Just like in the film Up, this owner refused to cave in to developers

KEVIN Palmer spent 86 years living in his humble Melbourne home. No amount of development could convince him to move.

The octogenarian’s home was dwarfed by development over two decades, but Mr Palmer never considered leaving 17 Nott St in Port Melbourne.

At the weekend Mr Palmer’s sister Margaret Williams was at the auction of the modest three-bedroom home, just weeks after her brother’s passing at 88 years old.

Mr Palmer’s home was dwarfed by surrounding development. Picture: realestate.com.au

When the hammer fell on the 157sqm site, the winning bid was $1.38 million — the exact median house price for a freestanding residential property in the beachside suburb according to realestate.com.au statistics.

Although Mr Palmer lived alone at the home for most of his life, the area of Port Melbourne grew up dramatically around him during that time.

The brick and tile houses were gradually replaced by apartment buildings and today while 25.4 per cent of the local population is categorised as “maturing and independent” a growing 28.2 per cent slice of the local residents are now couples and families or independent youth according to CoreLogic data.

Marketed through Frank Callaghan and Craig Corby of Frank Gordon Estate Agents, the listing was advertised as being “full of potential” and in a “position of mixed use zoning with no heritage overlay”.

The advertising material also stated the unique property was an “exciting opportunity” that would be “richly rewarding to build apartments, a luxury home or renovate and extend the current residence”.

Unsurprisingly on auction day, the solid brick Victorian house was sought after by investors and developers.

As he left it, Mr Palmer’s single-level home was sold in almost original condition with a traditional sitting room, retro kitchen and a dated bathroom.