Bachelor golden couple Matty J and Laura Byrne drowning in ‘mountain of debt’ as they’re forced to rent out dream home
Matty ‘J’ Johnson and Laura Byrne‘s renovated coastal haven has turned into a financial nightmare.
The glamorous Bachelor couple have sensationally revealed their stunning ‘Chante Mer’ retreat near Ulladulla has become a ‘mountain of debt’, forcing them to rent it out just to stay afloat.
What began as a spontaneous, love-at-first-sight purchase for $2.19million quickly spiralled into an eye-watering budget blowout.
Speaking candidly on Home Beautiful’s The Edit podcast, Matty J admitted the renovation ran wildly out of control.
‘We thought we were just going to, you know, make it watertight and put a lick of paint on, and we got sucked into the renovation and made it a lot bigger than we originally planned,’ he explained.
‘We were like, we need help paying off this mortgage! So, we decided we would start renting it out.’
Matty ‘J’ Johnson and Laura Byrne’s renovated coastal haven has turned into a financial nightmare
Matty J added that while he and Laura poured a year into revamping the once run-down, mould-ridden property into a high-end coastal escape, the financial toll has been brutal.
‘We are in a mountain of debt, and we will be paying off this house for a very, very, very long time,’ he admitted.
Despite all the hard work, the pair barely got to enjoy the home.
After just eight months in the revamped home, real life got in the way with hectic work schedules and the arrival of their third child, daughter Poppy.
The mounting pressure has seemingly sealed the property’s fate as a holiday rental.
But now, fans can live like reality TV royalty – at a price.
‘Chante Mer’ is currently listed on Airbnb with nightly rates ranging from a staggering $740 to $1,600, with a minimum three-night stay.
Bargain hunters might snag a winter deal for approximately $739 per week, but come summer, the luxe retreat commands top dollar.
The glamorous Bachelor couple have sensationally revealed their stunning ‘Chante Mer’ retreat near Ulladulla has become a ‘mountain of debt’, forcing them to rent it out just to stay afloat
After just eight months in the revamped home, real life got in the way with hectic work schedules and the arrival of their third child, daughter Poppy
The former reality TV snapped up the ‘rundown’ property on the NSW south coast in August 2024, with the home last changing hands in 1984 for a mere $62,500.
The location holds special meaning for the pair, who tied the knot in 2022 at Cupitts Estate Winery, just a short distance from their holiday home.
Meanwhile, the old two-storey dwelling also offers amazing water views and has been dubbed ‘Chante Mer’ by the couple – which means ‘Sing the Sea’ in French.
The reality television stars currently live in a four-bedroom semi in North Bondi, which they purchased for $5.2million in 2023.
They also boast a stunning $1.8million holiday home in Bangalow, near Byron Bay.
After getting engaged in Fiji in April 2018, Laura and Matty finally tied the knot on the south coast in November 2022, five years after meeting on The Bachelor.
hey are one of the most successful couples to come out of the show, having welcomed their daughter Marlie-Mae in 2019, followed by Lola in February 2021 and Poppy in September 2025.
Source: https://www.dailymail.com/tvshowbiz/article-15899517/Matty-J-Laura-Byrne-rent-dream-home-debt.html
