A rambling blank canvas villa in a prime position in Grey Lynn has come on the market for the first time in 40 years.
The old weatherboard villa is one of the few homes in the area still in an original condition with a backyard filled with established fruit trees include persimmons, feijoas and quinces.
The "solid bones" house behind a picket fence has been owned by the same woman for four decades - but it spent most of that rented to the same family.
That family have now bought their own home.
Four big bedrooms, back to back fireplaces, an internal staircase leading to a lower level and plenty of storage could help turn the plain property into a $2m plus character filled home said the agent marketing it.
"It's one of the last old original homes in the area with heritage features, high stud and original flooring," Bayleys' agent Chris Bachelor said.
"It's north facing and is packed with potential so someone could just do the bathroom and kitchen or do a big renovation and slice off the back."
The house on Richmond Rd - bordering Ponsonby and Grey Lynn - is on just 366 sqm but has a current CV of $1.8m.
Feedback from those through the open home was that was "a little high" Bachelor said.
"That's why we are going to auction, it is hard to say what the value is."
Similar houses in the area that have been renovated sell for upward of $2 m.
The house is within the character area protected from demolition under the Unitary Plan by Auckland Council.
Richmond Rd, along with Ponsonby Rd, College Hill, Jervois Rd, St Mary's Rd, Franklin Rd and Great North Rd, was one of the earliest in the area.
The earliest roads are recognisable because they are narrow - apart from Ponsonby Rd and Jervois which were wider because they were main streets.
The median house price for Grey Lynn, according to QV, is $1,421,250. For Ponsonby it is $1,839,250.
The house is due to be sold by auction 2pm, Wednesday, March 6.