Queenstown-Lakes buyers are being invited to step back in time in style: two historic cottages are up for grabs in Arrowtown, while on the market in neighbouring Wanaka is a house that was crafted using materials from one of New Zealand's oldest hotels.
New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty agents Gerard Bligh and Hadley van Schaik are marketing for sale Meg Cottage, which dates back to the 1870s but has been recently upgraded to luxury standard.
The three-bedroom home 17 Merioneth Street, which is classified as a historic building, has an RV of $1.55m and is for sale with deadline date of February 28.
Bligh told OneRoof there had been strong interest in the property, some of it from as far afield as New York.
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“The cottage was originally built in 1874 for a local farmer,” said Bligh. “Our owners, who are a local Queenstown couple, bought it in 2020 and did quite a major restoration.”
The couple had bought it in 2019 from a family that had owned it for 56 years.
“The restoration involved new piles, new floor, new roof, new bathroom, new kitchen. Because of the zoning in this part of Arrowtown, which is known as the old town, you can't remove the home. You have to keep it, and work with what you've got.”
Bligh said both the designer and the building company Trinity Construction had done a good job upgrading the cottage.
Meg Cottage has recently been renovated, and boasts many modern touches that have been designed to blend in with the character of the home. Photo / Supplied
“The end result was just fabulous. You go in there and it has the charm of a character cottage, but all the modern conveniences that discerning buyers like, such as under floor heating in the bathrooms, modern kitchen, good heating, very good insulation.”
Bligh cited the inspector’s words from the building report: “The inspector said, 'It was an absolute pleasure carrying out this inspection on such a wonderfully maintained and beautifully presented historical building.'”
The cottage and two additional renovated outbuildings housing a bedroom and laundry, have a combined CV of $2.125m. Bligh said the home was expected to sell in the mid $2m range.
“I expect the likely buyer would be most likely a holiday home buyer from outside of Arrowtown who wants something very authentic, close to all the excitement of Arrowtown, and something that they can let their friends and family use. They want something that has character and a bit of a story, but also is very comfortable," he said.
“I've had a lot of Auckland interest, but I've had a call from someone in New York, and a call from Sydney.”
Bowler Cottage, at 45 Arrow Junction Road, has also been upgraded to a high standard. Photo / Supplied
Five kilometres south is another early settler home for sale. Bowler Cottage, at 45 Arrow Junction Road, is being marketed for sale by way price by negotiation by Ray White agents Bas Smith and Sarah Mare.
The two-bedroom property was built around 1880 and originally housed a blacksmith shop. It was damaged in a fire in the 2010s, and has since been rebuilt using materials recovered from the ruins.
Also on offer is an adjoining fully furnished self-contained two bedroom cottage, which is listed for rent on Holidayhouses.co.nz from $394 per night.
The current RV for the property, from September 2021 is $2.15m.
An hour's drive north, in Wanaka, is another home with a historic twist: 6 Meadowbrook Place. The home was partially crafted with natural materials repurposed from a renovation of the historic Cardrona Hotel, when Rosemary and Eddie Jones owned it from the 1980s to 2013.
6 Meadowbrook Place, in Wanaka, contains materials from the old Cardrona Hotel. Photo / Supplied
New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty agent Sheryl Alty, who is marketing the property with colleague Guy Alty, told OneRoof that when the couple sold the hotel they saved a number of items that no one wanted.
“When they moved on from the hotel they retained some of the materials no-one else was interested in," Alty said.
"That included a billiard table and other materials. Slate from the billiard table was used to create the hearth at 6 Meadowbrook Place. She used the wooden legs of the table to craft a bed - which isn’t for sale in the listing. Slate and timber from the hotel were also used in the kitchen build."
The three-bedroom property has an RV of $1.35m and goes to auction on March 13.
- Click here to find more properties for sale in Queenstown-Lakes
