Kate Cox: If These Walls Could Talk
Ever wondered if there are any interesting stories behind the property deals that are done every day? Noosa real estate dynamo Kate Cox spills the tea on her most memorable property sales of 2023, Bec Marshall writes.
Spend enough time with enough people in this world and you realise that everybody has a story.
But did you know that if you spend lots of time with properties, you get to understand that every single one has a story too? It’s why shows like Selling Sunset, Million Dollar Listing and Escape to the Country are so popular. The wildly impressive homes are one thing; but it’s the personal stories of the property seekers that make these shows a binge-tastic bit of pure escapism and intrigue.
After 15 years as a licensed real estate agent, Kate Cox of Reed & Co in Noosa has plenty of stories to tell – about people and property.
Here, she generously shares some behind-the-scenes recollections of the three most memorable properties sold by the Kate Cox team over the past year.
1. Peregian Beach – homecoming.
Kate says this property was a very emotional purchase when it sold in April last year. The lady who bought it used to holiday there with her family – at exactly the same location – decades before.
This standalone town home, one of just three on the block, has jaw-dropping ocean views from its elevated east-facing position. Designed inside and out by architect Tim Ditchfield, it is a beautiful blend of steel, concrete and glass.
Kate says the new owner’s parents owned the land before selling it in 2007.
“It used to be just a single house on a battle-axe block with a driveway and it was their holiday house since she was a young girl,” Kate recalled.
“She had been keeping an eye on the property after her parents sold it, but wasn’t in a position to buy when it was first developed.
“She’d been renting in Peregian waiting for the right property to come up, and then she saw it come onto the market. It’s really emotional for her, being back and she’s loving it, as is her partner.
“I met her parents when they came back and had a look at the property. They were telling me stories about when they first lived there and all the other houses weren’t there. They used to walk across the road to the beach.”
2. Noosa Heads – pretty as a picture.
Imagine owning a unit on Noosa’s famed Laguna Hill. Three bedrooms, that location and those views.
Ahh, those views.
For most of us, life couldn’t get much better. But the previous owners took that three-bedroom unit, completely gutted it inside and create the most luxurious one-bedroom apartment ever seen in that postcode.
“This is definitely a unique story,” Kate says. “The clients who previously bought this three-bedroom unit in a block of four with stunning views and engaged architect Tim Ditchfield and interior designer Anna Spiro to collaborate and turn it into a luxury one-bedroom apartment.
“There is such incredible attention to detail in this property, it was the highest-end finish that we’d ever seen.
“It’s an old building, and then you go upstairs to this amazing space.”
The new owners from Canberra agreed and snapped it up as their new home.
3. Noosa Heads – neighbourly advice.
Finally! When a professional couple of ex-pats who were living in Abu Dhabi bought this property late last year, it was the culmination of years of dedicated effort by Kate Cox.
“I had been dealing with these buyers for years,” she remembers. “Every time they flew home, they would look at property. They used to own in Noosa Heads, then they sold in 2019. They regretted selling and told me they needed to find another house.
“So, every few years, I’d show them homes and they didn’t buy. The last trip I said to them ‘I have the house for you, but if I tell you the address you might not want to see it’.”
That’s because the house was in the same street as their last house and was in fact right across the road.
“This property is a big, beautiful home set right in Noosa Heads. They loved it,
it was big and exactly what they wanted – loads of space, a big gym and office spaces as they both work from home.
“I just knew that it had their name on it. I’m very good at matching people to properties.”
Now, that’s selling dreams.
WANT MORE?
Find out more about Kate Cox by listening to our interview with her on our podcast!
