Foreigner snaps up $30m Chrisco mansion

The $30m Chrisco property on Coatesville complete with six bedrooms, lap pool, maze and life-size sculptures of animals. Photo / Jason Dorday

New Zealand's most expensive home the $30 million "Chrisco" mansion is understood to have finally sold.

Nearly two years after owners Richard and Ruth Bradley founders of the Chrisco Christmas hamper empire moved to Sydney, the Herald on Sunday has learned the 24.3ha estate has been taken over by a Finnish man in a long-term lease deal.

The intention is to buy the property at Coatesville, north of Auckland, at the end of a set period of time.

The real estate agency that initially listed the $30m property, said it had "no idea" whether the house had sold.

Patrick McCarthy of Browns Sotheby's International Realty said he was contacted by Richard Bradley and asked to remove the listing from the website, without an explanation.

"We have no comment to make because the answer is we just don't know," said McCarthy.

When the Herald on Sunday visited the mansion this week, a Finnish flag was flying from its roof.

About 20 labourers were working on the property and grounds, but workers would not reveal anything about a sale.

One worker said there would be no one living in the house for "a couple of months".

Bradley, who founded the Chrisco name in the UK before moving to New Zealand, is worth around $50m, according to the 2008 National Business Review Rich List.

The mansion was completed in 2006, and features six bedrooms, a tennis court, a lap pool, and a large tropical fish tank.

A barn and garage area sits next to the main house, overlooking a roll of hills, palm trees and a garden maze.

The grounds also feature life-size sculptures of a mother and baby giraffe and a realistic rhinoceros.

It is not known what the final sale price is.