Good news for Real Housewives of Sydney's Nicole Gazal O'Neil who has finally ended the tedious business of finding a home in the eastern suburbs by snapping up a mansion in Vaucluse for some $7 million.
The purchase brings to an end months of house hunting for the former Miss Australia, who has returned to live in the sunny climes of Sydney with her daughters, Nawal and Neve, leaving husband Adam O'Neil still working in London.
O'Neil snapped up the 936-square-metre property - a short walk around the corner from the Gazal family's long-held residence - ahead of the auction scheduled for earlier this week, through D'Leanne Lewis, of Laing+Simmons Double Bay.
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Lewis declined to confirm O'Neil's purchase (which was already being widely talked about among the loose lips of the eastern suburbs within a day of exchanging) nor reveal the sale price, but it carried $7 million hopes when it was listed and is expected to settle at that level when the sale is finalised.
The contemporary five-bedroom residence is known as the Art House thanks to its owners of the past 22 years, art consultant Bambi Blumberg and her husband, former Westpac banker and Hutchison Telecommunications executive Derek Blumberg.
Designed by architect David Phillips with interiors by Meryl Hare, of Hare+Klein, it is the perfect entertainer for O'Neil, who heads up the Pret-a-Party event planning business. Think separate formal and informal open-plan living and dining areas downstairs, a separate media room, study and a decent level lawn with a swimming pool at the rear. There are five bedrooms upstairs, including a parent's retreat with an en suite and his and hers dressing rooms.
The Blumbergs sale follows the family's youngest son, rising soccer star Ryan Blumberg, being selected to join the Nike Academy after a three-day trial last year in France.
Meanwhile, fellow Real Housewives cast member Krissy Marsh has been busy this week moving back into the Dover Heights home she recently listed for $8 million.
Marsh, dubbed the show's resident "Property Princess" thanks to her training as a property valuer and founder of industrial and commercial agency Billicorp, has been living in the Double Bay apartment she purchased in The Bay Residences in late 2015 for $3.5 million.
Having returned from Shanghai last year to live in Sydney, Marsh listed the recently redesigned Dover Heights residence amid plans to buy something larger in the east.
That plan was reworked after last months' auction when it was passed in despite strong offers of close to $8 million.
The six-bedroom, five-bathroom residence with a swimming pool is still on offer through McGrath's Peter Starr and Alex Lyons.
