298 Rimmer Rd, Woodhill. Photo / Supplied
Indoors and outdoors, the home and the land, this Woodhill property combined everything Anna Bryant and Scott Taylor wanted in one package.
The property had been a racehorse stud, so it had fenced areas, stalls, stables and a wash-down area. And the house had been renovated and extended from its humble cottage beginnings to a large family home.
"It started out as a small cottage, but after the renovations and improvements I would describe it as a wooden bungalow," says Scott. "It's a sunny and light house. It has been done well. This is authentic to its style."
With the house beautifully renovated, all that was left for the couple to do was to improve the fencing and concrete the driveway.
Anna has an affinity with the Woodhill area.
"It is a street that was known to my family because my granddad used to play here as a boy. My great uncle's farm was on Rimmer Rd. My great uncle Howard was president of the A&P years ago, I think in the 50s.
"When I was a kid I used to go surfing at Muriwai with my cousins."
Scott says: "It's peaceful out here, we like the quietness. It's out of the city but it's still not too far away.
"If you are into surfing you have the beach at the end of the road. Or you can go fishing.
"There's the motorbike park at Woodhill Forest; there's horse riding. We also have the forest on the property and, at the end of the day, it's nice to go there for a walk with the dog."
Anna likes how the property has allowed her children to grow up with animals. And they can keep an eye on their horses and other livestock from the house.
"My daughter can see her pony from her room and I can see out to all the paddocks around me.
"My little boy and girl have their own forest to explore and it's also a great place to have a dog, swim in the stream and run through the pine trees.
There is a choice of places to go riding — Woodhill Forest, Muriwai and the A&P.
"And there are lots of things for the kids to do. Great preschools schools, the primary school is growing, they go to swimming lessons at Parakai Springs, play touch rugby at the rugby park, dancing at the scout hall, the surf beach, which also has a motorbike class. It is a good lifestyle for the children."
The home has internal access from the garage into the open-plan kitchen, dining and living, and access to a large deck.
There is a bathroom at this end of the house, then the library and office before the bedrooms. Two of the three bedrooms access decks, and the master bedroom has an en suite.
Above the garage is a loft, with the option to use this space as a bedroom, office or music room.
"It would make a good guest wing," says Anna, "It's warm up there. Our home is nice and airy and bright. It is good at Christmas time with family because we open up all the doors."
The family is selling their home of four years because they are planning a new adventure in rural New Zealand.
"But it will be hard to replace this because it is a high-quality home and the animals are so happy here," says Anna. "We have that feeling of having the beach and the forest around us."