South Coast real estate: The Bachelor couple ‘Matty J’ Johnson and Laura Byrne reveal $2m renovation project
The Bachelor stars ‘Matty J’ Johnson and Laura Byrne have expanded their growing property portfolio after dropping more than $2 million on a rundown house on the South Coast.
According to CoreLogic records, Johnson and Byrne purchased the retro seaside property at auction for $2.19 million in June.
“A little glass house on the seaside filled with stories, and history that had been left locked up and empty for the past two years, known as Chante Mer (sing the sea).”
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The couple, who wed nearby in Mollymook at Cupitt’s Estate winery in November 2022, described the South Coast as a “magical place for us”.
“It’s where we got married, and now it’s where we will make memories as a family,” they said.
“We don’t know what we are doing, or what this house will become but if you want to follow along the chaos @chante.mer.house while we restore this old beauty, honour its joyous little quirks and resist the millennial urge to paint everything white.”
The couple shared photos of their daughters, Marlie-Mae, 5, and Lola, 3, visiting the home.
Set on 746 square metres near Racecourse Beach, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house was last sold in 1984 for $62,500.
The historic residence was sold as a deceased estate and was previously owned by a United Nations translator who died in 2021.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom house is set across two levels, with large glass panels taking in the ocean views.
The house is long overdue for an update.
Retro tiles, a pink blush bathroom and timber doors with coloured glass panels are among the home’s original period features.
A recent post on the couple’s Instagram account reveals they could have their work cut out for them.
“We brought local builder Tom with us to give us an idea of how bad the water, mould, termite damage was on the property before we bit off more than we could chew ... the verdict was “extensive”,” the post said.
It’s unclear whether the couple plans to use Chante Mer as their permanent residence or as a holiday house.
The multi-million-dollar purchase is the latest addition to their growing property.
In 2023, the couple spent $5.2 million on a four-bedroom semi-detached house on 373 square metres in North Bondi in 2023.
They also own a $1.8 million three-bedroom holiday home in the hinterland of Bangalow, near Byron Bay.
Jewellery designer and radio host Byrne, 38, met Johnson, 37, on season five of the reality television show, The Bachelor Australia, in 2017.
This story was originally published on view.com.au
