– A renovated riverside mansion in Tamahere sold to a local Waikato family after three and a half weeks.
– The five-bedroom home, with a second dwelling, had a 2023 RV of $3.98 million.
– The vendors, experienced renovators, bought it for $2.5 million and restored it over two years.
A multi-million-dollar riverside mansion saved from ruin was snapped up for an undisclosed sum within three and a half weeks of hitting the market.
The carefully renovated home on Riverglade Drive, in Tamahere, had attracted the attention of overseas buyers, but in the end, it was bought by a local Waikato family.
One of the vendors told OneRoof there had been “incredible” interest in the home, which she put down to its size, content, and breathtaking views.
The vendors updated the kitchen, adding top-of-the-line appliances and granite benchtops. Photo / Supplied
What the property looked like when the vendors bought it. Photo / Supplied
Viewings of the five-bedroom, five-bathroom home were by appointment, with only qualified buyers shown through the doors by listing agent Kristen Gould, of New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty.
The new purchasers loved that the property came with a second dwelling, Gould told OneRoof, noting that it sold for an undisclosed price on the same day as the tender closed. OneRoof records show the property has a 2023 RV of $3.98m.
The vendors, who are moving to a farm they had just recently purchased, said they were pleased the Tamahere home had sold quickly.
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“We wanted to move on, and the new family will hopefully love their time here. It’s an amazing home and neighbourhood to live in.”
The property was in a poor state when the vendors, two experienced renovators, bought it for $2.5m two years ago. The listing photos at the time show overgrown grounds, ghost-like rooms, and an empty pool, and the marketing hinted at dire straits: “Circumstances dictate a sale is required.”
The couple saw past the gloom and made a play for the property, telling OneRoof they recognised it was their one and only chance to buy something with panoramic views overlooking the river.
The large property boasts multiple living areas, including a games room and gym. Photo / Supplied
Special attention was given to the entrance way, which has Venetian plaster on the walls and imported tiles laid with a special grout on the floor. Photo / Supplied
“You can’t describe the location. It’s the most magical spot. I don’t think there would be one like it. It’s on the bend of the Waikato River and has sweeping views,” one of the vendors told OneRoof.
The mansion had been built by a highly regarded local builder, Karl Kampenhout, in the mid-2000s. “It was an amazing build, but cosmetically it had been left to rot,” one of the vendors said.
The couple spent their first year bringing the house up to scratch. They said they wanted their upgrades to be respectful of and enhance the original design. “We’ve just really tried to use natural materials so that there’s a lot of texture throughout.”
They highlighted the work they did on the entrance. The Venetian plaster on the walls, the curved staircase, the imported European tiles on the floor, and the Moooi pendant hanging from the ceiling set the tone for the rest of the house.
“We were pretty lucky to do it. To be able to do a house like that was pretty cool,” one of the vendors said.