- A Hamilton property used by the police for training is for sale, in a damaged state.
- Kāinga Ora bought the house for $760,000 and had planned to demolish it.
- It’s being pitched to renovators or investors who have “vision” and a “toolbox”.
A banged-up property used by police for raid practice has hit the market for sale, with no windows and lots of holes.
Start your property search
Kāinga Ora bought the three-bedroom property at 16 Camden Place, in Pukete, Hamilton, for $760,000 in April 2023 and handed it over to police for operational training.
The state housing agency has listed it for sale as part of the Government’s plan to sell off Crown properties that are not fit for purpose or too costly to repair.
All the doors and windows have been blown out and boarded up by plywood. Photo / Supplied
Kāinga Ora Homes and Communities’ Waikato regional director Mark Rawson told OneRoof that the agency would let the market determine the value of Camden Place.
Kāinga Ora had planned to demolish the house and replace it with two new-build properties. However, after vandals broke in and damaged the house, the agency decided to call the police.
“From time to time, we provide the police and Fire and Emergency New Zealand with access to vacant properties earmarked for deconstruction so they can conduct essential training in an authentic residential environment,” Rawson said.
Discover more:
- 'Must sell': Is this NZ’s next Wild West town?
- Brad Pitt's West Auckland crib for sale
- US buyers frustrated they can't buy South Island manor
“Our emergency services do fantastic work keeping our communities safe, and we are pleased that we can support them in this small way with their training requirements.”
The Camden Place property is one of several Kāinga Ora-owned properties for sale in Hamilton.
Lugtons agent Fraser Kilgour, who is marketing the property with colleague Abbie Hyde, declined to comment when approached by OneRoof. However, in his listing, he described the property, which has an RV of $790,000, as a “project with promise”.
Almost every room has holes in the ceilings or walls. Photo / Supplied
He is hoping to pull in seasoned renovators or savvy investors with “vision and a toolbox”. The listing photos on OneRoof showed numerous holes in the walls, ceilings, and even cupboard doors, and a dent in the garage door.
A police spokesperson confirmed it used the Camden Place property last year to practice tactics.
“Being able to practice scenarios in properties as close to real-world buildings as possible is an important tool for police and helps to improve public safety outcomes in real events.”
The spokesperson said Kāinga Ora was responsible for what happened to the property once police had finished with it.
Rawson told OneRoof: “It makes economic sense for us to sell these homes and use the proceeds to reinvest in better quality housing. This approach means we are releasing more homes into the market for all New Zealanders. While they may no longer work for social housing, there is an opportunity for buyers to invest in the future of these sites.”
- 16 Camden Place, Pukete, Hamilton, is for sale, deadline closing July 9
