A scrum for homes a kick from Eden Park

The villas are close to where Dan Cater and the team will contest the cup. Photo / Natalie Slade

Hundreds of people have been flocking through four character villas that are for sale just a Dan Carter punt away from Eden Park.

The four Sandringham Rd homes, opposite the Kingsland railway station and in a zone where rents are expected to soar in the buildup to the Rugby World Cup, were bought by the old Auckland City Council in 2007.

It then took 3m off their front lawns to create a bus lane. They have been rented out to tenants but were put on the market last month.

Since then, hordes of potential buyers have been flooding into the open homes, the last of which was held yesterday afternoon.

Tenders close on Wednesday and while the asking price remains a secret, Quotable Value lists the estimated selling range as being from the low $600,000s to the early or mid $700,000s for each home.

Three of the weatherboard homes have been recently renovated with a fresh coat of paint, new kitchen and bathrooms, and each has been reroofed. However, the fourth is still lived in and has not had any work done.

The real estate agent handling the sale of the villas, Trevor Elia of Bayleys, said about 100 groups had come to each of the houses' three open-homes. "There's been good interest and we expect to see a result for all four properties."

No one had made an offer on any of the villas by last night, but Mr Elia said it was common for offers to flood in on the day tenders closed.

There had been a mixture of people who had expressed interest - mostly business owners looking to make a property investment or first-home buyers, he said.

"Certainly no families, because I don't think any of them really are family homes as such because they're on quite a busy road."

Despite the villas being only 90 seconds' walk from Eden Park, the marketing had not highlighted the upcoming Rugby World Cup, Mr Elia said.

However, a neighbour, Susie Wickham, said that was one of the only redeeming qualities of the houses.

"It's noisy and they're on a busy street. The Rugby World Cup seems like the only incentive to buy them," she said.

Mr Elia would not be drawn on what the houses were going for but said parties interested in the properties had been advised of what other homes in the area had fetched.

Public records show that a weatherboard villa of similar size and in the same area as the villas recently sold for $630,000.

Hannah Kripas, who lives with four other adults in the only one of the villas still occupied, said she was not really bothered that the city council was selling their home.

"I'm leaving for Europe soon, so I don't really mind. But I know the others are a little bit nervous about finding somewhere [else to live]."

Ms Kripas said the Auckland Council had given them two months' notice and had dropped their rent from $480 a week to $400 to lessen the blow.

QV VALUES

* 28: $650,000 as of 2005

* 30: $620,000 as of 2008

* 32: $690,000 as of 2008

* 34: $620,000 as of 2008