‘Kewtest’ house in Melbourne: Tiny one-bedder in blue-ribbon suburb listed for $650k

A compact home in a prestigious pocket of Melbourne has hit the market, offering the chance to buy into the tightly-held market on the cheap.

The freestanding one-bedroom house at 2A Minto Street, Kew East has been listed for auction with a price guide of $600,000 to $650,000.

That affordable price point makes it the cheapest house that’s currently on the market in Melbourne’s inner east.

It also represents a $1.6 million saving when compared with Kew East’s $2.2 million median sale price.

The modest abode, which comes on a 203sqm block, is a fraction of the size of typical houses in the suburb.

Most other houses on the market in Kew East at the time of publication are on blocks of at least 600sqm in size and have four or five bedrooms.

But what the little house lacks in size, it makes up for in charm, says selling agent Lloyd Lawton of Jellis Craig Boroondara.

“It’s a very unusual offering,” he said. “And it’s very cute.”

Despite its small size, the property has multiple outdoor areas. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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The unique home came into existence when the small lot was subdivided off a larger, neighbouring property, Mr Lawton said.

“[The vendors] purposely built it for their daughter to live there for some independence,” he said.

While there are plenty of small units and villas nearby, it was rare to find a freestanding house of that size in the area, which is mostly dominated by larger family homes, Mr Lawton said.

The compact layout includes a living room with French doors opening to the garden. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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“It’s the first time I’ve seen a one bedroom home in that suburb,” he said.

“It’s on its own title and there’s no body corporate fees.”

The tidy property also comes with a backyard studio that would make an ideal home office, and a single parking space.

The home’s sole bedroom includes built-in wardrobes. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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Mr Lawton said the home was already proving popular with buyers, including locals who had grown up in the area, and he expected big crowds at the first inspections.

Kew East’s tree-lined streets and well-regarded primary schools made it popular with families, Mr Lawton said, and despite most homes having multi-million dollar price tags, the suburb was a more affordable alternative to neighbouring Kew.

With a separate studio that could work as a home office, there’s more to the affordable property than meets the eye. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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“We’re getting lots of calls because it is a very unusual offering,” he said. “It’s very appealing because it’s an affordable price range for its own title.”

“Already it seems to be popular with young couples or young singles with family nearby. It could even suit a downsizer, having a single level.”

The home will go under the hammer on March 15.