- A North Canterbury family buy a bach in Motunau after reading a OneRoof article about the fishing village.
- The bach, originally purchased by Peter Kerr for $45,000, was sold for $715,000.
- Harcourts agent Oscar McGoldrick said the article sparked multiple inquiries, leading to the sale.
A North Canterbury family who had never before set foot in the small fishing village of Motunau, in Hurunui, ended up buying a bach there on their first visit.
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They had been looking for an escape in Banks Peninsula but gave Motunau a chance after a OneRoof article about the holiday spot appeared in their Google feed.
The article profiled the unusual history of a waterfront bach for sale in the village. Vendor Peter Kerr had told OneRoof in April it was his lucky day when his mate called him 26 years ago and told him a triple boat shed in his dream spot could be his for $45,000.
Kerr didn’t think twice about buying the property, and over the years he and his wife built out the shack and created a five-bedroom retreat.
The five-bedroom, three-bedroom property is on the site where the harbour master used to live. Photo / Supplied
The vendors built a large new home on top of the original garage. Photo / Supplied
The bach was on the market for $725,000 and the North Canterbury family pounced after reading Kerr's story.
Harcourts listing agent Oscar McGoldrick said enquiries had been slow until OneRoof appeared. “[Motunau] is a real cool place, it just needed some attention,” he said.
McGoldrick fielded four inquiries within a couple of days of OneRoof publishing the article, including one from the eventual buyers.
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McGoldrick met them at the bach to show them around, and they were smitten. “They saw it, and they were just in love with it.”
They made an offer on the spot, and by that evening the property was theirs.
Luckily for McGoldrick, the buyers and the seller lived only a few minutes from each other. Once the contract with the offer was signed, he was able to take it directly to Kerr, who agreed to sell the bach to them for $715,000.
The original 1970s flat with ample boat storage is on the ground level. Photo / Supplied
McGoldrick said the buyers weren’t even that keen on fishing – as Kerr had been - although he expected that would change.
“It’s just really exciting for them to have a holiday home and they said it makes more sense to go to Motunau than the [Banks] Peninsula because it is actually a longer drive to get to the Peninsula for them.”
McGoldrick said the Kerrs were also pleased with the result and could now move on with their plans.
Kerr told OneRoof in April the property had been the perfect spot for a holiday home, but the couple now had a lifestyle property in Kaiapoi and no longer went there. “We are over fishing. We’ve done all that.”
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