Record sale: Brighton-Le-Sands duplex by Zane Carter Architects sells for $2.9 million
A Brighton-Le-Sands duplex at 22A Rowley Street has set a new benchmark for the area, selling for an impressive $2.9 million on a compact 311sqm lot.
Trent Tarbey from McGrath achieved the record-breaking sale. The result highlights strong demand for high-quality homes that offer the comfort and amenity of a traditional house within a smaller, more manageable footprint.
It also points to a broader shift in the Sydney market. Buyers are increasingly looking for homes that balance luxury, function and long-term ease of living.
You can view the public property listing for 22A Rowley Street, Brighton-Le-Sands on Domain.
The sale stands out because broader market conditions were softer at the time. According to CoreLogic, Sydney’s preliminary clearance rate had recently dipped to 63.4 per cent, down from the previous week’s 68.2 per cent.
SQM Research placed the final clearance rate even lower, at 45.2 per cent. Despite those figures, the Brighton-Le-Sands duplex attracted strong buyer interest.
As a result, the sale shows that well-designed compact homes can still perform strongly when they deliver quality, amenity and architectural value.
Lead architect Sam Alawie designed the residence with four spacious bedrooms, three bathrooms and a layout that would usually belong to a much larger home.
The design creates a sense of generosity within a compact site. Rather than relying on scale alone, the home uses planning, natural light, material detail and spatial flow to create rooms that feel open, comfortable and highly liveable.
As a result, the duplex offers the amenity of a larger residence without the maintenance demands of a bigger property.
For buyers, the Brighton-Le-Sands result reflects the growing appeal of homes that feel refined and practical at the same time. A smaller footprint does not have to mean compromise when the design resolves space carefully.
As Sam explains, “We focus on maximising functionality and aesthetic appeal, ensuring that smaller homes don’t feel cramped but instead feel expansive and welcoming.”
That approach is increasingly relevant in established Sydney suburbs, where land is limited. Buyers want homes that deliver quality, privacy and comfort without unnecessary excess.
The $2.9 million sale reinforces the value of thoughtful residential design in the duplex market. It shows how architecture can support both lifestyle and property performance.
For future developments in Brighton-Le-Sands and the wider St George area, the result points to continued demand for compact, high-quality homes. These homes need to feel spacious, refined and easy to live in.
Importantly, this result also shows how planning, build quality and buyer expectations need to work together. When a project delivers on all three, a compact site can still create a strong market outcome.
You can explore more examples of our residential architecture portfolio, including homes shaped around light, liveability and long-term value.
For more on how design can support property performance, read our article on Architecture ROI, or book a project review to discuss your next home or development.
