A mansion on New Zealand’s wealthiest and most desirable street is back on the market for sale just two years after it was bought for $13.5 million.
The five-bedroom home at 15 Arney Road, in Remuera, Auckland, is listed with Ray White agent Andrew Fava, and he's determined it will eclipse its May 2021 price.
“We expect it to achieve the best price yet for the property, due to the owners pouring their heart and soul into presenting the home to its full potential,” he told OneRoof.
“It’s an absolute privilege to bring to market.”
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Fava would not be drawn on exact numbers but he believes it will be one of the biggest sales in Remuera this year. So far the suburb’s price record is held by a modern cliff-top home on Burwood Crescent which sold for just over $20m last month.
The owners, who are based in the Waikato, have never lived in the house, but they have invested a lot of time bringing it up to scratch.
“The house has had a significant amount of money spent on it. It is in the best condition it has ever been in. The owners really brought it back to life,” Fava said.
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The trophy home is well known to New Zealand's elite and is no stranger to expensive makeovers. Seven years ago rich-lister entrepreneur Diane Foreman sold the house for $9.1m, just days after putting it up for sale.
Foreman bought the home a year earlier for $5.1m and with interior designer James Doole had given it a top-to-bottom renovation, which included adding a wine cellar, tennis court and heated swimming pool.
Foreman's buyers, who had just sold their new ultra-modern concrete and glass cliff-top home on nearby Burwood Crescent for $18m, made even more changes to the Arney Road house. “They kept the kitchens and bathrooms that James and Diane had done, but made other internal alterations,” Fava said.
The 1902 house on 15 Arney Road has had a series of renovations since 2015, but retained important features like this grand entry hallway. Photo / Supplied
A renovation in 2019 moved the swimming pool, added a cabana and lower ground gardens. Photo / Supplied
“The big thing was moving the pool, then adding a spa pool, outdoor courtyard and fireplace, a new pool cabana and double garage, remodeling the lower lawn and driveway.”
He added that in 2021 he and his vendor were out looking at neighbouring properties in Remuera when they spied that 15 Arney Road had just been listed with another agency.
They had long-admired the house, so were delighted it came to market just as they were house-hunting. “The sellers were looking for $16m, but we negotiated it down to $13.5m,” Fava said.
The house now includes five bedrooms and an office or sixth bedroom, four living areas and a designer kitchen and scullery. There is garaging for four cars, with off-street parking for more, a pool house, wine cellar and gym. The grand central stairwell and entrance is still the focal point of the house.
One of the living rooms with the kitchen behind. Photo / Supplied
The wine room. Photo / Supplied
The principal bedroom has a marble bathroom, walk-in wardrobe and a balcony for views across Remuera. Photo / Supplied
Fava said 15 Arney Road was one of the original homesteads on the street and that it was rare to find a home this stylish on the market right now. “We've already had 10 parties through, prior to the first open home and people are simply blown away when they see it, so we’re feeling really good about it.”
- 15 Arney Road, Remuera, is for sale by negotiation
- Additional reporting Louise Richardson
