- A four-bedroom villa in Ponsonby, valued at $3.15m, is on the market.
- Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced the sale, stating proceeds will fund new Kāinga Ora housing.
- The property, listed by Bayleys, is set for auction on October 15.
New Zealand’s most expensive state house is on the market for sale.
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The four-bedroom villa at 18 Trinity Street, in Ponsonby, hit the market this week with an RV of $3.15 million.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced the sale of the Kāinga Ora property on Facebook this morning.
The agents selling the house say it is crying out for a buyer with vision. Photo / Supplied
“This Kāinga Ora house is now on the market - it’s worth over $3 million and is next to Lorde’s former house in Ponsonby!,” he posted.
“It has four bedrooms and was formerly occupied by just three people. In the former resident’s own words, it’s time to sell it. Kāinga Ora will be using the proceeds to invest in new and improved housing, that is cheaper to build and maintain, and in the right place. The site itself has redevelopment potential as well, at over 600sqm.
“This is the type of sensible asset management that the Coalition Government is now delivering.”
The house is listed with Bayleys agents Jock Kooger and Pawel Smuga and is set for auction on October 15.
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In their listing, the agents note that the property is a “grand dame” that’s ready for a “visionary transformation”.
“First time on the market in decades, this wrap-around grand dame provides the perfect canvas for a new chapter. Restore her timeless character, or design a best-in-class architectural statement home.
“This is a rare opportunity to secure a substantial foothold in Ponsonby’s most sought-after streets.
Lorde previously lived on the street, which is one of the most sought-after in Ponsonby. Photo / Getty Images
“Bring your architect and unlock the full potential of this remarkable site - a property of this calibre is rarely offered.”
Kāinga Ora Chief Executive Matt Crockett said the 102-year-old villa was charming, but expensive to maintain and required frequent repairs.
“We can’t justify holding onto such a valuable house in one of Auckland’s most affluent suburbs when selling it allows us to build or upgrade more state homes where they’re needed most.”
Half of Kāinga Ora’s state houses were more than 50 years old, needed significant upgrades, and often no longer suited tenants’ needs, he said.
In May, one of the tenants at 18 Trinity Street told RNZ that the house should be sold.
Anita Jones, who moved into the four-bedroom state house with her four children in 2016, said: “I think it probably should be sold because it’s worth three or four million, so you could probably build a lot more for that.”
Jones has since moved out of the property, with Kāinga Ora confirming it had helped her relocate to another home.
The villa is on one of Ponsonby’s most sought-after streets, where houses typically sell for more than $3m. Kiwi singer Lorde made the headlines when she paid $2.84m for a house on the street in 2016. She sold the villa for $4.3m just last year.
Earlier this year, the Housing Minister announced the sell-off of 900 Kāinga Ora homes estimated to be worth between $360m and $450m.
Properties in Auckland’s high-value suburbs have been the first to hit the market. In April this year, three cottages on Amy Street, in Ellerslie, were snapped up after they were pitched as a development play.
Barfoot & Thompson listing agent Rawdon Christie told OneRoof that up to 17 townhouses could be built on the combined 2475sqm site, which was worth more than $6m.
Two-bedroom duplexes overlooking Auckland’s Ōrākei Basin, in the suburb of Meadowbank, have also been picked up. The combined 1684sqm site, which is zoned for development, had an RV of $4.475m.
- 18 Trinity Street, Ponsonby, Auckland, goes to auction on October 15
