Olympian Eric Murray has always cleaned up in the water, but the two-time Olympic gold medallist has set his sights on shining up something else other than his medals.
Murray is selling his 1950s brick home at 19 Vogel Street, in Cambridge, which has a constant stream of past, present and future sporting legends through it so that he can renovate an old villa that he has his eye on in the town.
The retired rower has spent the last three years transforming his home from a basic brick home to a trendy three-bedroom, two-bathroom house complete with a large kitchen island perfect for entertaining and that serves as the hub of the house.
There’s also glimpses of him impressive sporting career in the lounge with framed awards adorning the walls of his lounge and a cabinet he built filled with trophies including the supreme Halberg Award up until earlier this year.
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Murray started doing-up the interior of the house when he purchased the house in 2019 and at this year decided to add what he describes as the extra luxury items such as a heated mineral pool and putting green for him to practice his golf.
“I was like you know what, let’s take it up a notch.”
And while they may seem lavish – they are two things where the family spends a lot of time and he can often be found swinging a golf ball while his son plays in the pool.
“It’s heated, it’s a mineral pool, it’s fantastic and now I look at it, it was a very very wise decision to put it in especially in the Waikato where it can get really hot and just muggy and stuff all over summer.”
Murray at the Rio Olympics. He won gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Games. Photo / Getty Images
On display is memorabilia from his sporting career. Photo / Supplied
Murray did everything from stripping back wallpaper, skimming the walls, putting in cavity doors and showers, building a vanity and installing the kitchen on the Vogel St property and learnt a lot along the way.
It’s those skills he was keen to use on the next project – whether that be the tired Cambridge villa or another project in the next few years.
Because while he’s eyeing up a property that he believes he could transform into something really beautiful, he’s also realistic about the state of the market and said he will only move if he can get the right price for it.
“I’ve learnt a lot from this property on how to rejuvenate and resuscitate an older house and turn it into something that’s quite functional with use of different materials, cost effective, efficient – that type of thing. So, I would like to do that again but the whole thing is we are a little bit on the cusp with the economy and unless I get the value, I think the house is worth, I will just be like I will shelve that project until another time.
The house comes with a swimming pool. Photo / Supplied
The new owners can also enjoy Murray's specially built putting green. Photo / Supplied
“I don’t need to sell my house. I’d like to sell it because I’d love to do another project, but if I had to put my plans on hold for another year or two it’s not a big deal – I will have an absolutely fantastic time where I’m at because I have created something that is pretty special.”
He’s also tasked one of his best mates, Ray White agent Dan Lavendar, with selling his house to help him launch his relatively new real estate career.
And while Murray admits it might seem as an unusual move to task an Auckland agent with selling a Cambridge house, he said at the end of the day it all came down to transactions.
“With Dan going into it, he’s one of my best mates, I was like here’s an opportunity for you – if you get me the money – I'm out of here.”
Lavendar said he felt privileged to be selling Murray’s most value asset that had a raft of stand-out features including being across the road from the green belt, the low maintenance automated heated mineral pool, the solar power and an open plan living area that flows out to an impressive outdoor entertainment space.
“Other medallist sports men and woman and neighbours, friends and family have chipped in and helped around the place when labourers are needed, to show appreciation for Eric’s mentoring toward them, and how giving he is of his own time and truly tucks so many people under his wing to provide guidance and leadership.”
