An Auckland church converted into a two-bedroom home by a couple who later tied the knot there has sold for $2.01 million under the hammer.
Kris Cunningham, the Harcourts listing agent for 7 Clarks Lane, in Hobsonville, told OneRoof he played church-themed songs to the 30-strong crowd at the on-site auction.
Three bidders vied for the property, with a North Shore-based buyer and her family eventually securing it after a tough contest.
“The lady got emotional when she first walked into the home. Since then a lot of things fell into place for them and it was just meant to be,” Cunningham said.
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Cunningham said he had fielded enquiries from buyers as far away as Australia. Developers had shown interest too, but had dropped out after learning the 1988sqm site was heritage protected. Everyone who viewed the old church had to take a pause to take it all in, he said.
The vendors, Luke and Jenny McDonald, were happy with the sale, Cunningham said, and were glad to see it go to buyers who respected the property.
Luke and Jenny had bought the former church and schoolhouse in 2014 for just over $600,000 and set about turning it into a stunning home.
The auction for 7 Clarks Lane was held on site. Photo / Supplied
In an interview with OneRoof before the sale, Luke said “it was a just a little mint green church building” when they bought it. Eighteen months of planning ensued to get the renovation right. “We had so much fun doing it, we loved every minute.”
They told OneRoof that once they had finished the project they got married in their new home.
Cunningham described the renovation as "truly remarkable - unlike anything I’ve seen before".
"The attention to detail and the craftsmanship is amazing. Luke and Jenny hand-aged floorboards to match the original 100-year-old matai boards, and hand-painted the roofs of the sheds to look a little rusty. They are truly passionate and a lot of love, heart and sweat have been poured into this project.”
- Additional reporting Gabrielle Nooijen
