Devonport in Auckland's North Shore is home to some of New Zealand's most beautiful heritage homes. The suburb has the look and feel of a traditional seaside town, and the pristine white villas that line the waterfront have made it one of the city's more desirable places to live.
Such is the demand for Devonport villas that buyers have them in their sights long before they come to market and some even snap them up before physically setting foot in them.
Bayleys agent Linda Simmons, who specialises in marketing Devonport villas, says she has had expat Kiwis make multi-million-dollar offers even though they've only seen the house online.
“It’s always happened and now it’s happening more,” Simmons says.
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The current owners of a Devonport villa she is marketing at the moment had to compete with several overseas buyers when they bought the home three years ago.
“The people from overseas offered more but the owner liked the sound of this family more because they were local and he wanted to give it to them. But that does not happen often,” Simmons says, adding that the owners had their eyes on the villa for about four years before it came to market.
Simmons says fans of Devonport villas tend to hold off moving anywhere else in the hope the one they are after comes on the market.
The median value of homes in the suburb is close to $1.7 million, although villas tend to sell well above $2 million. OneRoof figures show the turnover rate is at the lower end of the scale, which suggests those who buy into the suburb tend to want to stay there.
Simmons says there is more activity on the beachside of the suburb while Stanley Point is more secluded and tends to have bigger sections and grander homes.
Villa lover and award-winning interior architect Penny Hay. Photo / Supplied
Simmons, who lives on Stanley Point herself, says there is huge demand for heritage villas that have been renovated to a high standard. “At this price point people don’t want to take on a renovation or deal with maintenance issues. They want to find a home that's ready and fully renovated so they can move in and get on with life," she says.
High-spec appliances and modern design features are likely to bump up the sale price. If it looks premium, people will pay premium prices, Simmons says.
Villa lover and Cheltenham Street resident Penny Hay says the value of these homes lies in their character.
She describes the area in which she lives as “magical”, with each villa telling a story. “We’re blessed that there are such beautiful heritage homes in Devonport and residents value and respect that. People who buy these homes love and understand villas.”
Hay, an award-winning interior architect, bought her own home at 13 Oxford Terrace eight years ago. She saw it as an opportunity to embark on a renovation project combining the old and the new.
Hay's villa at 13 Oxford Terrace, in Devonport, Auckland. Photo / Supplied
She knocked down walls to open up the inside and almost doubled the property's size with a modern extension at the rear of the building.
"There's a real charm in all old buildings. You cannot replicate the heritage, the essence and the worn-ness of the materials and the way buildings aged. It holds so much beauty, for me, personally,” Hay says.
While carefully mixing heritage and modern, she kept original floor boards and the stud high ceilings.
While she wanted to rearrange the floor plan, other villa lovers are fond of the original villa lay out. “Original villas are quite similar as they have the main hallway with bedrooms coming off it,” she says.
Hay is about to start a new project and is putting her villa on the market, saying she feels confident that new owners will appreciate all the love and care they’ve put into the home.
Bayleys agent Victoria Bidwell, who is marketing the home, says: "It’s a unique property and there is nothing else like it at all. The owners have covered off absolutely everything and of course the beachside location is superb.”
She says that interest is coming from a wide cross-section of people. “There are ex-pats coming home – and locals too and everyone who sees it is just blown away."
