SCHOOL ZONES:
Newmarket School, Parnell School, double grammar.
CONTACT:
Heather Walton, Ray White, 021 432 167.
AUCTION:
November 25, 6.30pm.
Buying an investment property 20 years ago, David and Hazel Jackson chose one they liked because they figured if they liked the house, it would be easy to rent.
And it's just as well they liked it because they ended up moving straight in.
As Hazel explains, they bought theNewmarket bungalow thinking they would be living in Canada for a while because David had a government job lined up there. But when the government changed, the job disappeared.
"We wanted to buy a place before we left New Zealand that we could come back to that would increase in value and get a good rent," says Hazel.
David says: "It appealed to us because it was private and had something about it that felt relaxed."
He says that in 1991, the 1920s bungalow was resited at the rear of the property, which was redeveloped with townhouses. It was repiled and renovated after being shifted and now sits at the end of the driveway in a quiet spot surrounded by mature trees.
Beside the carport is the main entrance to the home via a small foyer that takes you into the lounge. This room has a large window seat and a woodburner centrally located.
From the corner of the lounge you enter a hallway off which are the main bathroom and three bedrooms, with the master having an en suite and large wardrobing.
The carpeted lounge flows though to a timber-floored dining room and kitchen, which has a laundry tucked out the back. Leadlight windows and coffered ceilings are some of the character features of this living space, which has french doors out to a deck that steps down to a sunny patio where the Jacksons like to entertain.
As David points out, there is a small lawn off to one side just in case you want "to feel a little bit of grass under your feet".
Image 1 of 6: 1920s bungalow sits in a quiet, central spot. Photos / Michelle Hyslop
In the time they have been here, the couple have updated the kitchen and bathrooms, recarpeted, and repainted inside and out.
Hazel and David love the central location of their home and being close to amenities, transport and schooling but also the fact that it is a quiet retreat when they feel like getting away from it all.
"We love going out and having fun -- at any moment you can go across the road for things like Christmas in the Park or down to the movies but then you can enjoy the quietness back here," says Hazel.
The location has served their children well when it comes to their education, being able to walk to school or the nearby tertiary institutions.
"Having the Domain across the road is great," says Hazel. "David's a runner so he enjoys running on all the paths."
David says: "And you can take the grandkids over to feed the ducks, or kick a soccer ball or have a family picnic."
In the 20 years they have been here, the eating-out scene and shopping options have improved dramatically -- Hazel will particularly miss the latter when they move on with the next phase of their lives. They are still weighing up whether that will take them to Orewa or Tauranga.
