- A unique bush house with a historic jail sold for $472,000 at auction on Wednesday.
- The new owner was one of two people bidding for it and plans to live in the home.
- The property, which has an RV of $1.025m, attracted significant interest from various buyers.
The stressed owner of an unusual bush house at the foot of Mount Te Aroha has managed to “beat the bank” after selling his rustic property under the hammer for $472,000 this week.
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He had been forced to sell before the bank stepped in and forced a mortgagee sale. The listing on OneRoof highlighted the seller’s plight and called on buyers to “bag a bargain”.
The property, which is spread over two titles and includes the old Te Aroha jailhouse, had an RV of $1.025 million.
At Wednesday’s auction, the “perfect” buyer threw her hat into the ring and ended up walking away with the keys to the property.
Listing agent Toni Swney, from Property Brokers, said it was a great result for all concerned, noting that the sale price exceeded expectations.
Reclaimed materials from an old miner’s cottage and a church were used in the house. Photo / Supplied
A 124-year-old jail that held convicts up until 1975 is located in the backyard. Photo / Supplied
The auction opened at $380,000 and after eight bids paused at $460,000 for negotiation. The auction resumed with a higher bid of $472,000, at which point auctioneer Campbell Turner declared the property on the market and brought the hammer down.
Property Brokers listing agent Toni Swney told OneRoof that the buyer, a woman from Cambridge, was the “perfect match” for the property.
“She has been over to view it two or three times and I knew as soon as she walked in the door, I was like this is the property for you. You are going to love it here.”
The buyer was drawn to the private secluded spot and its central location, Swney said. She planned to live in the home but was looking at running a spiritual retreat on the property.
“It’s a lovely spot that you could do a lot with. It’s right on the doorstep of town, but you wouldn’t know it when you are up there. It’s very, very secluded,” Swney said.
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The property comes with a three-bedroom cottage and an old jailhouse, which was relocated to the site from beside the Te Aroha Police Station and had held convicts up until the 1970s.
One of the previous owners, well-known Te Aroha personality and high school teacher Maria Zeigler, wrote a letter to future owners describing the history of the home and how it was built using reclaimed materials.
Swney said there had been more enquiries on this property than any other listing she had this year. An “eclectic mix” of people had shown interest, ranging from flippers and investors to home buyers, some from the area and others from around the North Island.
The current owner bought it in 2018 after falling in love with the private bush setting. He lived in the home and occasionally rented out the jailhouse to visitors.
However, because of an unfortunate turn of events he had been forced to sell.
- Click here to find more properties for sale in Te Aroha
