- A home in Remuera sold for $2.72 million to a family who loved its mid-century vibe.
- Four bidders competed, with interest split between developing and preserving the house.
- The late owners' daughters were delighted, hoping the home will be cherished and revitalised.
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A home once billed as Australasia's best sold at auction this week for close to $3 million to a local family who loved its mid-century vibe.
Four bidders fought hard to secure the home on Benson Road, in Auckland's Remuera, Barfoot & Thompson agent Rawdon Christie told OneRoof.
"We had four bidders, so good interest," Christie said. "And that interest was split between those who were looking at taking the house off and developing, and two who wanted to keep the house."
Wednesday's auction kicked off with a bid of $2.2m and paused for negotiations at $2.68m. The house came back to the floor, and four bids later, the hammer came down at $2.72m - just below the RV of $2.875m.
What the house looked like in 1953 when it was profiled by Australian House & Garden magazine. Photo / Supplied
The magazine raved about the stylish interiors and the gadgets. Photo / Supplied
"The family who bought it are hoping to keep it," Christie said, adding that the late owners' daughters were "absolutely delighted" with the result. "They were really fond of the home, and they're pleased somebody's going to make it into a really cool home again."
The three-bedroom house was built in 1953 by a glamorous American couple.
An issue of Australian House & Garden magazine from the year the house appeared said it was one of the region's best, and lauded its design.
The magazine was impressed by Mr and Mrs H. A. Lutz's use of white in the “enchanting” living room, their furniture choices, including an early version of a trundle bed, and their gadgets.
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“Each bed has an automatic-electric blanket,” the magazine gushed. “The refrigerator with its separate butter coolers never needs defrosting and has a deep freeze compartment above.
“In the hall, a grating is the only evidence of the central heating. The system is thermostatically controlled, and a unit just under the hall floor is all the machinery necessary.” The system cost £80, the magazine noted.
The quaint descriptions included the joys of the home’s laundry: “The well-equipped laundry lightens washing-day chores ... [with] washer, airer, heater and ironer.”
Although the home has some modern features, much of its mid-century charm has been retained. Photo / Supplied
One of the late owners' daughters, Sarah, told OneRoof last month that the house was “considered quite modern compared with what was going on in New Zealand at the time”.
Sarah said her parents became very interested in Mr and Mrs H. A. Lutz and the home's history after picking it up in 1996 for $475,000.
Many of the home’s mid-century features have survived, she said.
Christie, who marketed the home with colleague Steve Hood, told OneRoof that there had been a lot of interest in the property during the campaign. “We had a few mid-century fans who’ve been interested to see how it looks inside. Every time we list a mid-century property, we tend to meet the same people. They’re just fans of the architecture, which is always lovely to be able to share with them.”
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