A historical villa that once belonged to world-famous agricultural seed family, the Yates, is for sale near Pukekohe.
The single storey 180sqm home, built for the Yates family in the late 1800s, is being marketed by Scott McElhinney, of Barfoot & Thomson, and will be auctioned September 14.
The family, who moved from England in 1880s, had three homesteads in Pukekohe, with this villa being one of only two left standing.
Over the years the three-bedroom home was extended and redesigned by different owners. When heritage building lovers Mike and Sandra Atkins bought the villa six years ago, they knew it was a great renovation project.
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"It’s so unique, such a historical place,” Sandra says. “We’ve done the renovations for someone else to enjoy."
Sandra says it’s been a “labour of love” turning dark villa into a sophisticated Victorian house.
The large and inviting property was a venue for a family wedding and 21-birthday celebration.
"We had 100 people in the backyard, catering in the barn and marquee set up. There’s plenty of space,” she says.
The property, a five-minute drive from Pukekohe, is also big enough for a mini farm with a dozen sheep, two border collies and two cats roaming.
The family polished the original kauri floors, carpeted, made cosmetic changes and modernised the interior.
Sandra ordered elegant Italian fixtures, added a pattern to the ceiling and painted a fireplace black to go with the black front door, stove, sink and leather bar chairs.
A character county timber kitchen with a stone benchtops and farm views has a high-top table.
There's a separate dining room, a lounge with a fireplace. Even the powder room has vintage decor and its own chandelier.
On the edge of the property, the couple turned a 185sqm American-style barn into a sleepout with a bathroom, laundry and storage.
McElhinney says the lifestyle property fits into Future Urban Zoning plan in Pukekohe, making it a smart investment.
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