- Deceased estate in Wellington’s Stoke Valley is being sold "as is, where is".
- Late owner got too ill to maintain home, kitchen and bathroom covered in thick black mould
- Agent says it’s a renovation opportunity, notes house has good bones
A deceased estate in Wellington’s Stokes Valley has hit the market with a kitchen and bathroom covered in thick black mould, mildew, and grime.
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The rundown three-bedroom home at 73 Logie Street was owned by a long-time MetService worker who fell ill and could not care for the property. He paid $112,000 for it in 1999 and lived there for 25 years.
The property has been vacant for many months since his death and his family members have listed it on the market to be sold in “as is, where is” condition.
Bayleys Wellington general manager Grant Henderson said the beneficiaries just wanted “the property gone”.
“We made recommendations to the family and said, ‘Why don’t you clean it and tidy?’ They said, ‘No, no. We are not interested. Please understand we are not those people. We are happy for someone else to do it all. Let it go’.
“Their instructions to us is they want the property sold on auction day. They don’t want to hold it.”
The Logie Street property has been empty for many months. Photo / Supplied
The beneficiaries decided not to spend any time cleaning it before putting it on the market. Photo / Supplied
The listing photos show rusty appliances, mould in the kitchen and bathroom, holes in the living room and peeling wallpaper. Outside the paint is flaking off the weatherboard and the roof appears to be in a poor condition.
“Someone really has an opportunity to add some value and have a good home. It’s got some good solid bones,” Henderson told OneRoof.
He expected it would be picked up by a seasoned renovator or a young couple who wanted to get ahead in life and transform it into their dream home.
“I don’t think anyone will bowl it. I think the bones are too good. You’ve just got to see past it. Someone just needs to get in there and tear everything apart and move on.
“It’s the sort of thing where you put on the PPE gear – the mask and the white overalls and you go in there and get the bin and tear everything out and go again.”
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Henderson said not many first-home buyers wanted to do such massive renovations, but those who did would reap the benefits.
The property, which goes to auction on December 5, is expected to sell below its RV of $560,000.
Henderson said “as is, where is” properties typically attracted plenty of attention, especially from bargain-hunters, and this one was no different.
Bayleys is set to auction two more do-up properties on December 5, including an untouched 1900s triple bay villa with original features at 22 Ohiro Road, in Aro Valley, and two railway cottages on the same title at 20 Kauri Street, in Miramar.
The Ohiro Road villa had been a rental property for more than 20 years and the landlord was now ready to sell it on.
Henderson said the property was not for the “faint-hearted”, but had some beautiful period features including ornate fireplaces, 3m-high studs, lead light windows and kauri floors, doors and mouldings.
“It has some of the most beautiful features I’ve seen in a home in years. Untouched and really, really stunning.”
The triple-bay villa on Ohiro Road, in Aro Valley, still has some of its original features. Photo / Supplied
One of the two cottages up for grabs at 20 Kauri Street, in Miramar. Photo / Supplied
4 Puketiro Avenue, in Northland, Wellington, is too dangerous to go inside. Photo / Supplied
“The people who built it obviously had a lot of money at some stage. It’s a gorgeous home.”
He expected the two “really cute” cottages at 20 Kauri Street to attract everyone from flippers to first-home buyers, sub dividers, investors and multi-generational families.
A new bathroom and kitchen had already been installed in the front cottage, but work needed to be done to the weatherboard exterior and roofs.
“You could just about live in these as they are.”
Another rundown Wellington home which hit the market earlier this year is also looking for a buyer. The house at 4 Puketiro Avenue, in Northland, is too dangerous to step inside but the site is being pitched as a redevelopment opportunity.
No work had been done on the property since it was built and the owner had to move out after Wellington City Council issued a “dangerous and unsanitary building” notice in February 2021.
The price of the crumbling concrete home has dropped from $795,000-plus since it was first listed in February this year to $650,000-plus.
- 73 Logie Street, in Stokes Valley, Wellington; 20 Kauri Street, in Miramar; and 22 Ohiro Street, in Aro Valley, are all being sold at auction on December 5
