New lease of Life

A NEW CHAPTER: Rob Tully and Robyn Hughes hope to sell their Penola home after it features on the TV show, Selling Homes Australia. Picture: LEON GEORGIOU.

By Leon Georgiou

AFTER being on the market for over a decade, one Penola home is getting a makeover and hopefully, a new owner.

Rob Tully and Robyn Hughes have been trying to sell their Penola home for 12 years.

Serendipity stepped in when the producers of Selling Homes Australia contacted the owner’s real estate agent, Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson consultant Karly Honner, to see if they would appear on the popular TV show.

It was something of a coincidence, as Robyn explains.

Rob had been in Western Australia for about three weeks.

Robyn, who lives in Mount Gambier three days a week (for work), was fed up commuting back and forth.

“I was having to drive home [to Penola] extra days to put the bin out and then drive home again the next day and bring the bin in… I think it was about the third week, and was like, I’m so over this,” Robyn said.

“So I actually looked at Selling Houses Australia on my tablet. But it was 8pm and I was too tired. So I just shut it and left it.

“And then the next day the real estate agent here in Penola said that she just had a call asking if we’d be interested [in appearing on the show].”

Ms Honner put Rob and Robyn’s name forward and a week later, they were contacted by the production team to begin the audition process.

Neither Rob nor Robyn thought much would come of it.

They were convinced being in rural South Australia would work against them.

“I honestly thought that logistically we’d be on the shortlist to not get it,” Rob said.

But, a few meetings later and the design team was on site to begin planning the renovation process.

Placing their home into the hands of Selling Homes Australia, both Rob and Robyn had little input over the renovations.

“The only input we had… Robin [gave the builder] the names of all the local tradespeople,” Rob said.

A new coat of paint, a fresh kitchen, new flooring, blinds, cabinetry; nearly every room has had some work done to it. The roof and exterior walls have been repainted, the porch retiled, the old pergola pulled down. The house has been transformed in just three-and-a-half days.

“The renovations have made a remarkable difference for the property,” Ms Honner said.

“The bones of the structure were good. It was a good solid home. But it was quite dark inside and now they’ve lightened and brightened [the interior] and made it really contemporary.”

With the house transformed, Rob seems a little less inclined to sell, after all, he has owned the house for around 22 years.

Robyn however, is adamant, she wants to move to Mount Gambier and stop the long commute.

Rob eventually comes around.

“It will definitely be sold… if the price is right,” he said.

The property will feature in a future episode of Selling Houses Australia.

LIMESTONE COAST PROPERTY GUIDE – PAGES 27-46