The kitchen features two Bosch pyrolytic ovens, an Electrolux cooktop and Asko dishwasher.

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Ben and Brea Kunstler bid a fond farewell to their Hughesdale townhouse, the site of many happy family memories, yesterday.

The couple and their two children, four-year-old Abby and Max, who is under three months old, are upsizing from the home at 1/13 Bletchley Rd.

And although they love the residence, they were “gobsmacked” when it sold for $1,360,500, a sum $315,000 above the $1.045m reserve.

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Mr Kunstler said he and his wife purchased the three-bedroom property in 2015, after a year-long search to find an abode.

“I just fell in love with the home,” he said.

Ms Kunstler said the large open-plan living and dining area won them both over, along with the adjoining kitchen featuring two ovens, which cuts back on time spent preparing Christmas meals for friends and relatives.

The townhouse is close to the Monash Freeway, Dandenong Rd, Chadstone shopping centre and cycling trails.

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A crowd watched the home go under the hammer.

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They also love the north-facing backyard and the amount of sunlight that streams into the home, while Abby is a big fan of scooting about in her toddler-sized mobile toy car.

“Her first time laughing was in the bathroom upstairs,” Ms Kunstler said.

“There’s a big mirror and she could see herself and her dad, who was pulling faces, and she laughed for the first time.”

After moving in, they installed extra storage, including a built-in television cabinet, and updated the kitchen and bathrooms.

“It’s a great place to raise young kids,” Mr Kunstler said.

Plenty of sunlight streams into the home, a feature the Kunstlers love.

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A north-facing and private courtyard that is easy to maintain.

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The location is “amazing” thanks to a nearby cycling track, public transport and being a 10-minute walk to nearby shops and cafes, plus Chadstone shopping centre.

Near Easter, a local Greek church’s parishioners walk through the neighbourhood carrying candles.

Ray White Oakleigh’s Jonathon Eaves said young couples and downsizers had been among the main groups who inspected the townhouse prior to the auction, which seven bidders took part in – including three buyers who were on holiday overseas and joined the action online.

Ray White Oakleigh’s Jonathon Eaves.

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A bath and separate shower in one of the bathrooms.

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Even so, Mr Eaves said the auction’s final result took him by surprise.

”I was gobsmacked and so were the owners,” he said.

Out of all the bidders, a woman won the keys.

Mr Eaves said the result showed winter was a good time to sell.

“The market is still fairly strong and there’s not a lot of property out there at the moment,” he said.

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