- A dilapidated Invercargill house sold for $154,000 after intense bidding from over a dozen buyers.
- The four-bedroom villa on O’Hara Street attracted interest for its large subdividable section.
- Another fire-damaged house on Scott Street will be auctioned next week, drawing interest from developers.
One of Invercargill’s worst houses sold under the hammer last week for $154,000 after an intense bidding war.
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More than a dozen buyers turned up to bid on the four-bedroom villa on O’Hara Street, in Appleby, which hadn’t been lived in for more than a year.
Harcourts agent Carl Wilson was clear about the property's condition when the listing went live, telling potential buyers to bring a torch to their inspection and to leave their children at home.
Some of the windows had been boarded up, and the wall linings ripped off. Photo / Supplied
“The renovation is not for the faint-hearted. It’s a big, big job... Picture the worst and double it,” he told OneRoof when the listing went live.
Wilson had called on buyers with $100,000 to spend to attend last Thursday’s auction. Bidding kicked off at $80,000 and soon escalated, with the property eventually scooped up by a local developer after 27 bids.
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Wilson told OneRoof that there had been huge interest in the villa from locals and out-of-town buyers, some from Australia and Auckland. Most had been looking to either renovate the house or develop the site.
The flat 1012sqm section was close to Invercargill's hospital and South City Mall, a huge drawcard for buyers, Wilson said, noting that there were developments underway nearby.
A three-bedroom house on Scott Street was damaged in an electrical fire last November and is being sold by the mortgagee on June 19. Photo / Supplied
The kitchen and lounge were the worst-hit, but the whole house suffered smoke damage. Photo / Supplied
Wilson said the beneficiaries of the deceased estate were thrilled with the outcome. “It was a bloody good result. I feel so pleased for the vendors.”
For those who missed out, another dilapidated house, in nearby Scott Street, is still up for grabs.
The fire-damaged home, which has an RV of $300,000, is being sold at a mortgagee auction on June 19.
Ray White listing agent Ben Henderson said an electrical fire blew out the windows and melted and charred parts of the three-bedroom home in November 2024. There was a big hole in the floor, meaning buyers could only view it from the outside.
The "as is, where is" property had been attracting interest from developers and renovators. Henderson wouldn’t be drawn on price, but said it was “a great opportunity for the right person”.
- Click here to find more properties for sale in Invercargill
