Hitting the market for six: inside the property portfolios of Ashes cricket's superstars
Tickets sold out months ago, the verbal sparring between former players is well under way, and there's plenty of fan speculation about team selection.
It could only be another Ashes series. Australia and England will compete for cricket's ultimate prize in a five-Test series, starting November 21.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.We've looked at the property portfolios of some of the key players involved.
Pat Cummins
Australia's Test skipper will miss at least the first Test due to injury, but is still expected to play a part in the series.
The champion pace bowler has claimed a few major scalps in the property world too.
According to Cotality records, last November, Cummins and wife Becky snapped up a Bronte home for an eye-watering $16 million.
The five-bedroom four-bathroom home sits on 730 square metres.
The 1888 two-storey home was bought off-market in November and settled recently.
The recent settlement comes after the couple welcomed their second child, daughter Edi, in February.
Cummins currently resides nearby at the five-bedroom Figtree House, which was bought in 2021 for $9.3 million.
The marketing described the property as the "grand dame of Chesterfield Parade, Figtree House is a beautifully revived Victorian manor home resting on a sprawling 670 square metre block with views to the ocean and sunny Peter Fudge-designed garden with a huge lawn and heated mosaic-tiled pool".
"Winner of multiple design awards, the five-bedroom home strikes a perfect chord between heritage grandeur and coastal luxury with a sanctuary-like parents' retreat, children's wing, guest bedroom and top-floor retreat with a picture window framing breathtaking views over the ocean."
Also in 2021, Cummins sold his apartment in the beachside suburb of Clovelly for $600,000 above its price guide after two weeks on the market.
The three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment had a guide of $3.1 million but sold for $3.7 million.
Cummins bought the property in 2013 for $1,362,500 and had upgraded the home.
Cotality records show the apartment was listed for rent in 2023 for $2200 per week.
Cummins also owns an investment cottage in the NSW Southern Highlands, bought for $905,000 in 2017. The Moss Vale bungalow includes a vegetable garden and chook yard.
Cotality records show it was most recently listed for rent in 2020 for $550 per week.
Mitchell Starc
Long-time Australian paceman Starc and wife, Australian women's captain Alyssa Healy have also formed a lucrative partnership in the property world.
In late 2023, the couple made headlines when they bought a luxury estate in Sydney's Terry Hills, Charlotte Park, for an impressive $24 million.
The Napa Valley, Californian ranch-style estate sits on nearly 1.8 hectares, and features equestrian facilities, an American-style barn, a pool, a tennis court, a chicken coop, a kitchen garden and garaging for 13 cars.
The home was designed by architect Michael Kilkeary.
Previously Starc and Healy had bought a home in the Sydney northern beaches suburb of North Curl Curl for $5.235 million in 2016 from former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall.
Cotality records show that in early 2024, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home sold for $8.531 million, after initially having a $9 million guide.
The couple has also built an investment property portfolio.
They paid $1.625 million for a house in Killarney Heights in 2017, then renovated parts of the three-bedroom home.
After a rebuild costing $827,304, Cotality records show it was most recently listed for rent at $1850 per week.
They also own a Collaroy Plateau investment property, bought for $1.95 million in 2018, with a wraparound deck and pool.
It was most recently listed for rent at $2300 per week.
Steve Smith
One of Australia's greatest-ever batters, when not destroying opposition attacks, Smith has also mastered the property world.
In 2024, 'Smudge' flipped a home in Sydney's Bronte for a sizeable profit.
Cotality records indicate the four-bedroom home was sold for $6.75 million. Smith, who actually began his career primarily as a leg-spinner, and wife Dani had bought the home in 2019 for $3.505 million.
The home had an initial price guide of $7 million-plus.
The Smiths had gutted and extended the home into a two-level house with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and an open-plan living area overlooking the pool and cabana.
In 2022, the Smiths sold their Vaucluse mansion for $12.38 million after purchasing it for $6.6 million in 2020.
They had transformed the property into a four-bedroom, three-bathroom residence.
Smith has reportedly been renovating and selling properties for more than a decade,
Smith's property investment portfolio has included homes in Balmain, Birchgrove, Marrickville and Sans Souci.
The couple also reportedly bought a New York property a few years ago.
Ben Stokes
England's Test captain and explosive all-rounder owns a mansion in County Durham.
Stokes bought the home in 2017 for a reported $3.4 million AUS from disgraced footballer Adam Johnson.
Johnson initially put the five-bedroom home on the market for about $3.7 million.
At the time, Johnson was serving a six-year prison sentence for grooming and engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old fan.
When Stokes bought the home, the 2.2-acre property had a spiral staircase and Italian stone flooring.
The home boasts modern interiors and a private gym. Stokes and family have added a cinema room and even a dance studio for their daughter.
The mansion also has a triple garage with a one-bedroom, self-contained apartment above it, which has its own living room and shower room.
Stokes reportedly has other real estate investments, although details about them are not publicly known.
Joe Root
One of England's greatest ever batters, Root is closing in on Sachin Tendulkar's mark for most runs scored by an individual player in Test cricket.
He's also closed some key deals in the property world.
Root's properties include a family home in Yorkshire with an estimated value of $3.5 million. It reportedly features expansive grounds and a personal training facility where Root works out during breaks from the game.
He's also reported to own a countryside retreat for family holidays, and invested in multiple properties across England.
Among his investments is believed to be a penthouse with views of the London skyline.
Originally published as Hitting the market for six: inside the property portfolios of Ashes cricket's superstars
