtub, the master bedroom walk-in robe, and the walk-in butler’s pantry fill the rooms with natural light.

Large picture windows bring the outdoors inside, including one in the dining area, framing a cloud tree installation.

The owner chose a variety of plants and trees for the gardens, including Japanese maples, mini apple orchards, herbs, and jasmine climbing on the fencing.

A new single-car garage provides off-street parking.

“The people buying these types of properties are downsizers who want single-level and four bedrooms,” Mr Lemke said.

“They still want the size but not a second level upstairs, yet a bigger home.”

Six houses on Kemp Street have sold for more than $3 million since 2021.

A renovated four-bedroom, three-bathroom house at 104 Kemp Street has held the street record since November 2022 when it sold for $4.050 million with George Rafty at First National Newcastle City.

According to CoreLogic, the median house value in Hamilton South is $1.62 million.