- A luxury property linked to Merksworth Castle sold for over $6.5 million to a South Island family.
- The four-bedroom home underwent a multi-million-dollar makeover and attracted interest from Singapore and Hong Kong.
- Bayleys agent Chris Batchelor noted the market heat is at the entry-level, with strong buyer interest.
A luxury property linked to Auckland's landmark Merksworth Castle has sold to a South Island family for more than $6.5 million.
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The four-bedroom waterfront home, formerly the caretaker cottage for the castle situated on the cliff above.
Bayleys listing agent Chris Batchelor said that he had received calls from buyers in Singapore and Hong Kong after the property, on Takapuna's Hurstmere Road, hit the market in March.
“I had ten groups view the property in person. A place on Takapuna waterfront is on most people’s lists,” he told OneRoof.
The historic stone fence at the end of the garden was constructed many years ago as part of the Merksworth Castle estate. Photo / Supplied
The current owners transformed the house, adding four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and garaging for two vehicles. Photo / Supplied
“It was just one of those properties that the buyers loved the look of, as they are moving up to Auckland.
“It is a legacy property. It comes down to location, and there is no risk of that view ever being built out.”
“It’s all very solid and built on volcanic rock, so that gives people comfort when they do their due diligence.”
Batchelor said the vendors, who had lived in the home for 18 years, were only interested in working with buyers who were cashed up and ready to go.
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Despite Hurstmere Road selling relatively quickly, the current market heat was at the entry-level end of the market. Batchelor said he had 130 people view a four-bedroom 1960s home on Sydney Street, in neighbouring Hauraki, which eventually sold for $1.4105m at auction, well above its $1.225m CV.
“That is a higher number of people looking than in 2021. [The market pick-up] starts at the lower end, and as soon as these properties start attracting a lot of interest, it starts moving everywhere else in the market. People think it is a good time to buy.”
When the Hurstmere Road house went on the market in March, the owners told OneRoof that they had completely rebuilt the original caretaker's cottage, which had been built in the 1940s.
The house had close-up views of the sea. Photo / Supplied
They added a second storey for the living areas, the kitchen and the master bedroom suite, while on the ground floor they placed the three remaining bedrooms, a laundry, and multiple storage rooms.
The house sits on a 635sqm section above the rock wall that used to ring Merksworth Castle beside the walking track.
Merksworth Castle, also known as Algie's Castle, was designed by architect William Henry Jaine for Captain John Alexander Algie, a Scotsman, and his wife, Penelope, in the 1920s. David Gaze and his wife, Anne, bought the property in 2011 with a desire to make it a family home.
An article by the New Zealand Herald soon after the sale noted that the couple had given the much-loved landmark an injection of contemporary comfort.
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