Country - Love thy neighbours

A family has enjoyed the convenience and sense of community in a village north of Auckland.

5 Denehurst Drive, Waimauku.

If you've ever been baffled by the unceasing demand for real estate to the northwest of Auckland, then a chat with Carol and Frank Taylor will clear up any questions.

They love the lifestyle and the intimacy offered by communities such as Huapai, Kumeu and Waimauku. And the fact that most of your everyday needs are within walking distance and a quick jaunt in the car can have you at wineries, golf courses or out at the beach.

``One of the big things for me was that our boys could walk to school without having to cross the road,'' says Carol.

Frank adds, ``As much as you can get, there's a sense of community out here and we even have the odd street party. One year we even blocked the whole street off.''

Having lived in Huapai previously, the Taylors jumped at the chance of buying a section nine years ago on what was then the new Denehurst Drive subdivision.

They built a Diana home by Golden Homes in the cul-de-sac and made some changes to the floor plan so that entry was into the family living area, not the lounge, which also had the added benefit of bringing the kitchen and casual living area on to the eastern side of the house for morning sun.

They also spent more on the lighting and the kitchen, giving it underfloor heating. The triple garage in the plans became a double garage with ``his and hers'' offices on the far side.

The north-facing house has deep eaves and is set back from the street. The formal and informal living areas open to paved areas outside and the large, flat lawn beyond.

The master bedroom is at the western end of the house and not only has a large en suite and a walk-in wardrobe but also opens out to its own patio.

A hallway runs through the middle of the house behind the kitchen and living areas and on the other side of it are the bedrooms and bathrooms.

At the eastern end of the house is the internal access garage with two tidy office spaces that could also serve as bedrooms. These come in handy for Frank's work in finance and Carol's plant nursery and landscaping business.

A deck runs the length of the rear of the house and makes it easy to get outside and pick vegetables from the raised garden beds or hang out the washing without dragging muddy feet back into the house.

Naturally, with the line of work Carol's in, she's put some effort into the landscaping although she admits, ``You never have enough time to do your own garden.''

She deliberately kept the plantings low because the neighbourhood has a very open feel. As Frank points out, ``The nice thing about this street is that it's not full of fences and you do know your neighbours.''
Carol was also careful not to overplant the site.

``With two boys, I've always left enough space for them to play cricket.''And there are other nice touches like the low corokia hedge surrounding the patio outside the living room.

``It just makes it feel like a little outdoors room,'' says Carol.

The Taylors are moving back to the street in Huapai they lived in before shifting to Denehurst Drive. They are keen to keep the lifestyle they enjoy but are also looking to get on with the next project.

VITAL STATISTICS

BEDROOMS: 4+

BATHROOMS: 2

GARAGES: 2

SIZE: Land 1772sq m, house 237sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected around $530,000. Auction August 30.
INSPECT: Sun 2-2.45pm.

ON THE WEB: www.barfoot.co.nz #345669

CONTACT: Angela Little, Barfoot & Thompson, ph 412 5640 bus, 021 421 967 mob.

FEATURES: Spacious, single level brick and tile home set on landscaped grounds. Large kitchen and living areas with great indoor-outdoor flow. Close to all amenities.