- Lynette Forday's Westmere home remains unsold after a $2.65 million auction bid was rejected.
- Forday is patient, citing conditional interest from buyers needing to sell their homes first.
- Ray White's Elaine Ferguson is engaging with conditional buyers, emphasising the property's unique features.
The Auckland home of former Shortland Street star Lynette Forday is still looking for buyers after passing in at auction this week.
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But Forday, who made her name in the soap as the straight-talking Dr Grace Kwan, is philosophical about the prospects of getting the right price for her home at 14 West View Road, Westmere.
The $2.65m offer from the one bidder in the room on Wednesday was not enough to buy the transformed six-bedroom house.
Former Shortland Street star Lynette Forday on Celebrity Treasure Island in 2022. Photo / Supplied
“I wasn’t expecting it to sell at auction because the main interest is conditional,” Forday told OneRoof, noting that the interested buyers all had houses to sell first.
“I’m in no rush, and the right person will come along, just like I did. When I bought it, I walked into the house and said, ‘Right I’m buying it’ the very next day. It’s had really amazing feedback, so it’s just about people getting their ducks in a row. I’m relaxed about that.”
Forday said even though the auction bid was higher than the property's CVs (both old and new) the house was worth more.
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“The CV doesn’t include the 100sqm of the studio – or the view. You’re never going to get a view like this; we’ve got no neighbours. It’s really tricky because [the council] can’t take that into account,” she said, adding that she was still deciding whether to file an objection to her new CV.
Meantime, life was good in her big house. “I’m thinking, ‘Why would I ever want to leave here?’ It’s beautiful. But it’s only me in a six-bedroom house, and it’s madness. It’s just ridiculous, I do need to move on.”
Forday, who is perhaps best known to recent viewers for her star turn in Celebrity Treasure Island in 2022, is gearing up to film the second season of Queenstown crime drama A Remarkable Place to Die with Rebecca Gibney.
The property started life as a 1920s workman’s cottage but has been added to over the years. Photo / Supplied
“I was just overwhelmed [getting] this role. It’s such a cool show, and it is so lovely to work with a good budget. They could have cast the stereotypical male, it’s a real breakthrough,” she said.
Filming starts later this year, but in the meantime Forday is squeezing in a month's adventure in Europe with her 20-year-old daughter.
Ray White listing agent Elaine Ferguson told OneRoof she was now talking to several conditional buyers about the house.
“Lynette loves her house and all I need to do is find someone else who does. We had people waiting for the auction and hoping it didn’t sell so I’m still doing those calls and letting them know what it passed in for.”
The balcony offers views of the lake. Forday has enjoyed the chatter of the nearby zoo animals. Photo / Supplied
Forday bought the former worker’s cottage in 2012 for just over $1.2m. Its previous owner, renowned artist Derrick Cherrie, had built a 100sqm studio to make his “building-sized” art and the house had been added to over the years. The home overlooks Auckland Zoo and Western Springs Park’s Lake and has a wild forest garden at the back of the 733sqm section.
Ferguson said that Forday is not the only vendor questioning their new CV. She’s noted her price appraisals are not the same number as the new CVs (which are intended for rating purposes).
“There are a few people I’ve said you must challenge if you’re thinking of selling at some stage. Although I’ve checked all of my sale [prices] this year and to be fair the CVs were on point.
“I sold something with a CV of $2.35m a couple of months ago, and the new CV is around what I sold it for, which was almost $1m below the old 2021 CV. But some of them are quite random. A penthouse apartment I sold for $1.575m, its old CV was $1.8m and now it’s $800,000,” she said.
Ray White chief auctioneer Sam Steele: “Buyers care a lot less about the CV than the owners do.” Photo / Fiona Goodall
Ray White chief auctioneer Sam Steele said CVs aren’t a benchmark for bidders at his auctions. “We’ve seen this multiple times. The council valuation may not be a true representation of the property’s value. They’ve been so out of whack for so long that if you use them to base your valuation on, you’re only going to get yourself into trouble,” he said.
“Buyers care a lot less about the CV than the owners do.”
He said agents were getting phone calls from vendors who were mid-campaign wondering about how their new CVs would affect their sales prices.
“It’s funny, clients have rung them saying ‘Oh, our CV has gone up $200,000’. And their answer is, ‘Well if it went down $200,000 would you still be ringing us?’”
Steele said that the last four weeks have seen a steady uptick in auction success.
“Something has definitely changed in terms of buyer activity and interest. I’m seeing the auction rooms packed, which is one of the best times. We’ve had auctions lately with 15, 16 even 20 bidders, although that is definitely property specific.”
- 14 West View Road, Westmere, Auckland, is for sale by negotiation
