The 12 trophy homes overlooked during the past year that are still available for buyers

“There’s a whole lot of nothing happening in the prestige markets,” one market observer noted. Luxury home shoppers have been mostly dormant, just cherry picking the listings where sizable price adjustments had finally been made. Property Observer has compiled a special anniversary list of 12 trophy homes that buyers can still snap up.

1.

The Raby Bay, Queensland mansion built for Savage Garden musician Daniel Jones was Property Observer’s first trophy home. The five-bedroom, six-bathroom house on the outskirts of Brisbane remains listed with an $8.5 million asking price. It is still listed with LJ Hooker Cleveland agent Tom Banjanin. Jones sold the property in 2006 for $5.8 million, having paid $810,000 for the 2,327-square-metre holding in 1999.

2.

Anuket at Mosman Park in Perth remains listed for sale in a partially gutted state. It last sold in 2008, when property developer Luke Saraceni bought it from mining speculator David Rigoll, the former early-1990s Colonial Resources managing director, through agent William Porteous for $16 million. It had previously also traded at $16 million in 2007 when offloaded by Firepower director Tim Johnston, who had bought it from property developer Warren Anderson. The house was built for the Burswood Casino developer Dallas Dempster to a design by architect Louise St John Kennedy. Its listing agent, William Porteous from William Porteous Properties International, is understandably marketing it as "one of Perth's most iconic properties". The house is gutted and ready to be finished to one's own standard, Porteous has advised potential inspectees. Set on a 1,425-square-metre block, it comes with five bedrooms, six bathrooms and four living areas. The Chidley Way property comes with a huge lap pool overlooking the Swan River. It was listed last December and not a rushed marketing campaign, as expressions of interest fell due in March this year. Porteous advised the vendors will meet the market.

3.

Sails, on Hope Island, Queensland remains for sale. The vendors will take $16.5 million now, compared with the $19 million desired last June. Set on 5,371 square metres of land, this Hope Island stunner has seven bedrooms, 176 metres of shoreline and a jaw-dropping décor. From the elegant stone lions on either side of the doorway through to the striking black marble bathroom and high-celinged purple lounge room with 180-degree views of the canal, every aspect of the property can only be described as opulent. There’s a 10-seat theatre and beach hut by the pool. The 2,700-square-metre Gracemere Circuit house is still being sold by Ruth Fea of Hum&Fea.