$1.67m for villa with $100,000 of extras

Crowds gather outside the Ponsonby villa as auctioneer Mark Sumich gets under way. Photo / Greg Bowker

Owner hoping for $2m after major renovations and sweeteners such as a car and free power for a year.

A done-up Ponsonby villa that was auctioned with more than $100,000 of extras to sweeten the deal pulled a top bid of $1.67 million.

The property at 45 Lincoln St has a 2011 council valuation of $980,000 and the seller, Krista Strong, is hoping for a price of more than $2 million following an extensive renovation project that became a demonstration of how to convert a 114-year-old villa into a modern, warm, energy-efficient home.

Immediately after the property was passed in at the sale, real estate agent Antonia Baker conducted shuttle talks between the top bidder inside the house and Ms Strong out on the street where the auction had been held yesterday afternoon.

Media trainer and blogger Brian Edwards emerged from the home soon after but did not wish to comment.

"Buying houses is a private thing, not a public thing," he said.

Ms Baker said she could reveal nothing of the negotiations, but welcomed interested parties to come forward.

The auction attracted about 50 people - 60 if you include a couple of neighbouring properties whose occupants watched from behind front fences.

The pickets on one of those fences got a new lick of white paint just before the auction started, but the neighbouring owner asserted this was nothing to do with the attention focused on the street by the do-up demonstration project and the associated media coverage.

"It's the only day that I had," he said.

Auctioneer Mark Sumich emphasised the unusual items included in the property deal, such as the new Toyota Prius that was parked in the garage, a loan of $500,000 at zero interest for a year and 12 months of free electricity - but there were only two bidders.

The woman who started the bidding at $1.45 million said she was "gutted" to have her final offer of $1.65 million trumped by her rival.

"I had a limit of 1.6 and I went over that," said the woman, who did not wish to be named.

Ventilation company HRV led the renovation of the two-storey house in a project to show how common problems in New Zealand's housing stock can be fixed.

"From that point of view the project has been a huge success," said chief executive Bruce Gordon. "It not only shows how to transform a draughty, mouldy and damp home into an inviting, warm and healthy one, it also sets a benchmark for the quality of New Zealand homes which ultimately means improved health and well-being all round."

The 187sq m house on a 306sq m section has four bedrooms - two downstairs, and two at street level which open through french doors on to the front veranda, with a deck and paved areas out the back and small grassed areas at both ends.

Ms Strong, the owner of dog daycare and grooming company Barkley Manor, bought the property for $620,000 in 2002.

Villa with extras

45 Lincoln St includes:
• Prius car, valued at $31,280.
• Free power for a year.
• Home theatre system.
• Whiteware.
• No interest on the first $500,000 of mortgage borrowing.