NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Business / Companies / Construction

Would you pay a million for this 'unliveable' Ponsonby house?

Corazon Miller
By Corazon Miller
Reporter·Herald on Sunday·
14 Oct, 2017 04:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Not without its charm? Photo / Michael Craig

Not without its charm? Photo / Michael Craig

Jutting out above a small concrete wall lined with paua shells on Summer St is a weather-worn shack, that at just under $1 million could be the lucky break for an aspiring Ponsonby homeowner.

The rickety 48sq m house which sits at the end of a narrow 244sq m slice of land, surrounded by classic villas, is up for auction on Thursday October 26 - unless sold prior.

The property at 89 Summer St, which has a rating value (RV) of $930,000, is not liveable in its current state, with its sagging floors, heavily damaged, cobwebbed walls and precarious stairs.

But as property information site QV.co.nz indicates, it is the land that has the most value at $910,000. Improvement value (the house) is only $20,000.

The small dwelling at 89 Summer Street in Ponsonby is up for sale. Photo / Greg Bowker
The small dwelling at 89 Summer Street in Ponsonby is up for sale. Photo / Greg Bowker
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It is the second time the property has been on the market this year, having been purchased by Aucklander Mark Harper, 62, for $800,000.

He said when he first looked at the house the amount of work it required was daunting, but it was all about the location.

"We put a bid in because you are looking at entry level for getting into a Ponsonby suburb. The fact is Ponsonby, anywhere central city, is expensive to get into.

"This still gets you a reasonable size of dirt, albeit it small, but relative to section sizes in Ponsonby this can be seen as normal, so gives you that opportunity as a developer."

Not without its charm? Photo / Michael Craig
Not without its charm? Photo / Michael Craig

Harper said the house was unliveable and not fit for anything but demolition.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"No straight floors in the property, heavily damaged wall linings, it has obviously been rat-infested at times, he said. "It's gone beyond repair and renovation, that's the best way to describe it."

Harper said with some help from his son he had hoped to build a neat little house in the central city suburb, but due to personal health reasons he was reluctantly putting it back on the market.

Ray White agents Zarlane and Bernie Grubisic marketed the Summer St property both times it was up for sale this year, openly describing it as a dump that would need an owner with imagination and determination.

"All is seriously not well with the exterior, let alone the interior. Not for the faint-hearted. Bring your architect, builders, engineers and your imagination," said Zarlane Grubisic.

"If you don't have that big bag of cash, here is your opportunity to get into one of Auckland's sought after inner-city suburbs in a more affordable way."

The inside of the property at 89 Summer Street, Ponsonby. Photo / Michael Craig
The inside of the property at 89 Summer Street, Ponsonby. Photo / Michael Craig

Despite the extensive work the property would require, it could be considered a bargain in a suburb where the QV median sale price across the last three months was $2.2m.

The property information site showed Ponsonby homes were on average going for 40 per cent above the rating value.

On the same street as Harper's property, a 3-bedroom pre-1914 villa with a rating value of $1.09m was sold for $1,495,000 - $405,000 (27 per cent) above its valuation.

Just around the corner on John St a two-bedroom villa, dated pre-1914, with a rating value of $980,000 sold for $1,372,000 - $392,000 (26 per cent) above valuation.

The back garden of the house at 89 Summer Street Ponsonby. Photo / Michael Craig
The back garden of the house at 89 Summer Street Ponsonby. Photo / Michael Craig

Homes.co.nz chief marketing officer Jeremy O'Hanlon said even though the house had seen better days, the property had location going for it.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"People don't head to Ponsonby for large leafy sections."

He said it would certainly offer great potential to someone with a creative mind.

"I'm sure a creative architect would love to work with such interesting constraints."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Construction

Property

'Special ceiling': sun and moon art adorn new Auckland train station

03 Jul 03:00 AM
Premium
Property

$66m repair bill for Auckland apartments sparks court action

02 Jul 11:28 PM
Premium
Property

Planned for years, 25% owner sells out of Queenstown's Lakeview Taumata

02 Jul 03:00 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Construction

'Special ceiling': sun and moon art adorn new Auckland train station

'Special ceiling': sun and moon art adorn new Auckland train station

03 Jul 03:00 AM

'Representing the history of this area. This ridgeline was a kauri forest.' - Barry Potter

Premium
$66m repair bill for Auckland apartments sparks court action

$66m repair bill for Auckland apartments sparks court action

02 Jul 11:28 PM
Premium
Planned for years, 25% owner sells out of Queenstown's Lakeview Taumata

Planned for years, 25% owner sells out of Queenstown's Lakeview Taumata

02 Jul 03:00 AM
Premium
Surf park developers win fast-track referral for 400+ homes

Surf park developers win fast-track referral for 400+ homes

01 Jul 09:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP