He and his wife Lynette have the convenience of apartment living, the confidence of owning a concrete building with a courtyard at the front, a deck on the second living -- and, at the back of the unit, a large double garage, storage and laundry.
Jonathan and Lynette, who livehere with their boys Oskar and Hugo, bought the freehold townhouse, one of only five in the block, in September last year.
They appreciated getting a space of their own after having rented an apartment in a building housing mainly students.
"That was interesting living in a student flat with a wife and two kids," says Jonathan.
What he likes about his home is that it is more user friendly than an apartment.
"You have the double garaging with internal access and it is so close to town."
Street entry is through the timber gate into the courtyard at the front of the townhouse where Lynette and Jonathan have table and chairs, a small garden and a rather impressive yukka by the fence.
"It is nice to have that courtyard on the ground level. To have a piece of dirt for yourself," says Jonathan.
The door opens to the first level foyer. On the left is a room that could be used as an office or bedroom, and then the bathroom and the internal entry to the garage. The office/bedroom's bifold doors open to provide indoor-outdoor flow to the courtyard.
Image 1 of 6: This two-level property has its own courtyard.
The next level up is dedicated to the living area -- open plan with kitchen, dining and lounge and the bi-fold doors opening to the deck. The family have barbecues out here, and Jonathan says the lounge is his favourite part of the house, particularly at night when it's nice to sit on the sofa and look out to the city lights including the colours of the Sky Tower.
"And being north-east facing we get the wraparound sun during the day."
Upstairs are three more bedrooms and a bathroom. The two larger bedrooms have generously sized windows and cedar louvres for ventilation (as does the lounge).
The couple has painted the interior, laid new carpet and added a heat pump in the lounge.
The young family have enjoyed living in Freemans Bay. Oskar, 6, and Hugo, 2, love having the new playground just up the road at Western Park beside Auckland Girls' Grammar, and Oskar goes to Kadimah School in Greys Ave.
"We are close to cafes, Ponsonby Road, but our favourite is Rupa's in Wellington St," says Jonathan.
"We can drive to the Herne Bay beaches but usually what we do with the children is walk up to Western Park."
The couple is selling to pursue a development opportunity in Grey Lynn.
