- Woodstock House, one of Nelson’s oldest homes, is for sale “as is, where is”.
- The vendors bought it for $860,000 in 2016, but it was damaged in the Kaikōura earthquake.
- The property, built in 1854, requires further repairs despite significant restoration work already completed.
A historic homestead, understood to be one of Nelson’s oldest surviving homes, has hit the market for sale in “as is, where is” condition.
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The vendors bought Woodstock House in 2016 for $860,000 and had plans to turn it into a wedding venue. But six weeks after taking possession, the Kaikōura earthquake struck and turned their lives upside down.
The house was damaged and, given its historical significance, required careful repair work.
YOU.Realty agent Nicky Ryan said the couple had done a lot to bring the five-bedroom home at 77 Covent Drive, in Stoke, up to scratch, including repairing the piles and removing 10 tonnes of bricks from the ceiling, but more still needed to be done.
Woodstock House has undergone several extensions over the years and includes a mix of native timbers. Photo / Supplied
The sprawling home has five bedrooms and five living areas. Photo / Supplied
“They also tried to restore what was already there,” Ryan said, noting that the couple had installed a new roof, veranda and upstairs balcony.
Ryan said the property was well known in Nelson. “Everybody would be wanting to have a look inside that house,” she said.
The house was built in 1854 for a prominent early Nelson settler Captain W.R. Nicholson, and is the oldest surviving example of an architect-designed cob house in New Zealand.
“It’s one of a kind - a beautiful, beautiful property of significance in that it’s the oldest or believed to be the oldest of its kind in New Zealand. It’s a big deal.”
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The home was built on a 10ha section in the 1850s and over the years had undergone a number of renovations and extensions, which had seen it grow to the 350sqm house it is today. The land had also been subdivided, and the now 2122sqm section backs onto the Ernest Rutherford Retirement Village.
Ryan said the property features kauri, rimu and matai native timbers and would appeal to history buffs and character lovers. And while the RV was $1.6 million, the price indication was in the low-$1ms.
The summer house sits at the rear of the 2122sqm garden and is perfect for hosting summer parties. Photo / Supplied
Ryan said while there was an element of risk around “as is, where is” properties, the price generally reflected that. “How, I guess, I look at it is you are going to buy it for a lot less but if it was fixed and if you can reap the benefits of the investment you put in instead of paying market rate for it right now.”
- 77 Covent Drive, in Stoke, Nelson, is for sale, deadline closing February 11
