6 Huapai St, One Tree Hill, Auckland. Photo / Supplied
Victoria and Scott McArthur reckon they had one of the most simple property transactions of all time, when they bought a freshly modernised, 1920s weatherboard bungalow near One Tree Hill.
"We'd met someone we knew in a cafe and mentioned we were considering buying in the area," says Victoria.
"She said that perhaps we should look at her place, so we did and everything was more or less settled on the spot."
Having lived in Mount Eden, Epsom and Remuera the couple say that this has been their best-ever home. "For a start, we didn't need to do a single thing to it," says Scott.
The 230sq m house has high ceilings and a bright vibe and sits on a 696sq m section.
The previous owners had undertaken a major renovation, opening up the back and adding living space.
A wide central hallway runs through the house.
Once inside the front door, the master suite, which has a walk-in wardrobe, luxury bathroom and access to the garden outside, sits to your right.
On the opposite side off the hallway is another street-facing room, occupied by the couple's son, Fergus. The next bedroom along is his sister's, Milly.
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This part of the house can be closed off with a cavity sliding door, which Victoria likes on winter nights. "The family can be watching TV while I go to bed in perfect peace and quiet," she says.
Another room off the hallway on the right is a separate lounge, which could easily be converted to a fourth bedroom. There's also a home office.
The home's transformation is fully apparent walking into the vast kitchen, dining and living area.
The modern kitchen has so many cupboards that Victoria isn't sure if she's even opened all of them.
It has endless bench space, integrated appliances and an adjacent scullery, combined with a laundry. "The funny thing is that I'm not really a cook," she says.
A central built-in booth partly surrounds the dining suite, cleverly breaking up space. To the side is the family living area.
"We're all very close, so everybody gravitates here," says Victoria. The back of the house opens up almost completely to the garden and the salt-water pool with its surrounding patio. "We put the cover over the pool at the end of each day and that holds in all the sun's warmth," says Scott.
He and Victoria are responsible for the landscaping, with bright subtropical plantings. Scott designed the outdoor fireplace himself.
As the owners of two young dogs and a much older one, being close to Cornwall Park has been ideal.
"We go there every day and we know all the other dog walkers. We even had the park manager over for dinner recently," says Victoria.
The couple have no set plans for the future but they like travelling (the dogs stay at a free-range safari in Miranda) and don't need as much space.
Milly has suggested she's about to go flatting again, so Victoria and Scott think it's time to make a move.
6 HUAPAI ROAD, ONEHUNGA
• 3 bedrooms, 2 bathroom, 2 parking spaces.
• Land: 696sq m, House: 230sq m.
• Set sale date: 27 Feb.
• Inspect: Sat/Sun 2-2.30pm.
• Schools: Onehunga Primary, Royal Oak Intermediate, Onehunga High School.
• Contact: Colleen Strachan, UP Real Estate, 021 283 6194 and Richard Hart 021 973 474.