- A Kiwi movie producer and his actress wife sold their Waimate property for a record $1.6 million.
- The sale price was almost $1 million below what they spent on renovations and upgrades.
- Agent Kitty Culp used targeted marketing to secure the buyer, a local businesswoman.
A leading Kiwi movie producer and his actress wife have sold their South Island bolthole for a record price - but the deal won't cover their expenses.
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A local businesswoman snapped up the lifestyle block in Waimate, Canterbury, after OneAgency listing agent Kitty Culp pulled out all the stops to find a buyer.
Culp told OneRoof that the $1.6m sale price was the highest for the town, beating the previous record by $100,000. However, it is almost $1m below what the vendors spent on renovations and upgrades.
The vendors spent millions on the property. One of their additions was a state-of-the-art cinema and studio. Photo / Supplied
The kitchen was also given an upgrade. Photo / Supplied
The Hollywood couple bought the lifestyle block on Hunt Road at the height of the Covid pandemic for $892,000 and then splashed out "crazy money" to create a state-of-the-art studio space for their work.
The couple, who did not wish to be named for this article but have worked for major movie studios, including Disney and Warner Bros, were selling up so they could be closer to their family in the US. They had been willing to take a hit on the property and initially sought offers over $1.875m.
Culp told OneRoof that when she took on the property, she knew it would be challenging to find another movie star to live in a town with a population of around 7500.
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Instead, she tapped into her black book of wealthy Cantabrians and local rich listers. She said locking in the record-breaking sale was “all about the marketing”.
“It had been on the market earlier [with another agency], but there hadn’t been one viewing, not one phone call, so I started phoning rich listers.”
Culp also tapped the owners of businesses in the rejuvenated shopping precinct, figuring they knew the region’s big spenders. “The story was how to market something that was over-capitalised in a small town," she said.
“I just thought, 'how am I going to get the word out?' Well, women love to come and look at done-up places, right? I just invited them to come and have a look, and they can spread the word around town.”
The couple bought the 1.99ha lifestyle block at the height of the Covid pandemic. Photo / Supplied
On display is the couple’s collection of posters and movie memorabilia. Photo / Supplied
The strategy worked, Culp said, with the buyer turning out to be one of those local businesswomen. She took one look and decided it was perfect for her next move.
“She wanted a bit more land and privacy. She brought her husband the next day, and he fell in love with the shed and everything," Culp said, adding that they then quickly sold their own place to neighbours in a private deal.
The standout house the vendors created contains numerous nods to their profession. The main house is adorned with classic movie posters, but it’s the separate two-storey media block with cinema that gives the game away.
The theatre, according to Culp's listing on OneRoof, boasts a "Dolby Atmos sound system with incredible acoustics. Ideal for a professional musician, sound engineer, or music producer”.
Agent Kitty Culp is now marketing the fish and chip shop in the small town of Kakanui. Photo / Supplied
Totara House, in Oamaru, is for sale for $2.3m. Photo / Supplied
The 380sqm media block became their “office” as well as a place to store their extensive collection of movie memorabilia, which they shipped from the US.
Culp, who photoshopped classic Hollywood stars into some of the listing photos, said the couple had worked on several big movies, including the restoration of the James Dean classic Giant.
“They also have a Clockwork Orange poster signed by [director] Stanley Kubrick.”
“They turned a Kiwi house into a Californian-style house,” Culp told OneRoof earlier this year. "They have spent crazy money on this property.”
Culp has now switched her attention to marketing another small-town gem, the fish and chip shop in Kakanui, a beach town 15 minutes out of Oamaru. The shop, which comes with a three-bedroom house decorated with vibrant murals of the local scene, is looking for offers over $585,000.
The top price in the district may eventually be achieved by Culp’s fellow OneAgency agent, Kelli Williams, who is selling one of Oamaru’s grandest country estates. Totara House, at 583 Alma-Maheno Road, still boasts Victorian period details and has an asking price of $2.3m.
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