No. 553 Melbourne Road, Blairgowrie, is for sale.
The beachside home of self-tan king Blair James — founder of the Bondi Sands empire — has hit the market with a radiant price tag.
The Blairgowrie pad at 553 Melbourne Road, which was Mr James’ first home and where he and fiance Melanie Adams lived during the coronavirus lockdown, has been fully renovated and includes an in-ground pool and spa.
It’s now set to be auctioned on May 22 with a $1.63m-$1.79m price guide.
Mr James, who grew up in the small Victorian town of Yea, broke onto the self-tan stage in 2012 and is this year celebrating 10 years of the now world-famous brand.
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Entertain guests in this large dining space.
There’s a lot of space in the living room.
A large bedroom opens onto a balcony.
He said he fell in love with the bayside property when driving past one day in 2017 and decided to buy and renovate, with the initial plan to rent it out as an Airbnb.
“I always loved that Hampton style, the grey and white, so I really had a vision for that place,” Mr James said.
“It wasn’t that run down but it was an old weatherboard that needed a lot of cosmetic touches.
“I wanted to turn it into a property where you could enjoy that beach lifestyle.
“But I always struggled renting it out — I missed being there — so we only rented it out as an Airbnb for the first time last summer.”
The sleek and stylish kitchen.
Relax in the tub after a day at the beach.
The Hamptons-style home has a beachy vibe.
The couple bunkered down at the property during Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdown, where Mr James also dreamt up a new business venture called Growth Bomb — a shampoo packed with goodies to retain hair health.
“The brand is growing in so many ways, it’s so much more than I ever pitched,” he said.
Mr James said they were selling the five-bedroom house after purchasing another home in Kew, where they intend to live while looking for a block with acreage to build on around the Mornington Peninsula.
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“I’m a country kid at heart,” he said.
“We want to find something that ticks all the boxes, and that would be our home. Being from the countryside, we just want some more space.
“But (the Blairgowrie property) really appeals to anybody.
The home has been renovated from top to bottom.
“If you’re looking for a holiday house like I’ve used it, it can definitely be that. If you are a family looking to move down there, the bedrooms are huge. And if you’re looking for an investment, it was going for $8000 per week in peak season (on Airbnb), so it really is quite desirable.”
Jellis Craig Sorrento director Emil Foller said the house had already piqued interest from Melbourne-based holiday makers, adding it would make the perfect “home away from home.”
The property is within walking distance of the beach and Koonya General Store and features a monochrome colour pallet with a Hamptons beach house feel.
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alanah.frost@news.com.au