Student dive to couple’s hideaway BEFORE

We look at how Kiwis have transformed rambling old properties into modern gems in our From Dump to Desirable series.

It was known as the party house of Grey Lynn and a regular crash pad for dozens of students. Google Street View still shows front steps strewn with beer cans and rubbish — an indication of what life was like for the rambling villa on Grosvenor St.

The four-bedroom home had good bones and bad tenants.

In 2014 the property made the news because buyer interest in the neglected house with graffiti on the walls and rusted car bodies in the 481sq m backyard surpassed $1 million.

The years of neglect ended when a young couple risked everything and bought the rundown rental.

They paid $1.2m for it three years ago and have lost count of what they have spent transforming the student dive into one of the best homes on the block.

“We were drawn to the house because it was so robust,” the owner said. “It’s 120 years old and it has had 20 rough students living in it at one time and it has stood the test of time.”

The owner said the house was in “absolutely terrible” condition when they bought it.

Decades of tough tenants had taken their toll with peeling paint, ripped wallpaper and overgrown gardens.

“It hadn’t had any love for many years.”

The pair spent six months renovating and gave the home a top-totoe makeover.

It got a new kitchen, two new bathrooms, full insulation and underfloor gas heating was installed.

The backyard was levelled and landscaped with lush planting, an outdoor fireplace and a Louvretec system.

“Everyone comments on the view. The planting makes it feel private like you are in Titirangi but then you look up at the Sky Tower,” the owner said.

“We have eight neighbouring properties but you can’t see any of them.”

The owner said shaking the past of the old villa hadn’t been as easy as stripping back the wallpaper or getting rid of the graffiti.

“We have had friends over who suddenly remember being at a party here years ago with 500 people.

“It was well-known as a party house.”

He said people still got a shock when they looked up the property on Google Maps and saw the rubbish and beer cans on the doorstep.

“It’s definitely a bit different from that now.”