'Wow, what a dump': $1.5m Ponsonby kauri house marketed as serious do-up

The "kitchen" at 16 O'Neill Street.

A five-bedroom house in Ponsonby, built of kauri and with grass growing into a front room, is being marketed as "a serious do-up", with interior and exterior photos showing a rusting roof, rotten and unpainted weatherboards and interior wall linings ripped off.

"Wow, what a dump!" said one would-be buyer of 16 O'Neill St which Auckland Council lists as having a current valuation of $1,575,000: just $100,000 for the house and back metal shed and $1,475,000 for the site.

The kauri house at 16 O'Neill St is being auctioned this month.

Photos show the house in an extremely poor state with grass up to a window inside a front room, rusty downpipes, missing exterior boards, wall linings ripped off, a hole in the kitchen floor and kitchen bench turned up against the wall.

The ad posted by Barfoot & Thompson agent David Dowse says the home would best be suited to "builders, architects and visionaries", who would be willing to put in a bit of work.

"Bring your hammer and nails because you're going to need them," the ad says.

The house is being promoted on a flat section, having five bedrooms and lounge, on a 303sq m site. It will be auctioned at Barfoot & Thompson's Shortland St head office on Wednesday, October 23 at 1.30pm, unless it's sold in advance.

Dowse said this morning he could not discuss the sale or why the house is in such poor condition but Ponsonby branch manager Tim Irvine said: "The house has been vacant for some time. It was built in 1909 and is obviously in keeping with the neighbourhood although it's been altered."

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An open home is scheduled for this Saturday at 11am.

This home comes as the latest in a series of properties in terrible condition to demand a high asking price.

A shabby green derelict 1914 villa at the end of Prime Rd, Grey Lynn had a CV of $600,000 but sold seven years ago for $885,000. Post-renovation it went for $1.7m. And 70 years ago, a modest bungalow in Sarsfield St, Herne Bay went for no more than $10,000 but this year fetched $2.6m.

Grass cascades into the front room of the house.

Last December, a renovated Ponsonby villa - once labelled a fire hazard and lacking a working kitchen and bathroom - went for $1.375m. That place was on Russell St and before it was done up, had collapsing ceilings, peeling wallpaper and rotten floorboards. The lean-to toilet was not working, there was no power and no working kitchen.

Before it went on the market, Auckland Council issued a "dangerous and insanitary building" notice, due to fire loading, an impeded means of escape, inadequate resistance to moisture and being "in a state of disrepair".