- Parties related to rich-lister Lynette Erceg have bought the properties next door to her Remuera mansion.
- Together the three properties cover more than 8000sqm and have a combined RV of $47m.
- Wealthy homeowners often buy adjacent properties to protect views, privacy and security.
One of New Zealand’s richest women appears to have splashed out millions of dollars to acquire houses next door to her Auckland mansion.
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Records show that parties associated with Lynette Erceg, the widow of Independent Liquor founder Michael Erceg, bought the historic home next to her 5000sqm estate on Arney Road, in Remuera, for just over $17 million.
Parties associated with Erceg also made moves on a smaller house that sits on the other side of her property. However, the dollar value of that deal remains private.
If combined, the three properties would cover more than 8000sqm on Auckland’s wealthiest street and sport a combined RV of $47m.
Parties associated with Lynette Erceg snapped up this historic home in front of her estate for almost double its RV. Photo / Supplied
They also bought this house on the other side of the estate for an undisclosed sum. Photo / Supplied
OneRoof reached out to Erceg, via her lawyer, for comment on the deals, asking why she bought the properties and what she planned to do with them. She had not replied at the time of publication.
OneRoof also reached out to the vendors. One declined to comment, the other had not responded.
The historic home in front of Erceg’s estate sold last month for $17.15m - almost double its RV. It was built by pioneering female architect Muriel Lamb in the 1940s and sits in front of Erceg’s mansion, overlooking the harbour.
The property, which is zoned for development, was owned by the Lamb family for over 100 years.
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The deal for the house that sits on the other side of Erceg’s estate has yet to appear in official records. The 1950s house sits on a 900sqm section, which is also zoned for development.
Erceg’s estate is one of Remuera’s biggest. It boasts an 800sqm, 1920s house with a pool, tennis court and outbuildings, and was bought in 2011 for $11.25m.
Companies associated with Erceg’s son, rich-lister Manuka Doctor founder Matthew Pringle, have also been linked to Erceg’s estate. Pringle’s lawyer declined to comment on the deal when approached by OneRoof.
Real estate agents in Auckland’s top suburbs told OneRoof that it was not unusual for wealthy homeowners to amass neighbouring properties to build big estates or to protect their views and privacy.
In 2023, OneRoof reported that the owner of a penthouse on Remuera Road bought the house in front of his apartment for $10m.
Remuera is home to some of Auckland's grandest homes. Owners are keen to ensure the integrity of their estates. Photo / Chris Tarpey
Barfoot & Thompson agent Paul Neshausen: “You’re hearing stories about bunkers in Queenstown, but all this is closer than you think.” Photo / Fiona Goodall
Bayleys agent David Rainbow, who was not involved with the Arney Road deals, told OneRoof this week that many Arney Road residents were worried about the proliferation of townhouses in the suburb.
“Years ago, people were buying neighbours’ homes to put in a tennis court or a better driveway, but now they are doing it to protect their privacy.”
He said that when he showed exclusive properties in the area, one of the first things buyers asked was the possibility of townhouses going up next door. “You’d be wanting to protect your property, and it’s lovely to see that happening, because it’s the reverse of the density trend,” he said.
Barfoot & Thompson agent Paul Neshausen, whose patch includes the eastern bays, said that security was important for his clients. “When they buy the neighbour’s house, they either put in someone they know, or bowl it. It gives them the choice of neighbours and a sense of security,” he said.
“You’re hearing stories about bunkers in Queenstown, but all this is closer than you think.”
Neshausen said that these owners weren’t worried about the resale value of their joined-up estates and were more likely to gift them to the city or nation to create a park or reserve, as was done in Europe. “There’s a lot of philanthropy at the top.”
Jonathan Sissons, owner of New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty’s Remuera branch, told OneRoof buyers sometimes picked up neighbouring properties so they could add covenants to the titles to protect their future views. They could then sell the properties on knowing that their views were protected.
“It’s all done off-market. They have lawyers make the approach, or it could just be a conversation in the driveway,” he said.
“And often you’ll find on these streets that you can have a big substantial home, but the surrounding homes are not necessarily like that. It’s a matter of privacy and security.”
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