- A grand mansion linked to Harvey Crewe’s unsolved murder has been sold in Pahiatua.
- The freshly renovated 1930s home attracted strong interest and sold above its $620,000 RV.
- The new owners are relocating from Wellington, drawn by the home’s “presence” and lifestyle appeal.
A grand mansion linked to one of the country’s biggest unsolved murders has finally found a buyer.
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The freshly renovated 1930s concrete home at the end of Wakeman Street, in Pahiatua, was built by the grandfather of Harvey Crewe, whose murder in 1970 shocked the nation.
Property Brokers listing agent Patrick Baker told OneRoof he could not release the sale price until settlement, but said his vendor had done “considerably better” than the RV of $620,000. “Most properties [in Pahiatua] are selling around RV,” he added.
Harvey and Jeanette Crewe were shot dead in their Pukekawa farmhouse in 1970 then dumped in the Waikato River. Crewe was born in the Wakeman Street house. Photo / Supplied
The art deco home has been extensively renovated and includes a new kitchen and bathrooms. Photo / Supplied
The new owners were relocating from Wellington for lifestyle reasons and had loved the home’s “presence”.
The five-bedroom, three-bathroom home, which sits on 8464sqm of land, attracted strong interest after hitting the market in February.
“We had amazing interest,” Baker said. “Scores and scores of people through. We had 20 groups of people through the first open home. It’s been a great process and one that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.”
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In his listing, Baker said that the house had received a top-to-bottom renovation. “All the hard work is done here,” Baker wrote.
According to a birth notice in the Pahiatua Herald in 1941, Crewe was born in the house, which was known at the time as The Barrington.
It is not known how long he spent at the house, but it is believed he moved out of the area when he was a child. He was living in a farmhouse in Pukekawa, in the Waikato, when he was shot and killed along with his wife Jeanette. The murder case remains unsolved to this day.
Some of the forestry was removed to let the light in, and expensive planting has been done. Photo / Supplied
The historic home has changed hands several times over its almost 100-year history. Tararua District Council owned it for a short period so it could install a new water tank for the town and after a slight boundary change it was on-sold to Christchurch-based firm 1Geo in 2022 to house a large crew of workers who were carrying out earthquake strengthening in the area.
1Geo owner Steve Greening told OneRoof earlier this year he loved Pahiatua and the house. He initially planned to flick the property after his crew finished their strengthening work, but he started fixing things here and there, and before he knew it, he had carried out a full renovation.
“We did everything – everything,” he said, noting that he had spent about $20,000 on the tiles alone.
“I’m going to lose money on it, but I don’t care – it’s a great house. Hopefully, the next person will come along and they will absolutely love it.”
He added: “I love Pahiatua. It’s a really safe community and a beautiful place. I’ve joined the RSA and the pool club, so when I’m away, I’m not really away.”
- Click here to find more properties for sale in Tararua
