US rich listers selling $6m penthouse
New York couple never spent night in their dream home
AUnited States rich-lister couple who had planned to move to Auckland are instead offloading their $6 million-plus Remuera penthouse without having slept a night in it.
The Herald can reveal New York businessman Michael Rems and wife Julie O’Shea bought the two-level penthouse in the St Marks development in 2016, while also snapping up a Waiheke Island home, known as the Glasshouse, for more than $3m.
The St Marks penthouse includes sweeping 180-degree views over the Waitemata Harbour and Rangitoto Island and a designer French cooktop that’s alone worth up to $100,000.
The couple — understood to be in their 30s with a newborn — originally bought three apartments in the unfinished St Marks complex, before spending two years working with the developer to convert them into a penthouse fit for the young family.
But just as the work was finally finished, the couple have put it on the market.
A source told the Herald the penthouse could be worth $7m-$8m.
The couple bought the sixbedroom Glasshouse on Waiheke in 2015 for $3.6m. It is described as having “breathtaking” views, but has now been relisted for $2.89m.
Bayleys listing agent Joe Telford said the couple were selling up because of a change in circumstances and now planned to remain in the US.
He said they had put their hearts into creating a family feel in the 380sq m Remuera penthouse. This included laying oak flooring throughout, while connecting the balcony with its outdoor heater and harbour views to the open-plan kitchen and living area with wall-to-ceiling windows.
The property features brass fittings, marble bench tops in the kitchen and bathrooms, and two of the four bedrooms come with ensuites and walk-in wardrobes.
The penthouse also comes with four carparks and a butler’s pantry that has its own entrance from the elevator lobby so caterers can come and go discreetly during parties.
St Marks developer and former surgeon Dr John Harman said the first thing you noticed when entering the penthouse was its “breathtaking view”.
“I call this the quintessential Remuera view of Rangitoto.”
The Americans had worked with his architects and designers to make the most of the views.
“When [the couple] came and looked at it, they said, ‘We’d like to have a New York-style apartment with living upstairs and sleeping downstairs’,” he said.
“So they bought essentially what was three apartments and made one large, beautiful penthouse.”
The penthouse was one of 58 apartments in the development that would be ready to move into by the end of the month.
Public records show Rems and O’Shea were granted approval under the Overseas Investment Act in 2015 to buy their Waiheke property on Okoka Rd.
The couple said on the application that they intended to live in New Zealand indefinitely and use the Waiheke property as their home.