– A 1940s brick-and-tile house on Rawene Avenue, Westmere, is listed with an RV over $6m.
– The property includes nearly 1300sqm of land, a shared boat ramp, and boathouse permission.
– Bayleys agent Luke McCaw calls it a “world-class opportunity” due to its scarcity and location.
A 1940s brick-and-tile house has hit the market for sale with an eye-popping RV of over $6 million.
The modest three-bedroom home sits on one of Auckland’s wealthiest streets, where properties have been known to sell for $20m-plus.
6 Rawene Road is one of the last remaining brick-and-tile houses on Westmere’s waterfront.
It sits on nearly 1300sqm of land, a rare size for the city-edge suburb, and comes with a shared boat ramp and permission for a boathouse studio down on the water.
The owners had plans drawn up for a new residence on their waterfront site but abandoned them in favour of moving out of Auckland city. Photo / Supplied
The property comes with consent to build a boathouse studio on the waterfront, next to the existing boat ramp. Photo / Supplied
Bayleys agent Luke McCaw declined to talk price with OneRoof but did note it was a “world-class opportunity”.
“A property like this pops up and people go, ‘Jeez, I’ve got to see that’. It’s all about scarcity. There’s only so much coastal land available in Auckland – and only so many properties available in their original condition, without those special character or heritage overlays,” he said.
He doesn’t think buyers will want to hold on to the brick-and-tile house. “There are people out there who want to push the boundaries, and they’ll have their favourite architect. You’ve got a lovely high building platform at street level and then land down at water level to build the boatshed.”
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Buyers planning their architectural statement would be in good company. A David Ponting-designed house on the same road sold for $28m earlier this year, while at the end of the street, ZURU Toys billionaire Anna Mowbray and her partner, ex-All Black Ali Williams, have redeveloped a 4500sqm property they bought from Shrek director Andrew Adamson for $24m.
The vendors paid $3.25m for 6 Rawene Avenue 20 years ago, and McCaw is showing buyers their plans for the site, which they drew up with architect Tim Dorrington. Although the building consents have lapsed, McCaw said they would help buyers “paint a picture of what could be possible”.
A David Ponting-designed house on a triple-wide section on Rawene Avenue sold earlier this year for $28m. Photo / Supplied
One of the owners told OneRoof that they quit the project after the cost started to mount. “It took five years to get there, and then Auckland building prices blew out.” They are selling up, having made a permanent move to their house out of Auckland.
She added: “Some of the houses [in the neighbourhood] may be more modern, but the collective sensibility of the place is still a quarter-acre pavlova paradise traditional.
“It is like a 60s seaside village sometimes. Trying to get up to the shops can take you half an hour for all the conversations. It’s old school.”
– 6 Rawene Avenue, Westmere, Auckland, goes to auction on November 12