- A former insurance boss sold his rebuilt Mount Eden home under the hammer.
- Jason McCracken said his insurer thought he was pranking them when he called to report the damage.
- His property sold at auction for nearly half a million dollars above its CV, highlighting its uniqueness.
A former insurance boss who accidentally burned his Auckland house down has sold the architectural stunner that replaced it.
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The property’s sale at UP’s auction this week is a happy ending for a property that could have been a fire sale, given its inauspicious start.
Four months after Jason and Jo McCracken bought their dream bungalow on Woodside Road, in Mount Eden, a fire broke out under the house.
The fire-damaged home was replaced by a 310sqm home designed by architect Jason Bailey and built by Tim Quilty. Photo / Supplied
Jason told OneRoof before this week’s auction sale that the blaze was a shock – and embarrassing, given his job at the time at New Zealand’s largest insurance company.
“I was reading our two young children a story when lots of smoke started billowing up through the floorboards and the fire brigade was called,” he said.
“We lost the back half of the house. The young man I spoke to in State Insurance’s call centre was convinced it was a radio prank call when I said I was one of IAG’s executives and I’d burned my house down.”
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From the ashes of the fire, the family built an impressive four-bedroom home on their 1259sqm section.
The couple told OneRoof that they adored the site’s privacy and serenity, and wanted something worthy to greet visitors at the end of long, tree-lined driveway.
“Architect Jason Bailey designed a substantial 310sqm L-shaped house which an amazing builder, Tim Quilty, constructed on our big L-shaped section,” Jason told OneRoof.
“Positioning it as far back as possible created the large lawn, and the north-facing orientation making the most of all-day sun.
The home sits at the end of a long tree-lined driveway on a 1259sqm section. Photo / Supplied
The McCrackens’ home was a standout in the market, according to the listing agent. Photo / Supplied
“It was built in weatherboards with wooden joinery and balconies to emulate a character home but with lots of modern amenities including zoned underfloor heating.
“It’s essentially three separate buildings connected by glass linkways, creating one beautifully flowing home. There are a series of reveals. Looking down the gated recently re-asphalted driveway you see a glimpse of the home’s entry without perceiving its size. But as you come inside, there is a wow factor as it opens up.”
The McCrackens said they bonded tightly with three other families in the convivial street, and were known as “the Woodsiders” as they socialised often. “That closeness endures, with our children now linking up with other Woodsider children overseas,” Jason said.
UP agent Lisa Pringle, who marketed the home with colleague Ronald Lim, told OneRoof last month it was a standout property in the suburb. “It’s so rare to find a large, very private home with great indoor-outdoor flow, on big grounds minutes from Mt Eden Village,” she said.
UP declined to comment on the auction sale or give details about the buyer.
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