THE Newcastle region doesn’t usually rate a mention in the glamorous lifestyle of former Bachelor Tim Robards as he goes about building a fitness empire in Sydney’s flashy suburbs.
But it turns out Robards might also be building a real estate empire — and Newcastle certainly plays a part in that.
It has just come to light that Robards retains his first home in Charlestown.
The three-bedroom townhouse cost Robards $164,000 some 16 years ago, and is now up as a $410-a-week rental.
Robards hit the small screen in the 2013 inaugural series of The Bachelor, when he was billed as a Sydney-based chiropractor from Newcastle.
He has long rented in the eastern suburbs with Bachelor winner and fiancee Anna Heinrichsince transforming his bachelor pad.
His other investment is also outside of Sydney — Robards and Heinrich bought property together in Queensland.
Their investment property was a $630,000 outlay for a new three-bedroom townhouse in Murarrie, an eastern suburb of Brisbane. It was advertised as a $530-a-week rental, reflecting over a 4 per cent rental yield.
Robards’ Charlestown townhouse is currently up for rent seeking a $410-a-week tenant through Street Property Group agent Sheena Falzon.
It was first listed for rent in 2008 at $290 a week.
His 2001 purchase relied partly on the NSW first home buyer grant. This suggests that Robards has spent some time living in the home.
Last year Robards said he was a regular back near Newcastle, where his mum and dad reside at a four-bedroom Lake Macquarie waterfront that cost $1,505,000 in 2004.
The couple, who recently holidayed in Santorini, say they are happy to continue renting in Bondi Junction.
They have a two-bedroom unit in Bondi Junction, halfway between Bondi Junction and the beach.
“We’ve got a great view but we’re not in the bubble of Bondi,” Tim told The Telegraph recently.
“We’re not stuck in the middle of the shopping centre (but) if I want to get to the shops it’s five minutes away.”
The pair were sailing on a boat in Kimberley in WA in May when Robards popped the question to Heinrich, a criminal lawyer from Goulburn, with a $173,000 engagement ring.
Robards has been busy in Sydney working on his fitness empire and setting up shop in Manly last year for his fitness app company, The Robards Method.