Pop star Daniel Bedingfield has sold his Auckland western fringe rental home for $1.361 million at auction.
The Gotta Get Thru This singer - a judge on The X Factor New Zealand this year - bought 44 Sylvania Crescent in Lynfield in August 2003 for $945,000 when the valuation was $555,000.
Built in 1987, the 228sq m five-bedroom weatherboard home has two bathrooms, two-car garaging and sits on a 1590sq m floor.
It has a valuation of $1.14 million.
Without naming the owner, the Harcourts listing cunningly asked potential buyers if the house had the "X Factor? You be the judge!"
"Early viewing is recommended," it said.
"Our overseas vendor is definitely passing this opportunity on to the next owner. Make sure it is you!"
It is understood the Los Angeles-based 34-year-old stayed in the home when he was visiting New Zealand up until tenant Sheree Houghton, her husband and four children moved in three years ago.
Mrs Houghton told the
Herald
she dealt with a property management company and had only met Bedingfield once, when he knocked on her door asking if he could show a friend the backyard at the beginning of the year.
"He was over here filming X Factor and wanted to show someone the bush, where he lived. We didn't really talk to him. To us it didn't matter who owned the property, he's just the landlord."
She said she loved the property and would be sad to leave because it was so quiet and had views out to the Auckland Airport.
The property was only on the market for a few weeks. The new owners move in on January 31, Mrs Houghton said.
Bedingfield was born in Auckland but moved to London with his Kiwi mother and English father when he was 3 months old. His sister, singer Natasha, was born later.
Harcourts chief executive Hayden Duncan said the company did not comment on individual sales, but said Lynfield - about 14km from central Auckland - was an appealing suburb.
"It's got really attractive things about it - good schools, amenities."