Dannemora: No DIY needed

Not everyone's into renovating. This is a house where you can leave your tools to gather dust and get on with other pursuits. 

1 Toplands Drive, Dannemora. Martin and Sharelle Lincoln aren't big fans of DIY and renovation projects. 

"There are other things we'd rather be doing with our time," admits Martin, a fitness fan who competes in triathlons. 

"Actually, we're lazy, and we don't have the patience," laughs Sharelle. 

That's why the couple's last three homes have been brand new. When they first saw this house in Dannemora at the end of last year they knew it was ideal - the only work they needed to do was hang some curtains. 

"It's not often that you find a house that's so good you can honestly say you wouldn't change anything, but that's pretty much the case with this place," says Martin. "We might have put in the odd cupboard but otherwise we wouldn't have changed anything." 

The large, stylish house is spread over four levels and has lots of extra features you don't find in standard homes. Double entrance doors open into a large tiled foyer which leads to the living and dining room. The living area is double-height; the soaring ceiling makes it feel light and spacious but a mains gas fire keeps it warm in winter. A cavity sliding door separates this area from the family room and kitchen, which is Sharelle's favourite part of the house. 

"It's a great kitchen to cook in - it's so big and there's plenty of storage," she says. She loves the granite bench tops and the glass splashback on two walls. "It's so easy to clean." 

Sliding doors lead from the family room to a petanque court and paved area that's perfect for al fresco dining. 

Inside again, and a flight of stairs from the hallway leads down to the double garage (complete with tiled floor), bathroom, laundry and a room Martin uses for fitness training that could be a fifth bedroom. There's also a sauna tucked away next to the garage. 

Head up the stairs past the living areas to the third level and there's a room every film fan and sports nut would kill for - a home cinema. 

"We're very popular when there's rugby on," says Martin. 

Also on this level is a bathroom and a bedroom which would be great for guests. 

More stairs lead up to the fourth floor, where there are two more double bedrooms and the master bedroom with a walk-through wardrobe and en suite. Up here is also an open gallery area that looks down on the living area below. 

"We were planning to put a couple of recliner chairs and a book case up here and have it as a kind of chill-out area," says Sharelle. "It would also make a great kids play area." 

The couple love the thoughtful finishing touches throughout the house, like the underfloor heating in all the tiled areas and the state-of-the-art technology - the house is smart-wired. They also really like the Dannemora area - they're close to the proposed new Flat Bush town centre which will have boutiques and cafes, Sir Barry Curtis Park with all its sporting amenities, and the Botany Town Centre mall. 

But they are selling because Martin's journey to and from work on the North Shore is taking its toll - on Friday evenings it can take him a staggering two-and-a-half hours to get home - and because they're planning on starting a family and going to one salary. 

"We're very sorry to be going, "says Martin. "But we would have no qualms about building an identical house somewhere else - we love it so much." 

Vital Statistics: 

BEDROOMS: 5 

BATHROOMS: 3 

GARAGE: 2 

SIZE: Land, 464sqm; house 309sqm. 

PRICE: Asking $828,000. 

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 3-4pm. 

CONTACT: Anne-Marie Koszegi and Steven Koszegi, Barfoot & Thompson, ph 534 9042 or 021 238 8496 (Anne-Marie) and 027 551 9500 (Steven). 

FEATURES: Four-level six-month-old house with three living areas, home cinema, designer kitchen, sauna, granite bathrooms, spa bath and climate control unit.