Papatoetoe home owners George and Lee say their home might not be so beautiful but the value lies in the large size of the land at 21 Alabaster Dr. Photo / Supplied
Papatoetoe home owners George and Lee say their home might not be so beautiful but the value lies in the large size of the land at 21 Alabaster Dr. Photo / Supplied
George and Lee's humble Auckland home has nurtured their family for 40 years - now they are counting on the land beneath to set them up for the next 40.
The couple - who didn't want their surname published - put their Papatoetoe property at 21 Alabaster Dron sale with agents Ray White this week.
And the big hope is that its 982sq m block catches the eye of developers.
In fact - so confident are they that the huge block of land was the jewel in the sale - they aren't even allowing potential buyers to look inside their home.
The property is listed for sale as "sight unseen".
Lee said the home wasn't going to win any beauty awards.
"It's as old as we feel," she said.
After all, the couple have had three boys grow up "leaving holes here, there and everywhere" and they never quite found the cash to give it a much-needed update.
"The biggest drawcard is the size of the land and its develpment potential," husband George clarified.
"If they don't move our home offsite, they will probably demolish it."
Yet, for all the family's hopes of a successful sale, it will still be bittersweet.
George's parents paid $44,707 for the home back in 1981, with George growing up in the house before later moving back with his wife and children about 18 years ago to care for his mum once his father died.
"When I look around there are all the trees we planted and the memories of our own kids growing and climbing on them only to jump off on each other - it's been a big part of our lives," he said of the home.
"But having said that we also need to move forward."
To that end, the couple couldn't help but notice the housing market "going great guns".
George and Lee hope the 982sq m size of the property at 21 Alabaster Drive, Papatoetoe, nets them a big sale price from a developer. Photo / Supplied
With George and his mum now suffering hip and knee problems, they hoped the sale of their Papatoetoe land would cover the cost of buying a modern, mobility-friendly home.
"Anytime you turn on the TV you hear there is a housing crisis, and the price for real estate is just going through the roof," George said.
The sale also gave George the chance to honour a promise to Lee that they would buy a new house together by their 30th wedding anniversary next March.
