It’s billed as a “private Caesars Palace” and comes with a golden toilet, elaborate murals on the walls and ceilings, and an epic outdoor entertainment area.
Ray White agent Jadyn Dixon told OneRoof the party pad at 36 Glen Vista Place, in Auckland’s Glenfield, had attracted enthusiastic crowds at its first open home this weekend.
“It was so fun to watch people’s faces as they explored the house. They’d drop their jaws, their eyes would widen. And the smiles on their faces, people were just lost for words,” he said.
“A few people were hovering around the outdoor kitchen, just wanting to get the beers running on tap. You could see their eyes lighting up.”
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Dixon and fellow listing agent Dora Shen had to round people up at the end of the viewings, with buyers keen to linger and take in the view.
The number one stop on the tour was the gold toilet, complete with a matching basin and a wall of gilt-framed mirrors.
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“We had people sitting on the golden throne to get photos. People were taking photos all through the house. You won’t find anything like it ever again,” Dixon said.
However, there were serious buyers among the crowds.
Dixon said he already had four or five people in talks with their bank managers.
Owner Peter Purins told OneRoof that the house was priceless, with Dixon adding: “To recreate this elsewhere is not even a possibility. It’s going to cost a fortune.”
Latvia-born Purins, speaking to OneRoof with interpretation help from his daughter Ginta Gaile, said that the house was a “never-ending project”.
People were turning up at the open homes to take selfies of themselves in the golden powder room, which included a gold-coloured basin and loo. Photo / Supplied
The three-bedroom house includes a massive outdoor kitchen with a fire, plus a spa pool and 10-person sauna. Photo / Supplied
When he bought the 1980s house in 2005, it was a basic three-bedroom 90sqm house. But the lifetime collector, who has lived in New Zealand since 1992, had other plans. He tripled the size of the house, adding an entire new wing for the master bedroom suite and kitchen, put in a new double garage and added ensuite bathrooms to the bedrooms. The living room alone is 120sqm, larger than most houses in the area.
A later wave of renovations added the decks, a stone-lined outdoor kitchen, a hot tub and sauna, and a waterfall feature, Gaile said.
Purins got a local Russian artist, Lana Berzina, to hand-paint copies of famous paintings by Dutch masters on the dining room wall, kitchen, and multiple doors. Ceilings of drifting clouds and forest murals in the bedroom were added by a pair of travelling backpackers.
“Each painting cost anywhere from $500 to $3000. My bedroom took about three weeks alone,” he said.
The owner paid Russian artists to hand paint the murals and cloud-covered ceilings. Photo / Supplied
The granite and marble mosaic driveway features a map of New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
Even the driveway was enhanced, with Purins installing a mosaic made from pieces of granite and marble he had rescued from a friend. It features a map of New Zealand and a lotus flower.
The entertainment area includes a huge island bar, taps for beer and an outdoor fireplace, a swim spa and a 10-person sauna, a gazebo, and a 20-tree fruit orchard.
Immigration issues for Purins’ wife means he is now living in China and he is having to sell. “I will never get this house back. This was supposed to be my once in a lifetime. I feel sad leaving. There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” Purins said.
“Yes, this is one of the more crazy houses I’ve marketed for sure,” Dixon told OneRoof. The agent said he was glad he talked the Purins out of modifying the house to make it more “neutral”, although he did repaint the exterior and tidy up the house.
The owner likes to add a water feature in every house he has renovated. Photo / Supplied
“People said, ‘Oh we wouldn’t change a thing’. Everyone said they’d leave the golden toilet because it was just epic. It would be a great talking point when friends came over.
“And you’d be the coolest person in your friend group, everyone would want to come over.”
Despite all the fun and games, the owner is serious about selling.
“He’s willing to work with the market and hopefully be all sold before Christmas,” Dixon said.
“He’s even happy to sell the furniture. He’s happy to take his suitcase and silver and just walk out the door.”
- 36 Glen Vista Place, Glenfield, is going to auction on November 6
