- A deceased estate in Remuera sold for $4m, with proceeds going to seven charities.
- The buyer, a neighbour familiar with the property, made a successful pre-auction offer.
- Bayleys agents Steve and Nila Koerber are also selling their own home at auction.
A deceased estate with water views and a coveted address has sold under the hammer for $4 million.
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The sale of the four-bedroom entertainer on Darwin Lane, in Auckland’s Remuera, was a heart-warming result, not just for its new owner.
The proceeds of the sale are to go to seven charities nominated by the late owner.
Bayleys agents Steve and Nila Koerber brought the property to market at the start of the month, and the interest was huge. However, the new owner wanted to get the jump on the competition and made a pre-auction offer of $4m.
It was accepted, and the auction was brought forward. As they were the only bidder in the room, the buyer walked away with the keys.
The property hadn’t been on the open market since 1980. Photo / Supplied
Nila Koerber told OneRoof the buyer already lived on the street and knew the house well. “He was a neighbour and he loved it."
Nila was unable to say which charities would benefit, but said many were based in the South Island, where the late owner had family ties. The property hadn’t been on the open market since 1980.
Steve Koerber had told OneRoof ahead of the sale that Darwin Lane was a prized address in Remuera.
“Some of the homes on the lane have steeper dropdowns to the water and don’t feel as connected to the water as this one does. It really is the pick of the crop when it comes to position and location in a very exclusive location,” he said.
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He said the sale was an opportunity to “support incredible causes while securing a slice of enviable real estate”.
The Koerbers have their own home on the auction block this week. 1C Armadale Road, also in Remuera, is a lock-up-and-leave which they bought together in 2014, when it was in need of a serious makeover.
“We took it right back to the framing and completely gutted and rebuilt it,” Nila told OneRoof earlier this month. “We moved back in in 2016 and it was basically a new home when we did, with full double glazing throughout and that sort of thing.”
They put a lot of thought into the vision for the weatherboard home’s inspired modern transformation. “We work so hard through the day, so we wanted to create a real private sanctuary for when we came home,” Steve said.
Steve and Nila Koerber are also selling their own home in Remuera. Photo / Fiona Goodall
1C Armadale Road is where the agents were married. Photo / Supplied
“It’s turned out to be exactly that – it’s a townhouse environment but no one looks in on you.”
Steve also had a really clear idea about the unique, north-facing courtyard that wraps around the outside. “We did a lot of research on that – we basically looked at all the best courtyard designs from around the world. In fact, I think that was our exact Google search,” he said.
Nila added: “The house feels like it doubles in size with the courtyard. We made it in such a way that it almost feels like an outdoor room. We got married here, which was really special.”
- 1C Armadale Road in Remuera, Auckland, goes to auction on April 23
