Far out Friday: Napier's 'worst house' not without interested buyers

“There are many hidden treasures that are yet to be uncovered.” The real estate agency is keeping it positive on a listing for one of Napier’s properties for sale in less than ideal condition.

“To be sold as is including all the chattels, furnishings and sundry items located within the home. There are many hidden treasures that are yet to be uncovered.” That’s one way to describe the three-bedroom home at 35 Milton Rd on Napier Hill.

This home for sale has skipped the ‘staging’ process many sellers invest in before putting their house on the market.

But although the property looks less than appealing, the real estate agency has already had some expressions of interest.

Located in one of the city’s most desirable suburbs and home to many expensive properties the photos listed on the online advertisement show boxes and newspapers piled up in the living room, dirty crockery in the kitchen and mould on the walls, www.hawkesbay.co.nz reports. 

Just 300m from Napier’s CBD, the house is mostly hidden on its 669sqm section behind an overgrown garden. 

Harcourts real estate agent, Bill Tawhai, is looking on the bright side of the situation describing in the listing there are ‘many hidden treasures’ to be found in the boxes included in the sale.

He said family members of the elderly owner, who moved into a rest home after living there for over 50 years, had already spent four whole days clearing parts of the house.

"We would have loved to have cleared [the house] out, but the family members are all from out of town and in the end, they just wanted to sell it as is."

Tawhai joked there were “no good photos” of the property, and it was important to stress to potential buyers the house was for sale 'as is'.

"That's why we're not even holding open homes and viewing is by appointment only. The house feels pretty solid, someone just needs a vision for it," he said.

The property also has a granny flat and five car parking spaces with leasing potential to city workers and could appeal to investor buyers. 

“There’s certainly nothing quite like it on the market at the moment,” Tawhai grinned.

The property has a rateable value of $200,000 and is due to be sold at the Harcourts Auction rooms on the April 20.