Mt Eden: Right place, right time

The timing was right for a developer chasing a prime piece of real estate, writes Penny Lewis.

905 Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden.

For many years the site of a new group of homes in Mt Eden was a market garden.

"It was a 5000sq m piece of land and there was one house on it," says developer Chris Hook. "People had been trying for years to buy it. One day an agent approached the owner for me and it happened to be the right time for the owner to sell.

"It was a nice piece of land and a great location," says Chris.

He commissioned Colin Leuschke of Leuschke Group Architects to design Tuscan-inspired homes for the site.

Now, set down a long drive from Mt Eden Road, the 12 spacious homes at number 905 are protected from traffic noise and it's only a short hop up to Mt Eden village.

It's also en route to the airport and in zone for Epsom Girls' Grammar and Maungawhau Primary School.

Chris says he was aware of a demand for spacious family houses, and for this reason eight of the nine homes now available for sale have five good-sized bedrooms and three bathrooms. The other has four bedrooms.

He ensured that in each two-storey house, one of the bedrooms and an en suite were on the ground level.

"This means it's an ideal setup for a home office, or perhaps for a grandparent or a teenager who needs some independence."

The interiors of the homes have been designed with a neutral palette.

"Nice, neutral colours mean individual buyers can put their own stamp on their home," Chris says.

And with all the problems associated with leaky homes, Chris has opted for solid, insulated, masonry construction.

"It's great because the homes are kept warm in winter and cool in summer," Chris observes.

What's more, each dwelling features a concrete mid-floor and concrete stairs.

"There's very little noise transmission so it's incredibly quiet between the two levels, which is particularly important for large families with children."

The developer says he was seeking "practical functionality" with the design and he is very pleased with the result. The 12 houses are homely with plenty of room.

"Even though they look small from the outside, the skill of the architect means the living areas and bedrooms are very spacious."

Each house is on a freehold unit title, so there's a body corporate to oversee and maintain common areas such as landscaping, outdoor lighting and a shared paved driveway.

"The body corporate is there to keep things pristine. You can't park a caravan outside or paint your house bright pink," Chris says.

And although caravans are out of the equation, each house has an internal-access double garage and visitor parking for at least two cars right outside.

The driveway itself is a feat of engineering. Storm water is disposed of on-site through a system of slits between the pavers.

"It's unique as it may be the first time this system has been used in a residential development. When it rains the water basically goes straight through the pavers," Chris says.

Chris says feedback from people visiting the houses is that he's behind a good development.

"I wanted to build good, spacious, solid homes that are good value for money and within the price range of many families."

Vital Statistics

SIZE: Homes from 198sq m to 210 sq m, living courts from 62sq m to 207sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: $700,000-plus. Nine houses out of 12 for sale by tender closing August 18 (if not sold prior).
INSPECT: Sat/Sun 2-3pm.

CONTACT: Lyn Lockwood, Invest New Zealand Real Estate, phone 027 271 5859 mob 09 921 5186 bus.

FEATURES: Gas fire, quiet location, insulated, masonry construction.

*One four-bedroom home is for sale.