This luxury boat shed just sold for $1.25 million even though it has no bathroom or bedroom. See inside.
Mia Jankowicz
- A converted boat shed in New Zealand just sold for a record $1.25 million.
- The dinky-yet-colossally-expensive property has a catch — you can't use the bathroom or sleep there.
A 700-square-foot converted boat shed in New Zealand sold for a record $1.25 million late last month.
Its anonymous buyer may have dropped more than a million bucks on the property, but this doesn't mean they'll get to sleep in it, or even use its bathroom — it's actually forbidden to use the boat shed as a live-in residence, and it doesn't come with a bathroom or bedroom.
Despite this, the tiny historical property at Whakatakataka Bay, Ōrākei, ratcheted up the highest price ever paid in New Zealand — that's just over $2 million in local dollars — for a boat shed, the Herald on Sunday reported.
Scroll down to see what a $1.25 million luxury boat shed looks like inside and out.
The boat shed's roadside entrance is somewhat underwhelming.
The dinky structure is set on a tree-lined road on Whakatakataka Bay, in the suburb of Ōrākei, around three miles east of Auckland on New Zealand's north island.
But, viewed from the deck from the waterfront side, you start to see the appeal.
Its chic interior, stunning location and waterfront heritage placed it in high demand, and the buyer plans to use it "for family activities as a base for boating and sailing activities," Paul Sissons, a salesperson at New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty told Insider.
This view also goes some way towards explaining the high price.
Despite the money involved, the buyer actually receives no land, nor leaseholder or freeholder title with the property.
They literally just get the shed, the jetty and the ramp — and a deed from the local authority that gives them permission to keep it at that location, Sissons told Insider.
Looking into the shed from the waterfront decking, you start to see its smart white interior.
But the buyer did get the boat shed's furniture thrown in for free, the Herald on Sunday reported.
Here's what you get for your $1.25 million.
The floor plan of the boat shed reveals that it consists of one primary room that has a seating area, a dining area, and a kitchenette, as well as its waterfront deck.
As noted, there's no bedroom or bathroom.
The shed was made famous on a hit reality TV show in New Zealand.
The shed previously formed the base of operations for New Zealand journalist David Lomas, whose 2022 investigative documentary series focused on reuniting families and exploring their lost histories.
It is also one of just 17 on the edge of an idyllic bay, making it highly sought after.
Property prices in New Zealand have been rising fast in recent years. A boat shed in the city of Auckland sold for the equivalent of $730,000 in 2020, more than double the national median house price at the time.
But experts have warned of a housing crash on the horizon, and buying has slowed.
Even rarer is its old-style jetty.
Many of the neighboring properties have had the long deck of the old jetties removed, to be replaced with modern boat ramps for ease of access for sailing enthusiasts.
Not this property.
And here's the property's modern kitchenette.
The boat shed is not entirely without amenities. While you can't sleep there or use a bathroom, there is a kitchen in which to prepare meals or snacks, or just store cold drinks and food.
While it's been converted for leisure use, the shed still has its original roller door.
$1.25 million may sound like a lot for a bedroom-less property, but the buyer has acquired an enviable view, as can be seen in this photograph taken from inside.
All in all, not a bad place to pass the time.
Assuming you already have somewhere to sleep and use the bathroom, this property could almost be considered a steal for some people.
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement