A family who has long refused to sell their prime property location has seen the money on offer skyrocket amid suggestions of how they may be forced to leave.
Despite already being surrounded by thousands of houses, the intensely private Zammit family has steadfastly held onto their sprawling 20,000sqm property near Quakers Hill, in Sydney’s west.
The property slices through a massive block of new developments, abruptly turning through-roads into cul-de-sacs, with homes wedged up hard against their boundary fence.
The family was offered $40million to sell to developers less than two years ago, but Sydney’s rampant property market has now reportedly seen that figure leap to a phenomenal $60million.
But amid all the talk of how they can keep resisting the money, some commenters on social media believe the authorities will use a sneaky way to force the family out.
The online chatter is that the Zammit’s will be squeezed by their rates being increased to a point where the family will no longer be able to afford their home.
‘If they don’t sell out in time the adjusted council rates will get them out in the end,’ on commenter said.
‘Yep, that’s how they will do it! Rezone, then apply higher rates accordingly until they squeeze them out financially,’ another said.
A third replied that ‘Many people I know had their hand forced to sell their dream home in the end due to increases in council rates.’
Though the Zammits have refused to budge, developers bought all the land around them to build a new suburb called The Ponds.
Commenters from around the world, though, have praised the family for staying put.
‘Good on them, why should developers get rich,’ one wrote.
Another said ‘Don’t bow down to greedy big corp.’
House prices in Quakers Hill rose about 8.5 per cent in 2024, according to PropTrack.
That alone would have earned the Zammits about another $4.25million on top of their previous high level offers.
Ten years ago, the median house in Quakers Hill went for about $700,000, but that has risen by 67 per cent to $1.172milion at the end of last year.
The Zammits have refused to discuss the offers they’ve been made to move out, but they have said the land is unrecognisable from when they moved in two decades ago.
‘It used to be farmland dotted with little red brick homes and cottages,’ Diane Zammit, 50, previously told Daily Mail .
‘Every home was unique, and there was so much space – but not any more. It’s just not the same.’
Stunning aerial images showed the huge changes in the area since the family moved in.
n buyers agent Ella Cas said the lot was worth so much because it could be divided into 46 or 56 lots depending on how conservative or ‘greedy’ the developer was.
The Zammit’s property boasts breathtaking views west to the Blue Mountains, with the spectacular Newnes Plateau visible in the distance, but is just 40 minutes drive to Sydney’s CBD.
It has a lush green lawn and a 200m driveway, which makes it stick out even more from its neighbours – row after row of indistinguishable homes in small blocks.
Daily Mail has contacted Blacktown Council for comment.