Case Study: Liz Jensen

A case study in the successful property marketing of 61 Duffy Street, Portsea c/o Kay & Burton Portsea and Sorrento Director Liz Jensen

The Property

Located in a prized pocket of Portsea sits this spacious contemporary house on an approximately 1,000sqm site. Accessed from a dirt road (a favourite with locals) that leads to the member’s gate of the Sorrento Golf Course, it’s a quiet enclave that’s been a popular spot for well-established Portsea families.

Described as Cinque Terre, after a coastal area in the northwest of Italy, which has five villages, the name also refers to the five separate but interconnected areas within this 350sqm house. Designed by de Campo Architects, the concrete, glass and split-level house features a series of wings or ‘villages’. There’s a triple garage and guest wing that includes a bedroom, an ensuite, kitchenette and a living area. Then the open-plan kitchen, dining and living area framed by terraces and a swimming pool. Plus, the main bedroom, ensuite and walk-in dressing area, together with a neighbouring but separate children’s wing comprising three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Only an eight-minute walk to Shelley Beach, this house is described by Liz Jensen as like being “in a luxurious health resort, framed by decks, a swimming pool and carefully articulated garden views”.

The Campaign

Placed on the market at the end of November 2021, just prior to the peak selling season over the summer period, the price range given by Liz was between $6 million and $6.6 million. The sale price reached over $6 million and within the price range quoted. Unlike city campaigns where there’s a short spate of intensity, properties in this locale and price point generally enjoy a more leisurely campaign, with the result for 61 Duffy Street realised on 19 March 2022. The Portsea house was advertised in domain.com.au and realestate.com.au along with Kay & Burton’s own channels, referring to the exceptional quality of the design and build. Jensen could see interest for this property, as well as others at Portsea and Sorrento, peaking mid-week and also on weekends or during holiday periods. “It’s at those times, particularly mid-week, when people just think about getting out of town.” One of print editorials on this property was written by journalist Duncan Hughes from the Australian Financial Review, who started his piece by covering a general story on high-end weekenders, but predominantly focused on the Duffy Street house. “We received great interest from that article,” adds Liz.

The Buzz

While there were numerous inspections over the few months the property was on the market, there were three genuine interested parties. One family had a house nearby, another owned a house in Sorento. The third was a family from Melbourne. Although each buyer group were still working, they had eyes on the future and could see themselves retiring at Portsea.

The Purchasers

From the three interested parties, all of whom visited this property twice, the successful buyers were the owners of the Portsea house less than 500m away. The purchasers have children and share their time between Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.  

The Vendors

The vendors, architect Chris de Campo and his partner, interior designer Genevieve de Campo, also have children. The de Campos have designed and built six houses in Sorrento and Portsea. As well as designing for clients, the couple, both directors of de Campo Architects, build homes for themselves, live in them before moving onto a new project. “Liz has sold all of our six houses. She fully understands our work and she also fully understands the Portsea and Sorrento markets, not surprisingly, since she has worked in real estate here for 35 years,” the de Campos said.

“Not everyone understands contemporary architecture – it’s less than 5 per cent of the population. While that means there might be fewer inspections, those who love it really want to be part of it,” says Genevieve, who was pleased from the outset that Liz totally ‘gets it’. “Liz has confidence in what we do and so that makes us feel more comfortable about putting this place in her hands to sell,” adds Genevieve.  

Top 3 Things According to the Vendors

1. Liz fully understands the market and she could easily identify the buyer who was genuinely interested in our place. She knows this area intimately.
2. Her buoyant personality makes us comfortable, but more importantly, she welcomes interested parties and also has the ability to attract new clients.
3. Liz’s communication skills are excellent. She never left us wondering. It comes from her ability to truly listen and not just say what we would like her to say. And we felt involved in the process from the start. Like the other houses we’ve sold with her, it was a pleasurable experience.

For advice regarding your property, contact Liz Jensen on 0418 446 228 or via ljensen@kayburton.com.au