As far as family homes go, this one in Googong stands out from the rest.
Not just because it has a separate wing for the kids or its position on more than 10 acres of land. The home also comes with a goalpost in the backyard any footy-mad family would dream of.
The builder's own home on Binda Place sold for close to $3 million in March.
Sellers Alasdair and Susan Freeth built the house for their family of five and had intended it to be their home "for another 20 years".
But an opportunity to buy a bigger plot of land near Bungendore was too good to pass up, Mr Freeth said.
The other thing that made this a true family home was the collaborative effort behind the build. Mr Freeth's sister, architect Clair Thornton, designed the house and his brother also had a hand in the construction.
The home was designed with a kids' wing at one end that includes three bedrooms, a bathroom and rumpus. The main bedroom, with a walk-in wardrobe and en suite, sits at the opposite end.
In the middle is an open-plan kitchen, living and dining space that opens onto an outdoor entertaining area.
The alfresco space overlooks a manicured lawn and the footy post, a Christmas gift to the family's three boys for goal-kicking practice.
Outside there's also a 21-metre-long shed with a 10-kilowatt solar system on the roof.
Mr Freeth said he chose materials like Colorbond steel and scorched timber cladding to ensure the house looked as good "in another 15 years" as it did now.
In-slab heating and cooling was another must-have, as were smart-wired lights, blinds and temperature control.
"I'm still very attached to the house because it's the first one that we've ever done that was done for us," Mr Freeth said.
"It's a weird, very different feeling selling a house when you have done it for yourself."
More than 50 groups inspected
Selling agent Ryan Broadhurst from Belle Property Queanbeyan said more than 50 groups inspected the house during the sale campaign.
"We ended up with about eight interested parties, but then two local buyers going toe-to-toe," he said.
He said the sale price reflected the "calibre of the property".
"There's just such demand for those really good quality properties on the smaller acreages around Canberra," Mr Broadhurst said.
The family is now shifting its focus to the next build, which will be on more than 300 acres.
Mr Freeth's sister will once again design the house and he's working with the interior designer from the Googong build, Studio and You.
There are some non-negotiables from the build they'll be putting into the new home, such as the hydronic in-slab heating system. There are also plans for a motocross track for the three boys.
The footy posts are likely to make another appearance, too.
"I think the boys would absolutely kill me if they didn't get another set of posts in the next place," Mr Freeth said.
