An Auckland inner-city villa that made headlines when it sold just after New Zealand’s first Covid lockdown for more than $1 million is back on the market after a full renovation.
This time the house at 10 Buchanan Street, Kingsland, will be looking for a buyer with over $2m to spend.
Homeowners Clarke and Kelsey Baker made news when they paid $1.14m for an extremely run-down villa in June 2020, just two months after the housing market was put on hold through Covid.
At the time, the run-down house, on the market for the first time in 50 years, was billed by agent Tim Hawes, of Ray White, as “Desperately Seeking Your Love and Affection”, who called it a “genuine, no holds barred, doer-upper dream”.
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When it went to auction, the 124sqm villa on a 339sqm site, had been swamped by “almost unbelievable” interest from buyers, with over 10,000 views online, Hawes said. At the time, commentators were expecting a housing slump, with one saying the buyers must have had “a rush of blood to the head”.
However, Bayleys agent Brittany Broadbent, who with colleague Jack Davies is bringing the three-bedroom home to auction on May 8, said that the couple had bought it as their forever family home.
“There’s no expense spared in the renovation. They’re selling because they’re expecting another child, they’re expanding their family and so they need more room,” she said.
The Buchanan Street villa in Kingsland had been in the same ownership for over 50 years. Photo / Supplied
The backyard of the dilapidated villa, pre-renovation. Photo / Supplied
The owners replaced the back of the villa with a new kitchen and living room extension, adding a deck and a tandem carport. Photo / Supplied
The couple, who moved into the house with a toddler, now have a second child and a baby on the way, renovated the house through late 2020, finishing in early 2021.
“They enjoyed the whole renovating process, they’ve probably spent hundreds and hundreds of thousands on the renovation,” Broadbent said.
The Bakers ripped off a series of lean-tos at the back of the house to build a brand-new open-plan dining, kitchen, and living area, with a new laundry.
They added a deck and pergola, currently home to a spa pool, put in a new driveway and installed a tandem carport, carefully replicating the bargeboards and finishes of the original house. The front of the house was brought back to its original glory after a dilapidated sunroom was removed and the verandah put back.
The original kitchen in the lean-to. Photo / Supplied
The luxurious new kitchen which opens to living, dining and the deck. Photo / Supplied
Broadbent said the renovated house got new insulation, new piles along the boundary walls, electrical and plumbing (there are two brand-new bathrooms), and the couple insulated the house, updated some of the original sash windows with double glazing and put in double glazing in the new addition.
“The kitchen is just beautiful, it’s got Italian tapware, colonial door handles, they’ve got great taste,” she said.
Broadbent said that the over 30 viewers to the first open home showed that buyers appreciated places where all the work had been done.
“We’re finding buyers in the market, they’d rather just pay for something that’s done, and done well. It’s a quality renovation, everyone is saying, their presentation, their styling, you can see they haven’t skimped on anything,” she said.
Broadbent said that while there were a few homes competing for buyers in Kingsland, people liked Buchanan Street because it had a flat yard and car parking, and was close to Eden Terrace as well as Kingsland.
The owners updated the bathrooms, with a nod to the original claw foot tub. Photo / Supplied
The sitting room is in the original part of the house. Photo / Supplied
Broadbent said as well as the expected young families, interest had come from empty-nesters who want to stay in the area, downsizing from larger villas in Ponsonby and Mount Eden.
“It’s amazing, I’ve been showing people the before pictures. I’ve met a lot of the neighbours and they really appreciate it. A lot of the homes had been let go slightly, but this is someone who put their heart and soul into it.”
While she cannot say what the house will go for at auction, Broadbent said the 2021 CV of $1.675m had not taken into account the high-end renovation and the house was still valued at just $100,000.
“Given the location, attention to detail and standout features throughout we would expect to see interest north of $2m.
“They’ve taken the risk and it’s paid off, it’s a quality job.”
- 10 Buchanan Street, Kingsland, Auckland goes to auction on May 8
