33 Tranmere Road, Sandringham, Auckland. Photo / Ted Baghurst
A Sandringham villa and its easy, level grounds have made the move from Karaka to town easy for the Derecourt family.
Russell and Angela Derecourt, who live here with their sons Josh (10) and Max (8), have been struck by the convenience of the home and location not far from Sandringham Village.
Angela says: "It's a house that lies incredibly well on its section. It's a villa that has been extended in the past but that's been done really well, fitting in with the character of the existing home.
"And because it is an L-shaped extension it still leaves a good-sized private flat backyard, which the boys just love playing in."
Russell says: "We've found this location to be so handy to everything. It's a lovely quiet little cul-de-sac with families and kids and yet it's only 10 to 15 minutes' drive, off-peak, into town.
"I walk the boys to Edendale School every morning, which really is the highlight of my day, whereas in the past I'd often be stuck in traffic in the morning coming in to work."
The couple, who both work in IT, had visited and socialised in this villa often as it'd previously belonged to a friend of theirs who owned it for 17 years.
When the opportunity arose for them to buy it in a private sale last year, they planned on living here for a good spell.
They replaced all the appliances in the kitchen with new ones and installed new curtains and blinds throughout.
They also got arborists in to consult on and fell a couple of big overgrown trees from the backyard.
Number 22 is in the quiet, eastern no-exit end of Tranmere Rd, which has a big neighbourhood puriri tree at one end and in which the local kids play at making forts.
A front hedge announces the property, which has auto double gates securing off-street parking for three cars in a side driveway.
There's room for the boys' trampoline on the front lawn, near a veranda edged with wisteria about to burst into bloom.
The couple find the circa-1910 villa's ambience warm and welcoming as soon as they step into the entry hall with high ceiling and polished kauri floor.
Those original floors continue off the hallway, where a double-sided wood-burning fireplace in character brick delineates the front living and dining areas, which also have a heat pump.
The boys' two bedrooms are towards the front of the house.
The family bathroom with clawfoot bath and in-cupboard laundry outside it sits across the hallway from the rear kitchen. This has a suite of Fisher & Paykel appliances and has windows and french doors providing views of the rear deck and rear grounds.
Angela says: "This end of the house is great because from the kitchen I can easily keep an eye on the boys, who are outside in the back yard every chance they get.
"They've got their cricket pitch out there and like to play with their remote controlled cars on the rockery area in one corner."
Angled ceilings add interest to the family room, which is near the kitchen and forms part of the rear extension.
The villa culminates in the spacious master bedroom with peaked ceiling, heat-pump, en suite, walk-in-wardrobe and french doors out to the deck.
Russell particularly likes the rear deck and says the backyard is a peaceful spot enjoyed by their whole family, including miniature schnauzer Gus and birman cat Sunny. It's good for barbecues and socialising with other families.
Although it was not the original plan when they moved here, the family is selling as they want to put capital into a business opportunity.