20 Solan Dr, Waimuku. Photo / Supplied
Having previously lived in a two-bedroom place, the Hawker family felt they were spoilt for choice when they looked through this expansive Waimauku home.
Sheryl Hawker says: "As we looked through, we'd say 'Wow, there's another door, I wonder what's through there?'"
Their layout now includes a big lounge, kitchen-dining-family room, master suite boasting its own study or lounge plus three further bedrooms accompanied by an office that could be used as a fourth bedroom if desired.
Sheryl says: "Actually, our 10-year-old daughter Gracie does use that as her bedroom.
"This house has plenty of space for guests or for when my husband Neville's two sons have stayed at different times."
Gracie was four when they bought here, so having decile 10 Waimauku School close was a big part of the attraction.
Sheryl says: "We can walk to the back entrance of the school in a couple of minutes without going across any main roads, which makes it so easy. So easy that our cat Chloe usually walks to school, too, and often goes back and waits for Gracie at the end of the day at the little bridge at the back of the school fields."
Another attraction was being only the second owners of the fully fenced home, which was built of plaster with a Decramastic tile roof in 2002.
Sheryl understands those previous owners used the bedroom with its own en suite and walk-in-wardrobe to accommodate their mother, who used its additional room as a little lounge.
But the Hawkers prefer this portion of the layout, enjoying separation from the other bedrooms, as their master suite. Sheryl uses its bonus room as a study where she does the admin for the couple's business.
"It's a lovely bedroom because like so much of the house it opens up to our outdoor area so you can read on the bed with a bit of breeze."
Number 20 is set back from Solan Drive down a driveway but visitors typically just drive on down, seeing the home has off-street parking for around four cars as well as its triple internal-access garage with laundry.
Sheryl rates the layout as brilliant for entertaining. The family-dining-underfloor-heated-kitchen spread has two lots of ranch-sliders out to their decks, patio and private lawned garden. The separate lounge with gas fireplace opens to them, too.
The family added the shelter of a covered pergola to their outdoor set-up, which was party central for the live band and guests for Sheryl's 50th birthday party.
The master suite with study (alternately a nursery or lounge) is off the tiled entry foyer. So is a passageway in another direction to the rest of the bedrooms, one of which Sheryl offers beauty treatments from.
The first big bedroom has en suite access to the main family bathroom with spa bath, alongside a separate powder room.
Two more bedrooms precede the office Gracie chooses as her bedroom, near the family room where she might watch a movie if she doesn't fancy what her folks are watching in the lounge.
Sheryl says: "The funny thing is all the furniture we had in our two-bedroom place was big furniture which worked well in this house - it's like it was meant to be."
She says Waimauku is a very family-friendly community.
Their property is within five minutes' walk of Waimauku Village, which has a supermarket, about five minutes' drive from Kumeu and around 20 minutes' drive from Westgate.
The Hawkers are selling to realise their next property dream.