NEWTOWN · OPEN HOME
36 John Street, Newtown
A cherished family home
24 September 2026
When I saw the listing photos for this home I knew I had to see it. A 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom gorgeous family home with a garden, located right in the heart of Newtown. It looked picture perfect. The other reason I wanted to see it was a little closer to home — to see whether it was suitable for a multigenerational family.
One of the many perks of working from home is that I can go to open homes during lunch hours. The house was opened at 1pm on a beautiful warm Thursday afternoon. John Street was easy to find and there was ample parking. Definitely 9/10 for parking.
This house has real street appeal. It is charming in every sense of the word. I think I fell in love with it the moment I walked through the front door. I saw the light filtering through the large living room, which flowed effortlessly into the large garden. In that moment I could hear the owner’s voice talking about raising her family there, how you could host a party there for 85 people, and still offer private spaces. I had watched the listing video and it was coming to life in that moment.
As I wandered upstairs, where all 3 bedrooms and a study were located, it slowly lost its charm on me, only a little. The study was listed as a fourth bedroom at only 2.9m by 2.5m, which is rather tight. However there is the attic room, which is 4m by 4.1m, but accessible only via a pull-down ladder, which I was told about. My only qualm was that this is a little impractical for a grown adult to constantly climb up and down a ladder when using this space. I like my toilets to be easily accessible from all rooms.
For a family home, this is a great home. Large living space, good size bedrooms, great price point, and an unbeatable location. It could also be great for a multigenerational home with a few tweaks. So why am I not rushing for the contract? It’s beautiful but it’s a little dated and needs a refresh — a new kitchen, and the 2 bathrooms need updating. It’s more than liveable now, but needs updating nonetheless.
What I am seeing in this market right now is that sellers are more and more reluctant to style their home for a sale. While I love the garden and the spaciousness, I found it hard to visualise myself in there. There were too many personal things. It told a story — a beautiful story of the owner, but not mine. The agent told me she was downsizing, I’m not sure whether she’s staying in Newtown but I can see her at 227 Australia Street, Newtown. It’s small, cosy and easy to manage and still allowing you to be in the suburb where you raise your family with so many memories.
Let’s talk numbers. For a $2.5M property, stamp duty is a whopping $120,458, which totals $2.62M. Looking at comparables, there aren’t a lot of 4 bedroom houses in Newtown for sale. The most recent ones have been 44 Camden Street and 39 Holmwood Street, both sold for $2.45M in June 2026, and both houses were fully renovated and styled. So the price guide places it exactly where the last sale price was.
But here’s something interesting. Right at the end of John Street is a development by SQ Project — five brand new strata title townhouses which went up for auction in March and all sold for $2.675M and above. I attended the open house and auction for number 7 John Street. It drew a massive crowd and there were free cupcakes. John Street is a real drawcard — it’s a serene and leafy enclave, part of Newtown. My estimate for 36 John Street is $2.6M, as it’s a full brick standalone house with a private garden and 4 good size bedrooms — this is a rare and unique offering.
Listing Details:
36 John St, Newtown NSW
Listed with Ray White – Link here
Initial Price Guide – $2.5M
Auction – 26 September 2026
My Estimate – $2.6M
UPDATE — Auction and Sale withdrawn
See you at the next Inside Open Home in the Inner West.
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