A stylishly renovated mid-century house in Auckland’s St Heliers sold under the hammer last week for $4.12 million – almost $900,000 above its CV.
It was a satisfying win for rookie Barfoot & Thompson agent Mary Richardson, who marketed the four-bedroom property on Long Drive with colleague Mark Peterson. She has only been in the business six months but has already got six property sales under her belt (in conjunction with colleagues Paula Kane, Aaron Foss, Mary Turner and Justa Bain).
Richardson said that the retro-style house had attracted a huge amount of interest, with over 65 groups viewing the property during the campaign.
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Five bidders registered for the fast-paced auction, which started with a $3m bid. The property was declared on the market at $4.04m and sold in five minutes after 32 bids, that never went below increments of $10,000.
“That’s a lot of interest,” Richardson said.
It was a win too for the vendors, who bought the1950s house, complete with original steel work and sweeping staircase, for $1.48m just over 10 years ago.
“It was in very, very original condition. It hadn’t been touched in 30 or 40 years,” the agent said, adding the vendors were “absolutely thrilled” with the result and can now make their next move.
The owners bought the house, virtually untouched for decades, over 10 years ago and embarked on a top-to-toe renovation. Photo / Supplied
The kitchen includes a scullery and extra storage. Photo / Supplied
She said that the property hit the right spot in the market. “It was just a really cool house, it had a great vibe and it’s very different, it really had a feel. That’s a rarity.”
She said the buyers, who were all shopping with budgets in the high $3m to early $4m for a good family home, really liked the big flat section of over 1000sqm.
“And the pool, people around here want the sunny pool. They want the property to be renovated, because renovation costs today are so, so expensive,” she said.
Buyers were drawn to the large flat section of over 1000sqm, a rarity in the area. Photo / Supplied
The mid-century staircase was a real draw. Photo / Supplied
“There’s a real gap in the market around that price in the Bays,” Richardson said, adding that she is now door-knocking for similar properties for the four under-bidders who missed out.
Richardson said that while the stylish renovation was eight or nine years old, it included an up-to-date kitchen with a scullery, loads of storage, a second living room and a great entertaining area around the pool, as well as plenty of lawn.
“People saw that the vendors had taken great care to keep that retro look, the staircase and so on, with the renovation.
“There’s still a shortage of those properties around the Bays,” she said.
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