Eden Terrace: Four's company

A row of affordable villas by the city is for sale either as a package, or separately.

4, 6, 8 &10 Takau Street, Eden Terrace.

The four villas that stand side by side in Takau Street are testament to the hard work of John and Niki Nicola since they emigrated from Cyprus. The couple bought No. 8 in 1976 and added No. 4, No. 6 then No. 10 progressively over the years.

Three of the early 1900s homes are square front villas, while the other is a bay villa. They face north with smallish, sloping back yards.

The houses, which are a short stroll from Queen Street, have been well looked after but still have do-up potential. The Nicolas bought them as rentals and because John was doing the maintenance and Niki was overseeing the tenants, it made sense to have their properties in one spot.

"We got them very cheap in those days," says Niki, "but they were very rundown."

Niki says it was a lot to take on at the time, especially as they were raising a large family.

"My husband was always a businessman; he was always on the go. He used to run the shoe shop all day then he would close up at night and he would be down here working on the houses until midnight," she says.

"I was the one who would clean up after tenants after they moved out, and find new ones. And I'd do things like make curtains."

John Nicola came to New Zealand in the early 1950s. He was making shoes by hand for a living in Cyprus, in the city of Kyrenia. One day a woman from New Zealand came into his shoe shop.

"They had a calendar on the wall with a picture of New Zealand on it," says Niki. "She noticed it and said, 'That's where I come from', and he said, 'I wouldn't mind going there one day'. She said, 'I'll send you the forms.' And she did. She sent him the forms and helped him to come over."

John worked in New Zealand for five years before returning to his hometown "because he wanted a wife and he had to have a wife from Cyprus".

Niki, originally from Famagusta, was working in Kyrenia as a nurse when John came into the hospital to ask the sister if he needed a polio injection. It was love at first sight and Niki found herself whisked off to New Zealand in 1958.

Naturally, John eventually opened a shoe shop - on Karangahape Road - and Niki had one further down the road selling ladies' shoes and handbags.

They kept the shops for many years but sold them after John had a stroke.

A family tragedy triggered Niki and John's decision to return to Cyprus after all these years in New Zealand. They have their tickets booked and are going to live in Larnica, where they have a daughter. Another daughter lives in Nicosia. They'll be leaving a son and daughter in Auckland and saying goodbye to their Takau Street properties

"It'll be very sad to leave," says Niki, "but I'll be coming back for a holiday."

Vital Statistics

THERE ARE FOUR HOUSES FOR SALE.

No. 4: Four bedrooms, two bathrooms, double off-street parking. Land half-share of 607sq m, house 128sq m.

No. 6: Four bedrooms, one bathroom, double off-street parking. Land half-share of 607sq m, house 125sq m.

No. 8: Five bedrooms, one bathroom, no parking. Land 303sq m, house 110sq m.

No. 10: Three bedrooms, one bathroom, no parking. Land 293sq m, house 107sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: All four have CVs (2002) of $260,000. Auction Sept. 3.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 3-3.45pm.

CONTACT: Barbara Craig, Barfoot & Thompson, ph 523 1189 bus, 021 383 858 mob, or Steve Koerber, ph 524 1659 bus, 021 864 166 mob.

FEATURES: Four early 1900s villas, well-maintained but with plenty of do-up potential. Close to central city.