One of late brother Ronald Lever's old cars in front of the family homestead. Photo / Harcourts
One of late brother Ronald Lever's old cars in front of the family homestead. Photo / Harcourts
A picturesque homestead on a three-acre lot in the heart of suburbia is being sold by the family who have held it for five generations - but only for the right price.
Josephine Sharpe, grand-daughter of the original owners Harold and Esther Lever, has many happy memories growing up in the old Auckland villa and will only let her beloved property go for just shy of $10 million.
If she doesn't get close to her price, Sharpe said she would investigate subdividing the back portion of land herself and using the money to restore her beloved family home.
"I have loved living back here and it's nice to be so close to everything but still have the animals," Sharpe said.
The flat and sunny three acre property in Papatoetoe is surrounded by homes. Photo / Harcourts.
"My grand-daughter loves the chooks and there is plenty of land at the front as well."
Sharpe, who has her own farm further away, moved back into the family home On Tui Road, Papatoetoe, with her daughter and grand-daughter after her brother Ronald Lever died last year.
He had stayed on the homestead after parents Edwin and Pat Lever died.
Ronald was well known in the community, tinkering on and restoring old cars.
The original villa was built in 1914 for Harold and Esther Lever after they bought a share of a 100-acre farm in Papatoetoe that was being sold off in three-acre lots.
Fruit and nut trees have produced food and income for the family for the past hundred years. Photo / Harcourts.
''My grandparents bought the property when the original 100-acre farm was divided up into three-acre farmlets,'' Sharpe said.
"They were even subdividing land back in 1914,''
Sharpe has fond memories of her parents and grandparents living off the land and selling produce to the markets.
"There are so many different trees from peach, fig, apples, loquats, grapes, grapefruit and also nut trees like macadamia and walnut.
The old homestead has mature Puriri and Kauri. Photo / Harcourts
"We had cows for milk and butter as well as sheep and the chooks."
As youngsters, Sharpe and brother Ronald helped on the farm and had the run of three acres - an unheard of lifestyle in suburban Auckland now.
She said the surrounding area had undergone complete change from her younger years where the farm was surrounded by other similar properties.
"The first farmhouse from the original 100-acre farm is still standing and is quite beautiful," Sharpe said.
"This one was built in 1914 for my grandparents and is liveable but is very basic."
Real estate agent Dean Edmonds from Harcourts Titanium said such a large portion of flat sunny land was "scarce as hen's teeth."
"It is a three-acre block but it's just around the corner from Great South Rd, Hunters' Corner and the motorway."
An Auckland Council spokeswoman confirmed the house had no heritage protection under the Auckland Unitary Plan and was not listed with Heritage NZ.
The house is classified as being in the Mixed Suburban Zone under the plan. And if the land was redeveloped it would allow for one house per 400 sq m - or up to 30 houses.
