Could a Michael Boulgaris listing for a grand old property at 6 Garden Road, Remuera is a classic for the area, a huge estate with a matching impressive CV of $24.5 million crack the record set in Remuera in March last year? Then a fully redecorated mansion on 542 Remuera Road, with similar stately gardens, tennis court and pool set the sales price record for the area of $25.5 million. The vendors, Simon and Paula Herbert, then set the country record when they bought in Cremorne St, Herne Bay for $27.5 million.
The Garden Road CV certainly overshadows any others in this block of neighbouring Remuera Road, where CVs range from $22 million, $20 and $19 million down to $13 to $16 million.
Start your property search
Boulgaris, who started in real estate at the age of 18 (and picked up an antiques collecting bug in his 20s from property developer Ollie Newlands) has an endearingly chatty newsletter. Amongst the listings are updates on his bassett hound/border collies Jacqui and Gump. Last week he announced a pretty successful week: properties sold in Auckland’s bluest of blue streets - Orakei Rd, Karori Crescent, St Stephens Ave and Remuera Rd - settled for over twenty million dollars. His company focuses on the $5m to $20m price range, with average sale price around $5 million dollars.
But Garden Road is pretty special, he reckons.
“It’s one of the biggest land holdings in Remuera, at over 5100 sq m,” he says. “Only people in the know actually know where the street is, it’s so private.”
Boulgaris says that Garden Road backs on to Kings Prep campus, but the property also has a service entrance off Te Kowhai Place. There’s a tennis court and in theory the property could be subdivided, but Boulgaris says that the interested buyers are after the magnificent gardens and want to keep that intact.
“It is totally grand country living, but you’re in the centre of town,” he says. “The beehives produce 100 kilograms of honey a year which the owners share with friends and family. This is just a lovely family home.”
Boulgaris says the likely buyer will be someone selling another family home and buying up to their ultimate house in the suburb – 639 sq m of Arts and Crafts style, built in 1920.
The house’s architectural provenance is clear from the magnificent oak-panelled entrance hall and sweep of staircase, complete with an original inglenook fireplace and leadlight windows. As well as the expected suite of living and entertaining rooms, there’s a traditional billiard room, an oak lined kitchen/family room (with, as you’d expect from a house of this era, a scullery) and a covered balcony with views across the grounds and slopes of Remuera. Upstairs bedrooms have more covered porches and even better views, while tucked in the roof is a bedroom, lounge and en-suite.
Naturally there’s a guest house, garaging for four cars and 20 sq m wine cellar.
“The infinity pool looks straight out to Waitemata Harbour,” says Boulgaris.”With your own private reserve, the ever changing garden, the peace and tranquillity is like being in the country, but you can walk to school or the village.”
Take a look at the glories of Auckland past
