- Former All Black Terry Wright is selling his Auckland homestead bought in 2018 for over $5m.
- The six-bedroom villa, rented to the US Government, housed the American Consulate for five years.
- The property, with a $6.2m RV, is set for auction on April 15 with Bayleys.
Former All Black Terry Wright is selling the Auckland homestead he bought in 2018 for over $5 million, but has never lived in.
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Wright, who played winger and fullback for the national rugby team from 1986 to 1992, had every intention of making 40 Orakei Road, in Remuera, his permanent home, but life took him and his family in another direction.
Wright’s wife, Lindsay, works in financial services, and as a result, the family have been based overseas for much of the last two decades, in Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore, New York and Hong Kong.
Terry Wright, right, with former All Black captain Richie McCaw. Photo / Getty Images
Wright in action during his playing heyday. Photo / Getty Images
Wright and his wife, Lindsay, never got a chance to make the house their home due to her work overseas. Photo / Supplied
Instead of letting the grand villa sit empty, the couple rented it out to the US Government. For the past five years, the six-bedroom home has housed the American Consulate in Auckland.
“We always had the intention of returning home and wanted a family home,” Terry told OneRoof. “We bought it, and then Lindsay found her new greatest role in Hong Kong, and we weren’t going anywhere all of a sudden.”
The US Government found that the property met all of its requirements, including privacy, security and a back lawn big enough for a marquee.
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The lease expired in October last year, with the US Consulate moving to a new home elsewhere in the city.
The Wrights returned to New Zealand in 2024, and even though the house is now finally free for them to move into, they have decided to sell instead.
“We’re down to the two of us, and it’s a big and beautiful home that needs a family in it,” Terry told OneRoof. “It doesn’t make sense to rattle around in a six-bedroom home. We wouldn’t do it justice. It needs to be busy and have stuff going on.”
Even though he’s never lived there, Terry has spent a lot of time at the property since October, taking care of the grounds and doing odd jobs. “It’s got good vibes and a really nice feel about it. It has a big backyard and swimming pool, and you can picture kids running around,” he said.
The Wrights rented out the grand villa to the American Government. Photo / Supplied
The six-bedroom home is full of character fittings and details. Photo / Supplied
The people they bought it from had a soccer goal set up on the back lawn. There’s also a children’s playhouse.
The 100-year-old villa blends seamlessly with modern living. Being a large character home was initially what attracted Lindsay – “with space for everyone”.
Original features include ornate plaster ceilings, beautiful bay windows in the lounge and dining room, and period fireplaces in many of the rooms. A newer addition is a two-sided gas fire shared between the living room and an outdoor deck.
Two of the four upstairs bedrooms have an ensuite. There’s also a downstairs guest suite with a bathroom, fridge, “bar and sink set-up” and external access suitable for intergenerational living or Airbnb.
“It’s a great family home with lots of space and sun. There are areas where families can spread out,” Lindsay said.
The view from the room beside the heated swimming pool looks out over the water, which Terry reckons is a pretty good feature. And because the pool is on the same level as the backyard, it could easily be extended.
In more recent times, the home has hosted high-society soirees, including during Fifa Women’s World Cup in 2023. “The consulate invited us to everything they did – they had a lot of functions – but it was always safe in the knowledge that we lived in Hong Kong, so we probably weren’t going to turn up,” Terry laughs.
The property has an RV of $6.2m and is heading to auction on April 15 with Bayleys agents Gary and Vicki Wallace.
“Auction is clearly the winning way to sell; we’ve seen great results,” Gary Wallace told OneRoof, noting that the top end of the market was “really buoyant".
Last week, the Wallaces inked conditional deals for $9.5m and $11.5m in Remuera. “The buyers were all typical local residents looking for their next move. And when the right property presents itself, they make the move. We’re having our best year ever. We’ve got some beautiful properties, and we’re getting really good enquiry on them.”
- 40 Orakei Road, Remuera, Auckland, goes to auction on April 15
