Neil Sharpe and Sophie Boardman have sold a five-bedroom lifestyle block at 111 Pearson Road, Patumahoe for NZ$1.85 million at auction, navigating a 40-minute negotiation with a single serious buyer.
The five-bedroom, three-bathroom home on 12 acres featured three substantial sheds—one high-bay for tall vehicles, one with a car hoist, and a two-bay implement/hay storage shed—plus three living areas and parking for more than 10 vehicles. Neil and Sophie positioned it for buyers who needed serious infrastructure, not just lifestyle aesthetics.
“The big sheds seem to attract quite a lot of buyers,” Neil says. “The land was gently rolling with good road frontage, suitable for multiple different lifestyles—equestrian, someone running a trucking business, or a family wanting space and proximity to the local village.”
The preparation strategy
Before listing, Neil and Sophie recommended their vendors commission a building report and address any issues it flagged.
“They were very receptive to Sophie’s and my recommendations,” Neil says. “By the time we launched the property, the vendors knew, and buyers could see, that the property had been properly prepared.”
The vendors – who were relocating to the South Island to be near their children and grandchildren – implemented every recommendation, including small repairs that elevated presentation. The building report was also made available to registered buyers, helping to reduce uncertainty for those considering an unconditional purchase.
The auction negotiation
Only one buyer registered for the auction, but that buyer was serious: local contractors with a young family, drawn to both the shedding infrastructure and the highly regarded Patumahoe and Mauku Primary Schools.
“The buyers clearly wanted the property,” Neil says. “You could see from the way the negotiation developed that they were genuinely committed to trying to secure it.”
What followed was a 40-minute negotiation at the auction, with Barfoot & Thompson auctioneer David Johnstone working between the buyer and the vendors while Neil and Sophie worked closely with their vendors. The vendors initially held firm on price, while the buyers started below the vendors’ expectations.
“The vendors weren’t particularly negotiable to begin with, and the buyer had started some distance away,” Neil says. “But gradually the vendors adjusted their expectations a little, while the buyer moved considerably further from where they had started.”
The final figure of NZ$1.85 million satisfied both parties and reflected the value placed on the property’s combination of location, land, family accommodation and substantial shedding. For the vendors, the unconditional result provided certainty as they prepared to relocate to the South Island to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
The Patumahoe lifestyle advantage
Patumahoe sits in Franklin’s semi-rural belt, offering village amenities including a highly regarded primary school while maintaining genuine rural character on lifestyle-sized holdings. The area attracts families seeking the balance of space and proximity to Pukekohe’s broader services, just 10 minutes away.
Neil points to scarcity as a key driver: “Good quality lifestyle properties in this area are very sought after. We sold another further along Pearson Road about three months previously, also with good land on it. The road itself was an attraction due to the location. That property was on the market for just over five weeks.”
For vendors considering a similar sale, Neil emphasises preparation and transparency as non-negotiables in today’s market.
About the Agent
Neil Sharpe has lived in Franklin for over 35 years, currently on a 6-hectare lifestyle block in Waiau Pa. His background includes policing in New Zealand and the UK, service with the NZ Fire Service, and founding a successful security company. He brings a straight-talking, no-pressure approach to rural and lifestyle real estate, backed by word-of-mouth referrals and market-leading results with Barfoot & Thompson. Visit Neil’s website for more information or call Neil on +64212786006.