Would you rather live in an Auckland villa or your own Spanish castle? Photo / Supplied
Would you rather live in an Auckland villa or your own Spanish castle? Photo / Supplied
Would you rather live in an Auckland villa or your own Spanish castle? Here's one Auckland home on sale at auction the overseas castles, villas and penthouse apartments you could get for the same price.
Your home is your castle – and, indeed, in Auckland, many homes really can cost as much as a castle.
That includes a delightful Sandringham villa that OneRoof property website recently featured and described as a gardener's delight.
Valued by Auckland Council at $2.63 million, it's listed for auction sale.
This Sandringham villa in Auckland is described as a gardener's delight. But what can you buy overseas for the same price. Photo / Supplied
But at about two-and-a-half million dollars, wouldn't it be worth pausing for a moment and taking a look at what that type of money could get you overseas instead?
1. Fortress of San Isidro, Mondonedo, SpainPrice: $2.2 million
For those wanting a real sea change from Auckland life, why not return all the way to the medieval times and buy your own castle?
The San Isidro fortress dates back to the 12th century - according to the website Castleist - and still has a watchtower you can retreat to should raiders suddenly ravage Mondonedo in Spain's northwest.
Okay, winters look to be a tad draughty and unpleasantly cold in the castle's flagstone lined rooms.
The historic Fortress of San Isidro in Mondoñedo, Spain, comes with it's own chapel and what looks like a gravestone. Photo / Castelist
That's one way to keep the neighbours out. Killahara Castle in Tipperary, Ireland, is up for sale for less than many villas in Auckland's inner suburbs. Photo / Castelist
Still, its rustic beauty is undeniable, and it features everything you would expect from a fortress.
That includes dining hall spanned with heavy wooden beams, moss-covered stone walkways and even its own chapel containing what looks like a grave.
And if San Isidro fortress' price is too much - or you want a castle more easily defended – you might want to consider Killahara Castle in Tipperary, Ireland, instead.
It's a bit cheaper at $1.6m, according to Castleist.
And standing as one solitary keep tower, it should be easy to keep out unwanted neighbours.
2. Via Roma, Castelnuovo Berardenga, ItalyPrice: $2.5 million
If style is more your thing than rustic, this Italian Roman-inspired villa could be to your tastes.
Via Roma sits in the Tuscan hills near Castelnuovo Berardenga about 50km southeast of Florence.
It's charming open-plan lounge areas opens to an outdoor deck perfect for Italian dinners, with a saltwater pool below giving views over neighbouring vineyards.
Via Roma in Castelnuovo Berardenga in Tuscany offers views over nearby vineyards. Photo / Sotheby's International Realty
This Sicilian villa on the Capo d'Orlando lets owners look over the Eolian Islands from their own infinity pool. Photo / Sotheby's International Realty
And at just 8500sq m in size, real estate agents Sotheby's International Realty assures buyers the upkeep of manicured garden is quite "manageable".
If you're looking for a coastal home in Italy, however, a quirky but "charming" villa in Sicily in the country's south also has a lovely deck for beautiful outdoor dining as well as an infinity pool with views over the Aeolian Islands.
It is also selling for $2.5m, according to Sotheby's International Realty.
3. Sainte Maxime, French Riviera, FrancePrice: $2.1 million
For those wanting an idyllic but faster pace of life, this penthouse sits on the French Riviera waterfront.
Overlooking the Bay of St Tropez in Sainte Maxime, it has three bedrooms, two garage spaces and a spacious 130sq m of floor space, according to Prestige Property Group..
It puts French wineries, shopping and the country's stunning Mediterranean coast within easy driving distance.
Living at this penthouse apartment in Sainte Maxime in the French Riviera gets its owner close to France's popular Mediterranean coast. Photo / Prestige Property Group
Buying leasehold in Bali can get you a 300sq m home with its own pool just a short stroll from the beach for less than the value of a typical Auckland home. Photo / Bali Realty
However, to get even more bang for buck and the chance to live in year-round tropical heat, then Bali might be a better bet.
This four-bedroom beachside villa in Berawa in the main city of Denpasar boasts its own lap pool and 298sq m of space.
Designed by an Australian architect, it's on sale as a leasehold for $976,885, according to Bali Realty.
4. Papeto'Ai, Moorea-Maio, French PolynesiaPrice: $2.5 million
If you are looking for a more remote island life, French Polynesia might be the ticket.
Located in Papeto'Ai on the island of Moorea-Maio the spacious four-bedroom home features a rooftop terrace with a swimming pool and gorgeous views over the turquoise waters, website James Edition states.
Sandwiched between a golf course and quay, the home opens buyers up to the tropical life of Tahiti, just a short board ride away.
This home at Papetō'Ai on the island of Moorea-Maio, just a short boat ride from Tahiti, is situated between a quay and golf course. Photo / James Edition
The Scottish island of Pladda, south of the Isle of Arran on the UK's west coast, features its own lighthouse and is an important bird breeding ground. Photo / Knight Frank
For those who prefer their islands windswept, the Scottish island of Pladda, south of the Isle of Arran on the UK's west coast, is up for sale for $663,722.
It has a former lightkeeper's residence with five bedrooms, walled garden and helipad.
