What Andrew Turner liked about his turn-of-the-century villa at 16 Scanlan Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland, was that everything inside was already beautifully renovated.
You can just move in and live, he says. He changed the light switches, to dim lighting to create ambience, but other than that he didn't have to do anything.
The sunny house, with an asking price of $2.65 million, also has the added bonus of a private, two-bedroom apartment with its own deck and a rental appraisal of $600 a week.
Situated between Gt North Rd and Williamson Ave, the house is an easy walk to the bars and cafes of both K R d and Ponsonby, and access to the motorway via Newton St.
Inside it is new and stylish. "I loved it; that's why I bought it," says Andrew.
"The space, the modernity – it's an old villa but it's completely done up.There's plenty of off-street parking. Normally there's only one, maybe two, but it's got three if not four.