Open Home Viewing - Corner Wallcrest & Berriedale Roads

The open home at the corner of Wallcrest Road and Berriedale Road commenced at 2:00 PM on Saturday, 26 June 2015, conducted by Rebecca Thornton of Harris Real Estate's Glenorchy office. The three-bedroom cream brick residence—built circa 1978 and maintained adequately by its previous owners—had been listed for $315,000, positioning it within reach for first-home buyers in Hobart's northern suburbs during the relatively stable property conditions of mid-2015.

Luke Smith, thirty years old and employed as a contractor for government I.T projects, arrived with his partner Jamie Greyson, thirty-one, who worked as a senior care coordinator at Vaucluse Aged Care in Lindisfarne. The couple had been together since 2008, sharing rental accommodation first in Rosetta and later Glenorchy, but this viewing marked their first serious consideration of property purchase. Their combined incomes made home ownership achievable with careful budgeting, though the thirty-year mortgage commitment represented a significant financial undertaking.

Four other parties attended the open inspection. A young family with two children stayed briefly before departing, the lack of a second bathroom evidently insufficient for their needs. An older couple conducted preliminary research for their daughter's first home purchase, taking detailed notes about council rates and neighbourhood amenities. A solo investor spent most of the viewing photographing the property's condition, assessing rental yield potential. A woman in her fifties appeared primarily interested in the established gardens rather than the house itself, spending most of her time examining the eucalypts in the rear yard.

Rebecca conducted the viewing with the professional efficiency characteristic of Harris Real Estate's approach. She greeted attendees at the front door, provided printed information sheets detailing the property's specifications, and remained available for questions whilst allowing prospective buyers to explore independently. The information sheets noted the residence's key features: three bedrooms (the master with built-in wardrobes), a single bathroom with separate toilet, a kitchen and dining area flowing through an archway into the lounge, a double-car driveway, and a 687 square metre block with established eucalypts providing privacy from neighbouring properties.

What the information sheet didn't emphasise—and what Luke noted immediately upon entering—was the property's unusual position. Located on the corner where Wallcrest Road met Berriedale Road, the house occupied one of the few blocks in the area without glimpses of the Derwent River. Most Berriedale properties on this hillside enjoyed at least partial water views, a selling point that typically added $50,000-$80,000 to asking prices. This residence, however, faced inland, its windows looking toward the street, neighbouring houses, and the bushland reserve beyond rather than the expansive river views that characterised the suburb's appeal. The positioning likely explained the property's comparatively modest asking price—all the accessibility of Berriedale's amenities without the premium attached to water outlooks.

Jamie's assessment focused on the practical considerations that reflected his years in aged care work, where attention to functional details determined the quality of any environment. He examined the kitchen bench space, finding it adequate for his baking interests, which had expanded from hobby to near-obsession over recent years. The water pressure in the bathroom tested satisfactory. The northern-facing windows in the master bedroom would provide welcome winter sun.

Luke's evaluation proceeded differently, his mind cataloguing doorway widths, carpet and floorboard conditions, window frames for signs of rot or poor maintenance, and the spatial requirements for furniture they currently owned versus furniture they'd need to purchase. The spare bedrooms drew his particular attention—one could serve as a guest room, though neither man anticipated frequent visitors, whilst the other could function as office space for Luke. The house's layout suggested the previous owners had maintained it adequately without investing in major renovations—original 1970s features remained, including laminate benchtops, single-pane windows, and dated light fixtures, but nothing required immediate replacement.

The established eucalypts in the rear yard represented a significant appeal. The trees provided privacy screening from neighbouring properties whilst requiring minimal maintenance beyond occasional branch removal. For two men contemplating dog ownership—a possibility they'd discussed for several years without yet acting upon—the secure yard offered an ideal environment. The sloping block meant drainage was unlikely to be problematic, though the gradient would require terracing if they ever attempted sculpted gardens.

Rebecca fielded questions from various attendees throughout the inspection. The older couple inquired about council rates, water rates, and strata fees (none—the property was freehold). The investor asked about rental yield, with Rebecca estimating $380-$400 per week, though she noted that owner-occupiers were her target market for this particular property. Luke asked about the building's construction—solid brick veneer with timber frame, concrete slab foundation, tile roof replaced approximately eight years prior. Jamie inquired about the neighbourhood—a quiet residential area, predominantly families and retirees, low crime rate, walking distance to bus stops serving routes to both Hobart CBD and Glenorchy shopping precinct.

The viewing lasted forty-five minutes. As other attendees departed, Luke and Jamie lingered in the master bedroom, looking through windows toward the yard where winter-bare branches traced patterns against the pale grey sky. The absence of Derwent views—which might have discouraged other buyers—registered as a minor consideration for two men whose combined incomes made river-view aspirations unrealistic. What mattered was the solidity, the functionality, the potential to transform their rental existence into ownership.

They collected additional information from Rebecca before departing—comparable sales data for the area, information about Harris Real Estate's preferred conveyancers and building inspectors, and timeline expectations. The vendors were motivated to sell; settlement could occur within six to eight weeks if finance was secured promptly. Rebecca noted their evident interest, providing her direct contact details and encouraging them to arrange a second viewing if they wished to bring family members or conduct a more detailed assessment.

Luke and Jamie departed the property, walking to their vehicle parked on Wallcrest Road. The winter afternoon was cold but clear, the temperature hovering around eight degrees, the kind of Hobart winter day where sunshine provided psychological warmth without significantly affecting the ambient temperature. They drove away carrying the printed information sheet, the comparable sales data, and an unspoken sense that this viewing had been significant—walking through rooms that weren't yet theirs, imagining furniture placement and daily routines, considering whether cream brick without water views could become home.