Rugby union star Michael Hooper buys Fairlight home

War­atahs captain and Wallabies vice-captain Michael “Hoops” Hooper has jumped into residential real estate, paying more than $2 million for a home on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Wallaby Michael Hooper has paid $2.065 million for this Fairlight cottage.

The 24-year-old homegrown sportsman, who grew up in Collaroy, has bought a four-bedroom house in Fairlight with a long, level back lawn.

Eddy Piddington, of Clarke and Humel, says the flanker had been looking at a few properties but when he inspected the house in Fairlight he moved quickly.

Plenty of room to kick a ball in the long backyard.

“He came through the house briefly and he liked it,” explains Piddington. “He didn’t muck around but came in with a signed contract. I think he wanted a big backyard.”

The pretty cottage with stained glass windows and claw-foot hip bath attracted young families wanting a freestanding home.

The home was on the market for just 14 days and sold for $2.065 million.

Character overload in the bathroom, check out the hip bath, ideal for a soak after a game.

Hooper played for the Manly Roos in his junior days, moved to the ACT to play for the Brumbies and has been back on the northern beaches while playing for the Waratahs.

He is a keen surfer and often seen relaxing in Manly. Last year he captained the Wallabies to the World Cup final.

Nice big rooms and a polished timber floor.

Piddington says northern beaches property stock levels are down at the moment and most property is selling before its scheduled auction day.

According to CoreLogic RP Data there are 1027 properties on the northern beaches currently on the market, 25 of them in ­Fairlight.

This story was originally published on the Daily Telegraph.