Orange's iconic home Mena failed to sell at auction on Monday despite the sellers lowering their expectations in an effort to move on.
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The property was originally to have gone to auction in April but it was withdrawn beforehand and put on the market before making its way to auction this week with expectations of $2.6 million.
With no auction sale, the property at 50 Kite Street is now being offered via private treaty by New South Wales Sotheby's International Realty.
Ahead of its planned April 5 auction, Mena had a price guide of $3.3 million.
Sellers William and Jacqueline Tuck purchased the property in August, 2021 for $2.6 million and have since undertaken a number of upgrades and some restoration work.
This is the second time the property has been offered for sale in less than two years.
Sotheby's agent David Medina, who is selling the property with James McCowan, said before the June 19 auction that he was talking to a number of interested parties including buyers based in Singapore, Sydney and Canberra.
The Victorian Art Nouveau five-bedroom house sits on a 2,327 square- metre block in Orange's premium historic precinct, a short walk to the city's eateries, shops and stunning Cook Park.
While the house was believed to have been built by merchant James Dalton as a home for his eldest son Thomas, more recently historian Elisabeth Edwards' book Wearing the Green notes the house was likely built for draftsman Edward Gerard in about 1888.
According to Ms Edwards' book, Thomas Dalton purchased the house in 1895.
Mrs Tuck said when they purchased Mena and decided to make changes to the historic property, they did a lot of research and discussion.
The Tucks also consulted Orange City Council's heritage adviser David Scobie and received a letter outlining the historic parameters of any work including the changing of paint colours.
Mr Tuck said nothing has been done to the house "that would alter anything that is heritage listed".
Other upgrades include new underfloor ducted heating, new bathrooms, electrical rewiring, new power points and aluminum doors were replaced with bespoke wooden doors and new glass in keeping with the style of the house.
Mena was acknowledged as one of the country's top properties in Denis Gregory's book Great Houses of Australia which highlighted 50 significant homes throughout the country.
According to CoreLogic, Mena sold for $980,000 in September, 2003, and $500,000 in December, 1993.
This is the second house associated with the Daltons which is currently for sale with nearby Galbally at 60 Byng Street on the market with a reduced asking price of $3.9 million.
The property at 60 Byng Street was purchased by James Dalton in 1855 from the Crown for £4 pounds and a house was built there for Edward Dalton, James Dalton's fourth son.
The highest price paid for a house in Orange is the $3.050 million paid at auction on March 9 this year for 41 Sampson Street.
Data from CoreLogic shows the median price of a house in Orange is $695,000.
Tracey Prisk
I am a writer on the national property team and I cover real estate news in Orange, Bathust, Dubbo, Wagga and the Blue Mountains. I was previously the editor of the Central Western Daily for six years and before that worked as the CWD's chief of staff. During this time I also wrote feature stories for Country Style magazine. Before joining ACM I was a film writer and reviewer at the Sunday Telegraph. I was previously the editor of the film and television magazine Encore and also wrote for Broadcast Engineering News.
I am a writer on the national property team and I cover real estate news in Orange, Bathust, Dubbo, Wagga and the Blue Mountains. I was previously the editor of the Central Western Daily for six years and before that worked as the CWD's chief of staff. During this time I also wrote feature stories for Country Style magazine. Before joining ACM I was a film writer and reviewer at the Sunday Telegraph. I was previously the editor of the film and television magazine Encore and also wrote for Broadcast Engineering News.
