High-end homes in Auckland's Remuera are still attracting good numbers at open homes and selling for good prices, says Ray White Epsom agent Richard Thode.
Thode and colleague Rae Zhang recently sold a 567sqm gated home on 2714sqm at the foot of Mt Hobson, on Market Road, for just under $9.2 million.
While the sale price was below the property's $9.8m CV, it was still a strong result, said the agent.
Thode said not many properties were selling for close to $10m in the area and the New Zealand resident buyers planned to make the house their long-term family home.
Start your property search
Discover more:
- Trophy home with its own whisky bar sells for 'north of $7m'
- NZ's cheapest waterfront mansion? If this was Remuera, it would cost $10m
- Are homes with bigger backyards more valuable?
“They’re looking at a long-term prospective. They'll work their way through and do the renovation on the house.”
The six-bedroom, five-bathroom house, which featured in an article on OneRoof in February, dates back to the 1930s with the vendors dubbing it “Cluckingham Palace” as they kept chickens in a bespoke chicken coop in the extensive grounds.
The property needed an upgrade but is still very liveable. Photo / Supplied
The property, which the vendors had bought in 2011 for $3.775m, features a tennis court, solar-heated swimming pool and a productive vegetable garden, and all within about two minutes walk to the Remuera train station.
Thode said while the house was perfectly liveable, the new owners planned to take their time and do some renovations with open home feedback saying the bathrooms and kitchens could do with upgrading.
“When the vendors bought it it was on the basis they were going to do work to it, renovate it, but as it turned out, which often happens, they just lived in it and enjoyed it.
“The kitchen at least is probably due for that sort of upgrade but at the same time it’s very, very liveable and the buyers realised spend the money on it and they'll get it back the other end when they go to sell.”
An apartment-style home for sale at 4 Brookfield Street, St Heliers, Auckland. Photo / Supplied
Around 30 groups went through open homes during the three-week campaign, which Thode said was an “amazing” number of people for that end of the market.
Around 80 percent of viewers were potential buyers, meaning they knew the CV or had looked at the search price point on websites and had the ability to pay around $9m, showing there was potentially strong spending power at the upper range of the market.
Another high-end listing Thode is marketing, a three-bedroom architectural downsizer in St Heliers, was also attracting plenty of interest, he said.
The CV of 4 Brookfield Street is $8.3m and in two weekends of open homes there had already been 30 groups through.
Where would-be buyers of the Market Road property wanted land, the buyers of this three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment-style property wanted the dynamic views of the water and Rangitoto.
“it's a pretty special house. It's really high spec but most importantly, I guess, the views are amazing, and, of course, the location, too.”
A four-bedroom home at 12 Wapiti Avenue, in Epsom, goes to auction on May 23. Photo / Supplied
In a lower-price band, a house in Epsom’s double grammar zone was also garnering much attention from open homers.
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom house at 12 Wapiti Avenue had more than 30 groups through in its first weekend on the market with some people already registering for the May 23 auction.
The location was a big attraction as the property, which has a CV of $3.225m, was just down the road from St Cuthbert’s College.
The marketing says the house offers country cottage charm and a garden designed by Val Puxty, but the zoning was a particular drawcard with not only St Cuthbert’s a two minutes walk away but the house is also close to Diocesan School for Girls, St Peter’s College, King’s School, Auckland Grammar School and Epsom Girls School.
