Glimpse inside the siege house | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

A great opportunity for a young family," reads the property listing for a Napier home, which during a three-day siege in May 2009 became a house of horrors.

Number 41 Chaucer Road South is the address where Jan Molenaar shot and killed police officer Len Snee, wounding two others and a civilian, before taking his own life.

After gunfire ceased and armed forces dispersed, the house was left bullet pocked and a scene of bad memories for those close to the tragedy.

Three years later, camera crews rolled in to record a teledrama depicting the tragic events, before the place was repaired and put up for tender by Tremains Real Estate.

"It has been completely plastered, painted inside and out and recarpeted after the documentary finished filming," Tremains sales agent Dave Birnie said. "We understand it has also been blessed on a couple of occasions."

Mr Birnie had already shown three potential local buyers through, and received many more email requests, mostly from people living outside the region.

A Trade Me listing marketed the property as a great family home or rental, adding there was "still work to be done to add value and make your mark".

Managing director of Tremains Real Estate, Simon Tremain, said the house had generated a lot of interest online.

"There have been a huge amount of hits on the internet site since it went up. I think people, knowing what the history is, probably just want to have a look. We have also had some cheeky emails saying we should be disclosing where the bullet holes were."

All details of the property's history would be fully disclosed to potential buyers, he said.

"Everyone that has come through has been aware of the property and its history, but if they are not we will certainly tell them."

Mr Tremain believed selling the house would be a positive step. "We have a job to do - to find new owners and move forward."

One neighbour living in a rental property nearby was surprised to see Molenaar's house for sale.

"To be honest I didn't think they would bother, I thought they would just demolish it," he said.

"It's the stigma. I would find it hard to see a local person buy it. Maybe in 20 years time, but it's still quite fresh."

The house has a rateable value of $260,000, and was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act in December after the Solicitor-General granted its forfeiture along with about $20,000 - thought to be drug money.

Tenders close 2pm, March 13.