What makes a house worth millions of dollars?
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According to Our City Real Estate's Lan Snowden, there's much more to it than a few bedrooms or a flashy kitchen.
The business' principal agent was responsible for a recent sale along one of the most high-priced stretches of road in Orange and delved into what actually makes it so desirable.
On June 18, 71 Clinton Street sold for $1.5 million; "I thought it was cheap" according to Mr Snowden who believed the purchaser got a good deal.
Two years prior, the home directly to its right fetched $2.1 million while in 2023, 65 Clinton Street set the previous CBD sale price record of $2.8 million. All in all, that's more than $6 million worth of real estate across a 40 metre stretch of road.
"North-south streets for me are better," Mr Snowden said, citing their 'give way' signs which in turn slow down traffic, as well as the direction of the sun.
![:Lan Snowden has talked about what makes a particular section of Clinton Street so desireable for buyers. Pictures by Riley Krause :Lan Snowden has talked about what makes a particular section of Clinton Street so desireable for buyers. Pictures by Riley Krause](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/9875b23e-bfe3-47e9-89cf-dc7f7f30d073.png/r0_0_1920_1079_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It blows my mind that people pay such big money for Kite (Street) and Byng (Street) because half the street is on the wrong side of the road so you don't get your northern sun in the yard, where your north-south streets are going to get sun on your house all the time."
With a combination of proximity to Cook Park, Byng Street Local Store and Café and the recent sale prices, the real estate agent believes that block of Clinton will only get better from here.
So what about Orange's hidden gems?
Well, an admittedly bias Mr Snowden said the northern end of Lords Place - a road on which he lives - as well as Ophir Street and Thomas Street were particularly underrated.
"If you go to the top end of Lords you've still got your double brick, bungalows and beautiful homes," he said.
![Lan Snowden inside his Our City Real Estate office. Picture by Riley Krause Lan Snowden inside his Our City Real Estate office. Picture by Riley Krause](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/93286843-d8c5-499f-bbab-421cecb1dc7e.JPG/r0_376_4032_2732_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Snowden also praised National Avenue, Warrendine Street, Cecil Road and Franklin Road as good places to buy, but noted how "people know that" already.
So what are the factors driving buyers the most?
Although everyone is different and a lot comes down to budget, the main thing the Our City team hears over and over is the potential for sunshine.
Everyone wants the northern sun," Mr Snowden said.
"You're only ever buying location and land size.
"You can add value to a home through a bathroom renovation or an extension, but what you can't add to a home is land size or aspect."