From a home with a unique glass-fronted wine cellar through to one with its own basketball court, recent homes that have sold in Ballarat have had some unusual features.
The walk-in wine cellar, entered through a glass fronted door close to the dining room, was the centrepiece of an Alfredton home that sold for nearly twice the suburb average.
Meanwhile the inclusion of a half-court backyard basketball court attracted an out of area buyer to another Alfredton home in the past week.
Here we look at the highlights of sales in Ballarat over the past week.
1734 Sturt Street, Alfredton, Vic 3350 - $1.28 million
The stunning brand-new house in Alfredton was sold for $1,280,000 on April 4, one of the few properties to surpass the million dollar mark last week.
The current median sales price of houses in the area is $642,750, according to CoreLogic.
The focal point of the home is the spacious open-plan living, kitchen, and dining area - complete with a luxury wine cellar with a glass door entry.
The house also features four generous bedrooms and two bathrooms, along with a double garage.
While the interiors were impressive it didn't sell straight away.
According to CoreLogic, the four-bedroom property, built in 2022, remained on the market for 212 days. It was first listed for $1,300,000, which was $20,000 more than the final sale price.
Buxton Ballarat director Mark Nunn said the buyer is a family from out of town, drawn to the "nice design" and "high specs" of the house.
"When they went in, [they] fell in love with it," Mr Nunn said.
99 Cuthberts Road, Alfredton - $890,000
The basketball half court and an in-ground pool were two high lights of this Alfredton home that also sold in the past seven days, this time for $890,000.
Ballarat Real Estate agent Lachlan Sylvia, who sold the property, said about 13 people came through inspections.
That's a great turnout in the current climate, Mr Syvia said. According to CoreLogic, house values in Ballarat are now down 3.4 per cent on a year ago.
Mr Syvia said the best selling feature is the backyard equipped with an alfresco deck, a basketball court, and a swimming pool. "It's a good entertainment house," he added.
The final buyer was from out of the town, Mr Syvia said.
"Ballarat is always bringing in a lot of out of town buyers even as the market has changed."
211 Shire Avenue, Mount Helen - $640,000
The three-bedroom property, surrounded by nature in Mount Helen, was sold for $ 640,000 on April 3.
That's a big jump from the property's earliest recorded sale of $34,000 in 1975.
Mr Sylvia from Ballarat Real Estate was also the agent of this house and he said more than 20 groups showed up in three inspections. Mr Sylvia said the buyers are a young family from Ballarat.
The 1053-square-metre home is "very unique", Mr Sylvia said.
"It gets lots of natural light. But because it's surrounded by so much nature in a quite big block, it has a really good feeling of privacy."
517B Lydiard Street, Soldiers Hill - $553,000
The two-bedroom home in Soldier Hill's premier street sold for $553,000 on April 8.
Built in 1925, the house has undergone renovations and kept a fusion of classic elegance and contemporary comfort.
The interior of the house is decorated in blue and white tones, and the wooden floors reveal a sense of history.
The property was listed on the market for 76 days, according to CoreLogic. The median sales prices of houses in Soldier Hill is $552,500.
Buxton Ballarat agent Naomi Greenbank said the buyer is a couple who look for a home with a character.
"Being very centrally in Ballarat, there are the historical characteristics, especially the front facade," Ms Greenbank said.
19 Hinkler Avenue, Sebastopol - $540,000
The four-bedroom property sitting on a 977-square-metre block sold for $540,000 on April 5.
"I call it an affordable price bracket for people," Buxton Ballarat agent Brayden Dorney said. According to CoreLogic, the median price of Sebastopol is $450,000.
"We did have a good level of people through the door," Mr Dorney added.
The property was listed on the market for 23 days with a guide of $535,000 to $565,000, according to CoreLogic. Built in the 1980s, the home in Sebastopol was first sold for $5,000.
Mr Dorney said the buyer was a young family looking for a place for kids in a quiet street.
"It is a big parcel of land. When you can get a block that is nearly a quarter acre, it is always good," Mr Dorney added.
