- A Herne Bay waterfront mansion is on the market targeting international buyers, listed by Sotheby's agents Patrick McAteer and Suzanne Browne.
- The property, owned by well-known Kiwis for nearly 50 years, features a wine bar, resort-style pool, and private boat ramp.
- Interest in high-value Auckland properties is rising, driven by international buyers and upcoming "golden visa" changes.
A waterfront mansion in Auckland’s Herne Bay - next door to another waterfront mansion that just sold for $35 million - is quietly on the market, looking for international buyers.
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New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty agents Patrick McAteer and Suzanne Browne said the trophy home at 95-97 Sarsfield Street did not appear on New Zealand websites but was on the Sotheby's global as well as affiliate partners like Mansion Global and James Edition.
The agents would not comment on why the “very private” owners were selling after almost 50 years, but OneRoof understands they are well-known Kiwis.
Their home is one of several high-end properties to hit the market in Herne Bay. According to OneRoof calculations, more than $200 million worth of residential real estate in the suburb is up for grabs, with some homes tipped to break price records.
The waterfront mansion is one of the suburb's finest and is stylishly dressed. Photo / Supplied
The property has an RV of more than $20m and sits on more than 2200sqm. Photo / Supplied
One of the exquisite and impressive bedrooms. Photo / Supplied
Sotheby's marketing for 95-97 Sarsfield Street describes the property - which has an RV of $22.5m - as an exceptional waterfront estate offering one of the finest water connections in New Zealand.
“This Mediterranean-inspired masterpiece has been cherished by a single family for over 45 years and boasts a prime 2253sqm position within a private bay, granting breath-taking views across Auckland’s glittering Waitemata Harbour.”
It has a wine bar, resort-style pool and spa, indoor-outdoor zones, a private boat ramp and boat shed, and a separate guest house.”
If that’s not enough, the listing points out that the property directly behind the trophy home was also available for purchase if buyers wanted to increase their landholding.
Neighbouring 91 Sarsfield Street is also up for grabs if the buyer wants to expand their landholding. Photo / Supplied
95-97 Sarsfield Street is next door to the waterfront mansion on Sentinel Road that was sold by property developer Ben Cook in September for $35m. Photo / Supplied
Cook has been steadily selling off his NZ assets since announcing his move to Australia. Photo / Supplied
91 Sarsfield Street is a tidy bungalow that's been converted into flats and let out to tenants. It has an RV of just over $3.8m and last changed hands in 2021 for $4.5m.
The $35m mansion next door to the Sarsfield properties was sold by Kiwi rich-lister Ben Cook. Cook, who made his fortune in property development, confirmed the sale to the New Zealand Herald, telling the media outlet that he and his partner were splitting their time between Australia and Monaco.
Cook bought the 4000sq m trophy property in 2015 for $24m and turned it into one of Auckland’s finest homes. The $35m sale is the second-highest this year and the fourth-highest of all time.
Another high-profile waterfront Herne Bay mansion is vying for record status. Last month, OneRoof and the New Zealand Herald reported that rich-lister property developer Simon Herbert and his wife Paula were selling their home on Cremorne Street for $50m-plus.
The home, which has an RV of $28m and is listed with Graham Wall, of Wall Real Estate, was designed by top Kiwi architect Brent Hulena and has its own helicopter pad, beach access, and boatshed as well as media and games rooms and a clifftop pool.
The Herberts, like Cook, are relocating to Monaco as their business “horizons have moved to include Europe, particularly around Monaco and the south of France”, Wall told OneRoof.
Wall recently sold another waterfront mansion on Herne Bay's Marine Parade to rich-lister financier Martyn Reesby for $20m, while Bayleys agent Edward Pack earlier this year sold a neighbouring property, belonging to wealthy developer Kurt Gibbons, for an undisclosed sum to under-the-radar Kiwi investor Simon Butler.
NZ Sotheby's International Realty agents Patrick McAteer and Suzanne Browne said they had noticed a pick-up in international interest in high-end New Zealand real estate. Photo / Fiona Goodall
McAteer and Browne recently sold this 1920s character estate on Marine Parade for an undisclosed sum. Photo / Supplied
McAteer and Browne have also been racking up the sales in Herne Bay, disclosing to OneRoof that they had just brokered a deal for a 1920s character estate on Marine Parade.
They said the listing ended in a multi-offer situation between international bidders, one of whom had been through the Overseas Investment Office process and another who was offering to follow suit. The 528sqm northwest-facing home was on 1138sq m of land and featured six bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.
They also have on their books a turn-of-the-century grand villa for sale at 27 Sentinel Road in the suburb.
McAteer said the property had what international buyers wanted – privacy, security and turnkey: “They are the three pillars for any international purchaser.”
The pair were working around the clock with international buyers from countries Switzerland, Hong Kong, Germany, London and America, many of whom were looking for a safe bolthole.
“There's a lot of unrest kicking off around the world, and we represent a bit of a haven,” McAteer said. “In a lot of cases, this is not their primary residence.”
27 Sentinel Road is another trophy home looking for a buyer in Herne Bay. Photo / Supplied
A relocated heritage villa at 130 Omaha Flats Road, in Matakana, is another home being offered to international buyers. Photo / Supplied
The pair said there was good international interest in another of their listings, 130 Omaha Flats Road, in Omaha, north of Auckland.
The relocated heritage home is described in their listing as “a breath-taking reimagining” of a 19th-century villa. The villa sits on 6000sq m and boasts a tennis court, pool, pool house and landscaped gardens.
Browne told OneRoof the Butler’s Pantry and laundry were light and airy and “divine”.
The agents noted that many of their buyers were Kiwis, and a lot of Kiwis were coming forward since the Government had announced changes to its “golden visa”, which would allow foreign buyers to purchase a home worth more than $5m.
McAteer said there were some very wealthy New Zealanders floating around. "They want to get ahead of purchasing before the golden visa is launched. That's a competitive thing that's driving some tension in the market.”
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