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Bentleigh East homeowner Richard Skinner is revving up buyers by listing his $1m 1935 Bentley for sale alongside his residence. Picture: Wayne Taylor.
It’s Bentley meets Bentleigh as a Melbourne man looks to rev up the sale of his multimillion-dollar home by offering his million-dollar car alongside it.
Richard Skinner got the 1935 coach-built Derby Bentley in the late 1990s, but the rare ride, one of just 20 of its type in Australia today, was first made for Edith Margaret Player — the granddaughter of the man who founded 1930s British tobacco icon John Player & Sons.
It still bears the family’s initials on the doors, and the largely original car has only travelled 19,000 miles — about 2000 of these with Mr Skinner, who has named it Madge for its first owner.
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“My deduction is, she drove it for some 30 years, put a new set of tyres on it, and then burned the clutch out and sold it,” he said.
A series of subsequent owners tried and failed to get it working, and by the time Mr Skinner acquired it from a collector in Western Australia it couldn’t be driven up hill.
“But I had a very gifted mechanic who replaced it (the clutch),” he said.
The car has since gone as far as Beechworth, appearing in vintage car club shows and rally’s around Victoria.
“And it has always got me home when I have gone out,” he added.
The classic body is still original, as is the inlaid maple and leather within.
Mr Skinner with his Bentley in front of his Bentleigh East home.
The double-storey home has plenty of street appeal – even without a classic car in front of it.
“Inside, you smell leather and wood and it takes you right back to the middle of the art deco period of the 1930s,” Mr Skinner said.
He’s selling so he won’t have to continue warehousing the car after his Bentleigh East home is sold, and so the next owner can enjoy it for a few years before it turns 100.
“If someone gives us $4m for both, we would probably take it,” Mr Skinner said.
A package buy might even give the next owners a chance of their kids agreeing to be dropped off at the front gate of nearby McKinnon Secondary College — rather than asking to be let out a block away to avoid being seen with their parents.
Given the five-bedroom home at 10 Gladwyn Ave has a $2.8m-$3.08m price guide, and his insurer is willing to cover the car for $1m – it could well be a savvy purchase.
“It’s very hard to say what the car is worth, but a lot of people say it’s approaching $1m given its rarity, provenance and the condition it’s in,” Mr Skinner said.
The home’s streamlined kitchen is ready to entertain a crowd.
The home features multiple living spaces across its two levels.
Ray White Oakleigh’s Adam Pavlou is handling the home sale, but is aiming to get the car included in a package deal.
Mr Pavlou has dabbled in selling things other than homes in the past, including a luxury car he sold for $150,000 and a $400,000 Patek Philippe luxury watch he recently helped connect to a new owner.
“If I can get them both done, that would be amazing — though the house is the priority,” he said.
The double-storey home was built by Skinner and his wife just 12 years ago — making it 77 years younger than the car.
Its walls are made from secured concrete that would make it “tornado proof”, sprinklers for the gardens can be run from a smartphone application, there are multiple living zones, a swim-spa out the back and a three-car garage offers plenty of space to keep a Bentley if desired.
A backyard swim spa will help the new owners stay fit.
“And there’s not a lot of homes that offer such a flexible floorplan,” Mr Pavlou added.
While Mr Skinner’s pride and joy is warehoused elsewhere, buyers can arrange to inspect both the car and the home together if desired.
Expressions of interest for 10 Gladwyn Ave close at 5pm on April 29.
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The post Bentleigh East Bentley owner lists house and $1m car for one-of-a-kind package sale appeared first on realestate.com.au.
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