Kingsland: Added value

Adress: 27 Third Avenue, Kingsland.

Babies have a way of making their parents move house. Lisa and Trevor Reid have loved living in their Kingsland villa with its sunny family room and kitchen, and its wide views out over the garden and the houses below. But no sooner have they got it the way they want it, they find that they are going to need still more space.
``It's not as though it's exactly small,'' laughs Lisa, ``It's just that another space for our business would be great now that there's another baby on the way. We're both designers, Trevor in web design and me in graphics, and we like to work from home when Sid is so small.''

When they bought the Third Avenue villa some three and a half years ago they had room to spare. Sid wasn't in the picture and they settled down to stamp their mark on their first home together. It was in a good state of repair as its previous owner was an electrician and had used his trade knowledge and his buddies' helping hands to bring it back to a sound and sturdy condition. ``We understand he bought it from the first owner and virtually nothing had been done for many years. It's thanks to him that everything is so well done.''

Lisa admits to not liking the colours it was painted but apart from a complete reworking of the colour scheme not much needed doing.
``That's what you get from two designers living together I suppose. We wanted a restrained colour palette, especially at the rear where it is so sunny, but very little else has been done by us.''
The previous owner had taken care of all the big jobs. The house has, among other things, been repiled, replumbed, rewired and relined.

Wide polished kauri boards give visual warmth to the hallway. Restored Edwardian details such as a hall archway and four panel doors allow the natural charm of its hundred years of history to shine through.
``When we found it we walked through to the back and were so pleased to find the way the light and sun just pour in here. Because you are quite high off the ground you can never be overlooked and you have total privacy. We love sitting in the bath and looking out over the banana palms below.''
Three roomy bedrooms and a generous sized living room leading into the family room completes the typical villa floor plan.

While his parents might like Kingsland's nightlife and cafes, and enjoy the salsa night at The Kingslander on Wednesdays in particular, Sid has loved watching, and catching, trains from the Kingsland railway station. ``We use them for work too,'' says Lisa. ``It's great that you can just pop up the road, catch a train to a meeting in town and then get home, all without thinking about parking.''
Lisa has family across the gully and many of their friends live in Grey Lynn.
``We think it will be nice to live around West Lynn, but there is so much here we are going to miss. Being able to just wander up three blocks to a really vibrant night-life will be a big one, and of course there won't be the trains.''

VITAL STATISTICS

BEDROOMS: 3

BATHROOMS: 1

GARAGES: *

* NO GARAGE BUT 1 OFF-STREET PARK.

SIZE: Land 379sq m, house 111sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected above the 2005 CV of $490,000. Auction July 5.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 12-12.45pm.

ON THE WEB: www.uprealty.co.nz/130416

CONTACT: Marc Collins, Unlimited Potential, ph 360 4416 bus,
0274 485 961.

FEATURES: Renovated villa on sunny, northwest facing site. Full height basement awaiting development. Close to Kingsland shops, cafes and railway station.