20 Bent Street BRIGHTON

Comments on 20 Bent Street BRIGHTON

Position
Bent Street is an average Brighton street, but the location works well. You are close to Bay Street, Brighton Primary, Firbank, Brighton Grammar, Church Street and the train. Day-to-day family living is convenient.
 
The home sits on the south side of the street, so there are some rear light considerations, particularly over two levels. That said, the internal reflectiveness, window sizes and general design mean the home still feels liveable without relying constantly on electric light.
 
Property
This is a substantial Georgian-style home, more commonly seen and often more popular in areas like Kew and Boroondara than Brighton. It has historically appealed strongly to Asian and Chinese Australian buyers, although current demand for this style is significantly softer than it once was.
 
The home felt better on second inspection. It appears particularly well built, with good security, a strong basement, and a workable family floorplan. The basement is a major feature, with room for four to six cars plus a cinema-style area.
 
The main issue is the three-level format without a lift. For a home of this size, that limits appeal to older buyers and makes it more suited to an active family. A lift could be added, but likely at the cost of part of a bedroom. That may reduce some value, while also adding future value by opening the home to an older buyer market. But you do have a study with access to abathroom so would still be a 4 bedder.
 
All bedrooms are upstairs, which works well for family living. The finishes are somewhat dated, but not badly so. The pool is well placed at the rear, with good northern light potential and a sensible indoor-outdoor entertaining connection. There is also an additional rear room with sauna/alfresco-style use.
 
The land size of 785 sqm is solid and fairly typical for this level of Brighton home.
 
Price
The challenge is the market. Brighton is not easy at present, Georgian-style homes are less in demand, and this particular buyer pool is thinner than it once was. That creates a triple-whammy effect and means strong competition is unlikely.
 
The quote feels reasonably strong. Value will come down to what needs to be spent, whether a lift is required, and where the seller is genuinely prepared to meet the market.
 
Overall, I like the property. It has clear pluses and minuses, but it is a good home. The key question is not whether it has merit; it does. The key question is whether the price properly reflects today’s reduced demand, the three-level issue, and any future capital works required.