Clamouring for a bite of  the 'sultanate of Herne Bay'

When in Auckland the Sultan preferred to stay in hotels rather than in Waimanu, one of his Herne Bay mansions.

Buyers keen to get into Auckland's Herne Bay are clamouring to buy a piece of the Sultan of Brunei's former realm.

Graham Wall of Coles Real Estate said last week that he had a conditional deal to sell all 11 of the Sultan's Herne Bay houses to a single buyer - a transaction estimated to be worth around $35 million.

That would make it New Zealand's largest residential real estate deal, though not the highest price sought. The latest Forbes magazine lists Poronui Station near Lake Taupo as being for sale at around $62 million.

This week Mr Wall said the sheer number of Herne Bay properties being sold to the New Zealand businessman, whose name has not been revealed, made it likely the buyer would want to trade part of his new empire.

After fielding dozens of calls throughout this week, Mr Wall said many people had expressed an interest in buying some of the houses and had offered top dollar.

Particularly keen were tenants already living in the compound of five townhouses.

The buyer said from London that he had not yet decided what to do but could sell some, Mr Wall said.

However, he said the the best-known of the Sultan's properties, Waimanu, was unlikely to be for sale. Teams of gardeners will descend on its jungle-like gardens for one of the city's biggest outdoor makeovers.

Lurid murals showing New Zealand wildlife and scenery, which the sultan had painted on the walls of staircases, bedroom and lounge areas, are also likely to be obliterated.

Ostentatious gilt-edged and satin furniture, gold-edged paintings and maps will go back to their oil-rich owner.

Locals called it "the sultanate of Herne Bay". Here's what was sold:

* Wairangi, 8 Wairangi St: Colonial weatherboard villa built a century ago, with return verandas standing on a waterfront section of just under 0.25ha. A Cathay Pacific pilot sold it to the Sultan for $3.8 million. Includes a covered, fenced 20m swimming pool, four bedrooms, four-car garaging and four bathrooms. The beach is down a zig-zag path lined with bluestone walls.

Directly opposite is Monterey, car magnate Colin Giltrap's former home, sold to a European businessman in 2003 for $7.3 million. Model and actress Rachel Hunter stayed in Wairangi in 2001.

* Waimanu, 9 Argyle St: Built by developer Graeme Soljan in 1987 and based on Hawaii's Halekulani Hotel. The sharemarket crash forced its sale in 1990 to Scottish millionaire and Glasgow Rangers Football Club owner David Murray, for $3.4 million. He sold it to the Sultan in 1995 for $6.8 million.

Reported to have had a $20 million makeover. Dense tropical gardens, marble reception areas, banquet room, music and entertaining area with grand piano, sunken pool with bridge, separate commercial-sized gymnasium with squash courts. Mid-1990s alterations included a bunker.

* 5 Stack St: A do-up. Faded grandeur in the form of a two-level white colonial-style weatherboard villa from the late 1800s, with six bedrooms. Paint peeling, gardens unkempt. Section is almost 1000sq m.

* 7 Stack St: Two-level stucco-clad arts and craft-style home, probably built around 1920s.

* 9 Stack St: Bought from businessman Alec Isbey for $1.5 million. One of the more modest, tenanted houses in need of some work. A somewhat ordinary looking two-level bungalow but on a stunning site.

* 11 Stack St: Newest house in the group and expected to sell for at least $3 million. A 15-year-old American-style home with outdoor pool, and wide water views. Six bedrooms, four bathrooms, and two offices. Was rented for $3000 a week to members of the Prada syndicate during the America's Cup.

* 1-5/34 Argyle St: Private compound of decade-old solid plaster townhouses each with three or four bedrooms. Developed by the Sultan in 1995 and thought to be for his staff. Some rented for $1300 a week. Expected to fetch $1 million to $2 million each.