Sultan of Brunei's Herne Bay houses set to return to the market

The mystery businessman who bought 11 Herne Bay houses from the billionaire Sultan of Brunei is putting nine houses back on the market.

After setting a price record when he forked out $35 million in late July, the Auckland businessman has announced his intention to resell most of his houses.

Indications are that he will get at least $25 million for the nine houses he bought in late July in a deal brokered in Brunei when he was in London.

The properties will be sold in two separate deals - the first four in spring, then five townhouses alongside each other in summer. But the businessman is expected to keep the luxurious Waimanu and perhaps move in.

Also kept will be a two-level house at 11 Stack St.

First, he is seeking $17.8 million for four mansions on Stack St and Wairangi St. These are stand-alone houses, many between 80 and 100 years old, and include the stately Wairangi colonial-style waterfront mansion set on 0.25ha with a 20m pool.

Then he will sell the compound of townhouses at 34 Argyle St built by the Sultan for his staff.

Parnell real estate agent Graham Wall, of Coles, has written to residents of nearby properties, telling them his buyer is about to become a vendor. Once work was completed at the four Stack St and Wairangi St properties, these would be for sale, Mr Wall wrote.

But he warned that landscaping and gardening work at these houses could cause problems.

"Allow me to apologise in advance for the occasional truck, van, leafblower, chainsaw and sightseer disrupting the tranquillity of your beautiful neighbourhood - it will only be for a very short time," he wrote.

Earlier this month, agency Barfoot & Thompson announced it was suffering from a listings drought.

The agency had 3991 properties for sale, the fewest in nearly a decade.