Australian property sales: The top high-profile listings of 2024

General wisdom was that 2024 was a buyer’s market, but that didn’t stop some of Australia’s biggest celebrities from putting a ‘For Sale’ sign outside their homes.

By year’s end some of these desirable homes had found a new owner while other celebrities still have the properties in their hands.

Here are some of the top celebrity properties that went up for sale in 2024.

Sydney

SOLD: Heiress Francesca Packer-Barnham’s penthouse

This was not your typical first home, but then Francesca Packer-Barnham, who can call billionaire James Packer her uncle, is not your average first home owner.

When she put the for sale sign up on her Sydney penthouse in the city’s east she was still in her 20s, 29 to be precise.

And for those who have toured the 40th floor apartment with extensive harbour views, you would wonder why anyone would sell.

The home has an expansive eight-car garage, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and impressive harbour views but it is the custom dressing room that is of the most interest for fashion lovers.

It comes with custom-built shelving for shoe and handbag collections, glass-fronted wardrobes and plenty of room to try on outfits and is one of two dressing rooms off the master suite.

She originally bought the apartment for $15.8 million in 2019 and put it on the market with a price guide of $35 million which was reduced to “in the $30 million range”.

The home sold in October for a reported amount of “close to $28 million”.

Gold Coast

FOR SALE: Culture Kings list their Gold Coast luxe pad

Young rich listers and fashion entrepreneurs Simon and Tah-nee Beard had hopes of smashing the Queensland apartment record when they listed their Gold Coast penthouse at the end of May.

The couple, who sold their street wear retail business Culture Kings for more than $600 million, had made their 71st floor apartment their own with bespoke features such as a sneaker wall.

There is a swimming pool and gym built on one of the verandah’s sky high home.

Spread over four levels in The Soul apartment block there is plenty to love in the five bedroom, seven bathroom apartment, including a cigar room.

However by year’s end the property, listed with Emil Juresic from NGU Real Estate was yet to find a buyer.

Melbourne

SOLD: Socialite sale

Melbourne “it” couple Rozalia and Nick Russian put the for sale sign up after 10 years at their home in Richmond in August.

The four-bedroom 1870s-era home had been bought by model and influencer Roazalia and nightclub boss Nick in 2014 for $1.865 million.

“Hope someone enjoys and loves this house as much as we did,” Rozalia posted on her Instagram account.

And indeed they did find someone who fell for the home, which features a historical facade and luxe modern extension at the rear of the property.

Listed with a price guide of $3 million to $3.3 million, it sold in early September for $3.2 million.

Byron Bay

SOLD: Bassingthwaighte farewells Byron

Following the ending of her marriage actor and musical star Natalie Bassingthwaighte put the Byron Bay hinterland home she had shared with her former husband, Rogue Traders musician Cameron McGlinchey, on the market.

The hinterland property in Ewingsdale had an asking price of $3 million to $3.25 million with First National Byron.

Wollongong-born Bassingthwaighte and her husband bought the four-bedroom, two bathroom house for $2.15 million in 2020 leaving Melbourne during the pandemic and Victoria’s extended lockdown.

The house, which is set on acreage and features a pool and tropical gardens, was originally listed for $3 million to $3.25 million but eventually sold for between $2.7 million to $2.9 million.

Brisbane

SOLD: Ariarne Titmus family house

The family of Australian swimming legend, Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, were not just watching her racing in 2024, they also put their Brisbane house on the market.

The custom built home of her parents, Steve a co-anchor of the Channel Seven Gold Coast news and wife Robyn, a recruitment consultant was put on the market mid-year.

The four-bedroom home in the suburb of Chelmer, featured an appealing Hamptons design and resort style backyard pool.

It failed to sell at auction, but then found a new buyer in August with the property selling for $2.41 million.

International

SOLD: Portia de Rossi goldmine

Australian actor Portia de Rossi and her wife Ellen De Generes had a windfall after listing their Tuscan-stye mansion that sat within a vast estate in Santa Barbara in the US state of California.

It sold for US$96 million less than two years after they paid US$70 million for the five-bedroom home.

Admittedly it is an impressive home, the estate sitting on a prime front-row position on the Pacific Ocean.

The house alone, with includes five bedrooms and eight bathrooms and is set across three levels, is impressive.

A gourmet kitchen, extensive wine cellar and movie theatres with reclining leather seats make the property one you would never need to leave.