Martin Lack has a simple rule about big life moves: make them while you still have the capacity to do them well. At 88, the Brisbane resident says he and his wife, Jacqueline, have decided to sell the Kenmore Hills home they built almost 33 years ago — choosing to downsize now, rather than later, when the task could feel harder to manage.
“You’ve got to downsize while you’ve got the physical ability to do it,” Mr Lack said.
The six-bedroom, single-storey home in Kenmore Hills is set to go to auction on-site on Saturday, 7 February at 9:00 am.
Mr Lack said the couple took a leap of faith on the block when it was vacant and built their dream home while living in Bardon, creating a long-term base that would grow with their family and careers.
Housing researchers have long noted that downsizing decisions are rarely purely financial — they are often shaped by practical considerations (maintenance, suitability, and changing mobility) alongside the emotional pull of a home filled with memories. For many older homeowners, a desire to “age in place” can delay a move even when a smaller home may feel more manageable.
For the Lacks, family circumstances have also played a role. Their son lives outside Brisbane and grandchildren are on the way, and Mr Lack said they are ready for the next chapter.
Built for the long haul
Even decades ago, Mr Lack said they deliberately opted for a single-storey layout, anticipating accessibility needs later in life. That thinking now sits neatly with their decision to move sooner rather than later.
The property spans about one hectare (around 10,010 square metres) and includes land described in marketing as dedicated to wildlife conservation, with the house positioned high beside the road.
Mr Lack described the home as a “nature-wrapped sanctuary” and said winter walks around the surrounding area became a ritual, with time spent managing weeds and protecting native vegetation.
The house also reflects how the couple worked. When they started an IT business in 1988, they added a granny flat where staff could work on-site — a practical addition well before “working from home” became a familiar concept.
Mr Lack said the street’s community felt it mattered too, and said the area was among the early locations to receive fibre-to-the-home NBN connectivity.
The emotional side of downsizing
For many sellers, the hard part isn’t choosing a new place — it’s leaving the old one.
For the Lacks, the “heart” of the home has been the family room. Mr Lack said they installed a projector and wide screen around 2000, turning evening dinners into something closer to a cinema routine, and later hosted big gatherings — including Melbourne Cup days with staff and friends watching together.
Outside, there is a swimming pool and an entertaining area that looks onto the surrounding bushland.
Mr Lack said privacy has been a defining feature — no through-traffic, neighbours at a distance, and schools nearby that made it an easy place to raise their son after moving in when he was three.
The home is being handled by Ray White agent Lisette Schults-Rand.
For Mr Lack, the point of moving now is straightforward: to do it on their own terms — and to leave space for a new family to build their own memories in the same quiet pocket of Kenmore Hills.
Published 28-Jan-2026
