NSW real estate: How’s the serenity? Luxury bushland home listed for $2.5m at Murrays Beach

An architecturally-designed home in a secluded pocket of Murrays Beach has hit the market with a guide of $2.5 million.

The five-bedroom house at 11 Stern Court is listed with Sold Real Estate’s Shanti Page and Ben Casey who described it as one of Lake Macquarie’s finest homes.

CoreLogic records show the property last sold in May 2022 for $2.35 million, placing it the second most expensive residential property in Murrays Beach.

Mr Casey and Ms Page also oversaw the sale for the previous owner who built the property after purchasing the vacant block in 2011.

Constructed using a combination of natural and manufactured materials, the house was designed to blend in with the bushland surrounds.

The two-level home is clad in weathered spotted gum hardwood, while the inside pairs industrial grade steel alongside natural rock feature walls and boulder-style stone basin vanities in the bathrooms.

“It is a one-off and unlike any other house I have ever sold,’ Mr Casey said.

Set on 910-square metres, inside has bi-fold doors, breezeways and large double glazed windows that take in the bushland backdrop.

Other features include 2.7-metre high ceilings, a mezzanine and upper level walkway.

“It backs onto a fire trail and arboretum which goes out to the reserve, so it can never be built on,” the agent said.

“It’s at the end of a cul-de-sac and the original owner made it completely private, so most of the windows look out to the bush.”

The master retreat has a huge ensuite with a twin shower.

There are multiple entertaining areas including an alfresco deck connected to the kitchen and a huge second deck with a spa and pool.

There’s also a gym and a sound proof home theatre room, as well as a full height indoor basketball set up in the garage.

Other features include a billiards room with a bar that connects to a deck.

Mr Casey said the property sold within two weeks of hitting the market last time.

“It essentially sold after the buyer came to inspect the property on the first weekend and the deal was done not long after that,” he said.

“It is one of the only houses where you can get this combination of being close to the lake, on the bush, and even the land size is quite unique.”

Murrays Beach house values climb

Previously known in the area as Nine Acres prior to the development by Stockland Development Group, the suburb was officially named Murrays Beach in 2005.

Since its development, Murrays Beach has grown to hold the highest median house value in the Lake Macquarie region at $1,348,217, according to CoreLogic.

House values in the suburb have risen 14.9 per cent over the past 12 months and are up 68.8 per cent since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020.

The most expensive residential property in Murrays Beach is a four-bedroom house at 25 Nine Acres Way on 1353 square metres that sold for $3,005,000 in June 2021.

“The majority of buyers in Murrays Beach are owner-occupiers who have relocated to the area,” Mr Casey said.

“Nine out of 10 of our buyers come from Sydney.

“Specifically in Murrays Beach, I am finding it attracts people from the mountains, the Southern Highlands or people moving off acreages.

“They shift to Murrays Beach because it offers the same kind of lifestyle with the bushland, the privacy and space, but it’s not suburbia.”

The property at 11 Stern Close is open for inspection on April 6 from 2pm to 2.30pm.

This story was originally published as How’s the serenity? Luxury bushland home listed for $2.5m at Murrays Beach on view.com.au.