State house sold for $38K
A mouldy, meth-contaminated state house the Government sold for $38,000 due to extensive damage has become one woman’s foot in the door.
A house in A’Court St, Ha¯ wera, was the cheapest state house sale in the country for the past financial year, information provided under the Official Information Act revealed.
Ka¯ inga Ora decided to sell off the 120-square metre house because it was ‘‘uneconomical to remediate’’, deputy chief executive for construction and innovation, Patrick Dougherty, said.
But Bronwyn McGarvey is now the proud owner of the threebedroom brick and tile house, which she calls ‘‘both a blessing and a curse’’.
McGarvey bought the home outright in June 2018, mostly using funds from an inheritance.
She was not allowed to step foot inside before purchasing, due to its condition.
When she got inside she saw it was in a ‘‘horrific state’’.
Rain was falling through holes in the roof, many of the windows were smashed, and all the doors, handles and taps had been stolen.
The house was riddled with mould and has required all the jibbing to be torn out.
McGarvey lives partly in a Housing New Zealand home in Stratford while she improves the
A’Court St property.
The agency knows about the arrangement, she said.
As she is on a sickness benefit she is finding it difficult to bring her purchased home up to a better standard. But she’s been surprised at how much she’s already learnt by doing it herself.
‘‘I’ve fixed about nine of the windows. I’m becoming an expert in glass and window framing.’’
McGarvey receives some board from her flatmate but admits it has been stressful trying to pay for advice, tools and maintenance on a low income.
But she now has a place that’s completely her own. ‘‘This was probably the only way I was going to get a foot in the door.’’
Harcourts Hawera agent
Simon Bendall sold the house and said despite the condition it received a number of offers.
A’Court Street has previously made headlines for a house close to McGarvey’s. It was on sale for $40,000 but it was located next to a Black Power pad.
That house had since burned down due to an electrical fault, Bendall said.
He is familiar with the A’Court street having sold other properties on it. ‘‘I was a cop for 26 years in England, and I don’t think this is a bad area at all.’’