The waterfront house restored by an Auckland couple next door to their Grand Designs NZ house has sold for more than $3.5 million.
The four-bedroom 1980s house on the water at Seacombe Road, Point Chevalier, went on the market in mid-October and the deal was inked last week, the marketing agents, David Simons and Jennifer Temm-Munns, from UP Realty, told OneRoof.
The sale price is confidential, Simons said, but he could confirm it was for more than $3.5m. The sale settles next week when the title for the new boundaries between the two properties comes through.
The vendors, Auckland musician Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper and partner Mindy Pilbrow, bought the 1980s house at auction two years ago, after eyeing its over 2200sqm of land that bordered their new-build Grand Designs home, which sat on a very small 400sqm site.
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Their renovation of the formerly-run down house included carving off a 600sqm plot to add to their Grand Designs property, leaving the older four-bedroom house on a still-roomy 1594sqm plot leading to the water's edge.
Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper and Mindy Pilbrow with host Chris Moller in their "music box" house they built in Grand Designs 2017 season, next door to the house they restored. Photo / Supplied
Temm-Munns said that the property was one of the most-viewed online, and had attracted some 200 groups through two weeks of open homes.
"There were a lot of people circling, it was all about the emotional appeal,” she said.
“Quality homes in that $3m to $4m price bracket in Point Chev are still doing well.”
She said buyers from not just Point Chev, Grey Lynn and Westmere, but also from Parnell, Remuera, Newmarket were drawn to the chance to buy on the waterfront.
The house in its 'before' state when it sold in 2020. Photo / Supplied
The restoration included painting, polishing the concrete floors and adding a new kitchen and bathroom. The ceiling and black aluminium joinery are original to the house. Photo / Supplied
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The buyers already have a love for the suburb, so greatly appreciated what it entailed. They have a vision for it to be the forever home for their family.”
Simons said that some of the buyers who “came out of the woodwork” were looking for garaging for their six cars, others had sold $7m houses in other suburbs and were ready to make the switch, but said the modest house without double-glazing, ensuites or under-floor heating and its landscaping drew more than one offer.
Bridgman-Cooper and Pilbrow completed their Grand Designs house, called The Music Box, in the 2017 season of the show. They have just had their second child, and are now eyeing up the music studio for more family living, they earlier told OneRoof.
Bridgman-Cooper grew up on the cul de sac (the couple's Grand Designs build was on land carved off his parents’ place), while the second house was owned by William McCahon, son of Colin McCahon, and his then wife. Both families’ houses had been designed by James Hackshaw of the hugely influential Group Architects.
The couple paid $4.325m for the property in October 2020. Their gentle renovation included updating the kitchen and bathroom, polishing the concrete floors, painting the interior and exterior while retaining the original macrocarpa ceilings and black aluminium joinery. Meticulous landscaping connected the house back to the water and a boat ramp.
