What Andrew Turner liked about his turn-of-the-century villa at 16 Scanlan Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland, was that everything inside was already beautifully renovated.
You can just move in and live, he says. He changed the light switches, to dim lighting to create ambience, but other than that he didn't haveto do anything.
The sunny house, with an asking price of $2.65 million, also has the added bonus of a private, two-bedroom apartment with its own deck and a rental appraisal of $600 a week.
Situated between Gt North Rd and Williamson Ave, the house is an easy walk to the bars and cafes of both K R d and Ponsonby, and access to the motorway via Newton St.
Inside it is new and stylish. "I loved it; that's why I bought it," says Andrew.
"The space, the modernity – it's an old villa but it's completely done up.There's plenty of off-street parking. Normally there's only one, maybe two, but it's got three if not four.
Andrew, who bought the property about two years ago, particularly likes the open plan chef's kitchen, dining and living area, all renovated by the previous owners. Along with travertine tiles, they put in a wall of sliding glass doors which opens the entire back wall up to the outdoors.
A louvretec roof covers the outdoor patio area creating an all-weather entertaining space. The renovations also included blonding of the Kauri floors, plus there are plantation shutters, ceiling roses, underfloor heating and Alarti marble in the bathroom.
Andrew says the house has a lot of scope. A sunny room at the front can be a lounge or a bedroom, for example.
"And the good thing about it is there's sun both ends."
Ray White agent Cristina Casares says a nearby four-bedroom, two-bathroom house sold recently for $2.65m — but it didn't have the convenience of an apartment. "A rental of $600 a week could actually help you pay the mortgage and then you can afford a four-bedroom house," says Cristina.
She describes the house as "the best kept secret" in Grey Lynn.
"The house is really beautifully renovated in a different way — it's not like the typical renovation."
"It has a nice flow because you have the corridor that goes all the way to the lounge and people really like that – you open the door and you can see all the way to the backyard."
The en suite to the master bedroom has black mosaic tiles and a walk-in shower, and the house has high stud ceilings. The back yard is fully fenced.
